How To Replace Your Brakes Yourself
Your brakes are important on your vehicle and need to be replaced when needed. Waiting too long to replace your brakes can result in issues such as your rotors being worn out and needing to be replaced, or you could end up in an accident when you aren't able to stop your vehicle in time to avoid a collision. Changing your brakes can be costly, but being in an accident because you didn't have your brakes replaced can cost much more. Read on for information on how to replace the brakes on your vehicle.
Remove Your Tires And Brake Pads
Remove your tires using a tire iron after your vehicle is steady on a jack stand. Remove the brake pads by removing the caliper holding them in their place. You may need a special tool to remove the lug nuts on your tires depending on your vehicle, and you also may need a special tool to remove the caliper as well. You can find these special tools at your local auto parts store. If you don't have the space to do this job, you should take your vehicle to your local auto repair shop to have your brakes replaced for you.
Inspect The Rotors
While you have the brake pad and caliper removed, you should inspect the rotors on your vehicle as well. The rotors could have become worn out if you allowed your brake pads to wear out so badly that they were completely disintegrated. If you heard metal-on-metal sounds while driving, it's more than likely that you have some wear on your rotors. If you aren't able to remove the rotors and replace them, you need to take your vehicle to an auto repair shop to have this done for you.
Signs Your Brakes Need To Be Repaired
If you aren't even sure if your brakes need to be changed, there are a few signs you should watch out for. If you hear grinding or a metal-on-metal sound, it could be a brake issue. You may not hear the sound, but you may feel it in the brake pedal when you attempt to brake. You may also feel like your vehicle is jumping or hopping when you attempt to stop your vehicle. Another sign you may notice is that it takes longer for your vehicle to stop, or it may feel like you have to press the pedal harder in order to stop your vehicle.
If you think your brakes need to be changed, but you aren't sure how to do this work yourself, you should take your vehicle to an auto repair shop to have it worked on and to ensure nothing else is wrong with your vehicle.
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