If you enjoy saving several hundred dollars, this vehicle brake tip is for you. Once every year ask your auto mechanic to pull the wheel and take a look at your brake shoes to check the wear. It could save you hundreds of dollars in a huge repair.
When to Change Brake Shoes
If you hear a scraping sound all the time, it could be a broken brake shoe or a worn out brake shoe. Normally when a shoe is worn down it’ll make a scraping sound when you press the brake to stop.
When you hear a squeak sound coming from the drum brakes, it could be just a heavy layer of dust and dirt making that sound and the shoes are fine.
If you’ve noticed that your car doesn’t respond normally when you press the brake to stop, there could be more than just worn down brake shoes going on. The brake drums might be affected and you need to see your mechanic as soon as you can. Your car might not be safe to drive.
When your parking brake won’t hold anymore, it could mean that the brake shoes have worn down to a point where they need replacing. Have them checked as soon as it is convenient.
When the brake drum is damaged from worn out shoes or for another reason, you will need to replace the drums on each side of your car and the shoes, too. You’ll know the brake drum is toast when the back end of your car shimmies when you brake.
You can head off a costly repair by having the mechanic check your brake shoes at least once a year when he changes the oil. Catching the worn out shoe early will save you hundreds of dollars in drum replacements. Stop by A1 Performance Auto Repair to have your drum shoe wear checked.
