Anytime a hydraulic brake component on the front braking system of your car is replaced, a bleeding procedure is required. Hydraulics rely on constant pressure from the fluid, and when compromised, these systems allow internal air pockets th...

The brake pads on a Ford Windstar use a brake caliper and rotor design. Over time, the brake pads wear down due to the friction generated by the intense clamping forces of the brake caliper. When the pad material is 1/8-inch thick, you need...

The brake pads on a Honda CR-V need to be replaced when the pad material is 1/8-inch thick. Although pad replacement is mandatory at this pad thickness, you should replace the brake pads on the CR-V anytime you notice steering wheel feedback...

The Ford Escort ZX2, also known simply as the "ZX2," was a sport model of the popular Ford Escort. The rear braking system on the ZX2 uses an iron brake drum with a machined surface. Brake shoes press against the inside of the drum to slow t...

The Saturn line of automobiles is manufactured with rear disk brakes which contain routine maintenance parts that must be replaced at regular intervals. The rear disk brake pads have a friction material that can wear down after 20,000 to 30,...

The brakes on a Ford Mustang wear down over time due to friction created by the pad material rubbing against the brake disc. Fortunately, fixing the brakes in this instance is a simple matter of replacing the pad material. Once you have veri...

Automotive drum braking systems use curved shoes that are pushed against the inside drum surface by a hydraulic wheel cylinder. The shoe material can wear quickly, and will eventually require replacement. The average backyard mechanic can re...

Brake drums encapsulate brake shoes. The wheel cylinder bores extend hydraulically upon demand and push the shoes outward to contact the interior diameter of the drum. The brake shoe composition is softer than the cast metal drums and wear a...

Brake drums on the rear wheels of a car can be difficult to remove at times. There can be a number of reasons for the drums to get stuck, mainly due to the expansion of the shoes within the drum. Sometimes it can be fixed just by retracting...

Automotive drum brakes use a hydraulic master cylinder to pressurize individual wheel cylinders that push brake shoes to an interior drum surface, stopping a vehicle. The four-wheel drum braking system was phased out during the 1970s and rep...

Bleeding the master cylinder and brake lines is the process of removing air from the hydraulic lines. Brake bleeding is one of the most important things you can do to ensure the proper operation of your brakes and the safe operation of your...

Proper adjustment of slack adjusters is essential to the functionality of trailer brakes. Slack adjusters compensate for normal wear of break linings. The slack adjuster is an arm attached to a push rod on the brake assembly. Performing a sl...

The rear brakes on a Ford ZX2 need to be adjusted only after the brake shoes have been replaced. Fortunately, the rear brakes on a Ford ZX2 are self-adjusting. However, there are a few things you can do to help manually adjust the brakes for...

The rear brakes on the Ford Zx2 will only need adjustment after you change the brake shoes. The drums contain a self-adjuster. However, you can manually adjust the rear brakes to speed up the process. This will help the brake to "bed in" to...

The brake pads in a Ford Ranger help to stop the vehicle by creating friction against the brake rotor. As brake fluid is forced through steel piping (brake line), a brake caliper piston pushes against the brake pad. Over time, this pad will...

Installing the brake pads on a 1997 Honda Accord is a relatively straightforward process. However, before you can install the pads, you need to force the caliper piston back into the caliper. This critical step is almost always overlooked. I...

The brake shoes on a Mazda only do 25 percent of the work in the braking system. This is because the shoes push against the brake drum, causing the wheel to slow down. Over time, however, even this is enough to wear down the shoes to a point...

The rear brakes on a 2000 Honda Accord use a caliper and piston design to apply brake pressure. You'll need a special brake tool to compress the piston on the rear caliper. This tool is available from Honda dealerships. When the pad material...

The brake pads on an Oldsmobile Alero are of the caliper and rotor design. The caliper design allows for maximum clamping force on the rotor. However, it also works to wear down the brake pads faster. You should check your pad depth every si...

The Chevrolet Nova was in production from 1962 to 1979, with models produced from 1962-1968 known as the Chevy II Nova. These vehicles were equipped from the factory with rear drum brakes. Drum brakes use curved brake shoes attached to a dru...

Due to an alarming number of reports about accelerators sticking on Toyota cars, Toyota is recalling many of the vehicles. Over 3.8 million vehicles are said to be affected by the recall, the largest for Toyota to date. The problem stemmed f...

Replace, or resurface, your brake rotors when you replace the brake pads in your Ford Expedition if you experience a shaky, bouncy feeling when you apply the brakes. Rotors that are severely gouged will require replacement, but rotors withou...

The 1978-1992 Ford Mustang, or Fox body style, was manufactured with rear drum brakes that require routine maintenance. Installing a new drum to the rear brakes will give the mechanic an opportunity to check for other issues, and should take...

The 1967 Chevrolet Camaro uses hydraulic lines to transfer brake fluid from the master cylinder to the calipers and wheel cylinders at each wheel. Over time, the steel lines attached to the vehicle's frame can rust and begin to leak, and the...

The 1990 Honda models were manufactured with hydraulically actuated disk brake systems that require routine rotor maintenance. Replacing or resurfacing the rotor can improve the stopping power and lifespan of the braking system. The average...

The brake pads on your Honda Civic should be changed every 60,000 miles, though they may need changing sooner depending on how hard you regularly use the brakes. The brake assemblies are one of the few parts of the car to still not be comput...

The Mazda Multi-Purpose Vehicle, or MPV, was a minivan manufactured with a hydraulic caliper and pad front brake design, which occasionally requires maintenance. The twin pads on either side will wear down their friction material, and they s...

The 1969 Ford F-series Camper Special was manufactured with a hydraulic rear drum braking system that requires routine maintenance. The drum material can thin over time and must be replaced to safely stop the truck. The average backyard mech...

The Chevrolet Aveo is a sub-compact automobile manufactured with a hydraulic master cylinder braking system, with rear drums on some models. The pads and shoes are routine replacement parts; rotors, drums, wheel cylinders, calipers and the p...

The 1999 Chevy Tahoe replaced the old full-sized Chevy Blazer. Smaller than a Suburban, the Tahoe features a front disc braking system and may have rear disc or rear drum brakes. When replacing the rotors, you should also consider replacing...

The Honda Accord was manufactured with front brake rotors from 1990 to 1997, and these rotors required routine maintenance or replacement. The hydraulic caliper, semi-metallic pads and wheel bearings work with the rotor to provide stopping p...

The Land Rover Freelander is manufactured with a hydraulic disk braking system that requires routine maintenance to function correctly. The twin braking pads on each caliper will wear down their friction surface and necessitate replacement....

When your brakes feel squishy or air bound, test them in this manner. With the ignition on, pump the brakes rapidly 3 or 4 times and push down hard as if you were trying to stop the car quicky. If the pedal goes to the floor slowly, then you...

The Mitsubishi Lancer is manufactured with a hydraulically operated caliper braking system that requires routine pad maintenance. Replacing worn or damaged pads ensures safe braking and can prevent damage to other brake components. The avera...

The Dodge Ram pickup truck series is manufactured with rear disc brakes, using hydraulically actuated calipers and pad/rotor friction surfaces. The rotor part of the system may become warped or damaged and require replacement, which can take...

The 1984 Chevrolet Camaro was manufactured with a hydraulic braking system that employs front disc brakes. The brake pads are pressed against the rotor with caliper pistons, and they can wear out of material. The average backyard mechanic ca...

Introduced in 1986, the Taurus has been an enduring staple of the Ford Motor Company's lineup. Since its induction, the car has employed front disc brakes; but the rear brakes on your Taurus may feature drum or disc, depending on the year th...

The rear brakes on most cars use drums with brake shoes that work with the parking brake. Installing rear brake shoes is more difficult than front brake pads, because the assembly involves multiple springs that you must insert precisely. The...

The brake booster also know as a power booster on a Chevrolet Suburban is a circular steel piece mounted on the firewall behind the master cylinder. The brake booster utilizes vacuum created by the engine to increase the amount of force gene...

The parking brake on the 2000 Chevy Impala can be adjusted by removing the center console and adjusting two adjustment nuts on the back of the parking brake lever. The parking brake lever should be fully engaged when the lever is pulled stra...

You no doubt have heard the advice that it is wise to take care of a small problem with your vehicle before it becomes a larger one. This is especially true of the brakes on your car. The brake pads are the part of the brake system that most...

The Nissan Frontier was manufactured with rear drum brakes on some models, which require routine maintenance for optimal performance. The twin shoes that are pushed against the inside of the drum by hydraulic wheel cylinders, can wear out of...

Early Toyota models were manufactured with rear drum brakes, which use a hydraulic wheel cylinder to press twin shoes into the interior friction surface of a round drum, stopping the vehicle. The drum can wear down and need resurfacing or re...

The 1974 Dodge pickup truck series was manufactured with four-wheel drum brakes, which use hydraulic wheel cylinders to actuate shoes onto the interior surface of a drum to stop the truck. The average backyard mechanic can repair the brakes...

Drum braking systems use a hydraulic wheel cylinder to press twin shoes into the interior of a drum, stopping the vehicle. The rubber seals on both sides of the wheel cylinder can become worn and eventually fail, requiring replacement. The a...

The Chevrolet Trailblazer was introduced in 2002, replacing the Blazer. The brake configuration was the same as the Blazer; and like the later model Blazers, the Trailblazer featured either rear drum or disc brakes. Replacing the rear pads o...

The Buick Regal LS features front disc brakes and may come with rear disc or rear drum brakes. Replacing the front pads is more common on the Regal since it provides 80 percent braking power for the front-wheel drive car. Although it is reco...

The brake pads on the 2003 Oldsmobile Alero need to be checked every six months for wear. The brake pads contain a friction material that wears away over time. Eventually, the pad material will shrink to 1/8-inch thick. At this point, you wi...

The mid-sized Chevy Corsica was introduced in 1987 and stopped production in 1996. It featured front disc brakes and rear drum brakes. The front brakes compensated up to 80 percent braking capacity for the front-drive sedan. Since it was rel...

Vehicles with rear drum brakes will often need adjusting to maintain braking power. For Hondas this adjustment is done automatically. When the brake shoes inside the drum brake wear down, they have to travel farther to create friction and, a...