Suspension and Brakes

Parts of a car’s braking system are designed to wear down and as this happens, they will lose their effectiveness. How often should a car’s braking system be inspected? It is recommended that you have the major components of the brake system be inspected once a year or about every 10,000 miles. How often you have the brake system inspected depends on things such as how you drive (how you stop in particular), the age of your car, the type of braking system, whether you live on hilly versus flat lands, highway versus city driving, and the type of braking system that you have. Inspecting under the hood Check the level of brake fluid in the master brake cylinder reservoir. Top it off if neccessary. Be sure not to let any kind of dust or dirt enter the reservoir. If you need to add more than 2oz of brake fluid frequently, there may be a leak somewhere in the brake system. The brake fluid should be clear, not dark in any way. If it is, it may be time to have it replaced. Inspecting the Brake System while driving If the brake pedal goes almost to the floor or looses its firmness, there may be a leak somewhere in the braking system or the brake fluid level in the master brake cylinder reservoir has gotten low. A vibrating of pulsating feeling in the brake pedal and/or the steering wheel may be a sign that the brake pads and rotors or brake shoes and drums need to be resurfaced or replaced. A light squealing sound is normal, especially when the car is cold. If you hear a metal to metal sound, have your brakes inspected immediately. Underneath the Car Inspect the metal brake lines that run the length of the car and also the rubber hoses that deliver the brake fluid to the brake calipers and make sure that the lines and hoses are not damaged in any way and also that they are free of any moving or heat producing parts. Inspecting Disc Brakes On disc brake systems, the parts that are designed to wear down are:

o brake pads

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Just because a Ford Mustang is a sports car doesn’t mean that there’s no room for improvement when it comes to suspension. Cornering capability is all about the suspension and there are plenty of options give a Mustang a better cornering ride. The stock suspension for the Ford Mustang may seem to ride well at first but that is just because you haven’t experienced the improved cornering of aftermarket suspension components. Once that excitement of the new car wears off, things start to jump out that could be better and in your mind should be better. At this point it is time to explore the wide world of the aftermarket Mustang upgrades. Some may not even think to start with the suspension and others might even say, what does the suspension have to do with the Performance of a Mustang.

First of all for those that won’t think about the suspension, take your mind out of the engine for a little while and think of the ride. Boosting the power of the mustang is going to give more of an exhilarating feel off the line, but half of the exhilirating feeling of having a sports car is the G force that you feel through the turns, so suspension upgrading shouldn’t be neglected. Second of all if you have all this power and no suspension you will have to slow down more at every turn or pay the consequences, burning up the tires or the brakes too often more often. With either some anti sway bars or a performance suspension upgrade taking turns will be easier and the stability of the Mustang will be much improved, which means taking tighter and faster turns. More fun.

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The sound of screeching tires may be one of the most annoying things you get to hear on the streets. However, for some people, the violent screech of tires and the nauseous whiff of brake fluid can mean something totally different: that their brakes are doing their job of keeping passengers safe from a collision.

Brakes are devices that are used to slow rotating wheels until they stop. Friction brakes are the most common examples of such brakes. Brakes like the ones used on everyday vehicles such automobiles, bicycles, trucks and trains use friction between brake pad and a wheel to slow the motion of a vehicle.

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Although cars are among the most numerous types of vehicles on the road today, other vehicle types such as vans, pickups, commercial trucks, buses and even motorcycles make up the vehicles we see on the road everyday. Since these vehicles have different weights, sizes and applications, there is no one-size-fits-all formula for suspension design. Of the suspension designs in use today, the most evolved would be those used for luxury sports sedans and sports cars.

Starting from the beam axle and leaf springs designs that took their inspiration from horse-drawn buggies, modern high-end performance car suspensions feature dual-wishbone or multilink suspension designs. These suspension components will be made from lightweight materials, primarily aluminium, that offer much lower unsprung weight compared to stamped steel. Additionally, these suspensions will be complemented by high durometer bushings, anti-sway bars and high performance shock absorbers. The top performance car manufacturers even employ shock absorbers that contain magnetic fluids whose damping rate is controlled electronically. But again, these are automobiles intended for road use where ride quality and handling performance are paramount.

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