Archive for September 15th, 2011
Brake Inspection and Maintenance of Disc 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
o rotors, also called discs
o calipers, in particular the piston or pistons inside of them
Inspect the condition of the brake pads and rotors and also check to make sure that the piston inside of the caliper is working properly. Inspect the overall thickness of the brake pads and rotors. Brake pads that show excessesive wear should be replaced. Rotors that have slight wear should be resurfaced or replaced and rotors that show excessesive wear should be replaced. Brake pads and rotors with light scratches can mean that there is a contaminent such as dirt lodged between them. At the very least clean them or have them cleaned with a brake cleaner. Rotors with deep scratches should be replaced with new ones or resurfaced. Inspection of Drum Brakes On drum brake systems, the parts that are designed to wear down are:
o brake shoes
o drums
o wheel cylinders
Remove the drum so that the inside can be inspected. Inspect the inside of the drum for any damage that is done to it. Any brake dust buildup should be removed with a brake cleaner. If there are heavy scratches to the inside of the drum, replace both drums. A wheel cylinder that is defective will leak brake fluid from its sides (where the metal meets the rubber part). warning: when working on the car’s braking system, do not inhale any brake dust. It is recommended that you wear a face mask when working on the brakes themselves.
More car tips can be found at Auto Direct Save
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Mustang Suspension
Posted by admin in Suspension Car on September 15, 2011
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.
Hellwig Mustang sway bars will greatly improve cornering traction for safer driving and cornering capabilities, by getting rid of the body roll that happens when you take a turn. Anti sway bars are going to keep the car flatter in the turns. These sway bars are an easy bolt on installation that is engineered to your specific to each vehicle. So they are not a universal component, ensuring that you get the highest quality possible. The improvement will be felt right away through the very first corner. Hellwig sway bars are manufactured with heat treated ASTM 4140 alloy steel and are made in hellwigs California based facility, these sway bars include integral forged end link landings, high durometer polyurethane bushings, heavy duty zinc plated hardware and powder coated components. Again, insuring the best quality and the most durable parts to take the abuse of the new corner happy driver. The Hellwig Sway bars for the Mustang can be installed with common hand tools although some kits may require some drilling. Hellwig sway bar systems enable a Mustang to handle wind, passing trucks, winding roads and everyday driving with more confidence, control and stability.
We also have a new Mustang air suspension system by Airlift. Airlift has been manufacturing superior air suspension systems since 1950. In today’s age, time tells everything and for over 50 years Airlift has been doing it. The Airlift suspension for the Mustang will make it feel like riding on air, after all it is an air suspension kit. These kits are a little more difficult to install and in most cases will need the assistance of a professional. All of their products do come with a one year warranty as long as there isn’t any tampering with parts or proper installation. Airlift really focuses on ride height. With an Airlift system you can manually control your ride height, whether you want to be few inches below the stock height or an inch above or you want to slam it to the ground during a car show, it is as simple as a touch of a button. The way this suspension works is that it employs a flexible membrane to capture compressed air. The “spring” is the air, and the air spring takes advantage of the physical properties of air that allows it to be compressed. In simpler terms you are riding on air, giving yourself a very smooth ride.
In conclusion, for any of the power junkies out there looking for a rush. The suspension is going to be the place to take your ride to the next level.
Mustang Suspension & Mustang Performance Parts work hand in hand. JD
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Brake Me!
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.
However, the friction created by the brakes generates a great deal of heat. The brake system should be able to dissipate this heat or else the brake could lose its efficacy.
There are many kinds of brakes – the most common of which are the ones used in automobiles: the disc and drum brakes. Both, however, rely on hydraulics, or the use of brake fluid pressure to activate the brakes.
The drum brakes work by the constriction of brake shoes installed on the inside of the wheel. The friction generated by this action slows the motion of the vehicle.
The disc brake works by clamping the rotors of the wheel itself. Disc brakes are superior to drum brakes due to the fact that disc brakes are not prone to malfunction even when wet or immersed in water. This malfunction is called brake fade. Disc brakes can also handle higher braking temperatures and dissipate heat more quickly. Also, disc brakes do not trap water as drum brakes can.
In 1985, the first antilock brake system (ABS) was introduced for motor vehicles in the United States. ABS works as a safety feature to give drivers more control when braking. ABS has a microprocessor and individual wheel-speed sensors that monitors the brakes of a vehicle. The hydraulic control valves for each brake circuit prevent skidding during panic stops or when braking hard on wet or slippery surfaces. By 1990, ABS was available on about 25 percent of all new cars and trucks. Today, ABS is available on over 90 percent of all new vehicles.
Other Braking Systems
In 1869, George Westinghouse invented a different system of applying brakes. Instead of using liquid pressure to apply the brakes, he used a system wherein it is the air pressure that prevents the brakes from applying.
This is helpful since the Achilles heel of hydraulic brakes is that when there is a loss of pressure, the brakes become ineffective. In Westinghouse’s system, when there is loss of air pressure, the brakes automatically apply.
This is a safer alternative that is useful in high-load transportation such as trains.
Large, heavy-duty trucks, as well as buses and trains, use compressed air pressure rather than hydraulic fluid to operate their brakes.
Tomorrow’s Brakes
While we still mostly rely on friction for braking, many technological advances call for new braking methods.
For example aircraft also use spoilers, and flaps to slow its velocity through the air.
Electric cars and other electric vehicles use drum and disc brakes to stop, but some vehicles also make use of magnetic brakes, which create opposing magnetic fields to resist motion. This type of braking is called regenerative braking. This technique recaptures some of the vehicle’s momentum as electrical energy. Regenerative braking uses the magnets within the electric motor itself to slow the vehicle. When the driver releases the accelerator pedal, the electric motor changes into a generator, thus recapturing the energy from the moving car and transforming it back into electricity
As transportation becomes faster, safety becomes a primary concern. More powerful means of controlling speed are needed, and the evolution of braking systems is not far off.
James Monahan is the owner and senior editor of BrakeHub.com
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An Overview of Vehicle Suspension Types
Posted by admin in Suspension Car on September 15, 2011
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.
The other end of the spectrum for vehicle suspensions would be suspensions used for off-road vehicles. Rather than concentrating on ride quality and on-road handling, vehicle suspension types for off-road use are focused on suspension travel, stability, component strength and ground clearance. It is practically a requirement to use beefy suspension arms and oversized long-travel shock absorbers if a vehicle is to qualify as a true off roader. With a four-wheel drive vehicle, reliability and traction are key factors to consider, and so it is not uncommon to see live axle suspensions seeing regular use even today. In fact, some hardcore off roaders convert the independent front suspensions of their 4-wheel drive vehicles to a live axle because of the strength and constant ground clearance inherent in this suspension design. In this regard, mid-size crossovers do not qualify, even if they are equipped with all-wheel drive. Some SUV manufacturers do not even attempt to advertise their AWD SUVs as an off-road vehicle. Such is the case with BMW’s X5.
Vehicle suspension types for utility vehicles fall between the types discussed above. Vans and pickups are expected to carry people and large heavy loads, and sometimes both at the same time. In this regard, the vehicle suspension type typically employed with vans and pickups are an independent front suspension layout with a coil-sprung multilink suspension locating a live axle at the rear. Nowadays, some car manufacturers offer crossover vehicles with fully independent suspensions front and rear. Despite looking like heavy duty vehicles, mid-size SUVs using this vehicle suspension type cannot be expected to haul or tow heavy loads.
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