Brake Repairs & Brake Pad Replacement

At BM Tech, our brake repairs and brake pad replacement service will give your brakes the stopping power you need. Not only that, but they’ll bring you to a halt without the ear-piercing squealing that sends shivers down the spine. Whether it’s spongey brakes, a flashing warning light or a stopping distance that seems to be stretching out, there’s nothing our expert technicians haven’t seen and haven’t solved.

Why do you need a brake repairs service?

No component in your car works in isolation. Everything is connected, which means there can be many reasons behind a malfunction, and many symptoms. Needless to say, brakes are an important part of your car, and it’s important that they’re kept in optimum condition.

Below are some of the more common brake issues you might come across. If you notice any one of these when you’re driving around, make sure to give us a call as soon as possible.

Common brake issues

  • Brake pads feel spongey when you press the brake pedal.
  • The car pulls to one side when you brake.
  • The steering wheel shudders when braking.
  • The brakes squeal when you use them.
  • It’s taking longer to stop.
  • The brake warning light is illuminated on the dashboard.
  • There’s a grinding sound when braking.
  • The brake pedal feels more resistant than usual when pressing it.

The components of your brakes

Your car has four brakes – one on each wheel. It used to be that a combination of disc brakes and drum brakes were used, but nearly all modern cars these days rely exclusively on disc brakes. As an added safety feature, modern cars are also equipped with an anti-lock braking system, or ABS. The ABS is there to prevent wheel lock up and skidding, which can be a problem when brakes are slammed on suddenly.

Disc brakes

Disc brakes are the most common form of brakes these days, and superior to drum brakes. Their components include a disc brake rotor, brake pads and callipers. When you press the brake pedal, a hydraulic system forces the brake pads against the brake rotor, which slows the wheel.

ABS

The anti-lock braking system has sensors on each wheel. These sensors can detect when a lock up occurs or when it’s about to occur. When they do, they adjust brake pressure accordingly to prevent a lock up. Basically, the ABS rapidly engages and disengages the disc brakes to prevent a lock up and skidding. Ever felt the car shuddering when you slam on the brakes to stop quickly? That’s the ABS doing its job; the shuddering is a result of the disc brakes being engaged and disengaged rapidly.

To learn more, check out our blog on the wonders of ABS brakes.

How do brakes work?

There are several systems that can power brakes, such as hydraulic, electromagnetic, servo and mechanical. Hydraulic and mechanical are the ones we’ll cover here as there more common in today’s cars (though many electric and hybrid vehicles make use of electromagnetic brakes).

Hydraulic Brakes

Hydraulic brakes make use of brake fluid to create pressure which forces the brake pads onto the brake rotors, creating friction and slowing the wheel. 

Mechanical Brakes

Many handbrakes (also known as a parking brake) rely on a mechanical system. It involves a cable which runs between a lever or pedal in the cabin to the brakes at the rear wheels. When the lever is pulled or the pedal pressed, the cable is mechanically tightened, creating a force which is split evenly between the brakes on the rear wheel.

Brake Pad Replacement

If your car is squealing like a banshee whenever you use the brakes, there’s a problem with your brake pads. This is a typical problem when non-official parts are used, which are cheaper for a reason.

At BM Tech, we only use original parts for your car. While they may be slightly more expensive up front, they last longer and do a better job, saving you money in the long run and keeping you safer.

Here are signs that might need a brake pad replacement:

  • It’s taking longer to slow down.
  • The brakes feel spongy.
  • There’s a horrible, cat-like squealing noise when you press the brake pedal.
  • The brake warning light has come on.

Is BM Tech’s brake repairs near me?

BM Tech isin Canterbury, and is equipped with latest technology and software, as well as the best trained technicians to provide you with a state-of-the-art brake repairs service.

Other Information