Brake System Inspection

AUMT 1310 - Brake System Diagnosis and 10/5/11
Service
Automotive Brake Systems Automotive Brake Systems
Brake System Inspection

•  Road test
Brake System •  Hydraulic system
Diagnosis and Service •  Leaks
•  Fluid condition
•  Disc brakes
Donald Jones •  Rotors and pads
Brookhaven College •  Drum brakes
•  Drums and linings
•  Parking brake
Road Test Brake Pedal Reserve

•  Brake fluid level •  Check for proper pedal
•  Brake lamp operation operation
•  The pedal should feel
•  Antilock lamp operation firm not spongy
•  Pedal feel and travel •  Low pedal could
•  Power assist operation indicate a leak or
•  Brake pull improper brake
adjustment
•  Brake vibration
•  Some vehicles have
•  Excessive brake noise specific brake pedal
•  Parking brake operation free height and travel
specifications
Hydraulic System Inspection Brake Lines

•  Inspect the brake fluid •  Never attempt to repair
level and condition a damaged brake line
•  Brake lines are made
•  A low brake pedal or from steel tubing
red brake lamp could •  Double flare
indicate a hydraulic •  ISO flare
system failure •  Allow 1/8” of additional
length for each flare
•  Check for evidence of •  Always use line
external brake fluid wrenches when working
leaks with brake line fittings
1
Service
Brake Hoses Common Brake Service Tools

•  Brake hoses are designed to handle the •  Caliper socket set
high hydraulic pressures of braking •  Brake shoe hold
•  Never attempt to repair a brake hose down spring tool
•  Always use line wrenches when working •  Return spring tool
with brake hose fittings •  Bleeder wrenches
•  Be certain not to twist the hose during •  Metric vs. Standard
installation •  Caliper piston
•  Do not reuse the copper washers compression tool
Disc Brakes Inspection Brake Rotor Inspection

•  Inspect caliper •  Brake rotors should
assemblies for be checked for:
leakage •  Lateral run out
•  Check pads for •  Parallelism
contamination and •  Excessive scoring
wear •  Hot spots or heat
•  Check rotors for checking
excessive run out and •  Minimum thickness
excessive parallelism
variance
Replacing Brake Pads Caliper Service

•  Remove excessive •  Calipers should be serviced if
brake fluid leakage is present or the piston
is binding
•  Remove and inspect the
•  Overhaul kits include the piston
caliper assembly seal and dust boot
•  Service the rotor as •  The caliper’s bore may be
required cleaned with crocus cloth or a
•  Retract the piston hone
•  Install new pads •  Components should be cleaned
with alcohol
•  Check and lubricate
•  Components may be lubricated
caliper mounting pins
with brake fluid or brake
assembly lube
2
Service
Servicing Wheel Bearings Drum Brake Inspection

•  Remove the dust cap, •  Inspect the wheel
cotter pin, nut, rotor,
bearings and grease seal cylinder
•  Clean and inspect the •  Inspect linings for
bearings and races
wear and
•  Pack the bearings with a
long soap fiber grease contamination
•  Reassemble and adjust •  Inspect springs and
the bearings as per
manufacturer hardware
specifications •  Inspect and
measure brake drum
Brake Drum Inspection Servicing Drum Brakes

•  Brake drums should •  Clean and inspect all
installation hardware
be checked for:
•  Replace contaminated
•  Excessive wear linings or excessively
•  Scoring worn linings
•  Barrel shaped •  Lubricate the backing
•  Out of round plate, anchor posts and
self adjuster as
•  Bell mouthed wear appropriate during
•  Tapered wear assembly
•  Hot spots or cracking •  Pre-adjust the shoes
Wheel Cylinder Service Machining Drums and Rotors

•  Wheel cylinders should be •  Brake lathes are used to
serviced if leakage is present restore original surface
•  Check for frozen bleeder finish and tolerances
screws before attempting •  Drums and rotors are
service
mounted on the brake
•  Overhaul kits include the cup lathe with bearing race or
seals and dust boots hub flange adapters
•  Check the service manual
for information on honing •  Follow equipment the
manufacturer’s
•  Components should be
cleaned with alcohol instructions
•  Components may be •  Always use the
lubricated with brake fluid or appropriate anti-chatter
brake assembly lube belt or pad
3
Service
Brake Machining Practices On Car Brake Lathe

•  Remove the least amount of •  Allows rotor machining
metal possible to achieve the
on the vehicle spindle
center line which is the
proper finish
axis of rotation for the
•  Never turn the drum or rotor on rotor
one side of the vehicle without •  Eliminates the stack-up
turning the other side tolerance of related
parts from affecting
•  Rotors should be within 0.002
rotor lateral run out
inch to 0.003 inch side to side
•  Bench units machine
•  Drum diameters should be within rotors to the center line
0.005 inch of each other of the lathe’s spindle
Bleeding Brakes Bleeding and Flushing Brakes

•  Brakes are bled to remove •  The brake’s hydraulic system
air and contaminated should be flushed and bled
anytime major brake work is
brake fluid performed or contamination
•  Manual bleeding is suspected
•  Pressure bleeding •  Brake fluid can be checked
•  Vacuum bleeding for moisture galvanic
reaction with a DVOM
•  Brake systems must be •  Hook a voltmeter between
bled in the proper order the brake fluid and a brake
line
•  Always use six point •  Voltage should not exceed
sockets or wrenches on 0.3 volts
bleeder screws
Parking Brake Adjustment Air Entrapment Test

•  Parking brake operation •  Pump the brakes rapidly
should be checked after 20 times and hold the
any brake service is brake pedal depressed
performed •  Observe the fluid
•  Parking brakes are reservoir when the
commonly adjusted at pedal is released
at one of two places •  A geyser or squirt in
•  The parking brake pedal either reservoir
or handle indicates air is trapped
•  Under the car in the system
4
Service
Master Cylinder By-Pass Test Compensator Port Test

•  Press the brake •  As a further check •  A small squirt geyser
pedal all the way hold the brake pedal should appear in both
reservoirs while
down one stroke down firmly for two depressing the brake
•  If the fluid rises as minutes pedal
the pedal is •  If the brake pedal •  If no geysers are
depressed and falls continues to move present the master
when the pedal is down over time it cylinder cup seals may
released the master may also indicate an be covering the
compensating ports
cylinder is leaking internal master
internally cylinder leak •  This may cause the
brakes to lock up
Power Brake Function Test Brake Pedal Pulsation

•  With the engine off •  Check for damaged wheel bearings
pump the brake pedal •  Check for proper tire balance and tread wear
several times to exhaust
vacuum •  Inspect the rotors/drums for cracks, scoring and heat
checks
•  Depress the brake
pedal with •  Inspect for damaged/contaminated brake pads/shoes
approximately 15 •  Inspect the caliper slides or pins for corrosion and/or
pounds of force poor lubrication
•  Start the engine •  Check for rotor runout and rotor parallelism
•  The brake pedal should
•  Check for drum concentricity
move down
•  Turn the rotors/drums if necessary
Brake Pull Brake Light Stays On

•  Check tire pressure •  Make sure that the parking
•  Inspect steering and suspension system brake is fully released
•  Inspect the brake pads •  Check the fluid level in the
master cylinder reservoir
•  Inspect rotors
•  Check for external leaks
•  Check for seized calipers •  Check for internal master
•  Check for equal hydraulic pressure at front cylinder leaks
calipers •  Check for a shorted brake
•  Check wheel bearing preload warning indicator circuit or a
faulty switch
5
Service
Poor Brake Pedal Return Low or Spongy Brake Pedal

•  Low brake fluid level
•  Check the brake pedal bushings and linkage
•  External brake system
•  Unbolt the master cylinder from the brake leaks
booster, depress the brake pedal and release •  Internal master cylinder
it failure
•  If the brake pedal does not return to its original •  Air in the hydraulic
position, replace the power booster system
•  If the brake pedal now returns to its original •  Improperly adjusted
position, replace the master cylinder rear drum brakes
Brakes Locking Up Excessive Pedal Effort

•  Contaminated brake •  Inspect for binding and wear
at the brake pedal bushing
linings •  Check brake booster
•  Defective operation
proportioning valve •  Check for proper vacuum
signal to booster
•  Compensating ports •  Insect vacuum brake booster
not uncovered with check valve for proper
operation
brake pedal fully
•  Check brake pressure
released control valve for
contamination
Brakes Drag Brake Noise

•  Brake noise is more noticeable when the
•  Drum brakes
brakes are cold, but some noise may be
•  Improperly adjusted brakes
heard anytime while braking
•  Sticking wheel cylinders
•  Semi metallic brake linings extend brake pad life
•  Damaged of improperly installed springs or hardware
but are may exhibit additional noise during braking
•  Improperly adjusted parking brake
•  Abnormal brake noise may be caused by:
•  Disc brakes
•  Excessively worn brake linings
•  Sticking caliper
•  Substandard brake linings
•  Binding caliper pins or slides
•  Misadjusted paring brake
•  Improper rotor finish
•  Improper drum brake hardware installation
•  Power booster push rod alignment and adjustment

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AUMT 1310 - Brake System Diagnosis and 10/5/11

Automotive Brake Systems Automotive Brake Systems