BRAKE SYSTEM INSPECTIONS SHOULD TOP YOUR CHECKLIST OF PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE ITEMS! Do your brakes measure up?????? BRAKE SYSTEM EVALUATION - Evaluating the condition of brake system components begins with the customer interview. If any doubt about the nature of the complaint remains, the interview will be followed by a short road test. Next brake fluid condition is visually inspected and scientifically tested. Dirty or opaque fluid as well as fluid that doesn't pass the scientific test should be flushed out & replaced. If the fluid appears rusty or moisture-contaiminated, the complete hydraulic system including ABS should inspected for excessive corrision. Next wheel & tire inspection begin with vehicle in the air. Uneven tire wear, for example, may indicate wheel alignment problems that contribute to a brake pull or a brake wandering condition. Wheels that don’t freely rotate may indicate sticking brake calipers or seized parking brake cables, or warped brake rotors. During the preliminary inspection, wheels should be wobbled in the vertical plane to detect worn or misadjusted wheel bearings or worn ball joints, each of which may affect brake performance. Next, the tires should be inspected to ensure that they are the same size, air pressure, tread style and state of wear. Last, wheels should also be inspected for vertical and horizontal run-out. In many cases of pedal pulsation complaints, the root cause can be a bent wheel or defective tire casing. The wheels-off inspection should begin by visually inspecting brake hoses, ABS wheel speed sensors, brake caliper boots and brake rotors. Brake hoses, for example, often crack near the solidly mounted ends. If the brakes are worn metal-to-metal, it’s a sure bet that the ABS wheel speed sensors are coated with iron powder. If the vehicle has accumulated many miles, it’s also very likely that the caliper boots have become brittle or cracked with age. Last, if the brake rotors exhibit detectable binding during rotation, the thickness should be measured with a micrometer before proceeding with an estimate of repairs. Last, check the boots on the constant velocity joints for cracking or leakage because the most economical time for the customer to have new or remanufactured axles installed is when the brakes are being serviced. Similarly, check the struts for leakage or deterioration in the protective boots and rebound bumpers. | 
