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motorculture
14th March 2012, 01:05 PM
Brakes are a critical safety system of a vehicle. The brake system should not be interfered with by anybody who does not have the appropriate skills and experience. Brake pads should be replaced by a qualified mechanic.


These are general instructions, for the assistance of experienced technicians. For more detailed instructions pertaining to a specific vehicle, consult the manufacturer’s service manual.


• Always start with the caliper (or drum) farthest from the master cylinder working your way back to the closest one and be sure to top off the master cylinder periodically to avoid running dry. The sequence is as follows: passenger rear, driver rear, passenger front, driver front.


• When bleeding brakes, it's important not to force the brake pedal down more than halfway. This runs the risk of driving the master cylinder's piston through debris collected on the piston cylinder walls and ruining the seal.


• There are two reasons you might need to bleed your brakes: Either the fluid is old, dirty, and discolored, or you've got air bubbles in your lines. Either way, be sure and suck the master cylinder reservoir dry and clean it out thoroughly before pouring in new fluid.


• For cars that see regular track use, bleeding is recommended after every 2-3 events, and if you have suffered from brake fade, a complete flush is highly recommended.


• It's important to keep the master cylinder reservoir topped off during the entire bleeding procedure. Pumping a dry brake system could lead to other failures.


• Bleeding the brakes may take more than one go, be patient and go through the system 2-3 times to double check that there is no air in the line.


• Always use the recommend DOT rated brake fluid, which normally can be found labeled on the master cylinder cap or in the owner’s manual.


• "Acceleration is optional, stopping is mandatory!” brake fluid is cheap insurance, at a minimum the brake fluid should be flushed once a year with good quality brake fluid like Bendix High Performance DOT3 & DOT4 Brake Fluid (http://clixtrac.com/goto/?55018).


For further information go to bendix.com.au (http://clixtrac.com/goto/?50463)


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