We’ve always used tools as an extension of ourselves to help us function in the world and our environment. Nevertheless, of all the tools we’ve had, cars have had the most decisive impact on our lives. Cars have changed the opportunities for everyone. They’ve made long, excruciating trips, which we used to walk for months, into easy one hour drives. Besides, they allow you the benefit of carrying everything you need with you. No longer do you have to toil, everything will fit, and you’ll quickly get anywhere.
It’s also easier than ever to repurpose your car, like for example, for hitting the outback and seeing some of Australia’s beautiful natural regions. However, a car is still a serious investment, and it has one main purpose. Despite all of the new advantages and possibilities that come with it, its most important function is to get you where you need to be, safe and sound.
An example of such a car and the topic of this article is the Toyota HiLux. The Toyota HiLux is such a reliable and practical car that it’s one of the most popular here in Australia and it’s been the best-selling vehicle in the last five years. There are many excellent qualities about it, but we will focus on its braking system for now and the signs of damage to keep an eye out for, especially as it’s an essential part of car safety.
Symptoms of Damage
Like any other part of the car, the braking system can get damaged or become less efficient. As such, you must be able to tell if these symptoms are present. If they are, you should immediately have them checked and have them replaced with new quality aftermarket HiLux brake pads. Always keep in mind that timely brake replacement is a must if you want to stay safe.
But, before we get into the exact symptoms, you should have a technical notion of how a braking system works. The system works by you pushing the brake pedal, which then sends a signal to the hydraulic system, which then sends out a fluid. The fluid goes through a network of brake lines and applies it to all the brakes equally. Every modern car has four brakes, one on every wheel.
The first and the one that you can notice easily is the brake warning light. If you see it, there’s a possibility that there’s something wrong and you should immediately have them checked. Other symptoms are more physical and rely on your ability to sense that something is wrong. For instance, if you hear squeaking or grinding noises, it is generally a sure-tell sign of the brakes needing maintenance.
Another possible malfunction is the car not moving properly. If you feel that your car pulls to one side while braking or there’s wobbling or vibration, it’s certain then that they need to be immediately replaced. Moreover, it can lead to a dangerous situation where you don’t have control over your car and be a traffic risk.
The final way to tell is by the sense of physical touch. To do this, you need to test how quickly and how well your car responds to braking. If, when you press the pedal, you feel as if the car stops slowly or your foot sinks to the floor, then it’s most likely a problem with the hydraulic fuel and you need to check it.
Of course, it is understood that the Toyota HiLux is a great car with excellent braking assistance. For example, the autonomous emergency braking which activates if you’re close to hitting another vehicle, pedestrian or similar. Therefore immediately hitting the brakes and stopping you in your path. Nonetheless, no matter how great a car is, you need to know what makes your car tick and take care of it. Consequentially, quality Toyota HiLux brake pads are necessary then.
Types of Brakes
Of course, a car braking system is relatively more complex and has detailed anatomy. The exact parts that constitute the anatomy define the exact stopping power of your car. Furthermore, there is a difference between the front wheel and the back wheel parts, so you should consider those.
With that in mind, there are several types of brakes. Each one with its function in the system and it offers to brake a lot easier and more successful. They are the rotor, pad, and caliper. The rotors come in two types, discs and drums. These are all responsible for stopping the vehicle. Whenever you press the brake pedal, all of these parts create friction. They do this by converting the kinetic energy into thermal energy that stops your car.
To accomplish this, in a disc brake system, the brake pads are mounted inside the caliper, which then squeezes the brake pads against the metal disc (rotor). The resulting friction then stops the car. If you want to have efficient friction at all times, you must regularly check your HiLux brake pads. Especially as they are the most important part which then applies the pressure to the rest of the system.
However, all parts are important and every single one is associated with some kind of mechanical problem, like the ones mentioned above. For example, squeaking or grinding noises are proof of your brake pads HiLux are worn out. This can furthermore cause serious damage to your discs, which is a lot more expensive to fix. But if your car stops more on one side, then it’s probably the caliper which applies pressure to the brake pads for the HiLux.
Lastly, if you need to do repairs, you must be sure that the model part you’re getting matches your car to every last detail. It doesn’t need to be an original, as many brake system parts work on numerous cars that have a similar model, but the exact specifications must be the same.
Simply put, the braking system is a piece of complex machinery that needs proper care and knowledge for its workings. Otherwise, you risk having serious damage that could cost you a great deal of money and time. Or, even worse, you are risking putting yourself and others in danger. Therefore, always take care of your car and its main technical system. And make sure that you’re in accordance with all the government regulations.
