BRAKE MAINTENANCE

Press, Volume CVII, Issue 31439, 4 August 1967, Page 7

BRAKE MAINTENANCE

“TF it works all right, leave it alone,” will not do when it comes to car brakes, experts of the Automotive Products Group, which makes brakes, advise motorists. They urge the complete replacement of brake fluid every 24,000 miles, and replacement of all brake hoses every 40,000 miles regardless of their apparent condition. The group is making a concentrated effort to “make safety a habit” among motorists by preventive maintenance —regular ' checking and replacement of brake system components before they develop faults. As part of the campaign, the company has announced comprehensive new servicing instructions for all cars fitted with its brakes.

The new recommendations, which will be included in the service instructions of the major British car manufacturers, include:— 1000 MILES Every 1000 miles, or once

a month, check the level of fluid in the vehicle master cylinder reservoir. Any loss of brake fluid must be investigated immediately. 5000 MILES

Every 5000 miles examine the brake shoes and/or disc brake pads and renew if the shoes are worn to less than one-third of their original thickness, or the disc pads to within l/Bin of the steel backing plate. 10,000 MILES Every 10,000 miles, brake hoses must be inspected for signs of leakage, chafing, or general deterioration. If there is any doubt, renew the hose immediately. When checking hoses, also inspect metal brake pipes for signs of corrosion, chafing or looseness. 24,000 MILES At intervals not exceeding 18 months or 24,000 miles, whichever occurs first, the brake fluid should be completely emptied from the hydraulic system and discarded. The brake system should then be refilled with new fluid of the type recommended by the vehicle manufacturer. Any air in the system should be bled in the normal manner. This must be done under conditions of absolute cleanliness, and great care must be taken to see that any con-

tainer or dispenser used to handle the new fluid is completely free of moisture. Any brake fluid, particularly disc brake fluid, absorbs a certain amount of moisture from the

atmosphere, and it is essential that it is exposed only during the time it takes to fill the system. 40,000 MILES At intervals not exceeding three years, or 40,000 miles, or every third change of brake shoes or disc pads—whichever occurs first—fit exchange cylinders and new brake hoses. Cylinders should include master, wheel, pres-sure-limiting, and slave units where applicable. If a servo unit is fitted, this is also a precision hydraulic unit and subject to the same safety recommendations.