BRAKE MAINTENANCE
an Important Maintenance Tip

As many of you know, I am involved with several national clubs.  I have been keeping and maintaining old cars for many decades now and of course my daily drivers.

I have noticed a disturbing trend here in the "rust belt" of rusted out brake lines.  Some of my friends involved with me in the fun hobby of racing our cars at drag strips, autocrosses and road course track days have noticed more than a few brake failures at various racing venues.

It seems that in the last couple of decades, there is a bad trend of manufacturers to use mild steel of poor quality on brake lines.  The steel is easy to bend, but rusts out badly.  I have seen this in many manufacturers cars.  It can happen anywhere the hard lines are.

It is highly recommended to put your car annually on a lift and with a bright light, inspect for rust damage.  Some light surface rust may not be alarming, but heavy scale is!  Also, if you have not bled and flushed brake fluid in many years, you could have rust from the inside!  It is a good idea to bleed and flush brake fluid with fresh fluid from a sealed can.  This service should be performed at least every couple of years.  This will prevent much maintenance cost and bother in years to come.

If you have an old car or a daily driver that is a long-term keeper, and you replace any hard brake lines, it is recommended to replace those lines with stainless steel lines.

At the same time, inspect the flexible rubber hoses at each wheel and replace if cracked or swollen.  We have noticed a trend of rubber lines on the back of  Taurus automobiles swelling from the inside (no visible damage) and preventing the application of the brake or preventing the release of that brake.  If you have a car that tends to pull to one side momentarily, then stop straight, then have a dragging brake for a few miles after a stop, this is the likely culprit.  When you go to bleed the caliper or brake at that corner, it won't bleed at all or maybe just a dribble when the brake pedal is depressed.

A final tip for brake safety is to test your ABS brakes on cars so equipped from time to time.  Every winter here in the Midwest, I take any vehicle we have with ABS and test them during the first real snowfall.  Find a big deserted parking lot, or your own driveway if long enough, and jam on the brakes at low speed as hard as you can.  You should feel a vibration or pulsing at rapid temp on the pedal and maybe a growling noise.  

Many people never know what ABS feels like or works like till they are in an emergency situation.  It is good to do a little practice in advance.  If the ABS doesn't work, then have it serviced.

Safe driving to all!

Keep having fun with your cars and trucks.

Don Mallinson, President
DC CarCare