When it comes to safety, your brakes are an essential component in your car. Drum brakes are less common than disc brakes these days, but they’re often still used on rear axles, and they have unique issues for drivers. While regular brake inspections can help identify any problems before they become serious, it’s vital to understand some of the signs of common concerns with drum brakes.

Signs Your Car Needs an Immediate Brake Inspection

1. Spongy Braking

With spongy brakes, the pedal is easy to press, but the braking action is minimal and can make it take longer to come to a complete stop. Possible causes for this include shoes that are cracked or worn too thin, resulting in a reduced amount of braking surface when engaging the brakes.

However, a far more common cause for this is air in the brake line. Air can be introduced into this sealed system by a faulty master cylinder, the component which converts hydraulic pressure into force, or it can enter through a fault in a wheel cylinder, which presses the drum brake onto the braking surface.

This system keeps up a small amount of pressure to make engagement of the brakes easy for drivers, so it can be one of the more difficult issues to detect without a thorough brake inspection.

2. Shuddering or Pulsing Brakes

Brake drums must be evenly round to ensure that they engage fully and reliably. When the braking surface is uneven, this can cause distorted braking, indicated by a shuddering or pulsing sensation in the pedal.

This is typically the result of uneven wear on the surface of the component, in which the drum is described as being “out of round,” which can also result in scraping or squealing noises when the brake pedal is pressed. Braking while this symptom is present will be less reliable and may further damage the wheel cylinder or other components.

3. Parking Brake Not Holding

Most cars use drum brakes in the rear wheels, which are engaged when the parking brake is applied. If the drums are worn too thin, they may not be able to make full or reliable contact with the shoes, often indicated by loud popping sounds when engaging the brake. Other signs include a lever that’s too easy to pull, or that doesn’t return to its original position when released.

When parked on a level surface, this problem may not be apparent, and probably won’t cause any issues. On an incline, however, the brakes can suddenly fail, making your vehicle a rolling hazard for people and cars nearby.

 

If you’re experiencing any of these problems, it’s time for a complete brake inspection at Quick Lane at Jack Kain in Versailles, KY. Since 2003, the team at this local business has provided reliable brake servicing and repairs for Central Kentucky residents. View their full list of services online or call (877) 837-1796 to schedule an appointment.