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Page 1 of 2  As you can see, the best time to inspect your car’s brake system is once you’ve done all the work of supporting the car and removing the wheel. At that point, a brake inspection takes just a minute or two at each wheel.
Tech Tip
An automotive brake converts the car’s forward motion (kinetic energy) into heat energy through frictional force applied to the wheels. Excessive use of brakes can make them “hot” and subject to excessive wear or even a fire.
So what’s a brake inspection? It’s a procedure for making sure that you visually check the brake system’s components at each wheel. (The brake’s master cylinder was checked and fluid refilled in Driveway Maintenance.) You’ll be looking for fluid leaks, wear, and foreign objects.
There are two types of brakes used on modern cars: caliper and drum. Older cars had only drum brakes. Some newer ones use caliper brakes only. Most modern cars use caliper brakes on the front and drum brakes on the back of the car. Let’s take a quick look at each.
Caliper or disc brakes work similar to the rim brake on a bicycle. The driver presses on the brake pedal and the force is magnified by the hydraulic brake system to squeeze a stationary caliper against the rotating disc. The caliper has a brake pad on it that can be replaced once it’s worn.
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