Does Your Vehicle Need High-Performance Brakes?

Manufacturers design high-performance brakes to handle severe friction and heat. This means they can hold up to a range of more difficult applications. You may wonder whether you should have an auto brake services technician install a set on your vehicle. Here are 5 times when that might be the right choice.

Constant Stopping

One of the most common everyday uses for high-performance braking is on vehicles that make many stops. Even if you're operating something like a delivery van on flat ground and in low-speed zones, you can put a lot of stress on the brakes. It's best to have a set of brake pads that can take the beating without warping. Also, you'll need a set of brakes and rotors that are thick so you're not constantly replacing them.

Heavy Loads

The same problem from the previous section can also appear with heavy loads. You especially will want to have an auto brake services company install a quality set so you can maintain control of the vehicle. If the brakes warp, for example, that can make the steering unstable and increase the odds of an accident.

Racing

While a less common application, there are still many folks who race vehicles. High-performance brakes are particularly important in road-style races where you have to regularly hit the brakes and quickly resume acceleration. Many racers will ask brake services professionals to set up their vehicles. They'll then get spare parts, too, so they can have them during races.

Persistent Warping

Some models of vehicles don't supply sufficient cooling to the brakes, especially if you use them in somewhat odd circumstances. This can lead to the brakes warping, and that can become a recurrent issue. While it's best to determine if there's a larger problem with the brake system first, you may move to high-performance pads and rotors once you've ruled out all of the other possibilities.

Extreme Conditions

Running a vehicle in an environment where there are temperature extremes can brutalize the brakes. This works at either end of the spectrum. In extremely hot or cold conditions, the swing from heating the brakes to cooling them can cause the materials to crack. The best-case scenario would be added wear and tear, but the worst would be a catastrophic failure where the pad fractures.

Humidity, rain, and snow can produce problems, too. They can contribute to cooling, and they also encourage corrosion. While high-performance brakes won't fix the issue, they can reduce the risk. To learn more, contact local auto brake services.