Brake Repairs and Mountain Driving
Driving through Colorado’s diverse terrain demands more from your vehicle, especially when it comes to your brakes. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll delve into the various brake services that all Colorado drivers need at one point or another. Our brake services, offered at Hotchkiss Auto Repair in Denver, address specific challenges like Colorado’s mountain driving and seasonal changes.
Understanding Your Brake Needs
1. Rotor Replacement
Colorado’s mountainous roads put additional stress on your brake system, leading to wear and tear on essential components like rotors. Regular inspections and timely rotor replacements are crucial to ensure optimal braking performance, preventing pulsations and vibrations during mountain descents. We also recommend avoiding resurfacing old rotors given the unique driving and climate conditions in Colorado. Although this was a typical practice in the automotive repair industry years ago, the labor cost involved in resurfacing rotors make replacement a better solution.
Learn more about rotor pulsation and the difference between rotor and drum brake systems in our Everything Brakes blog.
2. Brake Pad Replacement
Worn brake pads compromise your vehicle’s stopping power. Our brake pad replacement service ensures your vehicle responds promptly to your commands. It is a common practice at lower tier or “cheap” repair facilities to use low quality pads – this is a bad idea in Colorado! Occasionally, a new customer will ask the Hotchkiss Auto team for a budget “pad slap” – that’s dangerous and against the Hotchkiss way of servicing vehicles with integrity. The life of brake pads is shortened if used with warped or old rotors; ultimately, this type of service will cost a customer more money in the long run. Most importantly, at Hotchkiss Auto, we replace pads and rotors with quality components to keep you and your family safe.
3. Brake Fluid Service
Fluctuating temperatures in Colorado can impact the boiling point of your vehicle’s brake fluid. As a result, it can compromise your brake system’s efficiency. Our brake fluid service includes a boiling point test, ensuring your fluid can withstand the demands of all driving conditions and abrupt temperature shifts. Moreover, the Hotchkiss team predominately used DOT4 as an upgrade to many systems because the fluid manages heat better than its predecessor DOT3. The major consideration with brake fluid, especially DOT4 is that it will absorb moisture from the air over time and needs to be replaced. Although every vehicle is different and usage is the most important factor, Hotchkiss recommend a brake fluid service at minimum once every two years.
4. Brake Line Inspection
Mountain driving can expose brake lines to additional stress. Even in the city, the never-ending construction, presence of snow and other debris put brake lines at risk. A regular brake line inspection ensures there are no leaks or weak points in the system, preventing potential failures and maintaining the integrity of your brakes.
Seasonal Changes and Brake Degradation
From snowy winters to scorching summers, Colorado experiences diverse weather conditions. These seasonal changes can impact brake components, causing degradation over time. Please be sure to regularly monitor the condition of your braking system across seasons to keep your brakes in top condition throughout the year. Coloradans know seasonality matters and we also help answer the question, Are Winter Tires Important? This is another reason to avoid the common “quick lube shop” at every corner that promises a 5-minute oil change. If your vehicle is only getting a few oil services a year, isn’t that the time to take advantage of a complimentary inspection by a certified technician that is focused on vehicle reliability and safety? Most oil change stations are checking for basic items designed to get more dollars out of your wallet – it’s not about what’s best for your vehicle.
Ensuring Brake System Longevity
Regular maintenance is key to extending the lifespan of your brake system. Our service intervals are designed to address the specific challenges Colorado drivers face, providing peace of mind on every journey. We use tailored tools specifically for brake systems to ensure precision in our diagnostics and recommendations. This is also why our team aims to use OE and OE-equivalent high quality parts from brands such as Akebono, Bosch, Textar, Powerstop, and Brembo.
