Brakes

Squeaky Brakes

If your brakes are squeaking, there could be a few reasons for it. One of the most common causes today is the material used in brake pads. Since asbestos was removed from brake linings for safety reasons, manufacturers have been experimenting with different materials. While the new options are more environmentally friendly, they sometimes don't have the same noise-reducing qualities as the older versions.

At Gold Coast Automotive Services, we’ve found that some brands of brake pads work better for certain vehicles. If squeaking is a persistent issue, we often recommend Bendix brake pads, as they usually solve the problem. In addition, machining the brake discs can help these new brake pads settle in more smoothly, which reduces squeaking.

It’s always a good idea to get your brakes checked if they're making noise. This way, we can make sure they're not just squeaky but also safe to drive on.

Brake Shudder

Brake shudder is when you feel a vibration or pulsation through the steering wheel or the car when you're braking. This is usually caused by uneven wear on your brake discs. To fix this, we machine the brake discs to make them smooth again.

Brake discs go through a lot of wear and tear during regular driving. One common cause of brake disc damage is sudden temperature changes. For example, if your brakes are hot from driving and you hit a puddle or go through water, the rapid cooling can warp the discs. If this happens, we can machine the discs to get them back into shape.

Clutch Repair and Service

When it comes to clutch repairs, the process is straightforward. If your vehicle has a hydraulic clutch, it’s a good idea to change the hydraulic fluid every 20,000 km or every two years, just like with brake fluid. If your clutch is cable-operated, we can adjust it as needed as it wears down. Hydraulic clutches, on the other hand, adjust themselves automatically as they wear.

If you experience clutch shudder when taking off, it may be due to a warped flywheel, which we can fix by machining it. If your clutch slips when you're taking off or shifting gears and adjustments don’t help, it’s likely time to replace the clutch and machine the flywheel.