Learn More About Brake Shoes & Drum Brakes from Carr Chevrolet in Beaverton
You may know that the brakes on your vehicle work with a friction material that slows the rotation of the wheels. This material is on the brake pads for disc brakes and on the brake shoes for vehicles equipped with drum brakes. How do you even know if your vehicle has drum brakes and, if so, what should you know about keeping them maintained? These are a couple of questions we address in the details below.
Nobody does Carr care like Carr Chevrolet, and we believe it's important for all our customers to have correct information. If you have questions about drum brakes or would like expert insight, please contact our service department online, over the phone, or in person.
What's the Difference Between Drum Brakes & Disc Brakes?
Today, most vehicles are being produced with four-wheel disc brakes. Even if this is the case on your vehicle, there's still a chance that the parking brake uses brake shoes. Remember to disengage the parking brake before heading down the road, and you shouldn't have to worry about replacing its brake shoes.
How can you tell if your vehicle has four-wheel disc brakes? Since the 1970s, virtually every passenger vehicle comes equipped with front disc brakes. Look through one of the front wheels, and you should see a shiny round disc. If you ride has disc brakes on every wheel, you should be able to see a similar, though slightly smaller, shiny disc when you look through the rear wheels.
If you don't see this at the back wheels, chances are that your vehicle is equipped with rear drum brakes. Instead of clamping pads onto a disc, drum brakes press brake shoes against the inside of the brake drum. Since these are on the back, the brake shoes shouldn't need to be replaced very often. However, it's still important to have them inspected periodically.
How Often Should You Replace Drum Brake Shoes?
Just like with your front brake pads, there really isn't a set rule for how long drum brake shoes will last. This could mean that you need a new set of brake shoes as soon as 25,000 miles, or you may not need to worry about them for upwards of 60,000 miles. Because of this wide range, the best way to make sure you get them replaced when necessary is to have them expected by an expert when you come in for other maintenance like oil changes and tire rotations.
Contact the Experts at Carr Chevrolet Near Portland
Taking the best care of your Chevy or GM vehicle means trusting it with the factory-certified technicians who know it best. That's who you'll find in our service center at Carr Chevrolet in Beaverton, and scheduling an appointment is simple right here online. If you have any questions, please give us a call and know that you're always welcome to stop by any time at 15005 SW Tualatin Valley Highway, Beaverton, OR 97006.
Discover a Better Dealership Service Center at Carr Chevrolet in Beaverton
Did you know that the prices in our authorized GM service center are competitive with independent mechanic shops and franchise oil change places? In fact, we frequently update special discounts and offers on common Chevy services to help you enjoy even more value. Part of the great value we offer comes from expert factory-trained technicians who are experienced with every inch of Chevrolet engineering. We'll only use OEM and factory-approved parts, products, and components, so you can count on the same quality your GM vehicle came with from the factory.
Aside from the superior value we offer over the neighborhood mechanic, you'll also find that we're a different type of dealership. Instead of dealing with a different person every time you come in because the dealership has such a high turnover, we pride ourselves in having more than 60 employees that have been with us for over a decade. It's also important to us that we remain an active and positive member of our community through charitable giving and sponsorships that help make our little corner of the world even better. Come visit us today and discover the difference at Carr Chevrolet. We're just a short drive from Tigard or Hillsboro.
