In this the last edition of a series on brake safety, the Tyre, Equipment, Parts Association (TEPA), a proud affiliate of the Retail Motor Industry Organisation (RMI), looks at why professional brake fitment is an absolute must.
TEPA National Vice-chairman, Dylan Petzer, says many people don’t realise the precision and calibration involved in proper brake installation. This is why you must ensure a professional is handling any repairs or replacement.
A professional, accredited TEPA Member knows:
That the Caliper bolts and wheel nuts must be tightened to a specific tightness value using a calibrated torque wrench.
That the wheel hub must be cleaned to a bare-metal, spotless finish before the new disc is mounted, because a single grain of sand or a patch of rust will cause the disc to sit at a microscopic angle, leading to warping and shuddering.
That they must use specific high-temperature brake grease – and only on the right spots (like caliper slide pins).
What to look out for – unprofessional fitment centres that cut corners … in two ways:
The parts: Instead of quality components from a reputable TEPA-affiliated supplier, you’re getting inferior pads. These lower quality or counterfeit pads might be made of material that can’t handle heat, wear out in 5 000km or worse, delaminate – meaning the pad material literally unsticks from its metal backing.
The labour: The mechanic who does not meet professional standards isn’t using a R10 000 torque wrench to tighten bolts to factory specs. He’s not meticulously cleaning the hub surface. He is also not using a R100 000 diagnostic scanner to bleed the ABS module.
Petzer has seen some very scary examples of poor workmanship in his career.
“I’ve seen pads installed backwards – with the metal backing plate grinding against the metal disc. The driver complained of ‘a bit of a noise’ and ‘poor stopping’ but how he made it to the workshop is a miracle.”
There are warning signs if your brakes haven’t been fitted properly. Be hyper-aware immediately after getting the vehicle back to check for these:
• A ‘spongy’ or ‘long” pedal’ is the first sign of a botched job. It means they didn’t bleed the brakes properly, and there’s air in the lines. It’s not ‘bedding in’ and is extremely dangerous.
• If the car pulls to one side when you brake, it means a caliper is stuck, a hose is blocked or only one side was fitted correctly.
• Clunking or scraping noises are not normal and mean a part is loose, a dust shield is bent or hitting the rotor or something else is wrong. Likewise, any vibrating or shuddering often means the disc wasn’t installed on a clean hub. That tiny bit of rust is causing ‘run out’ and you’re feeling it as a wobble.
As TEPA continues the battle against counterfeit and low-quality parts in the market, Petzer warns these are sometimes deceptively good at “looking the part”. The golden rule is if a deal looks too good to be true – it probably isn’t. If a customer is shown two similar parts – one for R2 000 and one for R1 200,00, the customer, not knowing the difference, may naturally pick the cheapest quote. But, they could have just paid to have a dangerous, untested and unregulated part installed on their car, all while thinking they got a deal.
He advises motorists to “Go to an accredited fitment centre. These businesses have a reputation to uphold, a national standard to meet and traceable supply chains.
“This is especially important if you are planning a long trip soon over the festive break. Book a full brake inspection at least a week ahead of time.
“The peace of mind that comes from using a professional fitment centre is the guarantee – knowing the person working on your car is a trained technician, knowing they used the right tools and knowing the parts are genuine and have their own warranty.
“But, most of all, it’s about the recourse. If you drive away and the pedal feels spongy, you can go back and they will correct the fault. If you use a mechanic that does not meet these professional standards and your job fails, his phone will likely be on voicemail permanently and you’re on your own.”