Brake repairs
Measured, not guessed. You get the numbers before you get the quote.
Open 9am to 5pm weekdays and 9am to 3pm weekends
Service One Automotive repairs brakes at Factory 9, 266 Osborne Avenue, Clayton South VIC 3169. We measure pad thickness and disc thickness, check the fluid and the handbrake, and quote from the measurements rather than from a guess. If your brakes are grinding or the pedal has gone long, ring 0434 949 091. Open 9am to 5pm weekdays and 9am to 3pm weekends.
Why we measure
Pads and discs both have a minimum thickness stamped on them by the manufacturer. A caliper tells you how much is left and how fast it is going. Without that number, replacing brakes is a matter of opinion.
So we give you the measurement. If you have four millimetres of pad left you will hear that, and you can decide whether to do it now or at the next service. If you have metal on metal you will hear that too, and that one is not a decision.
Discs: machine or replace
A disc that is above its minimum thickness and has enough meat left can sometimes be machined to clean up a lip or a slight run out. A disc that is already near minimum cannot, because machining only ever removes metal.
We will tell you which one you have. Machining a disc that should have been replaced is a false economy that comes back as a shudder.
The fluid nobody thinks about
Brake fluid absorbs water out of the air over time. Water boils at a much lower temperature than brake fluid does, and boiling fluid in the lines is what a long soft pedal on a steep hill feels like.
It is a cheap item on a service schedule and an expensive one to ignore.
Ring us about brakes if
- There is a squeal that goes away when you brake harder
- There is a grinding or scraping noise at all
- The pedal travels further than it used to before anything happens
- The pedal feels spongy rather than firm
- The car pulls to one side under braking
- The steering wheel or the pedal shudders as you slow from speed
- The handbrake needs more clicks than it used to
Questions about brake repairs
Is a squeal always serious?
Not always. Some pads have a wear indicator designed to squeal, some squeal from dust or glazing, and a cold damp morning can make almost any brake chirp for the first few stops. Grinding is different. Grinding means something has run out.
Do you have to do all four wheels at once?
No, but brakes are replaced in axle pairs, so both fronts together or both rears together. Doing one side only gives you uneven braking.
Can you do brakes the same day?
Usually, if the parts are on the shelf for your car. Ring with the make, model and year and we will tell you before you drive over.
Worth reading first
- Brake warning signs you should not ignoreBrakes tell you well before they fail. The trick is knowing which noise is which.
- What your dashboard warning lights actually meanColour first. Red is a now problem, amber is a this week problem.
Book brake repairs
Five short steps, or call or text the workshop.
Open 9am to 5pm weekdays and 9am to 3pm weekends