Brake Service from Olin's Auto Service in Milton, WI
During the life of your vehicle, you'll likely buy at least three brake jobs. With us, you can save hundreds to upwards of $1,000.00 on those services. Here's how:
If caught in time, often all you need are some pads (maybe new slide pins and grease). Below is more information on how brakes work, and why this method is usually the best course of action for our customers.
How Brakes Work:
Brake Pads
We pay attention to the parts we put on your vehicle. We're not fooled by some "premium" brake pads which, in reality, are not worth their titles. Lots of these pads wear quickly. Some brake pads, in order to live up to their lifetime warranty, are made too hard and end up grinding up your rotors. After decades of brake installments, we know which pads will live up to their brand's reputation, and which ones will chew holes through your automotive budget.
If you care about noise, we'll recommend ceramic pads. They do run quieter. They also keep your rims cleaner by producing far less brake dust. Other than that, we won't try to up-sell you on these pads. The rest of the stories are just that, stories. They don't brake faster. They don't outlast their semi-metallic competitors. They simply run quieter, and allow you to polish those nice rims less often.
Brake Calipers and "Binding"
Brake calipers operate on an in and out procedure. They squeeze the brake pads into the rotors. First pushing the inside pad outward, then pulling the outside pad against the other side of the rotor, and finally releasing both sides when you take your foot off the brake.
The binding occurs when the caliper binds on the slide pins, which usually happens to a vehicle over time as these weather exposed parts age. By replacing the slide pins (for about $20 to $30) and re-lubricating them with quality high temp grease, the binding issue is resolved. The aged caliper, while looking a bit rusty on the very exterior, is still a strong piece of solid metal that can stay as is (saving you hundreds by not replacing same).
Brake Rotors:
Brake rotors are the real beef of the braking system. Good quality rotors can last a long, long time, through several sets of pads if you maintain good care of your braking system. Check your pads often to ensure they're not wearing unevenly, are worn out and the bracket system is grinding into the rotor, etc.
There are a lot of "in-expensive" rotors out there. The trouble is, those parts look the same as higher quality parts. We know the difference, and we won't sell you these inferior parts at premium prices.
Poor brake rotors have less metal to absorb the heat. They also have less cooling points to dissipate it. This causes them to warp over time.
What separates Olin's from the rest:
If your brake rotors are high quality, and just need a little re-surfacing, we have your best budget solution. With our precision brake maintenance machine, we can shave off a millimeter or two of metal on your rotor, leaving the surface better than when it came off the assembly line. Even if you're getting new rotors, a spin and shave on our machine can custom match and balance your brakes directly on your vehicle, ensuring the smoothest and most efficient braking power your brake system can provide. Our brake service can increase your braking power, which will decrease your stopping distance and possibly be the difference between walking away from an accident and an ambulance ride, or far worse.