When a wheel cylinder fails, it is bad news for the brakes. Fluid that seeps past the piston seals usually ends up dripping on the brake shoes. Fluid contaminated shoes can cause uneven braking and grabbing. If there is a serious loss of fluid past a leaking wheel cylinder seal, the driver may experience a loss of hydraulic pressure and brake failure. Sticking is another problem that may affect a wheel cylinder. Sometimes a piston will stick in its bore because dirt or corrosion acts like a wedge and jams it tight. If this happens, the brakes may not release causing the shoe to drag. Consequently, repairs should be performed immediately if a wheel cylinder is leaking fluid.
The rear brake shoes on most vehicles typically last twice as long as the front brake pads because the front brakes do most of the work. Front disc brakes handle up to 80 percent of the braking load. Consequently, the rear shoes wear at a much slower rate and are often ignored by most service centres until the second or even third brake job. By the time the rear drums are removed for inspection, or we service your vehicle, the car may have racked up 30,000, 40,000 or even 80,000 kilometres. That is a lot of kilometres on the original piston seals. Wear and corrosion inside the wheel cylinders may be reaching a critical point, even if no external leaks are yet visible. There is no way to tell how much life the wheel cylinders have left in them, so we always recommend replacing the wheel cylinders when doing a rear brake job.
Some customers may see this as "unnecessary" repair work, yet they would be the first ones to complain if a wheel cylinder started to leak a few thousand kilometres after their vehicle had new rear brake shoes installed. It is a fact that wheel cylinders eventually wear out, and when they do they can cause serious braking problems or even brake failure. Why take unnecessary chances when all you have to do is replace the wheel cylinders to restore the brakes to like-new condition? At Mansfield Motors, during every service the brake drums are removed and the rear brake shoes and wheel cylinders are fully inspected and the customer is advised on any repairs required either immediately or upcoming. That's why you can trust Mansfield Motors to perform the complete brake repair and remember you only get what you pay for.
Trying to save a few dollars on brakes could cost your life.
