3 Problems With Older Brake Systems That Could Cause Problems With Auto Restorations

When you are doing a car restoration, there are many different repairs that need to be done. The brake systems in older cars may have problems with wear, as well as design defects that affect performance and overall safety. During the restoration of your classic car, there are some repairs and improvements that need to be done to avoid problems. Here are some of the problems that affect older brake systems and need to be addressed when doing restoration:

1. Problems with Drum Brakes, and Disk Conversions to Eliminate Them

Drum brakes are a type of brake system that was used on older cars, which have a tendency to fail and do not perform as well as disk brakes. You may have a car that has drum brakes on all four wheels or only in the rear. There are conversion kits that can be used to replace the drum brakes with disks to improve stopping performance. If your car has rear drum brakes, you can use frontend brakes from a salvaged car that is the same or similar model as yours.

2. Updating Classic Car Brakes with Modern Anti-Lock Systems  

In addition to disk brakes, modern cars also have anti-lock systems, which prevent the brakes from locking up when you suddenly press the pedal. Older cars may not have these anti-lock systems, which is something that you may want to consider doing to update your car's brakes. For an all original restoration, you can skip this improvement, but it is a good idea if you are going to be driving your car frequently after you have finished all the restoration work.

3. Revising Old Brake Lines and Replacing Them Due to Deterioration

There may also be deterioration of brake lines that happens in older cars; this problem is often due to braided metal lines that deteriorate over time. Inspect all your brake lines and look for signs of corrosion and damage that could cause them to burst and loss of brakes. If you have any doubts about your brake lines, it is a good idea to replace them all to ensure your safety when driving. In addition to the brake lines, it is also a good idea to check other components like rubber boots and calipers that could fail and cause serious brake problems.

These are some the problems with older brake systems that you will have to deal with when doing auto restoration projects. If you need help with repairs and upgrades to your classic car's brakes, contact a brake service to ensure your car is safe.