How to Improve Brake Performance (Safe and Simple)

Brake performance is an essential element to any drivable vehicle. Whether you are a professional stunt driver or a parent driving their kids all over the place, you still need fully functioning brakes. There is nobody that wants their car to not be responsive when they are in a situation that requires quick thinking and fast-acting. 

With that in mind, it is very important to make sure that your brakes are running at their best performance. While it is important to maintain proper upkeep of your brakes, you may be wondering if there is any way that you can improve your car’s brake performance without having to completely replace the system. As it turns out, there is. Read on to find out how.

How Do I Improve My Brake Performance?

One of the most important things you can do for brake performance is to take your car in for routine maintenance. An experienced mechanic will be able to tell you if your car needs new brake fluid, rotors, or pads. 

In between maintenance, there are actions you can take that will also help improve your brake torque and thus your brake’s performance. Let’s look at these more in detail. 

Check Your Brake Fluid Level

While it is always better to have a professional change your brake fluid if you have just bought a new car, you can check it yourself and add some more brake fluid yourself to hold it over. This will help your brakes perform well until you can get the car into the mechanic for a proper checkup and maintenance. 

Take the following steps: 

• Find the master brake cylinder reservoir. This reservoir is a container that is usually metal or clear and has a cap on top. It will likely be located at the bank of the engine.
• Check the fluid level. If the car was made after the 1980s, then there should be a line in the reservoir that will indicate the proper level of brake fluid. If it was made in the 1980s or before then, it will be made of metal. Pull the clamp holding the cap to one side and carefully open it. The fluid level line should be visible once it has been opened. 
• If the brake fluid is below the line, pour some fresh brake fluid in until it reaches the line again. Put the cap back on, and you should be good to go.

Now, let’s take a look at a few tips for when you’re checking your brake fluid level.

Tips for Checking Your Brake Fluid Level

If this is the first time you’ve ever touched any of your car’s inner workings, you may want to know some important tips.

Some include:

• Always use the brake fluid that is recommended for your vehicle.
• Some vehicles have two reservoirs. If this is the case with your car, check both and fill both reservoirs to the fill line.
• Do not fill past the line.
• Make sure to keep debris out of the reservoir as this can ruin the brake fluid and harm the car. 

Now, let’s take a look at the next step to improve your brake performance.

Increase the Line Pressure

Increasing line pressure simply means that you press on your brakes harder without slamming on them. 

To do this, take the following steps:

1. Firmly place your heel on the floor in front of the pedal. You want to be at a specific distance from the pedal so that the ball of your foot lands in the center of the brake pedal when you press down. This distance will be a little different for everyone depending on the length of their foot. 
2. Make sure that most of the weight of the foot is on the floor through the heel. This will give the foot more flexibility and room to move.
3. Pivot the top of the foot forward so that the ball of the foot is pressing into the middle of the brake. Continue pressing gently.

Practice proper foot placement while your car is in Park, and then it will come more naturally while you are driving. 

Conclusion

Having brakes that work properly is one of the most important parts of having a car that works well and is safe. The best thing you can do to make sure your brakes are at peak performance is to take your car in for regular maintenance, so an experienced mechanic can alert you to anything that needs to be added or fixed to the brakes, such as new rotors or pads.

However, there are a couple of things you can do on your own to help improve brake performance. We hope this article outlined them well for you.