Steven Cartwright

I received this book as an early review. I have worked on my own cars since I started driving, about 40 years ago and did not first think I would benefit from the read. This was also my first CarTech Workbench series so I did not have any expectations when I started. I found myself pleasantly surprised! Not only was the information presented very well but it was accompanied by pictures and diagrams that I thought would be beneficial to any level of mechanic, amateur or advanced. The manual show more explained different types of systems, components of each system, brake fluids, and troubleshooting. In my estimation, anyone that wants to try working on their own brakes, or just want to better understand brake repair so they are more knowledgeable if they are bringing it to a shop for repair, should consider purchasing this manual. I do not think they would be disappointed and it will stop the mystery surrounding this important system. (I got this book for my husband and he is the one who reviewed it.) show less

This is an excellent edition to the Workbench How-To series. Brakes on modern vehicles aren't what they once were. With ABS, ADAS, electronic brake assist and other technologies affecting your brake system, a current volume for the lay mechanic was needed and Mr. Cartwright has provided just that. That being the case, the fundamentals haven't been neglected. The very basics of braking systems are covered including disc, drum and emergency implementations before diving into the concepts and show more details of hydraulic systems. The author then discusses the technologies that have been applied to braking to make them easier to operate (assist technologies), more user friendly and safer (ABS, etc.). Mr. Cartwright doesn't neglect troubleshooting your system dedicating a chapter to said activity before discussing, in detail, the execution of a full brake job on either a drum or disc system.
A great addition to the home mechanic's bookshelf! show less

Putting around 1,000 miles on my car during each week, it's important for me to have good brakes. As such, I know that I must always keep an eye on them and sometimes it can get expensive to have changed at a body shop. I try to do as much to my car myself as I possibly can, so this book was very helpful. It not only shows you how to physically replace the brakes by yourself, it also shows how to troubleshoot the exact problem. For example, in some cases the brakes may not need to be totally show more replaced but only need to be repaired. That can lead to a huge price difference, especially if you are able to diagnose the issue yourself. This is a very helpful book to have around and I am glad that there were several pictures throughout the book so that I can be sure that I know exactly what I am doing. show less

for Librarything early readers: I found this book really informative. It well covered the build-up to modern brake systems and even the near future of same. Despite my many years of experience I learned a few clever tricks to make things easier, as well as learning to anticipate what I will see moving ahead. A really informative and practical supplement to model specific manuals. A must have for anyone interested in what goes into doing "Brake Repair" properly.