Few components are as critical as your car’s brakes, and when it comes to these, Textar is a brand you can count on

Textar brakes make use of cutting-edge technology and are precision-engineered to offer maximum safety and performance. This uncompromising approach has been the ethos of the company for more than a century.

It’s one of the reasons Textar remains a trusted partner to the world’s leading vehicle manufacturers. The brand has its roots in Germany and is proudly distributed in South Africa by Torre Parts & Components. There is a wide range of Textar brake pads and brake discs available for the passenger-car market, as well as a growing range aimed at the commercial sector.

Pads

Textar boasts 1 400 brake-part numbers in its local inventory, covering more than 90% of the South African market. All Textar’s brake pads are subjected to the highest levels of testing and development, which means original-equipment (OE) quality pads can be sold at aftermarket prices. Every brake pad in the range features a unique underlayer in order to prevent heat transfer to the calipers and the hydraulics of the braking system.

Discs

In addition, Textar’s brake discs also reflect the quality standards of a market leader. Superior casting and complete surface coating ensure consistent high performance, optimum safety and a long service life. Just one of the great benefits of the discs is that they will be ready for use immediately: no removal of a protective oil or film is necessary. Manufactured to OE standards and ECE R90 compliant, Textar discs are specifically engineered to complement the wear and friction performance of the company’s brake pads.

Visit www.textar.co.za for more info. 

STOPPING DISTANCE

Certain conditions and scenarios can have a negative effect on your vehicle’s stopping distance. These include:

• driving a heavy vehicle or carrying a heavy load
• worn pads or discs
• insufficient tyre-tread depth, especially in wet weather
• road conditions such as gravel or mud.

WHY DO MY BRAKES SQUEAL?

There are various possible explanations for squealing brakes:

• inferior brake pads, which can often contain metallic material
• the wear indicator rubbing against the disc, warning you that your brake pads are too thin
• overnight rust build-up on the disc, usually if your vehicle is parked outside (this tends to disappear after the first firm brake application)
• dusty or sandy road conditions.

Photography Alamy, courtesy images

(This article was first published in the summer 2015/16 issue of AA traveller magazine)