Parts Guides

A guide to drum brakes still fitted to many UK city cars and light vans — replacement, adjustment, and the right brand to source.

A practical guide to brake disc geometry — what each design does, which UK cars use which, and how to choose between OE and uprated.

Everything that grips, slows, and rubs in a brake system — and how each component fits together as a friction package.

How belt-drive tensioners, idler pulleys and crank-pulley dampers work, what fails, and why generic replacements rarely match OE.

What goes in a proper timing belt kit, why each component matters, and how to choose between belt-only vs belt-with-water-pump kits.

Why timing belts are time-and-mileage critical, what happens when one fails, and the brands worth specifying.

Reading the wear indicator, picking the right friction grade, and avoiding the most common UK pad-replacement mistakes.

How to decide when discs need replacing rather than just inspecting, plus the minimum-thickness rule and which brands actually meet OE.

How glow plugs heat the combustion chamber, what wears them out, and why one failed plug usually means the others are close behind.