Formula Truck: The Future of Motorsports?
August can be one of the cruelest months for racing fans. Races seem to linger unwatched for long periods on the DVR. Going to races in the hot weather can be torture. Also, most of the series have entered into the doldrums with fans performing mind numbing calculations of who will be the champion if X, Y or Z happens.
Used Car Dealers Con Lawmakers: Even with a horrible image, used car dealers avoid federal oversight.
We have all seen it before when a customer brings in their “new” used vehicle for the first time with a problem. It could be a car that cannot be aligned because of crash damage, or an off-lease car with a sludged engine due to neglect.
When it comes time to tell the customer what is wrong with their “new” used car, the conversation usually turns to how much they paid and the length of the loan. Eventually, it ends in the two of you wondering how the dealer could ethically do that and stay in business.
Tech Feature: Brake Job on 2004-2008 Toyota Corolla
The 2004-2008 Toyota Corolla was one of the best selling vehicles in North America. The front brakes for all models are, for the most part, the same. The only changes came in the configuration of the brake pad shims. The Corolla was not subject to the unintended acceleration recalls for floor mats or gas pedal.
BRAKE LIGHTS:Wetmore’s/Guess the Car
BRAKE & FRONT END, April 1961: Wetmore’s has been a fixture on Woodward Avenue in Ferndale, MI, since 1928. Their landmark building is known for a car on the roof with wobbly wheels. The front wheels are powered by an electric motor. Can you name the cars?
Grow or Die: Do You Have the Revenue to Survive? Can You Hit the Million Dollar Mark?
It has been postulated by some shop owners and industry consultants that for a shop to survive today and in the future it will require an annual revenue of at least $1 million with a growth rate of 4-5% annually. The rational for this high revenue figure is that shops will need this revenue to support tools and training expenditures so they can repair late-model vehicles profitably. Being able to do this will allow a shop to retain current customers and gain new customers.
Alignment & Suspension Specs: Ford Focus
In 2000, the Ford Focus represented a radical change in the domestic small car segment. Now as we enter a new decade, the current Focus platform is going into its last year of production and not too much has changed in the alignment department in 10 years, except the specs from year to year. The second-generation Focus uses the same suspension configuration as the 2000-2007 models. The restyled second generation is available as either a two-door coupe or four-door sedan – the hatchbacks and wagon were discontinued.
The Profitable Brake Lathe: Can You Make Money by Machining Rotors?
If you think you can stop machining rotors by installing new rotors, you are dead wrong. Selling new rotors may seem like the right thing to do to avoid a comeback for your shop, but it can actually cause a comeback and it is not the right thing to do in the eyes of the customer and some courts.
Can Blood and Guts Save Brake Repair? Changing Customer Fears of Losing Their Money to Losing a Limb
I was recently going through some 1950s issues of BRAKE & FRONT END and was amazed how “blood and guts” was leveraged to sell the motoring public and shops the virtues of brake system inspection and repair. Mangled cars, bicycles lodged in grills and flaming visuals of vehicles that could not stop in time were the norm. It was in stark contrast with the advertising of today pushing economy, durability and quiet performance.
Copper in Brake Pads: Great Idea, Bad Tax
If you run a shop in either California or Washington, chances are you have been hearing a lot about copper in brake pads and friction materials. If you are on the other coast or in the middle, it may be news to you, but chances are you have seen or will see advertisements and even boxes that say they have low copper content or no copper content. While on the surface it may seem like it is about salmon losing their sense of smell and phytoplankton dying, it has deeper consequences for brake pad manufacturers, shops and technicians.
Alignment & Suspension Specs: 2006-2010 Honda Civic
Built on a high-rigidity unit-body platform, the 2006-current Civic has a MacPherson strut front suspension and multi-link rear suspension. The 8th-generation Civic switched from a high mounted steering rack to a low mounted one and significantly increased caster. In the alignment bay, the 8th-generation Civic does not hold any surprises. But, it does require a sharp eye to spot potential problems.
BRAKE JOB: GM H-Body Brake Job
Pad and rotor replacement is straightforward on this vehicle. But, there are some common errors that can be made if you are not paying attention. First, make sure the front caliper bracket bolts are tightened to 137 ft/lbs. If the bolts work their way loose, the driver may experience a sporadic low pedal condition or worse. Second, replace the hardware if necessary. Most noise complaints can be traced to worn out hardware. Third, this vehicle is sensitive to thickness variation of the rotors. Always make sure thickness variation is below .0005”, or you could have a pulsation comeback.
Rotor & Resurfacing Response: The Industry Responds to the Midas/Glad Controversy
The response to last month’s article on the settlement of the Midas and Mike Glad lawsuit in California was overwhelming, and the conversation went in some unexpected directions.