The Tool Truck: Cordless Tools
Getting a Charge Out of Going Cordless
VIEW POINT: Read the Instructions
Can reading the directions save time?
Ride Control Clinic
The more you know, the more you sell.
This Car is Kicking My Butt!
I hear the above phrase every so often and the worst part of the technician’s plight is when he calls me he is almost always working for free at this point in the repair cycle. Most of the time the phone call starts out: “We sold them brakes…” Most of the shops at this point
Brake Job: 2002-2008 Ford Explorer
The Ford Explorer’s brake system is a relatively robust and trouble-free system. But, that doesn’t mean something can’t go wrong.
How’s Business?
I have been calling around to readers and asking: “How’s business?” The majority of the responses are positive. Thirty percent are up, 30 percent are even and 30 percent are down from 2007. The remaining 10 percent are reporting significant gains or losses. The responses are consistent with survey results on iATN.net and the recent
Can You Lift It?
You can only make a few mistakes with a lift before it costs more than the lesson is worth. What you don’t know can hurt you if you are using or even buying a lift. Know what you are Lifting The first thing any tech must do is to know what they lifting. If possible,
Toyota Prius Brake Repair, Pad Replacement
Does performing a pad replacement on a Toyota Prius scare you? Well it should; if you treat it like every other vehicle. But, if you know a few things ahead of time, the job can be performed like any other brake job. Do not worry about high voltage. Worry about angry customers due to comebacks
Quotes and One Liners
Here are some quotes that resonate just as strong today as they did when they were first uttered. “People like to talk about a job well done and equally like to complain when a job is badly done.” Fred G. Wacker, President, Ammco Tools, May 1973 issue “Have enough faith in yourself to advertise your
Test Drives: What is the Real Cost of a Cheap Brake Pad?
Ever since the first issue of BRAKE & FRONT END, the magazine has warned of the costs of using inferior friction materials. In the 1930s, the magazine fought the fight against inferior materials coming from “mail-order houses.” In the 1940s, inferior materials were blamed for costing the war effort in terms of lost materials and
Viewpoint: Good Enough?
I was talking to Jim Currier of Jim & Sons Transmission in Cuyahoga Falls, OH, and he said something that stuck in my head. I was commenting on how clean his shop was and how it looked better than some dealerships in the area. Jim said, “It has to be this way. After all, I
Good times, Bad Times: The Growth Rings of the Aftermarket
The last couple of months have been tough for the economy. The markets are down. Credit has tightened up to the point it is strangling any growth. Some large dealerships have closed their doors due to declining sales and not being able to finance their floor plans or customers. It is tough to remain positive