Brake Pad Wear: Visual Inspection
Rotors should wear evenly. The plates of the rotor should wear at the same rate. If one plate is thinner, it will affect the thermal and structural properties of the rotor.
Ride Control System Protocol
A shock absorber is designed to dampen oscillations in leaf or coil springs by enclosing a piston and rod assembly inside a cylinder filled with oil. The shell or casing generally mounts on the axle or control arm while the piston rod assembly mounts to the frame.
Change Headlight Bulbs In Pairs!
When your customer comes in with a burned out or dim headlight bulb, think twice, or better yet, think in pairs and recommend replacing both bulbs. Replacing just the failed bulb can create an unbalanced or unpredictable headlight beam.
Ford Truck: Low Pedal On F-250, F-350 Models
A customer complaint pertains to long or low pedal action. According to Ford technical service bulletin TSB 96-25-19, the master cylinder should be changed to a unit with a larger bore size.
Ford: Brake Fade, Excessive Pedal Travel
Excessive brake pedal travel or brake pedal fade may occur during application, when heavily loaded or on steep downhill grades. This may be caused by the original brake caliper piston material.
Galvanic Corrosion: The TPMS Killer
Some parts of the country are plagued by car-destroying corrosion. Whether the acceleration is caused by proximity to the ocean or by chemicals used for road treatment, corrosion can really take a toll on vehicles and the people who are dependent on them.
Lifetime Warranties: The Woes Of Discount Parts
There are warranties, and then there are lifetime warranties. Some people won’t buy anything unless it has a substantial warranty attached to it. My dad was one of those guys. It didn’t matter what it was as long as he could get a warranty with it, and he would be as proud as a peacock whenever he got the chance to take advantage of it.
Subaru: Rear Wheel Bearing Tips
To help avoid repeat bearing failures on 1992-2003 Subaru Legacy and Impreza models, SKF offers a solution to the following overlooked common problems: bent flanges, out-of-round bearing housings, ball bearing failures, premature bearing wear.
Chevrolet Cobalt Alignment
If you were to look at the underside of a 2005-2010 Chevy Cobalt or Pontiac G5, the recipe doesn’t look much different than a 1995-2004 Chevy Cavalier or Pontiac Sunfire. The greatest difference in the 2005 Chevy Cobalt can’t be seen from under the car. It is the electric power steering (EPS). Knowing the basics of this system can save you problems before the vehicle is pulled into the alignment bay.
Shop Regulation: Operation Torque Wrench
This month, the state of Michigan cracked down on nine unlicensed shops. The PR stunt was called “Operation Torque Wrench” by Secretary of State Ruth Johnson. This is kind of ironic, because most unlicensed shops and mechanics do not use torque wrenches.
Press Fit Bearings: Like Pulling Teeth
Removing a cartridge-style wheel bearing can be like pulling a tooth. Sometimes it comes out in one pull, but sometimes it requires emergency surgery. This can be a service opportunity for your shop, with a lot of import vehicles equipped with these bearings in the front and rear. While the fundamentals of the job have not changed since the 1980s, what has changed is the complexity of the knuckle and the bearing seals, as well as the materials from which the knuckles and axles are made.
