Alignment Update, Expensive Parking
It is a misconception that the number of bays determines success. Instead, it is the number of vehicles a bay can service in a day and the profitability of the repair order that often determines success. Adding extra bays to your shop is one way to add capacity, but it does not address the issue
Pointers from KYB Help Technicians Sell More Shocks and Struts
Statistics show that you’re probably not selling as many shocks and struts as you could. Maybe it’s because you haven’t considered the possible opportunities? There are actually three different categories to consider. Unfortunately, most shops don’t get beyond the first.
Ingersoll Rand Company Limited Joins the Get Nitrogen Institute
As millions of people take to the roads this holiday season, leading diversified industrial company Ingersoll Rand is teaming with other corporate leaders to educate automobile owners on why nitrogen gas, when used to inflate tires, will save them hundreds of dollars each year, improve driver safety and enhance the environment.
TechTravel: A Speedweek Racing Diary
Jim Linder “Fuel Injector Guru” needs no introduction to the readers of Underhood Service. His reputation as a technical writer and as a provider of quality technical training and electronic fuel injection service extends industry-wide. By now, many of Linder’s fans know that his record attempt was rained out by the third day of qualifying
Steering Position Sensors: Keeping on Track
The steering position sensor’s basic function is to monitor the driver’s steering inputs. This includes the angle of the steering wheel and/or the rate at which the driver is turning the wheel. The information may be used to vary hydraulic pressure in a variable-assist power steering system, or by a stability control system to improve
Diagnostic Solutions: Steering Gears
Keeping Your Customers’ Vehicles on The Straight & Narrow Modern automotive steering gears evolved from the quaint tiller-controlled steering systems used in the first automobiles to the hydraulically controlled systems now used in most import vehicles. Unfortunately, steering tillers that attached to axles with little or no steering geometry didn’t provide much steering feedback from
Engine Diagnostics: Mazda
We’re going to take a look at the Mazda line of cars and trucks with an eye on driveability service and diagnosis. In particular, we’ll look at some driveability problems that may result in an illuminated check engine light, as well as some problems that will illuminate the light but may not result in a
Troubleshooting MIL Issues: OBD II & “CAN” Scan Tool Diagnostics
The Malfunction Indicator Lamp (MIL) is one of the most misunderstood warning lights on vehicles today. Most motorists have no idea what the light means or why it’s on. Some think the MIL light is an oil change reminder light. Others realize something must be amiss to cause the light to come on, but don’t
Power Options: Restoring a Vehicle to Like-New Performance
Replacing a worn or broken engine on a customer’s vehicle can be a very sensitive subject for many independent shop owners because it’s a time-intensive and possibly high-liability service. After a replacement is done, a shop’s greatest fear is that a minor ticking noise or oil leak may ruin the profitability of the engine replacement.
Mitch Schneider: Got a Minute? When Customers Steal Your Precious Time
I just watched one of the most frustrating blocks of time I’ve ever spent evaporate as I found myself explaining the how, why and how much of an engine failure to someone who would be far more comfortable discussing the intricacies of a Mozart Concerto.