Brakes: Reading Pads & Calipers, Examining Old Pads Can Prevent Problems Down The Road
Read any good brake pads lately? Don’t make the mistake of replacing brake pads without reading the old pads to spot potential caliper problems that could cause brake problems down the road and a possible comeback. Here are six conditions to watch out for: UNEVEN PAD WEAR. A sure sign of caliper trouble. If the
Tech Tip: Complete Timing Belt System Replacement Can Increase Sales, Reduce Comebacks
When servicing the import timing system, many technicians replace only the worn belt. They overlook the tensioner, tensioner pulleys and idlers because failure modes such as misalignment, loss of lubricant and weak spring force are often hard to detect.
Reading Between the Brake Lines
Being able to “read” brake components during inspection is a critical skill.
Using Caster to Properly Align Vehicles
Every story has an angle, and this one is no exception. In this case, we’re looking at one of the fundamental wheel alignment angles: caster. Caster is defined as the forward (negative) or rearward (positive) tilt of the steering axis as viewed from the side. Caster is measured in degrees from an imaginary line perpendicular
When To Replace Steering Knuckles and Arms
Alignment Angles Provide First-Hand Clues You’ve seen it a hundred times. A vehicle comes in with abnormal wear on a front tire. It looks like camber wear. One shoulder is badly worn, but the other front tire appears to be OK. You put it on your alignment machine and check camber and toe. Sure enough,
Component Connection:Becoming a Better Belts & Hose Inspector
Accessory drive belts and coolant hose replacements are perhaps the most popular and lucrative add-on services in the independent repair shop. Because belt and hose inspections are included in auto manufacturers’ scheduled maintenance charts, service writers at most well-managed shops recommend a belt and hose inspection along with tuneup, oil change, starting, charging, cooling, air
Talking Shop: Weighing In on In-Shop Cataloging
Paper catalogs have their place, but in-shop electronic catalogs are changing the repair shop/store dynamic. For the past 35 years, Harry, the archetypal, second-generation shop owner, has been telephoning Joe, the archetypal counterman, to order parts. And for 35 years before that, it was Harry’s father Clyde who owned the shop and was placing the
Manual Tranny/Clutches: Pre-Installation Inspections Boost Clutch Performance & Reduce Warranty Claims
Because a good “stick shift” driver can always squeeze a few more miles per gallon out of a manual transmission or otherwise out-perform their automatic transmission counterparts, it’s no wonder that clutch replacements continue to be a good business for most import repair shops. In most cases, a routine clutch replacement requires very little in
Internal Engine Repairs: Begin with Diagnosing Engine Failure Culprits
Saab engine technology has evolved through the years, but the same basic design of the original B202 engine is still used in today’s Saabs. When the 16-valve 2.0L engine (B202) was developed in 1984, I was one of 10 people chosen from the East Coast area by Saab in the United States to attend a
Technician Health and Safety: The Most Important Tool You’ll Ever Own
The life of an automobile technician is filled with many short- and long-term health hazards. The health offenses that I can recall throughout my career include: cuts to the hands, arms and face; burns on my hands and arms; flying debris in my eye; squirting fluid in my eye; breathing car-generated dust; breathing excess car