Yokohama Tire Corp. Launches New Commercial Mobile Website
Yokohama Tire Corp. (YTC) has launched an all-new commercial mobile website. The site provides fleet owners, operators and dealers new ways to connect with the company – including direct access to Yokohama’s Emergency Service (YES) for roadside assistance, tools such as the Air Inflation Calculator and Fuel Savings Calculator, a dealer locator and product information.
ALLDATA Boosts Shop Efficiency With VIN Decoder Enhancement
Updates to ALLDATA Repair S3000 and ALLDATA Collision S3500 include a VIN decoder for increased shop productivity and accuracy. Entering the VIN into the system will automatically pull up the year, make, model and engine for the specific vehicle being worked on. This can help save time and frustration and help ensure the technician is working on the correct vehicle-engine combination.
Akebono Adds More Than 50 New Part Numbers, In Conjunction With Software Updates
Akebono Brake Corp. announced it has added 51 new part numbers into its aftermarket brake pad portfolio providing coverage to more than 24 million additional vehicles. This added coverage features popular late-model domestic, European and Asian vehicles.
BorgWarner Expands Powertrain Technical Center In Michigan
BorgWarner has announced plans to expand its Powertrain Technical Center in Auburn Hills, Mich., to support programs in North America and supplement its global network of technical centers. The nearly 46,000-square-foot addition will include space for program managers, sales and engineering professionals. Driven by BorgWarner’s escalating growth, the expansion is expected to be complete in early 2015 and support up to 200 regular full-time jobs at the facility.
Lincoln Electric Announces Extended Warranty Program
Lincoln Electric has announced a new welding equipment warranty extension program that offers repair for an additional two years, building on the standard three-year warranty included with the purchase of the company’s welders and wire feeders.
New PlastiKote Catalog Available Online
The new PlastiKote product catalog is now available online, providing customers with a wealth of information on the complete line of premium PlastiKote automotive aerosol paints and coatings.
Maintaining The Cooling System On The 6.0L/7.3L Powerstroke Engine
One of the most overlooked preventive maintenance items in a diesel engine is the coolant system. Maintaining the coolant system is just as important as an oil change – in fact, the coolant condition in a diesel engine may even be more important than in a gasoline engine.
Take Time To Evaluate The Condition Of Brake Hydraulics
Mileage is an essential criterion for evaluating the condition of brake hydraulics. Keep in mind that, each time the brakes are applied, the master and wheel cylinder piston seals wear. Given time, the rubber cups in master cylinders wear to the point that they will not consistently seal hydraulic pressure. The result will often be a low brake pedal, poor stopping power or an intermittently sinking brake pedal.
Pinning Down Intermittent Malfunctions On OBD II Vehicles
Although post-1996 OBD II powertrain control modules (PCMs) are generally very reliable, we’re beginning to see more failures because the average age of our national vehicle fleet has now increased to about 11.5 years. Technically speaking, the PCM should store a DTC indicating some type of internal malfunction. But, in the real world, if your scan tool indicates “no communication” and asks if the ignition switch has been turned on, you obviously have a communications problem.
Dill Offers Educational Aid For Customers
Dill Air Controls has launched a new educational aid to inform customers why they need to maintain their TPMS tire service. The counter display highlights which components need to be replaced during tire service, and connects the consumer to the TPMS dashboard light that is more commonly seen in many vehicles today.
Why Chasing The Cheapest Brake Job Costs Your Shop In The Long Run
Ever since the 1930s, there has been a war on the price of brake jobs. Eighty years ago, shops were advertising low-priced brake relines on sandwich boards for $19.99, but they complained about “gyps” selling brake jobs for $9.99 on the side of the road. We see almost the same situation today. This time the price point is around $150. Instead of gyps, shops are complaining about some guy on Craigslist who will perform a brake job for around $40 if he is provided with the pads.
Returning Brake Rotors To ‘Like New’ Condition
When it comes to returning brake rotors to “like new” condition, it is a two-step process that can be different every time. If the vehicle has a pulsation symptom or complaint, it pays to perform a diagnostic check before machining the rotor in terms of both time and additional parts sales.