Rotary Improves SmartLift Inground Lifts
Rotary Lift has improved its twin-post SmartLift inground lifts to offer technicians smoother working conditions and greater efficiency. SmartLift inground lifts are installed a quarter inch above the shop floor to help prevent water from infiltrating the lift housing. This installation had previously created a quarter inch bump that made it inconvenient for technicians to roll equipment, such as jacks or carts, over the lift.
Maintenance Essentials…, OBD II & Chassis Checks
All cars need maintenance. The fact is mechanical devices wear and fail in normal use, and deteriorate over time, so being able to diagnose a future failure has become a part of the automotive repair and service industry. Customers always ask how long it will be before a component will fail, and are usually not
Tech Tip: Common Mistakes to Avoid when Resurfacing Cylinder Heads and Blocks
Cylinder heads and blocks may need to be resurfaced to restore flatness or to improve the surface finish, or milled to change the deck height for a variety of reasons. The deck surface on the head or block may need to be resurfaced if the surface isn’t smooth or flat. A head may need to be resurfaced after welds or other repairs have been made, or milled to increase the compression ratio.
Installers and Service Dealers Go Off-Roading in an ‘Extreme’ Weekend in San Diego and Mexico with NAPA CHASSIS
Jeff Adams’ weekend was Extreme to say the least. "For me, I think the best part of the weekend was the Baja off-road race in Mexico," he said. "Where else can you stand along side a dirt road and watch an off-road vehicle going 80 mph fly right in front of you with nobody bothering you? It’s something you can’t do in the States."
GM ‘W Platform’
Preventive Maintenance and Undercar Service
Tech Tip: Crown Victoria Suspension Sits Low in Front
Some 2003 Crown Victoria/Grand Marquis base vehicles with steel wheels or vehicles equipped with the handling package may appear to have a harsh ride in the front end of the vehicle. This may be caused by the front springs. To correct this, replace the existing springs with revised springs. The revised springs provide a higher ride height at curb and reduce the possibility of the front being too low.
Tire Tech Tip: Selling Nitrogen can Pump up Profits
For the past five or so years, suppliers of nitrogen-inflation equipment have made serious claims. Compared to moisture- and dirt-laden compressed air, nitrogen – a dry, inert gas – runs cooler, does not permeate through rubber as quickly and does not cause rust to develop on steel cords, expensive wheels or tire pressure monitoring sensors. The result is better fuel economy, more consistent inflation pressure, longer tire life and increased safety, advocates say.
Mitch Schneider: When Bad Luck is Really Good Luck…
About the worst thing that can happen around here is a week where all kinds of bizarre things accumulate. Aside from the absolute chaos it inflicts on everyone, including me, the crush of dealing with multiple crises makes it almost impossible to identify where one calamity ends and another begins.
Tech Tip: Maintaining Belt Tension is Critical
Most late-model engines have serpentine belt drives for the engine-driven accessories. And most people know that belts are a maintenance item and eventually have to be replaced. But many don’t know the spring-loaded automatic tensioner that keeps a serpentine belt tight is also a wear item. Consequently, the automatic tensioner may also have to be replaced when the time comes to change the belt.
Publisher’s Perspectives: If it’s Not Broke, Fix it Anyway
What’s your definition of preventive maintenance? Does it differ from your definition of scheduled maintenance? The term “preventive maintenance” is often used interchangeably with “scheduled maintenance,” but there’s a difference. Preventive maintenance means recommending the service or replacement of certain parts because they are wearing out and nearing the end of their useful life. Repair