Diagnostic Solutions: Brake Maintenance & Inspection
” height=”234″ alt=”” border=”0″ align=”right” /> Although brake systems wear at a relatively glacial rate, a point will be reached when they can no longer stop the vehicle in an emergency situation and brake system inspections are therefore required to prevent accidents caused by brake component failure. Inspection procedures vary from area to area. Mountainous
New Tools: What’s Old is New Again
There is an old saying that there is nothing new under the sun. A recent trend in the tool industry might lead you to think there is some truth to that statement. It seems that although a new tool gets introduced every few minutes — with suppliers bringing more and more new items to market
Tech Tip: With Alignments Today, ‘To Spec’ Doesn’t Cut it Anymore
A proper alignment job is not necessarily an easy task, but if you have the right equipment and well-trained technicians who know the operational guidelines, it can be a walk in the park. The plan is to give your customers the longest tire life possible. But when it comes to delivering a customer-oriented alignment, are you really earning your money?
Mitch’s World: If it Wasn’t for Bad 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. The ability to cope with
Diagnostic Solutions: Fuel System Pressure & Volume Checks
For maximum efficiency, modern import fuel injection systems require that fuel be delivered at a specified volume and pressure. Because the fuel injector’s job is to mix fuel with the intake air charge, it must produce a finely misted, conical spray pattern through the fuel injector nozzle. Lower-than-specified fuel pressures not only fail to provide
Flashing Signals / Reprogramming PCMs
You don’t have to be Microsoft A+ certified to flash reprogram automotive PCMs, but the process requires a certain amount of know-how as well as special tools and access to the latest OEM software upgrades (which are not free!). What’s more, it’s not a risk-free endeavor. Certain precautions must be undertaken before you begin, and
Mitch Schneider: Personal Axe Grinding Shows Ignorance, Especially When Done in ‘First Person’
After almost 41 years of working as a shop owner and a professional technician, I’d like to think I’ve gotten pretty good at dealing with broken stuff. However, every once in a while something occurs that shakes my confidence to its very foundation.
Hunter’s New PowerSlide Slip Plates Save Technicians Time and Effort when Performing Alignments
Hunter’s new PowerSlide slip plate locking mechanism secures the rear wheel slip plates with the touch of a button. With PowerSlide slip plates, technicians no longer have to make extra trips around the vehicle or struggle to remove and replace lock pins during alignment procedures.
Zurich Provides Pointers for Establishing Quality Control Program in Your Shop
Nuisance claims, like when a wheel falls off a customer’s car and causes minor damage after your technician rotated the tires, can adversely affect profitability. Catastrophic claims, like when a wheel comes off while your customer is on the highway and causes a multi-fatality accident, can cost millions of dollars and put you out of business.
Tech Tip: Diagnosing a Worn Wheel Hub Bearing
Signs of a worn wheel hub bearing vary in severity. Some may be difficult to detect, leading to damage before corrective action can be taken. The time frame in which damage occurs is linked to driving conditions and/or the mechanical practices that were followed at installation. Noise is a classic sign of a bad wheel bearing or wheel hub bearing.