How’s Business?
I have been calling around to readers and asking: “How’s business?” The majority of the responses are positive. Thirty percent are up, 30 percent are even and 30 percent are down from 2007. The remaining 10 percent are reporting significant gains or losses. The responses are consistent with survey results on iATN.net and the recent
Can You Lift It?
You can only make a few mistakes with a lift before it costs more than the lesson is worth. What you don’t know can hurt you if you are using or even buying a lift. Know what you are Lifting The first thing any tech must do is to know what they lifting. If possible,
Brake Job: Toyota Prius
Does performing a pad replacement on a Toyota Prius scare you? Well it should; if you treat it like every other vehicle. But, if you know a few things ahead of time, the job can be performed like any other brake job. Do not worry about high voltage. Worry about angry customers due to comebacks
Quotes and One Liners
Here are some quotes that resonate just as strong today as they did when they were first uttered. “People like to talk about a job well done and equally like to complain when a job is badly done.” Fred G. Wacker, President, Ammco Tools, May 1973 issue “Have enough faith in yourself to advertise your
Test Drives: What is the Real Cost of a Cheap Brake Pad?
Ever since the first issue of BRAKE & FRONT END, the magazine has warned of the costs of using inferior friction materials. In the 1930s, the magazine fought the fight against inferior materials coming from “mail-order houses.” In the 1940s, inferior materials were blamed for costing the war effort in terms of lost materials and
Viewpoint: Good Enough?
I was talking to Jim Currier of Jim & Sons Transmission in Cuyahoga Falls, OH, and he said something that stuck in my head. I was commenting on how clean his shop was and how it looked better than some dealerships in the area. Jim said, “It has to be this way. After all, I
Good times, Bad Times: The Growth Rings of the Aftermarket
The last couple of months have been tough for the economy. The markets are down. Credit has tightened up to the point it is strangling any growth. Some large dealerships have closed their doors due to declining sales and not being able to finance their floor plans or customers. It is tough to remain positive
TPMS Update, Don’t Forget the Changer!
And What You Can Charge!
The Best Brake Pads in the World!
What I Know and Don’t Know
Brake NVH: What Does Your Shop do When a Brake Complaint Due to Noise Enters the Service Bays?
What does your shop do when a brake complaint due to noise enters the service bays? Is it a mark of shame for the technician that hurts their productivity for the rest of the day by randomly applying lubes, pastes and sprays to the brake system in hopes that the problem is at least temporarily
Viewpoint: ASE Certification
nd B? Why should I settle their debate? I have been studying for the ASE exams this month. I have been reading test prep guides, books and articles to prepare. It was getting late one night and the test took on a life of its own. Technicians A and B were really getting on my
Servicing Wheel Ends
The trucking industry has a confusing term it uses called “wheel ends.” The term covers (brakes, hub caps, tires, seals, lubricant, bearings and spindle nuts. A 16 wheeler truck can mean more than 10 wheel ends units that can go bad. While the scale of these vehicles is rather large, the basics are the same