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
Not All Brake Lubricants are Created Equal
When it comes to brake lubricants, grease is a dirty word. Brake lubricants are specially formulated products that are not the same as ordinary chassis grease or even multi-purpose grease. The kind of grease that’s used to lube tie rod ends, ball joints and U-joints is not the same as the lubricants that are required
When To Replace Steering Knuckles and Arms
ight passenger side because the right wheel is more apt to hit a curb than the left wheel. CAMBER CLUES Tire wear can also be affected by camber. Excessive camber loads one side of the tread more heavily than the other, resulting in uneven wear. Camber wear typically produces uneven wear on one side of
Chassis Dynamics
A Firestone sales jingle gave us a good definition of chassis dynamics: “Where the rubber meets the road.” There are four tire tread contact patches that support the weight and control the motion of a vehicle. There are a lot of terms used to describe the motion of an automotive chassis and how it affects
Performing Hyundai Maintenance and Profiting From It
Like so many other late-model vehicles, the Hyundai vehicle lineup won’t necessarily keep your bays busy with “repair” work, but can present you with profitable maintenance opportunities. We can no longer afford to let any opportunity for service go unnoticed, and hope that the customer will come back for the next job. It’s an important
How Tread Design Impacts Wear, Traction, and Noise
When delving into the world of tread designs, one thing that is always fascinating is the size of the contact patch through which the tread design must roll. On an average-size passenger car tire, the contact patch is about the size of a 4×6-inch postcard. In total, all four contact patches reach about the size
The Top 5 Favorite Tools of Top Technicians
Chris Ringold, shop foreman Flint Bottom Auto Sales Burlington, IA Mac Mentor – Generic OBD II and Repair Trac are invaluable. ALLDATA – If Repair Trac doesn’t cover it, ALLDATA does. MechanixWear Fast Fit Gloves – Great protection and workability! Chilton Labor Guide and CD-ROM – Fast and effective for all estimates. Mini Maglite –
Replacing FWD Wheel Bearings
When a wheel bearing goes out on a FWD car or minivan, it may or may not give much warning. Typical clues include noise from the vicinity of the wheel, possibly some steering wander or looseness in the steering, and/or some abnormal tread wear on the front tires. Also, an ABS light could illuminate. Any
Power Steering Repair
A long time ago in a garage far away a young technician was seeking a repair of a steering system. He found there are a lot of things that can go wrong with a rack and pinion steering gear. The steering wheel vibrates at speeds above 45 miles per hour; the steering wheel doesn’t return
Seasonal Service
It’s that time of year again. Time to start promoting seasonal service checks. So before family hits the road for vacation with gas possibly hitting $3 per gallon, here are some service items that should be checked. TIRES Tires obviously play a very important role in safe driving because of their affect on traction, handling