Tech Tip: Installing Reman Engines and Transmissions
With new car sales down, people are keeping their vehicles longer and racking up more miles on their engines. That means there’s a growing opportunity to install a remanufactured engine in a customer’s vehicle if their original engine or transmission has reached the end of the road. Most engines will go quite a few miles with proper maintenance. But if the owner scrimps on regular fluid, oil and filter changes, neglects the coolant, never changes the spark plugs, or ignores little problems, it may lead to premature engine failure.
Tech Tip: Consider Your Customer Base When Purchasing an Alignment Lift
If you do wheel alignment work, you need an alignment lift for raising vehicles off the ground. A lift is essential because you have to get under the vehicle to inspect the steering and suspension before you check the alignment. You can’t align worn parts, so it’s important to always make sure the tie rod ends, ball joints, springs, bushings, struts and related components are all in good condition before you make any corrections ….
Tech Tip: Opting for Off-Brand or Value-Grade Components Can Be Risky Proposition
In light of the economic situation, it’s a safe bet that consumers will try and save money on car maintenance. This will likely mean greater willingness to opt for off-brand and value-grade components including hub units. Why is this a bad idea?
Tech Tip: SKF Offers Technical Information for Hub Unit Part Number Specific to Cadillac DTS/Buick Lucerne
SKF currently offers a pigtail-style hub unit – part number BR930548K – for the Cadillac DTS/Buick Lucerne. A recent technical bulletin by SKF provides technical information for preventing ABS sensor failure in pigtail-style hub assemblies. ABS system failures that happen shortly after hub unit installation can cause a technician concern and customer dissatisfaction. Several items should be checked when replacing the BR930548K or other pigtail style hub ….
Tech Feature: Replacing Water Pumps as Preventive Maintenance
In today’s import repair market, it’s not uncommon to see a vehicle with well over 200,000 miles on the odometer that still is in cosmetically and mechanically "great" condition. The importance of this trend is that many parts that were formerly being replaced on an as-needed basis are now being replaced on a preventive basis. Water pumps are a good example because they serve as an idler pulley on many engines equipped with timing belts and, due to accessibility issues on many transverse engines, should be replaced during any ….
Chassis Control Engineering & Application
It is a common mistake to look at a vehicle’s chassis and suspension system as just components that are either good, bad or broken. It should be looked at as a system. Understanding basic terminology and vehicle configurations is important to the technician for maintaining or returning that new car chassis control and performance. It
Let’s Make A Deal: Let’s Not…
The last few months have been challenging. My guess is they were challenging for you, as well. The next few are likely to prove equally as challenging, if not more so. You don’t have to be a Nobel Prize Laureate in economics to understand what’s going on. People like us — people on the ground,
Alignment Lifts: Consider Your Customer Base When Purchasing an Alignment Lift
If you do wheel alignment work, you need an alignment lift for raising vehicles off the ground. A lift is essential because you have to get under the vehicle to inspect the steering and suspension before you check the alignment. You can’t align worn parts, so it’s important to always make sure the tie rod
Tech Tip: Steering Inspections Uncover Worn Suspension Parts
A vehicle’s steering can be inspected one of several ways. With the full weight of the vehicle on the wheels, one person rocks the steering wheel while another looks and feels for play or looseness in the steering linkage and steering column. On some vehicles, this can be done by reaching up and rocking the steering column coupling from underneath while the vehicle is sitting on a drive-on ramp style lift. The dry park method of checking for looseness is generally the best procedure to ….
Diagnostic Solutions: Replacing Water Pumps as Preventive Maintenance
In today’s import repair market, it’s not uncommon to see a vehicle with well over 200,000 miles on the odometer that still is in cosmetically and mechanically “great” condition. The importance of this trend is that many parts that were formerly being replaced on an as-needed basis are now being replaced on a preventive basis.