A Eulogy to the Overdrive? It is Not Dead Yet
r set for overdrive and a roller clutch to drive the output shaft. The Borg Warner and Doug Nash mechanicals are quite different from the GV overdrive. This is most probably the reason they are no longer in production. The Borg Warner used a shifting a linkage, collar and gear to mechanically connect the input
Automatic Transmissions: From Mechanical to Electronic to Hybrid
A long time ago in a service bay, preventive maintenance for an automatic transmission was an oil change, band and throttle linkage adjustment. The 1960s saw the end of external band adjustments. In the 1970s, the drain plug went away and the pick up screen was replaced with a filter. In the 1980s, a turbo
Mercedes-Benz: Transmission Service and Other Maintenance Essentials
Consistently rated as well engineered and well built, the Mercedes line fills almost every class of vehicle today, from small fuel-efficient people-movers like the Smart Car, to large over-the-road trucks and every niche in between. Our shop performs routine maintenance and more involved repairs on hundreds of Mercedes vehicles every year. Most of the models
Automatic 4WD Hub Replacement
Automatic hubs are used on many 4×4 trucks to disengage the front wheels when four-wheel drive is not needed. Disconnecting the front wheels reduces friction and may improve fuel economy as much as one mile per gallon depending on the vehicle. A one mpg difference may not sound like much, but with gas costing around
Dual Mass Flywheel/Clutch Replacement Options
Dual-mass flywheels are a unique kind of flywheel that have been used on a variety of pickup truck and passenger car applications since the late 1980s. You’ll find them on 1987 Ford F-Series 6.9L diesels, 1987-98 Ford F-Series 7.3L diesels, 1992-1996 Chevy/GMC 6.5L diesel trucks and 1992-02 Chevy/GMC 8.5L diesel trucks. Dual-mass flywheels have also
4WD Clutch Replacement
Here in the upper part of the West Coast, four-wheeling is a very large part of outdoor recreation. Vehicles of all kinds are taken to the forests and mountains every weekend. There are miles and miles of off-road trails, and organized clubs are available for every make, model and size of 4WD vehicle. Toyota trucks
Manual Tranny/Clutches: Pre-Installation Inspections Boost Clutch Performance & Reduce Warranty Claims
Because a good “stick shift” driver can always squeeze a few more miles per gallon out of a manual transmission or otherwise out-perform their automatic transmission counterparts, it’s no wonder that clutch replacements continue to be a good business for most import repair shops. In most cases, a routine clutch replacement requires very little in
Medium-Duty Truck Clutch Repair
What is a medium-duty truck? The industry defines it as a vehicle with a Gross Vehicle Weight of 14,000 to 26,000 lbs. At 14,000 lbs., most heavy-duty one-ton trucks qualify as a medium duty vehicle. In light- and medium-duty trucks, the automatic transmission is ever increasing in popularity and numbers. So why am I talking
Driveshaft Service
Driveshafts on most rear-wheel drive and four-wheel drive (4WD) vehicles are very durable. Most late-model driveshafts are not serviceable and do not have any lubrication points. But, this does not mean that they can’t wear, or even fail. Driveshaft problems can be spotted from the moment you put the vehicle in gear to pull it