Brake Line Inspection: Corrosion Warning Signs and Protecting Against Liability
No one can predict when a brake line or hose will fail. This is why inspecting brake lines should be part of every vehicle inspection
10 Years of TPMS: A Technology Comes of Age
September 2017 marked the 10-year anniversary of mandatory tire pressure monitoring systems (TPMS).
ABS Solenoid Diagnosis: What is going on inside the HCU?
The anti-lock braking system (ABS) computer, or HCU, is a node on a high-speed vehicle bus.
Sensors and Suspensions: Diagnosing Electronically Adjustable Dampeners
On racecars, mechanics in pit lane will tune the settings of the shocks and springs for the track. Some race shocks have six adjustments for compression and rebound, so they will tune the setting for the amount and rate of suspension movement.
Aluminum Suspensions: Knowing is Half the Battle
From 2012 to 2015, aluminum consumption for new vehicles increased by 28% in North America. While a lot of the aluminum has gone into the body recently, the use of aluminum in the suspension is also increasing.
Servicing TPMS Sensors
Most TPMS sensors are held in using just a screw or a nut, but if not assembled or torqued properly, the results can be catastrophic. Carelessness can result in a broken sensor or even a customer being stranded with a flat tire.
Top TPMS Troubleshooting Tips
When dealing with TPMS, here are a few best practices and reminders to ensure you’re taking care of your customers and avoiding possible comebacks.
High Performance Brake Jobs Upgrading to Better Replacement Options
Brake jobs are a good source of parts and labor income for shops. When brakes wear out, most motorists just want you to fix the problem and restore their brakes to like-new condition with OE-equivalent replacement parts. But in some situations, there may be an opportunity to sell your customer on the benefits of upgrading certain brake components.
Spotting Bent Suspension Components
Normal driving usually won’t knock the wheels out of alignment or damage the suspension. However, normal driving also involves encounters with the unexpected, which often include potholes, curbs, railroad crossings (which are famous for being rough), parking lot speed bumps and other things that jar and stress the suspension.
Just One Hit: Wheel Hub Replacement
When a driver hits a pothole or curb hard enough, extreme forces are put onto the balls or rollers and races of the bearing. This can result in the formation of a very small mark on the surfaces.
Brake Hose Inspection Tips to Spot the Problem Before It’s Too Late
There is no recommended replacement interval for brake hoses. That’s because brake hose conditions will differ depending on the vehicle, driver, and environment. Inspection is the only way to spot a problem before a brake failure.
Belt Inspection Checklist
You might have only one chance to sell a customer a new serpentine belt. With belts lasting roughly 90,000 miles, proper inspection at the time of failure is critical not only for selling the belt, but also for ensuring add-on sales and better customer satisfaction.
These are the steps you should be performing on every car or truck that enters your shop.
