Brake Hose Inspection And Replacement
Brake hoses are the most government-regulated components on a vehicle. Anyone making brake assemblies must be registered with the Department of Transportation (DOT). All aftermarket hose, fittings and complete hoses must conform to FMVSS 106 and SAE J1401. These tests are demanding and often exceed what a vehicle will see in the real world.
Selling The Complete Serpentine Belt Job
Technicians and customers have pretty much accepted that the accessory serpentine drive belt should be replaced between 90,000 to 100,000 miles. It is a “slam dunk” sale to just replace the belt, but does that replacement belt have the same chance to survive the same mileage? Chances are in the next 90,000 to 100,000 miles the replacement belt will have to deal with problems the original belt did not – a worn tensioner, idler pulley bearing failure or component alignment issue.
VW & EPA Fiasco Brings Reflashing Into The Spotlight
It was revealed VW cheated on EPA emissions tests by programming 2009-2015 diesel vehicles to recognize test conditions the EPA uses. This practice has been going on since the 1990s when sensors gained enough resolution to determine the approximate ambient temperature and transmissions started to share vehicle speed with the engine’s computer.
Top Consumer Brake Pad Questions
The following are the top consumer questions concerning brake pads, along with the answers that can help you to upsell. These answers can also save you from getting into hot water, and are written in language the customer can understand.
Toyota Hybrid Oil Change
Does the thought of changing the oil on a Toyota Prius scare you? Are you afraid you could be shocked with more than 200 volts? Don’t be afraid, changing the oil is not radically different than any other Toyota.
BMW Fuel System Repair Essentials
The BMW N54 fuel pump recall a few years ago brought to light the importance of the integrity of the fuel system and how it can contribute to the overall reliability of a vehicle. While BMW never officially stated what was causing the high-pressure fuel pumps to fail, some put the blame on low-quality fuel that might have been contaminated or had higher-than-normal Âlevels of ethanol.
Performing A Brake Job On A 2007-2013 Toyota Tundra
For 2007, the Toyota Tundra was redesigned. The body changed, and the foundation brake system was also updated with larger front brake calipers and rear disc brakes. The control system and hydraulics changed with a new vehicle stability system that included yaw, steering angle and brake pedal load sensors.
Analyzing Brake Friction Material
Aftermarket brake pads require a great deal of testing and engineering because they are made for a specific vehicle. A quality brake pad manufacturer will spend a significant amount of time and money developing an application-specific brake pad for each vehicle. This includes simulated and on-the-vehicle testing, both of which are time and equipment Âintensive.
Anti-Sway Bar Repair And Service
Anti-sway bars (aka sway, stabilizer or anti-roll bars) never get the credit they deserve. If anti-sway bars were never invented, the ride and handling of vehicles would be a lot more harsh than it is today. That is because anti-sway bars act as a third spring controlling rolls stiffness of a vehicle.
Electronic Parking Brake Diagnostics
A growing number of vehicles are equipped with electronic parking brakes (EPB) that automatically engage the parking brake when the transmission is shifted into park or it detects that the vehicle is on a hill. If you are doing a brake job on a vehicle with EPB, you will need a scan tool with the proper software for the EPB system to retract pistons calipers, adjust cables and perform diagnostics.
Compressor Logic: How Does The Water Get In The Lines?
Nothing is more frustrating than hitting the trigger on an air tool and a stream of water comes out the exhaust port. But, where did it come from? What can be done to prevent it from getting to your tools?
Brake Pulsation And Runout Q&A
Knowing The Right Answers Can Eliminate Comebacks Being able to diagnose and solve brake rotor pulsation problems is critical to eliminating brake-related service comebacks. Pulsation and brake performance problems may not seem to be the most difficult, but they often cause the most headaches for technicians. Here’s a brief Q&A that should help ease any
