VIDEO: Winter Fluid Maintenance
Adam Redling goes over a checklist for fluids on your customers’ vehicles, including oil, coolant, brake fluid and windshield washer fluid.
Nissan Maxima Brake Job Tips
Called the four-door sports car by Nissan, the 2004-2008 Maxima brake system is easy to service with very few complaints of brake noise or pulsation.
Drum Brake Service: Single-Anchor, Floating Shoe Designs
Although four-wheel disc brakes currently dominate the import brake service market, millions of drum brakes are serviced each day in independent import shops.
Stability Control And Brake Jobs
Automotive technology continues to evolve in several directions. While many manufacturers are concentrating on electric and hybrid technology, higher mileage, and smaller and lighter vehicles, others are focused on performance, horsepower and ever-higher top speeds.
Brake Tech Tip: Low Sinking Or Spongy Brake Pedal
When diagnosing a master cylinder, keep in mind the type of seals that are used are lip cup seals. This design allows for the seal to improve as the pressure increases. Another feature of this seal is that it does not create a vacuum when the piston retracts.
Tech Tip: Increased Brake Pedal And Steering Effort
It may be possible to restore proper brake and steering operation by flushing the system. After cleaning, if the filter and fluid show obvious signs of hose contamination, all hoses must be replaced and both fluid and the in-line filter changed again.
What’s The Best Way To Break In New Brake Pads?
Avoid heavy braking or panic stops for the first couple of hundred miles. Normal driving will usually seat in most brake pads just fine, provided the rotors are clean, relatively smooth (no excessive scoring or grooving) and flat (no warpage or pedal pulsations).
Pinpointing Needed Disc Brake Service
During the road test, listen for noises and note any pedal pulsation or vehicle pulling when applying the brakes. Noises can indicate brake pad problems, pedal pulsation from rotor damage, and pulling due to uneven brake application, which can be caused by a number of things.
High-Performance Brake Jobs
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
Brake Service Case Study: Nissan Frontier
Bob Dowie looks at some of the undercar issues he has faced with Nissan vehicles over the years and discusses how to deal with some common issues you may see with them.
