ASE Certification: Comments from the fringe…
This month I registered for my National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) tests. Out of curiosity, I did a quick check online to see if any incentives were being offered by tool or parts suppliers for taking the exams. I stumbled across a Facebook fan page from a tool manufacturer reminding its customer that the deadline was approaching.
Viewpoint: What is the Price of Your Shop When You Retire?
I started my automotive career in the suburbs of Detroit. Woodward Avenue to me was more than a place to cruise, it was a source of income.
Alignment & Suspension Specs: 2005-’10 Ford Mustang (Plus Shelby)
In 2005, Ford introduced a new Mustang with an all-new platform and clean-sheet design. While the formula of a live axle rear and MacPherson strut front end were the same from the previous model, Ford refined the design. These changes make for a vehicle that is easier to align and diagnose compared to the previous generation.
Struts: The ‘Loaded’ Question When it Comes to Ride Control
What can you do in 17 minutes? You can make money on those 17 minutes of billed labor or you can give up those 17 minutes per corner of a vehicle in order to sell a more profitable part that has the potential to lower the chances of a comeback and give the customer more value for the money?
Tech Feature: GM Tire Pressure Monitoring Systems (TPMS)
GM TPMS systems on Buick, Pontiac, Chevy (Chevrolet), GMC Cadillac and Hummer models are some of the easiest to service if you have the right tools and knowledge. Starting in 2007, most vehicles use a Schrader- or VDO-manufactured system that shares the same relearn procedures and behaviors. There are exceptions, like the Pontiac Vibe.
FMSI: Serving Shops and Brake Manufacturers for More than 60 Years
If you purchase almost any set of brake pads or shoes, the last three or four digits of the parts number match for most of your brand choices. This is not an accident or OEM conspiracy. This is the product of more than 60 years of cooperation of brake friction manufacturers. This collaboration is the Friction Materials Standards Institute (FMSI) and the FMS number system. The fruits of this endeavor go beyond part number; it has given shops new brake applications sooner and at a lower cost.
Tire Tech Tip: Always Install Two
When it’s time to replace only two tires on passenger vehicles, logic should take a back seat to physics – or in this case, a rear axle.
Typically, vehicles are shod with four similarly designed and constructed tires of the same size on the front and back. The tread depth of each starts out equal, and inflation pressure matches specifications posted on a vehicle’s information placard label and owner’s manual.
Alignment & Suspension Specs: 2006-10 Dodge Charger Police Package
The Dodge Charger Police Package entered service in 2006. Compared to the civilian model, the police variant’s suspension is the same, except for some changes in the the sway bars, shock valving and changes to the ABS and stability control software. In 2011, Chrysler is introducing a Pursuit version with heavy-duty performance front and rear suspensions with load-leveling/NIVOMAT shocks.
Tech Feature: Brake Job on Ford CVPI
The Ford Crown Vic Police Interceptor, or CVPI, has been around since 1992. The current crop of CVPIs do not differ much mechanically from their predecessors, but on the undercar electronics, the vehicle has advanced dramatically in the past 10 years.
Interview with Scot A. Holloway, General Manager, Bartec USA, LLC
Certainly by now you have heard about Tire Pressure Monitoring Systems (TPMS). This increasingly hot topic is very controversial yet compelling. Tire Pressure Monitoring Systems are and have been a required feature on U.S. Passenger vehicles since 2008. Introducing this technology to the way we maintain our vehicles has improved safety and vehicle performance, increased fuel efficiency and tire life. It also has forever changed the way autos and tires are serviced.
Right Part, Right Time: Could an Inventory of Parts Be in Your Future?
When I was a small child, I spent weekends at my grandfather’s Chevron station in Denver. I remember the row of brightly colored cabinets and special displays he had for parts. There were cabinets for light bulbs, brake pads, bearings and many more parts that I have forgotten. All were the colors of the brands they represented.
High Performance Brakes: Carbon Ceramic Rotors
Would you spend $8,000 to $12,000 for an optional brake package on your next vehicle? What if I told you they would never fade, improve gas mileage and maybe need a change every 180,000 miles? Ceramic composite or carbon ceramic brake rotors and pads offer these advantages and more.