Archive for the 'Maintenance and Repair' Category


August 6, 2010

Many people look to save money and repair their cars themselves. Not that there is anything wrong with this. You just need some patience, some tools, and some time. A digital camera would also be a good idea as well. Also you might want to look into a repair manual if it gets really involved. These can give torque specification and if certain parts need to be changed.

Starting off I would not go to big. Keep the repairs simple, oil changes and air filters. These can make a big difference in the performance and gas mileage of any vehicle. Think of it like this, if the oil is dirty it will not lube the engine enough and cause some unneeded heat. This will cause the engine to work a little harder to keep itself cool. An air filter can restrict the air flow to an engine. Try to put your hand over your mouth and open your fingers a bit. You have to work a little to get air, same thing applies here. One more thing, check your tire pressure. They say for every 2 psi under inflated your tires are you lose 1 mile per gallon. Those are simple enough. Always check your vehicle owners handbook for any placement locations. Also for your oil amounts, air filter recommendations, and tire pressures.

Now if you are going to go deeper with a repair, a digital camera would be good to have. As you take apart you vehicle, you might lose track of where things go. The pictures can remind you where parts go and which bolts to use. This can also be good, when your waiting for parts. You can put bolts in a small zip lock bag and label what they are. Go slow, especially if it is your first time. No need to break or cause anymore damage that is already there. Look at how the thing you trying to remove come off. There might be a seal that needs to be fit just right when going back together, if not fit right it could cause more problems. I have worked on cars for years. I still did this every time. After a few times doing the same repair, I am sure what needs to go where.

Do not over tighten things. Manufactures make torque specifications for a reason. Torque is defined by Webster as: A turning or twisting force. When you over tighten things, you could be causing more damage making a repair take longer. You can warp parts easy, especially when they are aluminum. You can also destroy gaskets and seals. Always put bolts on by hand first, if it is not going in there is a reason. Figure it out, move stuff around. Sometimes if your changing a part, the weight of a part can make bolts feel tight. Move the part around a bit to see if the bolt is easier to start threading. Remember take your time when doing a repair.


Car Repair in Arizona

Author: admin
June 10, 2010

If you are a reckless driver or speedy driver your car should have scratches and dent everywhere because of the miscalculation when passing through the other car or when you want to put your car back into your garage. For some people this thing is not a big problem because they think that to have a car full it scratches and dents are cool but some other people they want that their car always looks perfect without any scratches and dents.

If you are one of those people, you should find the best auto tech repair to repair your car`s body from the scratches and dents. To choose the best car repair is necessary because it determines the quality of the repairing services. Usually good car repairing center provide various services, so you can repair your engine or the electronic system too.

If you live in Arizona and you still don’t know which one is the best az auto repair, you can try to go to AzAutoCrafters.com. The website will give you enough information about the automotive repair phoenix, so for you who live in Arizona State can just bring to the repairing center mentioned in the website and enjoy the best service given.


April 8, 2010

It is important for motor bike riders to take proper care of their motor bikes. If motor bike riders want to experience the fun of riding a bike, they should maintain it to keep in a good shape. If dirt or mud gets stuck in bike, there is high possibility that it may lead to corrosion of chain or may even destroy wheel bearings of your bike. This in turn may lead to expensive repairs or may cost you a brand new motorbike. At times, this is really bad, more so if your motorbike has a great operating streak. You may want to keep bike with you for a long time and it will definitely help in the resale value of your bike when you wish to sale it for a new model.

One of the first steps involved in cleaning a motocross bike is to stop the exhaust system of your bike, put in a rag in and around the air filter in order to keep the water away from carburettor and make sure that you use water at high pressure, remove all the dirt and mud that you picked up while riding the bike. Wash your motorcycle completely, ensuring that you clean even the smallest crevice neatly. To wash the bottom of your motorcycle, make sure that you lay the motorbike on the side.

It is important for a bike rider to to check the chain both before going for a race or for a practice. The proper maintenance of your bike chain involves tightening, cleaning, adjusting and making sure that the front and rear both and the sprockets are in good position. But, most of the bike rider fail to maintain this essential element of a motor bike. Moreover, they do not follow the instructions written in the handbook.


March 28, 2010

Before doing any sort of work beneath a vehicle, it’s very important to completely prop up the vehicle prior to beginning work. Sometimes people have utilized things like cement block for the purpose, but that is very unsafe as these things can collapse when the entire weight of the vehicle hits them. These days a huge variety of car stands can be found that safely hold the mass of the car, which allows you to safely work underneath it in comfort.

Once the car has been lifted by a jack, the axle stand is used to prop it up. They have Y-shaped tops that cup the frame rail or axle of a vehicle, which prevent them from slipping. When they have been properly positioned beneath both of the wheel axles, it is possible for you to work underneath your car safe as houses.

You might be wondering why you can’t just use your regular car jack. That is a definite no no! The car jack is made for the purpose of raising the car above the ground just enough to change the tire, and won’t hold up a car for a very long time at all. If you look in the newspapers, you can find a lot of instances where folks used a car jack to hold up the car while they worked under it. The seal on the jack failed and they were smashed to death when the vehicle fell on top of them. Jack stands are made to hold more load than car jacks, and they are not inclined to fail, either

You’ll find a lot of different kinds of axle stands available, like folding axle stand and heavy duty axle stands. You will also see some specially made for hold up trailers, called caravan axle stands. Make sure you buy the one that’s made for the amount of weight you need to lift, so you can be sure to remain safe!


March 6, 2010

Being a car owner, you should not only be concerned about your own safety, rather safety of those around you should also come within your list of primary concerns. By being careful from the very beginning, you are most likely to have a ‘No Problem’ car and enough fingers to enjoy it. Below are few safety rules, which may help you and your near one stay safe and secured:

This is an acknowledged fact that self repairing of owned car is a very much satisfying and pleasing task, but make sure that you don’t injure yourself or somebody in your close proximity, while performing the task. Be well aware of the workplace and the tools with which you are performing your job. Awareness doesn’t only mean, knowing the tasks which can the performed with a certain tool, rather its more than that. Know the limitation of the tools and the likely dangers which are involved if the same are not put in proper use. There have been many instances, wherein the main cause of injury has been found to be ‘misuse of tools’. It would be fair enough to conclude that most of the tools are not dangerous enough to cause serious injuries but thinking rationally, why should you take unnecessary risks? So, it’s always better to know well in advance; what your tools are supposed to do, what’s their capacity, and what limitations does they have.

Taking off the wheels for repairing may turn out to be dangerous. Make sure that your car is properly supported while you are working underneath. A jack may not be enough. If you are a new user of jack stands, you need to become familiar with them before you put yourself underneath, otherwise, you may get yourself injured.

“Fire is no Joke”; accidental fire is very common, while you are working on your car; so, be sure that you stay a step ahead in terms of safety measures, to secure your work place from bursting into flames. Make appropriate provisions as to fire exit and fire extinguishers, so as to ensure safety and security for yourself and those around you.

Before even picking up your screwdriver, you should be cent percent sure about the safety and security of your work place. First; ensure safety by planning your work area and the work ahead. A proper and systematic planning can get you pass up numerous mishaps, which may occur during the course of your work. A safety-conscious planning necessarily ensures that there are lesser chances for you to run for a ice pack, unless you are trying to cool your coke.

Try to keep your work place, as clean and tidy as possible. Cluttered and messy workplaces are the most dangerous enemies of safety. Make sure that all your kits are properly arranged and kept in their respective places, so that you need not to run from pillar to post, searching for the one you need in an emergency situation. It’s always suggested that you keep your emergency safety tools close to your hands.

Before your actually start-up your repairing job, it’s always advised that you know the “Don’ts” better that the “Dos”. Have a detailed discussion with a profession mechanic, before you begin your exploration. Ask for the “Don’ts”; the list may run a little longer, but there are some “Don’ts” which are very important to chalk out and universally applicable and you may need the same on a regular basis.