VIEW ARCHIVED ARTICLE
Below is the archived article you have requested.
| February 07 Newsletter |
2007-05-15 |
|
The Car Connection Business Network
February Newsletter
Motormouth here, before I forget it only seems fitting to take a moment to give a warm Car Connection welcome to all of our brand new club members ( “golf clap”)that makes you our official Car Connection “newbies” until the next news letter rolls off the press
March 15th. So welcome all “Nubes” just sit back and take in your very first preview of the goings on behind the scenes of “The Car Connection Club. Oh and by the way did I forget to mention that all “nubes” are officially on donut duty as part of your initiation process! So with that rustle me up a cup of coffee and one of those donuts with the little sprinkles on! Thank you.
Although “Old Man Winter” seems to really have our number at this point hitting us with
a lot of snow and bitter winds. Just keep in mind that his days are numbered after all we just recently called on our secret weapon to save our bacon “The Ground Hog”
our brown furry super hero. I personally think that there is better security in knowing how to escape to my very own happy place when the cold seems to be over whelming. On the brighter side of things I thought that I would just take a moment to share with you a glimmer of hope that spring is really just around the corner.
On Feb 13th at approximately12pm my wife and I fired up our steed to head into town when something caught our attention. Standing on the side of the road at the foot of our driveway was none other than our fine feathered friend “The Robin” yes it is really true! My wife verified the sighting. We began to try and figure out the thoughts of this poor freezing little Robin. Idea’s like “what was I thinking” or “you’ve got to be joking right!” were just some of the thoughts that we felt would be running through our own minds if placed in the same position as this cold little Robin. Perhaps she was regretting not double checking the dates on the calendar and left just a tad too soon! Anyhow my wife and I agreed that we would take this as a sign of an early spring and hope for the best!
Keep smiling it’s got to get better from here on in!
On Sat Feb 10/07 for those of you who tuned in to our live edition of “Car Connection.” I was sharing with our listening audience details regarding brake system and servicing. After this particular program I received a number of e mails requesting a few more details
covering the servicing of braking systems. Sooo by popular demand I thought that I would give you all some more braking news! Lets get started because we have a lot of ground to cover especially when it comes to brakes. Folks it is very easy to find that
cheap brake job and think that you just happened to find a bargain!
Over the 28 years that I have been involved in the automotive service industry I can honestly tell you two things about brake jobs. In 28 yrs I never had one single brake job come back to me because of poor workmanship, perhaps a defective part here or there but that is not predictable. Cheap brake jobs using poor quality product along with poor quality workmanship always, always, always produces lots and lots of head aches! Usually
taking you back to the shop that did the job several times without ever correcting common issues such as squeeling, groaning or clunking! Only to be told lame excuses such as “there is nothing wrong” or “there’s nothing I can do to fix it that is as good as it gets”. Eventually you get fed up and live with some terrible noises coming from your brakes and move on. I will tell you this, if quality brake products are used to do the job and the technician doing the job takes the necessary time required to conduct a thorough inspection of all braking components. Replaces the parts that are seized or defective cleans and lubricates all moving components properly the chances of a “come back repair” are pretty much eliminated or drastically reduced.
I’ve always said in regards to a motor vehicle “if you can’t steer it or stop it nothing else matters” two very important safety features incorporated into a vehicle. Why would we want to neglect the maintenance or cheap out on servicing or use inferior parts when servicing our brakes or steering systems? I simply can’t answer that question but what I
can do is give you some suggestions and tid bits on how to have your brakes serviced
properly. Let’s get started!
First things first keep all of your service records and organize them into a file folder.
Follow some kind of a preventative maintenance schedule to keep you on track and help to prevent frustration through guessing what services are required next. You can prevent what I call a lot of “brain drain” by having a list to follow. By following these 2 easy steps you are well on your way to having a well maintained reliable vehicle with a lot
less frustration when it comes to taking good care of your investment.
Note: For all of you who put very little mileage on your vehicle each year or
have a vehicle that tends to stay in the driveway or garage more than it does on our highway and byways. Your particular vehicle falls into a maintenance classification titled “severe service”. The reasoning behind this title is because of the limited amount of driving your vehicle experiences each year. A lot of the mechanical components that make up your vehicle’s construction tend to break down sooner because of lack of use and lack of maintenance.
Rust and corrosion tend to play a critical role in destroying components prematurely. Some examples of premature wear and tear are as follows: braking components tend to sieze up affecting braking performance, most brake pads or brake shoes are made up of metallic or semi metallic materials. These types of materials tend to pick up moisture just from sitting around. The conclusion, brake pads or brake shoes tend to rot off before they wear off! Emergency brake cables will also begin to sieze up from lack of use and corrosion.
Brake system hydraulic components such as wheel cylinders, disc brake calipers, master cylinders, ABS braking systems and pressure differential valves can also begin to sieze
from the lack of use. Exhaust systems also tend to trap moisture inside and rot the system
from the inside out . Unless your vehicle is being stored in a climate controlled building moisture becomes the silent “destructor” causing many components to fail long before their time. The solution to this problem is easy it involves you being proactive with
the maintenance on your vehicle. In order to stay ahead of things like corrosion caused by moisture, have your vehicle thoroughly inspected 3 or 4 times per year to catch problems
and treat them before they get out of control. Long term you will save money by preventing little things from becoming big expensive things! Also try to take your vehicle for at least one long drive each month to give the vehicle a good hearty work out.
Last but not least, you will also need to change your motor oil and filter more often. Vehicles that tend to do a lot of short trips contaminate the engine oil faster. What
happens is that because of the short trips the engine barely gets a chance to break into a
sweat. The oil cools down fast causing condensation in the oil pan, the oil also becomes saturated with unburnt fuel which in turn causes harmful acids that damage internal engine components such as bearing surfaces on the crank shaft, camshaft and connecting rods that are fastened to the pistons. If this sounds bad to you! You’re right it is! Change your oil by the month instead of the mileage. I suggest to most short trippers get in the habit of changing the oil and filter every 3 to 4 months max. An oil change is far cheaper
than replacing an engine!
Have a complete brake inspection min 3 times per year that means wheels off!
So we can take a closer look at all the components that make up the front and
rear braking system. By doing this, small problems can be caught before they get to be bigger costing you money through needless repairs.
We are finding in the service industry that because of the increase of dust and debris on our roadways that the lubrication that keeps your brake components moving freely becomes contaminated with dirt resulting in premature brake failure. Braking components need to be able to move freely. If the components that were designed to move freely begin to bind up or seize, you could very easily end up destroying a perfectly good set of brake pads or shoes or even worse your disc brake rotors as well! Ending up having to replace a lot of brake parts all because of lack of maintenance and lubrication. Water spray also tends to wash away the lubrication also!
It is of vital importance to use your emergency brake system everyday! Yes everyday!
The emergency brake system is just one of the keys to maintaining your braking system properly regardless of whether or not your vehicle has an automatic or manual transmission.
The emergency brake when applied causes major components within the braking system
To flex! The action of applying and releasing the emergency brake prevents mechanical
linkages that keep the system functioning properly from becoming seized up! Now for the aha moment, in a four wheel disc braking system the use of the emergency brake each time keeps the rear disc brake system adjusted properly allowing for a balanced braking system. In other words all four wheels are braking when they should. When the rear brakes are out of adjustment a lot of braking pressure is placed on the front brakes
In other words they are working flubdipple over time! Causing them to over heat and quite often squeal like a city bus! On any braking system combination disc and drum or four wheel disc it is critical to use your emergency brake system. And have your rear brakes inspected for proper adjustment, I suggest at each oil change interval since the car is on the hoist anyway! Because of the amount of moving components that make up a
braking system maintenance and lubrication are required on a very regular basis to prevent premature wear and tear from occurring. There is no such thing as a maintenance
free braking system! Attention: before just going ahead and using your emergency brake system after reading this message have it inspected first to make sure that it can function properly or severe brake damage may take place.
Brake parts should be inspected thoroughly and any component questionable to return to service in my opinion should be changed to prevent needless breakdowns or other component failure. Moving components can be lubricated with anti sieze compound or
Sil glide (a man made high temp silicone based lube.) If you are not well versed in diagnosing and repairing braking systems please leave the job to the professionals who are trained in what to look for and how to take care of braking issues. I have seen way too
many poorly done back yard brake jobs in my 28 yrs in the automotive service industry.
My philosophy is this “a man with a theory is always at the mercy of a man with experience.” If you are a do it your-selfer have a trained technician inspect your work before the wheels go back on the vehicle to drive on our streets. We all deserve to be safe on our roadways. If you like to fix it your self to save a few bananas I am ok with that as long as the repairs are inspected by a licensed technician. You cannot put a price tag on safety.
Brake fluid should be replaced every 18 to 24 months. Brake fluid also breaks down just like any other fluid that is heated and cooled constantly. The term used is thermal break down. Brake fluid is also “hydroscopic” in other words it likes to collect moisture. We all
know that moisture leads to corrosion. It is far cheaper to have a complete brake system flush than to replace an ABS brake system master cylinder, some of which start at 2 to $3000.00. You do the math! Some service centers do not believe in this service, you be the boss after all they are your brakes! If they do not have the up to date equipment go else where, just get it done. Keeping the hydraulic system of your brakes in top shape by feeding it clean brake fluid is critical saving you a lot of headaches and money
in the long run.
My conclusion: keeping your braking system working properly will pay you back ten fold saving you money. Adjust your driving habits by preventing a lot of jack rabbit starts
and stops. Give your self extra drive time to prevent you from being in such a hurry all of the time. Bad driving habits are costing you big bucks in needless repairs each year! Drive safe have fun and keep it under 100! From your friend Nile “Motormouth” Jenkins.
Remember to keep your gas tank as full as possible during the cold weather and to use
some gas line antifreeze to prevent fuel system freeze ups. Keep those locks and hinges well lubed. Spray those door and trunk seals with silicone lube to prevent them from freezing to the car. Always consult your owners manual before using any additives or
alternative fuel blends.
|
|
|
