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Transfer cases: Married vs. divorced FAQ (VIDEO)

There is a paucity of divorced transfer cases fitted to vehicles traversing the roadways in 2024. In fact, some technicians—especially younger ones—aren’t even aware a setup beyond the married arrangement exists. If you’re unfamiliar with them, our own Technical...

New to the team but not new to the business (VIDEO)

Greetings, Shop Press readers! I joined the Dorman team earlier this year and you may have already noticed a few posts with my name on them. Maybe you’re even asking yourself “What makes this guy qualified to offer an opinion or try to tell me how to work on cars?”...

Square drive: make or buy before you need ‘em

As a new tech, all I did was borrow tools from mechanics who were good to me. They usually lent and trained me on etiquette just after. (If you need to borrow it more than once or twice, maybe you ought to buy your own.) It’s not that often that I find myself without...

Watch this video on the invention of the Ford V-8 engine

If you enjoy pioneering developments in automobile history, this video on the development of Ford’s V8 engine is a must-watch. It’s a bit on the long side (a little over an hour), but it’s well worth your time to fully appreciate this revolutionary success in Ford—and...

How to crimp heavy gauge wire (VIDEO)

Description Working on some battery cables or custom ground straps? Your crimped connection needs to be totally reliable, and with a proper tool like Dorman’s 90707 heavy lug crimper, you’ll get secure and consistent results. This crimper also happens to work well...

Should you use anti-seize when installing spark plugs? (VIDEO)

Description Using anti-seize when installing spark plugs was once common practice, but today, you might want to think twice before adding anything to your spark plug threads. Pete explains why today’s plugs generally don’t need any thread prep when installing, unlike...

Snap-on to expand Tennessee manufacturing plant

Snap-on recently announced that they will invest $44 million to expand their manufacturing operations in Elizabethton, Tennessee, according to a press release from the Tennessee Department of Economic & Community Development. This investment will add nearly 49,000...

How long should a car last?

How long should a car last?

Have you priced a car recently? The Monroney sticker on every car has a bigger number at the bottom each year, but since COVID-19 disrupted supply chains, it seems that prices have really gone haywire. According to Lendingtree, the average car loan is 69.7 months in...
Can we please update the Check Engine light?

Can we please update the Check Engine light?

If you have a cell phone in your pocket, your “phone” app probably has an icon that looks like an old-timey handset, like you’d find on a corded phone. That icon, of course, works best for those who understand that link. However, more often I am seeing an icon which...
13 of the craziest motor sports you can find on YouTube

13 of the craziest motor sports you can find on YouTube

Ever since motor vehicles were invented, people have been racing them. And, seemingly right after that, people started coming up with creative and crazy ways to race them. Recently I was hanging out in the Dorman garage and we started talking about (and of course...
Are stainless cars (finally) having their moment?

Are stainless cars (finally) having their moment?

In case you missed it during Super Bowl LVI (like I did) or haven’t heard about it since, the DeLorean was officially reintroduced with a 15-second commercial during the game. Here, let’s take another look at it! One of the unique aspects of the original DMC DeLorean...
What kind of car is that? A primer on esoteric body styles.

What kind of car is that? A primer on esoteric body styles.

We all deal with various body styles daily. I remember asking, “Lumina car or Lumina van?” in my salad days on the parts counter because I badly needed to know the body style for things like, say, a set of wiper blades. We all know the easy ones—sedan, convertible,...