Shop Press

Shop Press is the news and idea hub for everything related to working on cars and trucks, focusing on repair, technology, and wrenching lifestyle.

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Tools beyond the basics for DIYers

Except when it comes to mountain bikes and drum kits, I’m frugal (read: cheap) by nature, so I’m not the kind of guy who would blow a chunk of change on tools that I will never use. I’m also keenly aware of the limitations of my skills when it comes to automotive...

Transfer cases: how to talk to your customers

The transfer case is an essential part of the part-time four-wheel drive system found on many traditional vehicles like SUVs and pickup trucks. The customers you help at your service counter may well rely on vehicles with 4WD daily and understand the systems well. But...

Easy trick to transfer gear oil with a simple length of hose (VIDEO)

Description A fluid transfer pump is the cleanest and easiest way to fill a differential, transmission or transfer case with its necessary fluid. When you don’t have access to a pump, there’s another way to get the job done using supplies you probably already have in...

Bitten by a misfire

There are hundreds of great automotive technical schools around the country and they teach all the book lessons you need to know to start in this business. But nothing teaches better than real world experience. I consider myself a pretty good tech today and I got that...

“Can you drive a stick?”

Well, if you clicked on the title you have an answer to that question, I’m sure, and probably have an opinion on it. As the automatic transmission ascends to complete ubiquity, I would be curious to know what ratio of techs and writers in your shops can row their own...

Five best car and truck tips from mechanics to non-mechanics (VIDEO)

Description Want to make your vehicle last? Not sure how to talk to a shop about car repairs? Nick and Lemmy offer their five top recommendations for maintaining both your vehicle and your relationship with the auto repair pros you trust to handle maintenance, service...

Pulse width modulation and automotive lighting

I recently was talking to someone about how complex modern systems have gotten, and realized my unwilling conversational victim wasn’t sure why things had gotten so complex and if that was a good thing or not. “Even the lights are difficult!” the exasperated fella...

May Automotive Horoscopes

May Automotive Horoscopes

Aries: Your service writer will be keeping you busy this month, and you’ll need to keep your focus to avoid burnout. Pay special attention to the effects of distractions around you. Some coworkers have a way of keeping you from your work for a little longer than you...
Junkyard therapy. It’s my kind of therapy.

Junkyard therapy. It’s my kind of therapy.

For some folks it’s fishing. For others it’s golf. But when I feel like dropping off the grid for a couple hours of “me” time, I head out for a walk in the park—in the junkyard. Actually let me clarify that, because not all junkyards are the kind of junkyard where I...
The worst cars are the best classrooms

The worst cars are the best classrooms

In my line of work it helps if you like cars. It helps even more if you love ‘em. Which I do, and far more than they deserve to be loved as inanimate objects. That misplaced affection—along with the fact that I bore easily—also helps explain why I’ve had so many....
May Automotive Horoscopes

March Automotive Horoscopes

Aries: The rhythm in your current workflow gives stability and predictability. Don’t lose it! Your service writer will have plenty of work for you soon. Lean on your focus to plow through your list of tasks, and use any down time to organize your personal space. You...