Some brake jobs can turn into headaches when small air bubbles get trapped within the caliper itself. To resolve the problem, you could pump the brakes over and over, or you could try this handy suggestion to free the air bubble and move on with the brake bleed process.
The title is a bit clickbait-y, but I won’t drag this out. Let me tell you about a part you’ll never get a repair customer to buy willingly: the hood strut.
Photo: Mike Apice.
How many times have you been working on something, and the hood comes down and clonks ya right on the dome? If you and I are the same, you say a bad word and then use the time-honored method of cranking a set of vise-grip pliers onto the shaft of the weak strut to prevent reinjury of your bruised noggin.
Now, I sold quite a few lift supports across my retail counter in the parts stores. (I even remember selling Dorman Mightylift! struts back when we used to make those.) However, once on the wholesale counter, sales dried up. That disparity continued when I began writing estimates as a service writer and mechanic.
Photo: Lemmy.
Some of you are brighter than me and see where I’m going with this: you can’t sell these to your customer because he never gets clonked on the dome. He’s never under the hood; that’s why he comes and visits you!
I have long held a theory (jokingly—well, half-jokingly, anyway) that all hood struts are installed by an owner or a body man after a wreck. No matter how many I recommended in a general repair scenario, I never sold or installed a set. You’ll sell hatch and liftgate struts, sure, but nothing for the bonnet.
I suppose now we can add locking pliers to the PPE checklist, eh?
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Some brake jobs can turn into headaches when small air bubbles get trapped within the caliper itself. To resolve the problem, you could pump the brakes over and over, or you could try this handy suggestion to free the air bubble and move on with the brake bleed process.
Any technician will have a few files in the toolbox for material removal jobs. But are you using these tools with the correct technique?
A practical approach to auto repair shop management.
A brake service job isn’t complete unless the reservoir cap’s diaphragm has been pushed back into place. This simple step is easy to forget, but it helps to reduce brake fluid contamination and ensure proper system function.
Ever spot what appears to be a second oil filter under a vehicle? Lemmy and Nick discuss the advantages of spin-on transmission filters for fluid protection and service.
Lemmy explains why this basic task always comes before removing the positive cable to help you understand the theory behind the practice.
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