Archives : 2011 : May
Crazy Finish To The Indy 500
Race fans got all they could ask for in an exciting finish for the 100th anniversary of the Indy 500 on Sunday when JR Hildebrand crashed into the wall at the final turn of the race. Then Dan Wheldon came from behind him to take the checkered flag and claim victory in the ever important race.
The 23 year old rookie, Hildebrand had been employing a fuel saving strategy in the final laps of the race and that strategy came to bite him in the end as he saw Wheldon coming up behind him. Hildebrand was able to cross the finish line despite the crash, however he couldn’t claim the prize. Hildebrand said after the race, “I knew we were really tight on fuel coming to the end, and the spotters were in my ear saying, ‘The guys are coming and they’re coming hard,’. Now he’ll need to get the car up on a Car Lift for a few major repairs.
Dan Wheldon from Bryan Herta Autosport, who also won in 2005, was competing in his first race of the season. He was runner up the two previous years and was more than happy to complete for the win.
Other notable finishing positions were Graham Rahal, who finished 3rd, Tony Kanaan who placed 4th, Marco Andretti who finished ninth and Danica Patrick who finished tenth. Dixon, who won in 2008, finished 5th.
What an exciting finish for the 100th anniversary of the Indy 500. We can’t wait until next year.
Modern Spark Plug Technology
It was only a few years ago that you would expect to change your plugs every 30,000 miles or so. Recent advancements in spark plug technology now allows drivers to get up to 100,000 miles out of their plugs. The introduction of platinum and other precious materials to spark plugs has boosted the life expectancy to create the modern “Long Life” spark plug that is becoming prominent today. Most new vehicles come with extended life spark plugs today. These plugs also improve engine performance along with fuel consumption.
Of course, these premium plugs come at a higher price, but are worth it because of they last so much longer. This is a plus because it can get expensive changing out spark plugs with the modern engine compartment getting so cramped. When plugs are so difficult to gain access to, the increased time it takes to replace them means increased labor costs for recession weary consumers.
When technicians are counseling customers on which plugs to get while their car is on the Auto Lift, they should bring to the driver’s attention the longevity benefits of these long life spark plugs, along with the increased performance and fuel economy benefits. At the same time, when changing out the plugs, it is the technician’s responsibility to inspect the old plugs for irregular wear, carbon or oil build up or any other potential problems so that he can diagnose to help prevent future problems. These conditions could mean there is another problem that may have gone undiagnosed up until now, and could help save the customer money preventing a future problem.
If you can provide this level of service to your customers, you are sure to retain them as a loyal patrons.
New Ranger Tire Changer Jet Blast System
The new Ranger Next Generation Tire Changers have many features you would find on a premium machine. We could tell you about the powerful two horsepower motor, significantly larger than most machines on the market today, which typically have a 1.5 HP motor. We could tell you about the forged steel foot pedals, which are less likely to break under rough shop use than the typical tire changer, which usually has cast steel foot pedals. We could tell you about the wide range that the machines have when it comes to rim diameter capabilities. There are so many reasons to purchase a Ranger Tire Changer now. But this post is not about those features. It’s about the powerful Jet Blast system that these tire machines have. The innovative design delivers a rapid blast of air where you need it, when you need it. You will be able to seat the bead of pretty much any wheel that fits on the tire changer. And it’s quick. Just pull the hose / nozzle assembly over to your wheel while it’s on the turntable, position the nozzle into the tire, and let the machine do the rest. It takes just seconds and gets the job done right the first time.
Check out the short video below and see just how simple it is. Then get back to us with any questions.
Goldberg Shows Off His BendPak Lifts
We’ve shown you plenty of videos of our of our customers with their BendPak Lift. We’ve also shown you some videos that BendPak put out to promote their wide variety of products. This video is a production put out by BendPak with the popular professional wrestling personality, Bill Goldberg. He has the ultimate garage workshop setup, with all of the latest toys from BendPak, including a four post lift and a single post parking lift for storing his many vehicles. He also has a two post lift for servicing his many cars. He compliments his auto shop with many other pieces of Bend Pak / Ranger equipment. He’s got a BendPak air compressor, Ranger tool box, Ranger motorcycle lift, and much more. Most folks can only dream of having their personal garage outfitted like this.
After that, they take you to the famous Surf City Garage, a truly impressive shop, and pleasing to the eyes too. Next, they show clips from other notables who have BendPak lifts, like Jay Leno, Jessie James and West Coast Customs.
Go ahead, watch the video and look on with envy. We did.
BendPak Heavy Truck Portable Column Lift
For those folks who need to lift the really heavy trucks – this lift is for you. If you need to lift fire apparatus, semi trucks, a bus, or anything heavy, the BendPak PCL-16HD Portable Column Lift was made for your application.
They have a capacity of 16,000 lbs. each, and typically are sold in sets of four or six. The benefits of a portable column lifting system over a four post lift is the heavier lifting capacity and of course the portability. Plus they don’t have to be permanently mounted. You can roll these out when you need them, and roll them back into the corner when you are done with them. They have a pallet jack type design when it comes to engaging the wheels for the portability feature. They have forks to place under each wheel for lifting purposes, and are powered by and electric motor, which powers a hydraulic pump.
They are synchronized to assure steady, even lifting. The set of six requires three phase power due to the high power demand needed. You can get single phase for the set of four, but it requires a dedicated 90 amp circuit, which is tough to come by, so you may need to go with the 3 phase power one again.
There are heavy duty tall jack stands available as an accessory that also have a 16,000 pound capacity as well. And because they are made by BendPak, you know these Auto Lifts are premium quality.
Major Automakers Jumping Into China Market
The major auto makers from Asia, Europe and US are all currently manufacturing cars specifically for the Chinese market. They are introducing many new cars that cater to the more affordable market. The auto makers want a foothold in this potentially huge market so much that they are willing to take sacrifice intellectual property rights.
These car makers are willing to make these concessions because they see huge potential for this market in the future and are partnering up with some large Chinese companies to produce affordable, low frills cars that meet Chinese consumers needs for a low budget car that offer a basic, entry level car. China consumers are beginning to prosper more than they ever have in the past and are reaping the rewards of a more capitalist society. One of the first things they purchase once they have the funds is an automobile. A car means some degree of independence and the ability to travel for employment or for recreational purposes is becoming more prominent throughout the more populated areas of this growing country.
This could lead to a potentially large increase in the sales of automotive equipment in this large market, such as Car Lifts, Floor Jacks, engine hoists and tire changers.
General Motors is jumping into the market with an affordable vehicle. So are VW, Toyota, Nissan, Honda and most other manufacturers. These cars will not be sold in other countries, at least for now. The Chinese Government has imposed strict rules that require these outside auto makers to follow onerous guidelines in order to be able to sell in the country. This means no proprietary technology. They must share their technology with their Chinese counterparts.
With over a billion in population, one major side effect could be large traffic jams that are prominent in other major cities throughout the USA and other developed nations.
Another ASEdeals Bahamas Connection
You may have seen our previous post of another Bahamas connection earlier. We recently stopped by another one of our loyal customer’s auto shop on the beautiful Island of Nassau in the Bahamas. Rene Telle from Telle Auto has been servicing vehicles for decades and opened his specialty auto shop about four years ago. He specializes in German cars, especially Mercedes – Benz cars. In those four years, he has purchased quite a lot of equipment from us, including two of our BendPak XPR-10 Two Post Lift, a BelAire air compressor, and some pieces of Ranger shop equipment, like a press and oil drain. Rene says, “I am more than satisfied with my relationship with ASEdeals. I’m very happy with every purchase I’ve made. I will continue to go to ASEdeals.com for all my shop equipment needs”.
Be sure to stop by and see Rene if you’re on the island.
Tips For Removing Stuck Nuts And Bolts
We’ve all encountered it. You are trying to remove a frozen nut from a wheel or some other component, and it just won’t budge. There’s just too much corrosion due to years of build up and oxidation. Or maybe the nut is stripped. These situations call for more than just brute force. You risk damaging some component of the piece that you are working on, or worse yet, your knuckles.
One of the first tactics technicians will turn to is putting a torch to it to see if that frees it up. Heat will cause metals to expand, thereby allowing you to free it up. However, heat can result in problems in many applications. You can damage adjacent plastic or rubber components with the extreme heat, and some metals may even warp under the heat. Plus, common sense should dictate that you shouldn’t use a torch near any flammable components, or near any systems that utilize hydrocarbon liquids. In these cases, a viable alternative is to introduce cold to the fastener. It can have the same effect as heat in these situations. It will cause the fastener to contract, and any movement , whether expansion or contraction, will potentially free up those stubborn fasteners.
If it’s just a case of the nut being stripped, there are many tools on the market that will allow you to get a “bite” on the fastener. They are too numerous to name here, but they can be very effective in those situations where your wrench just can’t get a good grip on a worn out old nut.
When its just a case of plain old corrosion, a good penetrating oil or lubricant works extremely well. But sometimes you need to give these lubricants some time to work it’s way into the corrosion. And we all know time is money. Sometimes we need the fastener free now, not later. There are many different types of lubricants, and all have their place for certain applications. Some lubricants are not compatible with certain materials. Some may not be compatible with plastics for instance. Others may not be compatible with other oils or greases that may be nearby. Once again, some lubricants are flammable, and should not be used near a heat source.
As you can see, there are a myriad of concerns to consider when you have a car up on the Auto Lift and you are trying to tackle a stuck fastener. The method you choose should be considered carefully before jumping in head first.
SAAB’s Deal With China Auto Maker Is Off
At a time when many major auto manufacturers have made deals with Chinese car manufacturing companies, SAAB has announced that it has severed it’s relationship with Chinese manufacturer Hawtai Motor Co. This deal was originally intended to prop up the struggling SAAB, giving them an entry into an untapped, potentially large and lucrative market in one of the world’s fastest growing economies, as well as providing some much needed financial backing.
SAAB can now search for other potential partners in this vast economy, but it still is a significant setback in their desire to raise capital to help in their worldwide venture. SAAB was counting on this money to help keep their finances in order, and this setback severely impacts their financial future.
Other major car manufacturers are already in cahoots with other China manufacturers to offer affordable, no frills cars to the vast Asian market. GM and Honda already have deals that offer cars that will not be sold in any other markets other than China for now. This could change at some point in the future as the Chinese market matures and quality rises.
Many Car Lift and automotive equipment manufacturers have also moved much of their manufacturing to China, in an attempt to decrease labor costs to remain competitive. It’s a trend that’s sure to continue well into the future.
Source: AutoWeek
Auto Shop Equipment Essentials – Tool Box
Any technician worth his salt has a tool box of some kind. The longer you’ve been in the business, the more tools you accumulate, and therefore, the larger the box you need. Tool boxes and tool cabinets become a bragging point for some technicians as they tend to get larger and more involved as they gain time on the job. We’ve seen some pretty impressive boxes with custom paint jobs. You can get the top box first with matching bottom cabinet. Then a few years later you might add a side cabinet. There are other accessories like storage lockers and shelves available.
When you want the ultimate tool box set up, you need to go to the right manufacturer. Waterloo has been making tool boxes, tool carts and chests for decades and is one of the premier manufactures in the industry. They have a wide selection of boxes to choose from with different lines that offer different levels of quality and features to fit any need.
There are several key things to look for in any tool box you get. There are professional tool boxes and there are consumer tool boxes. Be sure to get a box that meets your needs. For the professional, probably the most important feature is ball bearing drawer slides. You need drawers to slide smoothly. The box should also be rated to have at least a 1200 lb. load capacity. Many inferior boxes are flimsy and won’t hold up to typical shop abuse. Drawers should be rated to hold 75 lbs. each. The wheels should be on ball bearing swivel casters. The box needs to have double wall construction at a minimum. Warranty should be at least five years.
You should also get a line that allows you to exapand as you grow. Our Waterloo Tool Box has several professional lines that fit these requirements.
Don’t short change yourself or you may end up needing to buy a new box a few years later.
