1. Tread

When most people think of tire safety they think of tread depth. The tread is designed to provide an optimal level of road grip and water-cutting ability that allows for safe driving. The most obvious place to read tire wear is based on tread depth – the rule of thumb is tires with less than one-quarter inch of tread depth should be replaced soon, especially if they see frequent high-speed highway use.

However, there are more points of interest along the tread. Inflating your tires to the proper pressure is necessary to maintain a safe, comfortable and gas-efficient ride. This is due to the “pillow effect” cause by tread meeting the ground. In over-pressurized tires, the amount of tread meeting the ground is too little and can cause poor road grip and handling. In under-pressurized tires, the amount of tread meeting the ground is too great and can cause poor gas mileage and a greater chance of picking up nails or other road trash. And don’t think that that PSI number on the sidewall is the correct pressure either – it is actually the maximum pressure. Read your owners manual for the correct pressure for your model tire and vehicle.

2. Sidewall

The sidewall of a tire is the area that faces away from and into the vehicle (it has the text on it). This point of interest is about both tread depth and sidewall stability because it involves tire rotation. Rotating your tires is necessary because of the uneven amount of weight distribution in an automobile and the wear caused by steering. First, the engine weight places a large amount of load on the front tires, causing them to wear faster. Rotation ensures an even wear between front and rear tires. Second, tires pitch in angle away from and toward the vehicle when you turn the wheel and this causes “shoulder wear”, wear from the tread to about two inches down the sidewall. Shoulder wear only occurs on steering tires which are most commonly in the front – rotation ensures that shoulder wear is even among all tires. Keep in mind that the sidewall and shoulder are the most vulnerable parts of the tire to blowouts, not the tread.

3. Oddities

Uneven tire wear, bubbles and other such odd features can appear on your tires and they deserve your immediate attention. Uneven wear along a single tire can indicate a suspension problem in your vehicle. You may notice flat spots in the tread while the rest of the tread is quite deep. This may be due to an alignment or ball joint issue. Believe me, you do not want to be driving a vehicle when a ball joint pops loose – the tire flings out away from the car and steering control is impossible, even at high speed.

Any strange anomalies in tire wear such as bubbles or visible belts should be immediately serviced for safety reasons. The tire may be defective or prematurely wearing.

Last to discuss is balancing. Small weights are placed on the tire to balance it as it spins down the road. All new tires are balanced before installation, but sometimes tires in use can lose weights or develop balance issues. Balancing ensures a smooth ride and even wear.

The basic tools you’ll need will be: a wrench set, a socket set, a hammer, a Johnson bar, a spring compressor, jaw pullers, a torque wrench, and your car’s torque specifications. Make sure the tools and equipment are the correct ones before you get started, no improvising. The last thing you want is to get injured, inadvertently hurt the performance of your car, or create an unsafe driving experience because you decided to take the easy way out. The job is also gonna require a car jack, which you can either rent or buy. Now, once you have everything you need, we can move forward to the actual fun part:

1. First off, raise the car on the jack as if you were going to change the tires and make sure it’s safely supported.

2. Next, remove the wheel corresponding to the strut you’re changing.

3. Remove the end-link of the strut, replace if necessary. Also, remove any brackets or wire clips that may be on the strut.

4. If the tie rod is attached to the strut, you will need to remove that with a jaw puller.

5. Loosen the strut-knuckle bolts on the strut to remove the brake caliper. In some vehicles, you may need to remove another part, such as the rotor, to be able to loosen the bolts.

6. Remove only the upper and lower nuts and bolts! NOT the center. Once you do this, the strut assembly will come loose and you can remove it.

7. After using the spring compressor to remove pressure off the upper strut mount, remove the shaft nut with a wrench or socket. You should now be able to remove the strut.

8. Evaluate your struts. Check to see what needs to be replaced and what you can use again.

9. Replace all the parts that need replacing on the strut and save all the parts you will transfer.

10. Using torque specifications, torque the shaft nut onto the new strut.

11. Lastly, reinstall everything in the corresponding order from removal. Double check everything and do the same for the next 3 struts.

Remember that struts always need to be replaced in pairs for safety reasons, to avoid an off-balanced driving experience. If there are any strange bolts or fasteners that you don’t have the tools for on the top or bottom of the strut, you can spray these with penetrating fluid to loosen them up a bit before starting. It’s better to be organized to avoid losing any important parts or pieces. After you have finished replacing the struts, you should always get an alignment check to make sure the strut changing was a success. Anyone can change struts if they have the right tools and equipment as well as the knowledge to do so. However, if you find yourself in some trouble, you can always get professional help from your local mechanic to avoid doing anything catastrophic.

Keep in mind that this article is about passenger car and truck brakes, not those found in freight trucks or other automobiles.

The principle behind braking is simple – by using friction between surfaces, the wheels of a car are slowed or stopped. But the linking of the two ends of the braking system from the brake pedal to the wheels is a different story. Let’s start at the pedal and end at the wheel.

When you press the brake pedal, a linked rod and piston are pushed into a device called a master cylinder. However, this can be very difficult if the vehicle is operating at high speeds. Modern vehicles have a brake booster between the pedal and master cylinder which uses vacuum pressure from the engine to assist in pressing the brake pedal. The brake booster uses vacuum to multiply the force that the driver’s foot places on the pedal and applies that force to the master cylinder piston. Older vehicles which lacked “power brakes” required the driver to come up with this force.

The master cylinder is under the hood, often directly in front of the driver and is below the brake fluid reservoir. When the piston is pressed, brake fluid is forced from the reservoir into the brake lines, one for each wheel. The master cylinder creates redundancy in the brake design by separating itself into two chambers, one for each pair of wheels. If a brake line leak on one cylinder threatens a vehicle’s ability to slow, the other chamber will still likely be operational and enough for an emergency stop.

Brake fluid is a hydraulic fluid which transfers force from the master cylinder to the brakes, causing them to operate. Because the fluid is not very compressible (the molecules cannot be pushed closer together under the force applied by braking), it transfers force very well. Also, the fluid is able to withstand the very hot temperatures that result from hydraulic action and the subfreezing temperatures experienced in cold climates. Keep in mind that brake fluid is both hygroscopic and corrosive – it will absorb water from the atmosphere over time and eat paint. Brake fluid that has absorbed too much water will steam under high temperatures and compress and must be replaced.

Once the pressurized brake fluid makes its way to the brakes, it is injected into either one of two systems – drum brakes or disc brakes. Drum brakes are operated when a shoe inside a wheel cylinder pushes outward against the cylinder, causing friction and slowing. Most drum brakes are used on the rear wheels of trucks and some cars. Disc brakes work as a caliper (imagine a vice-grip) squeezes down on a rotor which is connected to the wheel assembly. The caliper piston is forced inward by the hydraulic pressure and causes two brake pads, one on either side of the rotor, to squeeze against the rotor. The result is friction and a slowing of the vehicle.

While brake systems are not incredibly difficult to understand, they arguably perform the most vital safety function on a vehicle. And they do this in spite of high speeds, careless drivers and poor maintenance. They have built in redundancy and use a fluid and parts which last many years without assistance, all for the sake of safety despite carelessness. The next time you brake to avoid a collision, think about how great those brakes really are.

Types of Backup Cameras

When selecting a backup camera after market, there are three types that can be installed on most cars. The first type of camera is a surface mounted backup camera. These are placed onto the center of the trunk of the car and are held into place with mounting brackets. Surface mounted cameras are by far the least expensive option, but can alter the looks of a car. The next type of backup camera is the flush mounted camera. In this type of configuration, a small hole is cut into the truck lid of a car in which a small camera is placed. This is usually placed near the keyhole for the truck or in the center of rear of the car. Finally, newer cameras are mounted directly to the license plate frame.

Sensors

The first thing a buyer should consider when purchasing a camera backup system is the type of sensor that is included with the camera. Two main types of sensors dominate the market: charged couple devices (CCD) and complementary metal oxide semiconductors (CMOS). For optimal quality and clarity, buyers should select a CCD sensor. CCD’s work well in low light and have good resolution and color fidelity, making it easy for the driver to see what is behind the car. CCD technology is more expensive than CMOS sensors, but the price difference is worth it.

Viewing Angles

Viewing angle refers to the size of the field of vision of the camera. When it comes to backup cameras, wider is always better as it shows the driver the maximum area behind the car, which is important for safety. The viewing angle of a car backup camera is directly proportional to the size of the sensor. In today’s industry, most CCD sensors come in a range of sizes from 1/4 inch to 1/2 inch. 1/3 and 1/4 inch sensors predominate the market and offer adequate viewing angles. The lens used in the camera also makes a difference in the viewing angle. In cameras, the size of the lens is measured in millimeters. A smaller size lens offers a wider viewing angle. Larger sized lenses are capable of seeing objects that are father away, but have a more limited field of vision. 1.7 mm lenses are ideal for car backup cameras. When shopping for a backup system, it’s a good idea to select a camera with a combination of a large sensor and small lens to maximize the effectiveness of the backup camera.

Orientation Reversal

One important feature that a car backup camera system should have is a built in software feature that reverses the picture that the camera takes. This feature is needed to give the driver the same view on the screen that would be had if looking in the rear view mirror.

Durability

A backup camera is exposed to the elements and must be durable to ensure longevity and functionality. Back up cameras should be water resistant and shock proof, able to withstand minor bumps and impacts.

Conclusion

Having a car backup camera is an option that every driver should consider. Every year thousands of children and pets are hit by drivers who cannot see them in the rear view mirror. With a camera backup system, these tragedies can be avoided. Car backup systems are an investment in convenience as well as safety.

1. Is this service necessary?

The most important question that any customer can ask when offered services at a car shop is, “Is this service necessary?” If the attendant cannot give logical or clear reasons as to why the service he/she offered is necessary than odds are it is fluff to add profit to your bill. As the adage goes, if it isn’t broken don’t fix it. This holds true for shop services that are not normal scheduled maintenance.

That brings up another interesting point – the shop schedule of regular maintenance may or may not match the schedule in your owner’s manual. Why on Earth would a shop suggest an oil change every 3,000 miles when your manual suggest a change every 7,500 miles in your driving environment and style? It is because the shop knows that they can make some extra coin by tacking on fluff services. If you confront your attendant about the difference between the shop schedule and your owner’s manual and they have no logical reason for the dissimilarity, reject the service.

Finally, always be suspicious when an attendant offers services on parts of your vehicle that are hard to inspect. A great target for lube shops is the differential in rear wheel drive trucks. Because differentials are often muddy as a part of the undercarriage, lube shop attendants claim that they found a leak. Also, most modern differentials use a rubber plug to access the oil pan instead of a bolt. As a result, most people have no idea how to check their differential oil and verify the claims made by attendants. Always be suspicious.

2. Show me the parts.

If the attendant makes a valid claim as to why your vehicle needs service then have the service completed (second opinions are always a good idea though). Inform the attendant that you want the old part after the service is completed. It is law in many locations that service employees must give you the replaced part from your vehicle so you may inspect it to see if it was really broken. This is the easiest way to really know if the service was necessary and it is great recourse against shops which try to rip you off. First, if the service was truly not necessary and the part is not worn out or defective you may be able to seek damages against the shop in court. Second, if you are holding the old part from your vehicle then you are almost guaranteed that the new part was actually installed and not kept by an employee for profit.

3. Warranties are meant to be used.

If you encounter any problems whatsoever after an automobile service, take the vehicle back to the shop promptly and demand that the problem be fixed. Reputable shops will have no problem accepting your vehicle and getting the problem fixed – sometimes it’s not even the shop’s fault. They get their parts from suppliers just like everybody else and those parts can be defective. However, if your shop refuses to look at your car and fix the problem then you know just how trustworthy the shop really is. Unfortunately, you may need to seek civil damages in court against the shop because they tried to rip you off.