Out of Joint (CV Joint and Boot Replacement)
January 19, 2025
If you have a front-wheel-drive vehicle, it has components called CV joints which enable you to turn your wheels smoothly. The CV stands for constant velocity. In essence, its a set of gears that connect a shaft that allows power from the transmission to be sent to the wheels. When you turn the ... More
Procrastination Prevention in Sparta
January 12, 2025
Every one of us has a little procrastinator inside us. Some put off getting our teeth cleaned. Others put off answering our emails. Yet others put off calling friends and family (sorry, Uncle Joe). And there are those of us who put off getting our vehicle's service done, whether it's a repair or ... More
Shifty Letters PRNDL (Transmission)
January 5, 2025
You probably figured out those shifty letters. They're what you see on your automatic transmission shifter and stand for Park, Reverse, Neutral, Drive and Low. Your automatic transmission is one of the great automotive inventions; here are some ways you can keep yours working well. Maintain you... More
Timing is Everything (Timing Cover Replacement)
December 29, 2024
Theres an important part in your vehicle that shields your timing belt, timing chain or cam belt from the debris and gunk that can be kicked up from the road. Its called the timing cover. Its important because the timing belt or chain is what coordinates parts of your engine called the camshaft... More
Reaching the Braking Point (Brake hose replacement)
December 22, 2024
If you notice your brakes arent working like they used to, thats the kind of thing thats important to have checked out soon. Thats because your brakes are extraordinarily important to the safe operation of your vehicle. Sometimes you feel like your brake pedal is feeling a little soft or its lo... More
Easy on the Wheel (Power Steering)
December 15, 2024
Steering a vehicle these days doesn't take much effort, but if you got behind the wheel back before power steering was invented, you'd need to practically have the strength of Hercules to turn the wheel. The first power steering systems widely available changed everything. Chrysler introduced... More
What's in a Number? (What Tire Numbers Mean)
December 8, 2024
You've probably never paid much attention to the writing on the sides of your tires, but they contain a wealth of information. There's a long combination of letters and numbers that can tell you a whole lot about what tires your vehicle was designed to be riding on. Let's check out this example... More
A Not-So-Straight Story (Vehicle Pulls to One Side)
December 1, 2024
A vehicle should travel straight down a straight road with the steering wheel centered. But time and travel can take their toll and soon you may find your vehicle pulling to the left or right. Those are not good signs and should be taken care of fairly quickly. One thing that you should note is... More
Steering You Right (Power Steering Signs of Problems)
November 24, 2024
Nearly every modern vehicle on the road today has power steering, a wonderful invention that makes steering take far less effort than it did in the "good old days." Today, we take our steering for granted: until something goes wrong, that is. Most power steering these days is rack-and-pinion, th... More
Growing Old Together (Maintaining an Older Vehicle)
November 17, 2024
More and more of us are hanging on to our vehicles longer. A company by the name of HIS Markit recently released a report that shows the average age of light vehicles in the U.S. is now 11.8 years. Light vehicles are cars, SUVs (sport utility vehicles) and CUVs (compact utility vehicles). In C... More