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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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FEATURE STORY

Time-Saving Tip for Bleeding Stubborn Brakes (VIDEO)

Time-Saving Tip for Bleeding Stubborn Brakes (VIDEO)

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.

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Hot Off the Press

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...

Another specialty punch

Disclaimer: I purchased these tools at full retail price at my own expense, with no compensation to write about the items.If you read Shop Press regularly, you may be thinking, man, those guys really love punches. You wouldn’t be wrong. We’ve written about big huge...

Rules of the torque wrench, explained

I would bet that you and most other Shop Press readers have a pretty good handle on how to use a torque wrench. You aren’t going to get far in this industry without a proficient understanding of how to employ and care for these precision instruments. And if you’re...

The cars of Stephen King stories: books and film adaptations

Given how often Stephen King references cars in his books, it’s no surprise that he’s owned some classic cars himself, including a Cadillac El Dorado and a Lincoln Continental. But not all of the cars that he features in his books are of the killer variety: sometimes...

Shop Profile: Top Auto Center

Like a clueless lumberjack who couldn’t see the forest for the trees, it took me longer than it should have to figure out the secret to Top Auto Center’s success. It was hiding in plain sight and sound in the overflowing lot of cars and trucks awaiting service, sale...

Are you servicing your car’s oil correctly?

What are the top two causes of premature engine wear and engine component failure? The first is lack of maintenance, specifically going too long between oil changes. Whether you’re taking care of the family grocery hauler or you do this kind of work for a living, it...

No bead seating tank? No problem!

If you’re a tech of a certain age, you’ll remember a time when a bead seating air tank was a somewhat exotic tool. Today, seating low-pro tires that have sidewalls resembling rubber bands is the norm and use of tools beyond the bead seater on the tire machine is the...

How to use a lockout kit (VIDEO)

How to use a lockout kit (VIDEO)

If you work on cars for a living or you’re a diehard gearhead, odds are excellent that people look to you when some basic automotive snafus need to be handled. I’m sure those who know you have asked you to help with the following items: Reviewing an estimate Jumping a...
When NOT selling helps business

When NOT selling helps business

When I was a wee sprat in my first automotive job selling service, I was beleaguered by a tech in the shop who wrote thorough, lengthy estimates. He would occasionally blow up at me for not selling enough, going so far once as to accuse me of not even trying to sell...
How to choose a memory saver tool for cars and trucks

How to choose a memory saver tool for cars and trucks

As vehicle electronics become increasingly complex, the humble memory saver tool has gone from a convenience to an absolute necessity for maintaining power to vehicle systems while the battery is disconnected. Memory saver tools have changed over the years, too, and...
The most important fluid in the car and how to test it.

The most important fluid in the car and how to test it.

Of all the fluids a vehicle needs, the brake fluid is arguably the most important. Inspecting your customers’ brake fluid is vital to the continued safe operation of the braking system. It’s a service you should perform not only when you’re servicing the brakes but as...