Shifting Gears Archives

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Exhaust tips: three ways to fine-tune your method

Exhaust work is straightforward and (I think) easy to understand. If you’ve got a lift and a ‘cety torch, it really should be gravy work. That said, I have made plenty of my own mistakes and repaired the mistakes of others. Hopefully this article helps a few of you...

Four not-so-obvious ways grease can come in handy

I like grease. You may or you may not, but as a very cheap staple of most shops, I’ve learned to use it in a few unconventional ways, which has made me like it more. Here are a few times plain ol’ grease is what you should reach for.Vertically-oriented O-rings...

Two A/C checks you don’t wanna skip

If you’ve already invested in RRR (recovery/recycle/recharge) machine equipment necessary to service vehicles with R1234yf, you may have also already learned that performing a refrigerant identification test prior to recovering what is in the customer’s vehicle is...

Five tips for servicing cartridge-style oil filters

The oil change is supposed to be simple, right? And while the service guide is always your guide, there are a few things that pertain to servicing vehicles equipped with cartridge-style oil filters that aren't always covered as well as they could be. Here's a few tips...

How to install a brake cable slack eliminator (VIDEO)

Description If your parking brake is weak or not working at all, a stretched cable is usually the issue. The Dorman 03006 parking brake slack eliminator is a quick and easy way to restore brake function.Related Videos

The seven words you never want to hear from a customer (and how to avoid them)

Picture this: it’s an unremarkable day at work, and you’re busy crossing lines off your to-do list. Suddenly, a recent customer returns and ruins your day with the following words. “Ever since you worked on my car…” Look, nobody’s perfect. If you make a mistake that...

Flip spare tires to make life easier for owners and techs (VIDEO)

Description A flat spare tire is just dead weight. Many trucks and SUVs come from the factory with the spare’s valve stem pointing up, but you can flip it over and reinstall for easy checks and refills.Related Videos

Three lessons from “Traffic: why we drive the way we do (and what it says about us)”

I recently had occasion to sit down and leaf my way through a book entitled “Traffic: why we drive the way we do (and what it says about us).” It was very well-documented and researched, but perhaps a bit closer to a college textbook than light reading material for a...

What’s the next big powerplant fad?

by Lemmy | Jun 2, 2022

Some engine styles aren’t always in fashion, you know. As technology stamps its way down the path of progress, things change, and what worked yesterday doesn’t always work today. Engines were fairly staid for a long time, and depending on when your life started, what...

How long should a car last?

by Lemmy | May 26, 2022

Have you priced a car recently? The Monroney sticker on every car has a bigger number at the bottom each year, but since COVID-19 disrupted supply chains, it seems that prices have really gone haywire. According to Lendingtree, the average car loan is 69.7 months in...

Can we please update the Check Engine light?

by Lemmy | May 24, 2022

If you have a cell phone in your pocket, your “phone” app probably has an icon that looks like an old-timey handset, like you’d find on a corded phone. That icon, of course, works best for those who understand that link. However, more often I am seeing an icon which...

A sheep at the wheel: what I learned at the Ford ST SUV Experience

by Mike Principato | May 17, 2022

I used to disdain any microprocessor-driven automotive add-on that by default encouraged unfocused, irresponsible, or just downright idiotic behavior behind the wheel. Just another nail in the coffin of the can-do-ism that made America great, huffed I. Had parallel...

13 of the craziest motor sports you can find on YouTube

by Jonathan Roth | May 12, 2022

Ever since motor vehicles were invented, people have been racing them. And, seemingly right after that, people started coming up with creative and crazy ways to race them. Recently I was hanging out in the Dorman garage and we started talking about (and of course...

Are stainless cars (finally) having their moment?

by Jonathan Roth | May 5, 2022

In case you missed it during Super Bowl LVI (like I did) or haven’t heard about it since, the DeLorean was officially reintroduced with a 15-second commercial during the game. Here, let’s take another look at it! One of the unique aspects of the original DMC DeLorean...