Shop Press

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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Tire techs: Elevate your work with this one humble task

I have mounted and balanced many tires. I have also sold many tires, and there was a step I took when I was installing them that I insisted all techs did when I eventually began writing service. I’m going to share it here, and while I can’t insist upon anything from...

Tools beyond the basics for DIYers

Except when it comes to mountain bikes and drum kits, I’m frugal (read: cheap) by nature, so I’m not the kind of guy who would blow a chunk of change on tools that I will never use. I’m also keenly aware of the limitations of my skills when it comes to automotive...

Transfer cases: how to talk to your customers

The transfer case is an essential part of the part-time four-wheel drive system found on many traditional vehicles like SUVs and pickup trucks. The customers you help at your service counter may well rely on vehicles with 4WD daily and understand the systems well. But...

Easy trick to transfer gear oil with a simple length of hose (VIDEO)

Description A fluid transfer pump is the cleanest and easiest way to fill a differential, transmission or transfer case with its necessary fluid. When you don’t have access to a pump, there’s another way to get the job done using supplies you probably already have in...

Bitten by a misfire

There are hundreds of great automotive technical schools around the country and they teach all the book lessons you need to know to start in this business. But nothing teaches better than real world experience. I consider myself a pretty good tech today and I got that...

“Can you drive a stick?”

Well, if you clicked on the title you have an answer to that question, I’m sure, and probably have an opinion on it. As the automatic transmission ascends to complete ubiquity, I would be curious to know what ratio of techs and writers in your shops can row their own...

Let’s hear it for the mighty roach coach

Let’s hear it for the mighty roach coach

Forget about tangy Korean short rib tacos, succulent Maine lobster rolls, and decadent softball-sized cupcakes. Before taking up residency in hip neighborhoods around the country, food trucks were just an easy way for hard-working folks to get a hot bite quickly;...
February Automotive Horoscopes

February Automotive Horoscopes

Aries: Stress around the shop is about to melt away. Resist packrat urges—letting go is just as important as gathering items of value. Spruce things up! After work, be careful not to overdo things in extracurricular matters. Pay careful attention to the cars above you...
Clean the #&@$ing snow off the roof of your car or truck

Clean the #&@$ing snow off the roof of your car or truck

As we are deep into winter here in the northern hemisphere, I believe it’s time for this seasonally appropriate rant: clean the #&@$ing snow off the roof of your car or truck. Look, I’ve been there. You’re running late for work after a big storm the night before,...
February Automotive Horoscopes

January Automotive Horoscopes

Aries: You may not think of some of your repairs as innovative, but a creative fix is a creative fix. Your outlook is out there, and that’s OK. Expect to see someone else cribbing your notes but remember to take it as flattery. Not everyone has the same gift of...