What causes brake noise?
HOT OFF THE PRESS
Minimum rotor thickness – ASE practice questions (VIDEO)
What does “MIN THK.” really mean?
Battery date codes are painfully unstandardized and you’re better off without them
Don’t waste your time with codebreaking. Just grab a paint pen.
Using a spaghetti trick to keep zip ties organized (VIDEO)
Chefs know a helpful hack to keep spaghetti from falling out of an opened bag, and the same idea happens to work perfectly for zip ties. Give it a try next time you have a pack of zip ties that doesn’t have a resealable closure.
SHOP STUFF
Auto care news and advice you can use.
ICYMI: Secondary hood prop positions
Props to second place, too.
Harmonic balancers – ASE practice questions (VIDEO)
A defective harmonic balancer can affect the accuracy of ignition timing readings or a defective harmonic balancer can damage the crank. Which technician is correct?
Easy tests for diesel exhaust fluid (DEF) contamination (VIDEO)
DEF is easy to contaminate, and fortunately, it’s also easy to test. Check to be sure that your customers’ DEF is up to spec with these simple tests.
Technicians vs. DIYers: How well can you gauge tire pressure? (VIDEO)
In this challenge, techs and DIYers get as close as possible to a target final pressure to see who’s got the best skills and strategies at the tire machine.
EVs go through tires quicker: here’s what that means for your shop.
A few things to bear in mind considering the increased wear on tires.
ABOUT 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. With interesting stories from around the world, features on creative people and solutions, and all kinds of other stuff that’ll make you use your mind and your hands.
SHOP STUFF
Auto care news and advice you can use.
Airbag direction – ASE practice questions (VIDEO)
When placing an airbag on a workbench, which is the safest direction for it to face? We have the answer.
Smarter, not harder: relative compression testing
Analyzing a new trick I learned from an old dog.
Can’t break that crank bolt loose? You need a crank socket (VIDEO)
Crank fasteners are often a real pain to remove. Mechanics with expensive impact wrenches and large breaker bars struggle to remove them—but there’s a better way.
So you want to restore a classic or build a kit car? Think twice.
Unless you’re a professional mechanic or a hardcore DIYer, I suggest you focus on building memories instead of a car.
EGR system – ASE practice questions (VIDEO)
Under what conditions would the EGR system be expected to be operational? We have the correct answer.
VIDEOS
Stainless doesn’t mean stain-proof; just ask Tesla Cybertruck owners
Spoiler alert: be careful running it through the car wash.
Low-mileage JDM automatics: Worthwhile or worthless? (VIDEO)
Nick and Lemmy check out a flex plate from an imported Japanese automatic transmission with very few miles under its belt.
Fuse box-compatible circuit breakers are the ultimate spares when space is limited
Throw a set of these resettable “fuses” in your toolbox.