Shop Press - Auto Repair News & Ideas

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Hot Off the Press

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...

The cheapest tool you can buy to turn more hours in a dead bay

I feel silly admitting it, but I didn’t know what a breaker bar adapter was for a long time. When I learned what it was and what it does, I immediately thought that the tool was useless. Then I changed my mind. Lemme tell you why. Just in case you don’t know what a...

The right way to apply PTFE tape (VIDEO)

Description PTFE tape is essential for threaded connections that need a good seal. Learn the right way to apply PTFE tape to avoid leaks and hassle.

A cheap bore scope is your best friend for prepurchase inspections

As the strong used car market continues, prepurchase inspections (PPIs) are an increasingly valuable resource for buyers seeking top-notch buys in a competitive market. The good news? While car values soared over the last few years, prices of borescopes (also called...

Tired of dead 9V batteries? Convert to rechargeables! (VIDEO)

How to test for blown fuses in a car or truck | Fast and easy methodDescription If you have tools that use 9 volt batteries, it’s cheap and easy to convert them to rechargeable batteries. Watch to learn how it’s done!Related Videos

Diagnosing a Prius Coolant Leak (VIDEO)

Learn how to pinpoint common Prius coolant leak sources with step-by-step diagnostic tips from the shop floor.

HOT OFF THE PRESS

Shop Profile: Locked N Loaded 4×4

Learn about a shop that’s making Jeeps all they can be.

Why you should empty the master cylinder before bleeding brakes (VIDEO)

Why you should empty the master cylinder before bleeding brakes (VIDEO)

Removing old fluid from a vehicle’s braking system can be a time-consuming chore, but it doesn’t need to be.

Check Out This Hacky Diag Tool

Check Out This Hacky Diag Tool

Why build what you can buy inexpensively?

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.

Chrome Overload: GM’s “Mistake of ’58”

Chrome Overload: GM’s “Mistake of ’58”

What happens when chrome goes too far?

Using voltage to locate electrical faults

Using voltage to locate electrical faults

Understanding how voltage is used in an electrical circuit can help your troubleshooting.

How do you handle billing shop supplies?

How do you handle billing shop supplies?

You ARE accounting for them, right?

Fixing cracked plastic parts with a hot staple tool (VIDEO)

Fixing cracked plastic parts with a hot staple tool (VIDEO)

When plastic parts break, sometimes replacements can be prohibitively expensive or hard to find. Learn how to use a hot staple tool to salvage broken plastics for auto repairs and other projects.

How stop drilling can help to save cracked parts (VIDEO)

How stop drilling can help to save cracked parts (VIDEO)

Learn how stop drilling can help to prevent cracks from propagating with a little know-how and a drill.

Want to contribute an article to Shop Press?

Are you a wrench and a writer? A counterperson and a communicator? A service writer and a scribe? Get paid to share your experience and expertise with thousands of Shop Press readers.

SHOP STUFF

Auto care news and advice you can use.

Mastering the Numbers – Part 2

Mastering the Numbers – Part 2

Using your shop’s Cost of Doing Business (CODB) as a baseline for labor rates.

Making custom coiled wire is easier than you think (VIDEO)

Making custom coiled wire is easier than you think (VIDEO)

Coiled wire is a smart idea for adding service loops or mechanical strain relief on automotive electrical jobs or other projects.

New techs: hang in there. An old transmission pan mystery exemplifies the difficulties of being a mechanic

New techs: hang in there. An old transmission pan mystery exemplifies the difficulties of being a mechanic

What do you do when a part isn’t in an IPD/fiche?

Choosing the right brake fluid

Choosing the right brake fluid

Just because it says “DOT 4” on the bottle doesn’t mean it’s the correct DOT 4 for the vehicle.

Five ways repair shops can address the rising costs of car ownership

Five ways repair shops can address the rising costs of car ownership

The struggle is real for many of your customers.

VIDEOS

Five best car and truck tips from mechanics to non-mechanics (VIDEO)

Five best car and truck tips from mechanics to non-mechanics (VIDEO)

Want to make your vehicle last? Not sure how to talk to a shop about car repairs? Nick and Lemmy offer their five top recommendations.

Pulse width modulation and automotive lighting

Pulse width modulation and automotive lighting

Once the most basic of circuits, the humble lamp has also progressed.

Top tips for car and truck fleet maintenance: what repair shops need to know (VIDEO)

Top tips for car and truck fleet maintenance: what repair shops need to know (VIDEO)

Ready to grow your shop’s business with fleet maintenance, service and repairs?