How many times have you seen a hub dust cap with ugly dents from a sloppy installation? A dust cap tool is a handy tool for installing caps on customer vehicles without damaging the cap’s appearance.
HOT OFF THE PRESS
The one part of the car you’ll never install for a customer
DIFM customers just won’t purchase this common underhood part.
TECHNICIAN CHALLENGE: Can you identify these dash lights? PART 3 (VIDEO)
Think you know your dash lights? Shop Press contributors Keith, Miriam, Chris, and Greaser try their best to identify all kinds of lights, symbols, and indicators.
Torches for courses: which heating tools should a mechanic own?
Supplement your shop’s oxyacetylene torch with alternatives.
SHOP STUFF
Auto care news and advice you can use.
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.
Witness marks: your reassembly guide when the service manual isn’t enough
Examining the parts closely can yield valuable clues for putting a machine together.
The aggressive question you can ask that instantly calms a customer down
This seemingly-impolite question can defuse tense situations in the shop or auto parts store.
The most entertaining social media accounts to follow for car enthusiasts in 2023
23 of the most informative, interesting, and funny car-related accounts on the socials
Catalytic converters are the coolest car parts that get no respect
Despite being fascinating, breakthrough innovations, they were hated when first introduced, and are now routinely stolen for scrap.
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.
Buy once, cry once: Don’t cheap out on these auto repair tools (VIDEO)
Auto repair pros probably know the expression “buy once, cry once,” and for some tools, techs should buy the best they can afford.
A review of the last grease coupler you’ll ever need, the LockNLube
A strong endorsement, I know—but it’s that good.
Is perseverance in the service bay a feature or a bug?
The flat-rate system doesn’t reward tenacity.
May Automotive Horoscopes
We read the astrological signs and predicted your automotive future.
Right to Repair gains momentum in Maine
75,000 state residents agree that independent repair shops should have ready access to real-time vehicle data.
VIDEOS
A/C bypass pulleys: a history lesson on a part you can’t get from a dealer
Accessory belt drive evolution can provide some clues for the most efficient way to get a customer back on the road.
The pros (and more than a few cons) of chrome
Although I love the look of chrome on cars, there are very good reasons why it’s not used much anymore.
PSA: Make sure your Loctite isn’t fake!
Copycat Loctite is more common than you’d think. Learn how to check for counterfeit products.