From the factory with the spare’s valve stem pointing up, but you can flip it over and reinstall for easy checks and refills.
Flip spare tires to make life easier for owners and techs (VIDEO)
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HOT OFF THE PRESS
Surprise: having snacks and phone chargers in your repair shop’s waiting room makes customers happier
A recent J.D. Power study found that a few simple amenities in your service center’s lobby go a long way toward making your customers want to come back, but few businesses have them.
Exhaust tips: three ways to fine-tune your method
Exhaust work is straightforward and (I think) easy to understand. Here are some pointers for service techs to avoid comebacks when hanging pipe.
Four not-so-obvious ways grease can come in handy
Lubricant? More like lubri-can. A very cheap staple of most shops, I’ve learned to use it in a few unconventional ways.
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SHOP STUFF
Auto care news and advice you can use.
Tools beyond the basics for DIYers
Step up your repair game with sensible choices.
Ralph Nader inspired a vehicle safety revolution and all he got was a lousy bolt named after him
Door striker bolts became known as Nader pins after “Unsafe at Any Speed” caused a national uproar and led to the first FMVSS rules.
Before asphalt, automotive pioneers used the beach as their racetrack
Several speed records were once set on the beach of Cape May, New Jersey
Schedule more work by improving the life of the waiters
If your waiting room stinks, so does waiting in it.
What’s in your toolbox?
Skillset and mindset often determine the toolset.
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.
“Can you drive a stick?”
It’s been asked of every new mechanic for more than a century. Does it matter in 2025?
Car Talk’s Ray Magliozzi calls on lawmakers to pass right to repair law
Co-founder of the famous car show writes Washington Post opinion piece calling for Congress to act.
Book review: “Car: A Drama of the American Workplace”
Mary Walton’s 1997 look behind the scenes of the Ford Taurus shows the human side of car production.
Fire the parts cannon! Is shotgun diag ever acceptable? (VIDEO)
Nick and Lemmy discuss the pros and cons of throwing parts at a problem.
Spoiler alert: Manual transmissions are not ‘100% useless’ as claimed
Is this what automotive enthusiasm looks like now?
VIDEOS
Test fuses without removal! (VIDEO)
How to test for blown fuses in a car or truck | Fast and easy method
Don’t let the grind of fixing cars wear down your love for ‘em
A local automotive event is the cure for whatever car doldrums you’re in.
Torque wrench vs. torque stick for installing wheels (VIDEO)
What tools do you trust when installing wheels on a vehicle? The trusty torque wrench, or the straightforward torque sticks? Or maybe both?