Wednesday, September 22, 2010

Why You Want Disc Brakes in Your Car

Why You Want Disc Brakes in Your Car

By Ron Haugen




Many agree that the brakes are the most important safety feature any car has. They can help you to avoid a collision. They can also help you to be able to stay within the law when you approach a stop. In order for your brakes to provide you with the proper safety features they are designed to, you need to have good brakes. Most cars coming of the assembly line these days will only have disc brakes installed in them. This is not because they are cheaper or easier to install. This is because they are superior to any other kinds of brakes which have come before them.

What Makes Disc Brakes Special?

The first thing you need to know about disc brakes is that they are a simplistic design. Basically you have two clamps on either side of a disc and they clamp on the disc to slow down the car. There have been other designs like the drum brakes which use one pad to push on the inside of the wheel in order to get the car to slow down. The reason why the disc brakes are better is because you are getting the stopping power of two pads on each wheel.

The clamps on either side of the disc brakes has the stopping power of one drum brake. This allows you to stop quicker
and with more accuracy. It also helps to avoid the brakes locking because the system overheated or the brakes become stuck. This is one of the main problems with the drum brakes which is why most manufacturers do not use them anymore.

Most importantly, the thing which makes these kinds of brakes special is the fact that they are cheap to fix. You will simply need to keep up with the changing of the brake pads in order to make sure that the system is working properly at any given time.

Changing Your Own Pads

There are many different kinds of repairs you can do on your own to save money or simply to be more in touch with how your car operates. Changing your brake pads for disc brakes is something you can easily do on your own. This is because in essence, all you will have to do is remove the wheel and the old pads. You can then install the new pads and be on your way. It is recommended you get a repair guide if you are looking to do this.

Making Your Pads Last

When you change your brake pads on disc brakes, there are a few different ways in which you can make them last longer. You will simply need to make sure that the pads were installed with the brake grease applied to the pads. This will keep the pads from causing additional wear to the disc itself. You might also want to simply watch the way that you drive. Sudden starts and stops are not good for your car.

If you are looking for honest advice, prioritized repairs, options on repairs, maximized fuel economy, and a good feeling with who you are doing business with go to http://www.westsideautopros.com.




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Tuesday, September 14, 2010

The Importance of Serpentine Belts

By Ron Haugen




There are few belts in your car which are more important than serpentine belts. This is the belt which runs in between the alternator, water pump, air pump and a few other devices. It is basically the belt which makes sure that the engine is running exactly the way that it should be running. There are a few different problems that your car can run into if the belt is bad or snaps because it was either not changed properly or it was not a good belt to begin with. This is why it is of the utmost importance that you have a good quality belt in your engine.

Looking for a Good Belt

The first thing you need to figure out is exactly what kind of belt it is your car uses. This is because every belt is a different size. If you but in the wrong belt, you will cause your engine even more problems. Check with your manufacturer guidelines to find out exactly what length belt you will need for your engine. This will help you to get the right belt for your engine rather than taking chances that you will get the right length.

Looking for the Right Brand

This can get tricky because it is not fair to say that one brand of serpentine belts are better than another. This is, however the case. Just looking at which belts last longer, you will see a clear trend in how well one brand performs over another one. You can check through all of the different reviews about the belts you are interested in buying to see exactly which one will be best suited to your car. This is important to do because while you are thinking that a good brand is a good brand. In fact, there are brands which are better suited to one brand of car over another.

Getting it Installed Correctly

Unless you have a lot of specialty engine tools in your home, it is recommended that you allow a professional to install serpentine belts. This is to make sure that the belt is of the right tension and that there is not any problems with the belt slipping later on. Best of all, when you go through a repair center they will guarantee their work. This way if there is a problem which happens right after you get the car fixed, they will be obligated to complete any work to make the problem right for free.

Check the Belt Regularly

Serpentine belts should be checked regularly for wear and tear. This is something you can do yourself if you feel like it. Simply take a look at the belt. If you see any cracks or signs of wearing on the belt, it is an indicator that the belt might need to be replaced. While you can check it as often as you wish, the optimal time to check it is every other oil change to make sure it is not going too long without being checked.

If you are looking for honest advice, prioritized repairs, options on repairs, maximized fuel economy, and a good feeling with who you are doing business with go to http://www.westsideautopros.com




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Wednesday, September 1, 2010

Tips For Towing a Trailer With Ease

Tips For Towing a Trailer With Ease

By Ron Haugen




There are many different reasons why you might want to tow a trailer behind your car. You might want to pull along a storage container. You might want to pull along a flat which will hold certain items like lawn mowers. You might even need to pull along your car. No matter why you are pulling a trailer, you need to make sure that you are following certain guidelines for towing a trailer. These standards will help you to be able to get better fuel efficiency from your car. They will also help you to make sure that you are driving safer.

Check All Connections

The most important thing that you can do when towing a trailer is to make sure that you have properly attached everything to your car. This includes the brake lights, the safety chain as well as the hitch itself. Making sure that these connections are made correctly will help you to be a safer driver. They will also help you to make sure that the trailer will not fly off while you are driving your car across the country. The most important thing to remember is that each kind of hitch is different and you will need to follow the guidelines as instructed for your hitch.

Get a Better Hitch

One of the most important aspects of towing a trailer is to make sure that you have a good hitch to attach your trailer to. This is important because no matter what you do with the trailer itself, if the hitch is not of good quality and properly attached, it can simply fly off of your vehicle unexpectedly. The best advice if your car did not come with a hitch is to make sure that the hitch is professionally installed. This will help to avoid any problems down the road.

Load the Trailer Correctly

It is very important that you get to know your trailer. Know what weight limitations you will need to operate under. You will also need to make sure that you have loaded the trailer properly. This means making sure that the weight is distributed properly. When towing a trailer that does not have the weight distributed properly, it can cause problems like uneven wear in the tires to pulling the trailer to one side or the other which can affect your ability to drive and maintain safety with the trailer.

Get a Better Trailer

Another solution you can look for what towing a trailer is to make sure that you have a good trailer to begin with. This is important because the trailer can have a better axle or load capacity than others. Make sure that when you purchase your trailer that you are getting the one which is best suited to the task you are using it for. This will help to make sure that you have the ability to load it correctly and that you will not be exceeding weight capacities. If the trailer is not suited to your needs, buy one that is.

If you are looking for honest advice, prioritized repairs, options on repairs, maximized fuel economy, and a good feeling with who you are doing business with go to http://www.westsideautopros.com




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3 Hot Tips on Having Your Car Towed

3 Hot Tips on Having Your Car Towed

By Ron Haugen




No one likes to think about the possibility of having their car towed. It is usually something which is associated with a legal problem or if your car is not working properly. This is why whenever you hear someone say they had to get a tow, it has negative connotations. No matter what the reason you are having your car towed, there are a few pieces of advice you should follow to make sure that you are getting the best tow possible. While it may seem that a tow is a tow, they are in fact, quite different.

Not all tow companies are the same and not every truck has the ability to keep your car safe. When you are investing in having your car towed, it is important that you get exactly what you want and that you protect your car from being injured from the tow. This is possible when you follow a few pieces of advice. It is your car and you deserve to get what you are paying for when you hire a company to tow your car.

1. Use a Flat Bed - The first thing you should know when having your car towed is that the flat bed is the best kind of method for having your car towed. This is because the flat bed will keep your car off of the ground and will reduce the risk your car will be damaged while it is on its way to the repair shop or to the next destination. The tie downs on the flat be will consist of a few points on the car which were designed just for this use. These are the same points which were used when the car was delivered to the dealership and they will help to insure that your car arrives safely at its destination.

2. Be There - One big mistake people make is to not be there when their car is being towed. While you might lead a busy life, it is important that you are there when you are having your car towed. This is because anything can happen when you are not there. The person doing the tow might do something which is completely against regulation. They might scrape the car on the pavement when they are loading the car. They may even try to use another tow method than what you prescribed. You will never know and you will have no recourse unless you are there.

3. Research the Company - Look for a tow company which has a history of towing cars correctly. This is important so that you can be assured that they will treat your car correctly. Simply take a look online or contact the better business bureau. This will help to make sure that there are no hidden charges and that they will treat your car properly while it is being picked up and delivered to the location that you have chosen for repairs or otherwise.

If you are looking for honest advice, prioritized repairs, options on repairs, maximized fuel economy, and a good feeling with who you are doing business with go to http://www.westsideautopros.com




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