Brake Repair - Find Out Why You Should Make This a Priority

Driving a vehicle everyday helps make you more aware of anything that may be strange or out of order with it. For instance, if you notice that all of a sudden, your vehicle shakes when you drive or doesn't have the type of pick up you're familiar with, that will be a red flag that something is wrong. The same goes for your brakes. Odd sounds, difficulty stopping or even sensor lights on your dash could be a warning that your ability to stop your vehicle may be compromised. To keep you and your passengers safe, be sure to schedule time to bring your car in to a brake repair specialist. Explore a few common signs that you should talk with a pro immediately.

Can't Stop

How To Replace Brake Pads

This is one of the most obvious reasons to get your car checked out - the inability to stop. You may have noticed that what may have started out as a small issue, has probably evolved into something much bigger. If you are pressing the pedal down as hard as you can in order to bring your vehicle to a stop, you're in trouble. That's because some of the most minor of accidents could have been prevented if people were able to stop their cars instantly. If the way your vehicle responds to stopping has changed significantly, it's crucial to stop driving it and bring it in to a brake repair expert immediately.

Brake Repair - Find Out Why You Should Make This a Priority

Notice Strange Smells

The smell of smoke or something burning is not good, especially when it involves your vehicle. A car that is smoking means that there could be a host of problems brewing. Also, other strange smells could mean that you have brake fluid leaking, and it could be getting into your entire braking system, which may damage pads. A brake repair specialist can help pinpoint what's causing the issue so it's necessary to allow an expert to look at your vehicle quickly to ensure safe operation of your car.

Odd Sounds

If you start your car one day, begin driving and notice an odd or strange noise, especially when trying to stop, it's important to see a brake repair expert. It may be as minor as a squealing noise, which could be due to metal shavings used when creating the system or it could be something more. Also, sometimes, if it's early in the morning and cold, or dew has set in, the brakes can squeak. Yet, this should go away after a few minutes. If it doesn't, something a bit more major could be wrong and a brake repair specialist may need to look at it. In addition, you may hear a more unusual sound, such as metal grinding against metal. If this is a problem that persists, you will need to stop driving your vehicle and schedule an appointment to have the car checked out. You could have bad padding, or a rotor that is cracked or warped. When you have cracks or warping in the rotor, this can cause noise and necessitates a replacement.

Brake Repair - Find Out Why You Should Make This a Priority
Replace Pads Step 8 Tube. Duration : 3.25 Mins.

Tags: suv, brake

Should You Buy an SUV Or Not?

There are many factors one must take into consideration when making such a large purchase like an SUV. A lot of questions come to mind when you have to make a decision to plunk down at the very least 20K to buy a new one unless you care considering a used SUV it can be less. In this economy it's a must to really think about what you are getting with an SUV.

One of the first things you must ask yourself about buying an SUV is why and what am I using it for? Consider what SUVs are intended for: most have awd and some are made to go off road. Are you using this car as an urban commute car or around the city car? Do you live in the Mountains? In an area where there is a lot of snow in the winter? Do you work on a farm? Do you go skiing a lot?

If you are city person think about the costs of city driving and finding parking with a larger vehicle. Sure you can carry the kids around and go on big shopping trips but is it worth the cost of gas? The time wasted trying to find the right spot to street park. Probably not in the end even if you have a hybrid SUV.

In reality the SUV and the city don't mix and it's silly to think differently about it. What a waste not to use a vehicle for what it was made for! The perfect place for this type of car is the mountains. It is built perfectly for those type rural areas have to offer bad roads, bad weather, and plenty of off road driving to be had. The gas may cost you but you won't get stuck in the mud or snow with a good SUV.

You'll also feel a little safer if you happen to have a deer crash into you. If you ask these questions before purchasing an SUV and do your research you'll be able to make an informed decision about which car is right for you.

When Should You Visit a Transmission Repair Specialist?

Most people drive their cars every day but still don't know how they work. Sometimes drivers will even ignore obvious problems with their vehicles, hoping they will go away on their own or that it isn't something serious. Only when the car stops working altogether do they visit a mechanic in a panic! Issues with a car's transmission can mean serious problems down the road if they are not attended to quickly.

In layman's terms, a transmission transfers the power created by the engine to the drive line and wheels: this can be done either manually (as with a stick shift) or automatically.

Here are some of the symptoms of transmission problems and how to know when it's time to visit a transmission repair specialist.

-- Problems shifting gears: since the transmission's job is to keep up the momentum of the car by shifting gears, it stands to reason that any problems with gear change may be stemming from the transmission. The symptoms could be an unusual noise made by the transmission during a shift, or, if you drive a stick, it may not glide smoothly between gears.

-- The car makes a jerking movement or the engine surges at inopportune times. The jerking movement could indicate that the engine's power is not being smoothly transferred when a shift needs to occur.

-- Transmission fluid is leaking. Transmission fluid acts as a lubricant for all of the moving parts inside your car's transmission. Just as the engine cannot run right without oil, the transmission will not work right without fluid. Transmission fluid is generally reddish in color, so if you see any on the ground under your chassis, get help right away before a costly disaster happens.

-- The car won't move. If your car starts up ok, it just refuses to move, the problem is likely to be with the transmission. You'll need to have it towed to a shop where their mechanics can advise you on what to do next.

All car drivers should have a working knowledge of how their vehicle works and what the symptoms are for certain problems that may arise. If you suspect your transmission is to blame, take it to a mechanic: it does not necessarily mean it has to be replaced. The problem may just be a minor one; but one thing's for sure: transmissions do not fix themselves!

How to replace Brake Pads and Calipers

Describes how to change the brake pads and calipers on Tie Down Engineering's brakes.

Why You Should Consider Using Different Rims on Mountain Bikes

If you are new to mountain biking then you may not realize that the type of rims that you have on your bike can actually alter your riding experience. They can either help you or harm you and so it is important to know the difference between the different rims available. If you are using the bike for cross-country, jumping and free-riding then heavy rims will likely be needed. However, if you are just planning on doing trail riding then you should stick to a rim which is lighter as this will allow better and smoother movement of the bike.

The Difference between Rims

You should find that the rims on your mountain bike are the same at the front and the back of the bike. This is mainly to help with stability as if you have a heavy rim at the back and a lighter one at the front it could really cause problems with balance. This is especially problematic if you are using the bike to perform tricks and to take part in jumps. So you will need to ensure that the rims that you use are suitable for the type of activity you will be taking part in.

If you are planning on using the mountain bike for jumping and performing tricks, you may want to ensure that you have different types of tires. These can be readily mounted onto adequate rims, ready to be used whenever you need them. Having different rims and tires for different mountain bike activities is definitely advised and it will reduce the risk of any accidents from occurring.

If you frequently jump with your bike and take part in downhill riding, your bike will go through a lot of pressure. If you want to remain safe then it is vital that you ensure that the rims are up to the pressure they are put through. If the rim is not string enough then it will bend and the bike will become impossible to ride. Also, a broken rim can cause further problems for the bike with the brake pads and the chain all likely to become damaged.

Another important factor to take into consideration is the spokes on the rims. You need to ensure that they have the proper tension and you can tell this by simply listening to them. Gently hit them with a wrench and listen to see whether there is a dull thud. If there is then you will need to tighten up the spokes. If you take care of the spokes then they will take care of the rims.

Overall it is important to take into account the activities you will be taking part in on your bike. If you are planning on jumping and taking part in more extreme mountain bike riding then you will need to purchase heavy duty rims if you want to reduce the risk of injuring yourself and damaging your bike.