Archive for July, 2011

Car Maintenance

“A stitch in time saves nine.” Of course it does, we all know that. But have you ever taken a deeper look into this adage that much use has almost rendered a cliché? If you have never and you have a car, you are in trouble and I am here for you…

Car maintenance basically is ensuring your car works at optimum, and to achieve this you need to know a few tips. When you buy a new car, you can go for quite some time before visiting a mechanic. However, there gets some time when that routine check-up is more than just a requirement; it becomes part of you, like sleeping for example. Firstly, give the tires the once over. We all know, tires are the only contacts between your car and the road and therefore they should never be taken lightly. Don’t just look at them, get your hands dirty. Rub the edges for any lumps or bumps, checking there is at least 1.6mm of tread across the rim of the tire. Spray water up rocker panels to remove any debris that may cause rust while putting in mind that correct tire pressure ensures not only safety but also proper fuel consumption as cars with little tire pressure will consume more. Changing of the tires becomes necessary after 2-3 years, depending on road condition.

Ensure seats belts fasten properly and the seats are securely fitted so that they won’t shift about in an accident – your life depends on it! Mirrors, wipers and washes should all get a quick check too. Obviously one of the biggest car maintenance tips involves changing the engine oil. This should be done every 3000 miles or so (5000 km). Changing the oil ensures all its components work together smoothly. You will need to change the oil filter every second oil change as well.

To ensure your car is at par with its maintenance program, a notebook may be necessary to keep track of all its maintenance operations. This can be safely kept in the glove compartment to use wherever need arises. Wash and dry the car regularly to remove sediments and while doing so avoid the use of soapless detergents as they rip the color off its gloss. Vacuum clean on the inside and an occasional perfume wouldn’t do any harm in impressing her or disclosing your other definition to the people you drive.

It is unfortunate that many drivers continue to ignore some essential repairs that they consider minor, unaware of their significance. Checking all lights and inspection of the fuel cap are some elements under this category. Research has revealed that one in ten wouldn’t pay to repair a minor exhaust system problem and more than one in seven wouldn’t consider fixing their steering wheel as a priority. A physician will tell you all body parts are equally important, so be a physician of your car and treat it well.

Taking care of your car will determine if it will last you a long time or if you are going to be putting a lot of money into in the near future. Well, you don’t have to worry because following these tips, your experience with your car is going to be redefined! Remember that a little goes a long way and now that you know, you are not stopping short soon.

Maintaining Your Car’s Upholstery

Your car is an investment, one that costs thousands of dollars and should be handled with care if you expect it to last. Because cars are such a central part of life, people often take them for granted and treat them as if they are any other possession, but the truth is that your car is a valuable asset that needs to be treated as such. Part of keeping your car in great shape is maintaining the integrity of the upholstery. Though other aspects of the vehicle can be replaced, updating or mending upholstery can be expensive, time consuming, and may alter the look of your automobile forever. To avoid going through the process of fixing tears, stains, and other injuries inflicted upon your car’s seats, keep these tips in mind:

Limit the food that is allowed in the car. Of course eating on the go is a large part of the modern lifestyle, so attempting to ban all consumption of food and drinks while in your vehicle is a bit unrealistic. However, you can limit the damage done to your automobile’s upholstery by managing what kinds of food and drink are allowed. For example, require that everyone use a lid for their cups and that no condiments, such as ketchup, ranch dressing, or honey mustard, are utilized without being first put into a sturdy and easy to manage container. No more emptying ketchup packets on the edge of your fast food bag, that’s a recipe for upholstery disaster.

Keep an eye on the kinds of objects that you transport. You should always take everything with you when you leave the car to keep it clean, but even if you do so you may cause damage to the upholstery by traveling with sharp or dirty objects. Wire hangers or old car parts, for example, can cause tears and stains in the fabric after only a few seconds in the seat. Make sure that you put any potentially damaging items in your trunk or pad them with towels or blankets.

Vacuum regularly. Even if you do not have any large spills, dirt, leaves, and other debris can get caught in your seats, causing wear. Many vacuums have attachments made especially for upholstery, so be sure that you utilize the correct equipment to avoid tears or holes.

Quickly clean any spills. If left unattended, even the smallest of spills can cause big stains. Keep an upholstery cleaner handy and always utilize a clean towel to mop up any unruly drinks or food.

If needed, use seat covers. A tasteful cover that matches the interior of your car can keep your upholstery clean and the interior looking fabulous.

Maintaining the upholstery in your car may seem like a lot of work, but in reality it takes just a little attention a few minutes a week and an awareness of the kinds of items that you allow in your vehicle. The little inconveniences that come with keeping your seats clean and in one piece are well worth the money you will save by not having to replace them.

Safety of Automotive Batteries in a Mechanical Workshop

Automotive Batteries in a mechanical workshop.

The common automotive battery posses a number of safety risks that perhaps are not well known or at times not well managed.

Let’s go through some of the issues with automotive batteries to see how there associated risks can be managed.

The common automotive battery is what is classed as a lead acid battery, meaning that it has plates of lead inside as well as a mixture of sulphuric acid and distilled water.

Each time the battery is discharged through either starting the vehicle, using the headlights or radio etc it will need to be recharged.

As a battery is charging it gives off a small amount of hydrogen gas and this is potentially dangerous as hydrogen gas is extremely volatile or explosive

When this happens in a motor vehicle it is not such a problem as the battery is nearly always in an air flow of some type which disperses the gas thus eliminating the problem.

When batteries are charged inside a building and specifically a workshop there can be a lack of ventilation removing this from the area thus causing the potential for an explosion if the gas was to be ignited.

What can be done to reduce this risk?

Ensure that the battery charging area is well ventilated to the outside air.

If this is not possible due to the location within the building install an exhaust fan or another type of ventilation system to remove any build up of gas in the area.

The battery charging area should be located away from a general traffic area with correct signage indicating that it is a restricted area.

There should be a 1st aid kit including an eye wash module in close proximity and that all staff are trained in there use.

Ensure that there is the correct type of fire extinguisher (s) mounted just outside of the area with correct signage and that all staff are trained in their use.

Ensure that your battery charging equipment is in good working order and that it has been tested and tagged for electrical compliance, usually every 6 months.

Ensure that your staff are correctly trained in how to use the battery charging and load testing equipment.

When not in use keep the battery charger leads and clips, clipped onto the bench or work area to reduce the risk of being caught or being tripped over.

Remove where possible the small water filler caps on top of the battery so that the water level and the specific gravity can be checked (using a hydrometer), with the caps removed this also eliminates any pressure build up within the battery due to the gas production while charging.

The area needs to kept clean and tidy at all times with o storage of metal objects within the area, this eliminates the risk of a metal object falling across a batteries terminals and causing a spark and in some cases an explosion.

Always keep you battery charging area free from other chemicals, oils, greases and any other flammable material, including oily work shop rags.

Always wash dirty batteries before charging as some acid residue and scum can cause voltage leakage.

Always wash hands after handling batteries as some residual acid may contact the skin causing irritation or discomfort.

Always keep a pair of gloves and safety glasses in the area for use by any staff member.

Always keep terminal cleaning equipment in the charging area (wire brush & specific terminal cleaners).

If you ever carry out battery terminal repairs using the carbon arch method use extreme caution. To find out more about this send a question to the email, address at the bottom of this article.

When moving or lifting batteries always use correct posture and manual handling methods: E.G. use trolleys to move around, use two people to lift the bigger batteries, use benches that are at the correct height so there is no excessive bending or reaching up.

If your battery charging area is somewhat hidden away out of clear site you can set up a warning light on top of the area to signal that there is a battery on charge. This can reduce the incidents of staff leaving work for the day and leaving a battery charging over night, as this is not recommended. The warning light is generally a 12 volt low power draw light (LED is best) connected to the battery that is being charged.

Have clear signage on the outside of the battery charging area indicating what the battery area is and a set of clear guidelines or instructions on what and what not to do in this area..

Any old batteries should be discarded as soon as practical using your local battery re cycling company to collect them from your premises.

Ford Uses Lasers to Improve Product Quality

It should come as no surprise that the very company who pioneered the use of the assembly line is yet again making advancements around a hundred year later. Ford’s Chicago Assembly Plant, located on 130th Street and Torrence Avenue, was the recent recipient of new laser inspection technology to improve overall quality on vehicle construction. This technology, which Ford has spent over 100 million dollars developing, aims to lower the already miniscule margin of error in assembly. Eventually this inspection equipment will be released across 17 of Ford’s assembly plants.

Robotic arms have been installed to measure each model and find imperfections, specifically in the area of noise control. It can be a matter of only one tenth of a millimeter which can offset the difference between a completely sealed cabin and one with slight noise variation from air blowing over the car’s frame. Until the release of this new machinery, Ford has trusted this responsibility to the potentially weary eyes of human operators. The computerized scanners are designed to evaluate 500 different key points on a new car and determine whether they have been properly installed.

Hoods, doors, and sunroofs are all amongst the areas targeted by the inspection process. The technology, which is based on laser light waves, monitors the area in question, records the data, and then projects an illustration so that operators can double check the placement. In the event of more defect patterns being discovered, this system will automatically notify workers down the line. With the flexibility to measure many different models thanks to the adjustable arm technology, Ford plans to save time and energy.

Ford’s present investment in improving overall vehicle quality through inspection comes just after fellow auto-manufacturer Volkswagen spent nearly 81 million on a comparable laser inspection system created by German colleague Trumpf. Since the recession, many OEM’s have slowed production but this recent upswing in technology investments may well be signaling a bit of relief from the storm.

Although more and more machines are popping up in plants, Ford says that domestic manufacturing workers need not be worried about robots taking jobs from hard working humans. Wes Sherwood, a spokesperson for the esteemed car creator, remarked “We’re not interested in replacing workers.” While the automated measuring systems and final product inspection are only running at 95 percent and 20 percent capacity respectfully, each is expected to reach maximum potential later in the month.

Ford has also activated this technology in two other plants in Michigan and Saarlouis, Germany.

Don Chalmers Ford is proud to serve the Albuquerque, New Mexico area. Carrying a full line of new and used Ford cars, Don Chalmers Ford offers the best selection when it comes to purchasing a vehicle. The knowledgeable service department at Don Chalmers Ford is prepared to assist with repairs and routine maintenance and the Parts Department offers one-stop shopping on a full selection of Ford parts and accessories.

 

Car Cover Wins Over Garage

Most people are faced with the dilemma; car cover or garage. They definitely want to protect their car. They are sensible enough to realise that if they don’t do something about it, all their hard earned money, and favourite car, will go down the drain. Cars that are protected have a longer life expectancy than those that are not. Fact.

So the question remains; get a garage, or a car cover?

Well look at the possibilities. Many people will find that even if they wanted a garage they don’t have where to put it. Property is small and expensive nowadays. If there is space to build, people would prefer to add a room to the house for living, not for the car.

This is aside from the monetary aspect. Garages are expensive to build. There is planning permission to get, architect, builders, and this is only the beginning. The expense is enormous, and there’s the upkeep too.

However, say these aren’t problems, the money and space is there. So what to choose.

Practicalities. In all due respect, there is nothing more practical to protect a car than a car cover. A car cover, due to it being so compact, can be taken around everywhere. This is to say, that wherever the car is, so is its cover. The cover can come along in the trunk of the car, and be able to protect the car anywhere in the world from anything. This is something that garages cannot compete with!

In addition, cars aren’t even always so safe in garages either. In the majority of cases, garages are not spacious places, in fact they’re usually quite tight. This therefore means that often people have to squeeze past the car to get from one end of the garage to the other. In doing so they may inadvertently scratch or dent the car. In addition, a garage does not keep the car dust free like the car cover will. In fact it is usually garages, where people do not frequently clean, that create more dust than ever. Many keep their old junky items, full of dust, in the garage, and therefore keeping the car in there, is simply an invitation for layer upon layer if dust, and even dirt too.

Car covers offer just as much protection as garages from the detriments and dangers of nature. All weather covers are designed to protect the car no matter what the weather. The cover is full waterproof, ensuring that no rain, sleet, snow or any other unwanted liquids will be able to work their way through to the car. Resistance to ultra violet mean that the sun’s harmful rays will not be able to penetrate either. Being that the car is covered, it is also shielded from the other disastrous stains such as tree sap, and birds muck.

All in all, it is the car cover that proves to be the most practical and economical way of protecting the car. Car covers are not expensive and within a year or so, the money will have been made back, saving on the, no longer necessary, car washes.

Synthetic Car Products

So what comes as a synthetic option for car products? A better question might be what doesn’t come as a synthetic? If you want to use the best products that are available to you for your car you should always consider using the synthetic option over the traditional one because of all the benefits it comes with. Between motor oil and other fluids, there are literally hundreds of product options available to you at most stores.

When you go into any automotive parts retailer it’s easy to notice that a lot of fluids, oils, and lubricants have a synthetic alternative available. This is because in most cases that option performs better more consistently than the traditional counterpart. In general the synthetic option might cost slightly more, but it will be well worth it in the long run when you cut maintenance costs on your car an extend the overall life of the vehicle.

Motor oil is a very popular synthetic product made for many different types of cars. There are specific oils that are designed to work well with high mileage cars, diesel engines, high performance automobiles, and every other kind of vehicle that is on the road today. The benefits of synthetic motor oil range from longer life between oil changes, the prevention of engine sludge, and it will allow your engine to perform at optimal levels. When you look at all of the benefits compared to standard motor oil it is a wonder why everyone doesn’t go with synthetic.

The same comparison can be made with any other type of car fluid or lubricant that is made with motor oils. Synthetic products out-perform and last longer than their counterparts. The reason behind this is because synthetic products are chemically engineered and perfected. A standard fluid or lubricant is taken and made better by using newer technology and tests. This type of product isn’t just well hyped but truly does perform better under pressure and over an extended period of time than non-synthetic products.

Taking care of your car in order for it to last longer and to perform how it was intended to should be important. Not too many people get a new car every year which is why you should take care of the car you have now. By having your car regularly maintained as the factory recommends and by using high end synthetic products you can feel confident that your car will always perform the way it should. car shipping
Phoenix Limo Service
Hotels For All Hotels and Bed and Breakfast
car repair Tucson We offer almost all kind of automotive repairs starting from tune ups to brakes to rebuilding engines.
batman stickers We produce a wide diversity of graphic stickers, car vinyl bumper stickers and decals for your vehicle.
You can get auto insurance quotes in Ontario either from individual insurance brokers or from sites that specialise in culling insurance quotes from several companies all in one place. The benefit to such a service is to streamline the process and not be forced to go over the same details several times with different insurance companies. In this way you can be automatically matched with the brokers that most closely represent your needs. The services are personalised, convenient no-hassle and no obligation. It’s a good way to save time and money and make sure you’re getting all the quotes you need to make an informed decision.
Class B Motorhomes Buy your new Motorhomes from Arbogastrvs.com. They have great prices and will ship nationwide.
Tippers for sale Isuzu is Australia’s number one truck company. After many years of research and development, we’re proud to unveil the new generation Isuzu, the next generation of trucks.
breakaway Honda We are a premier South Carolina Honda dealer for sales, car loans, parts and car repair.
Trailer Hitches We have large selection of trailer hitches including trailer wiring kits, ball mounts and trailer hitch ball.
smog check Save up to 50% on your California smog check. Search and compare hundreds of smog test stations in your city. FREE smog inspection coupons at CheapSmogChecks.com.
Toyota Dealers Sydney It strives to maintain a high quality level of service, that is reflected by their list of awards and achievements.
Cataract surgery DenverCall our Denver cataract surgery office if you are considering having Laser eye surgery to correct your vision and free you from glasses and contact lenses. Our experienced Denver cataract eye surgery surgeon offers a free cataract surgery consultation to determine if you are a good candidate for cataract surgery in Colorado.
Used cars Tucson Come and see our huge Chevrolet selection at Watsonchevrolet.com. We also carry used cars.
See some of the worlds most spectacular scenery and book walking holidays USA for an extra special holiday.
Expansion is meant for companies and services that offer programs that are actually needed by the public and video sharing with The Keek website allows you to do all that and more. By keeping track of how your employees are doing or by sending important messages to your beloved ones to let them know exactly how you feel and be able to actually express how your feeling by your face gestures that are on the video they are watching.
RV Parts Here at Rvpartssupplier.com we offer a wide selection of RV parts and RV accessories to choose from.
Use Stowaway2 for better cargo loadingUse Stowaway2 for better cargo loading as it is durable, safe and easy to use. We offer Stowaway2 that you can easily attach with your vehicle and be on your way.