Archive for: ‘September 2011’

Your Windshield Damage

September 5, 2011 Posted by dyates

 
Considering car maintenance skills and associated automotive information, are such debatable issues, you have probably found contradictory information on many topics, such as the following article on the subject of your windshield damage.

With this car maintenance blog, we aim to offer sensible information on all matters so that you will be able to make your own informed opinion. There are many other articles along the lines of the one below on the subject of cracked windshield repairs, easily found elsewhere on this site.
 

Repair Windshield Cracks

Don’t Compromise Your Car’s Safety Net : Repair Your Windshield Cracks
If asked what part of your car plays the most important role in keeping you safe, would you know the answer? Most people actually do not know the answer to this question, but it is in fact your windshield.

Many people think that windshield cracks are nothing more than an annoyance and that ignoring windshield cracks is not a problem as long as they are not in the driver’s line of vision.

However, any cracks in the windshield can cause it to fail at a time when you need it the most.

Why is a windshield so important?
Windshields actually have three vital roles in automotive safety. The first and the most obvious is to prevent passengers from being ejected from the car in the case of an accident.

The second function of a windshield is to help absorb the impact that is caused by the airbag release. In an accident, airbags are released at a high speed and a crack in a windshield can keep the windshield from properly absorbing the shock.

The third function of a windshield is to provide support for the roof. Studies have concluded that windshields actually provide 70 percent of a car’s structural support. A crack may cause it to crumble during a rollover rather than maintain support.

How can windshields crack?
The main cause of windshield cracks are from small pieces of flying debris. This can occur if you are tailgating another car or if you are driving behind a dump truck or construction truck.

You should avoid parking on the side of the road; there are less flying rocks and sand in parking lots. Also, metal ice scrapers can cause windshield chips and cracks; use plastic ones instead.

Why should I fix windshield cracks?
Aside from the fact that a crack in a windshield can comprise the safety of your vehicle, fixing a crack is much easier and cheaper than replacing an entire windshield.

A crack can very easily expand and become unfixable, especially in the winter when the continuous drastic temperature changes of the windshield can cause a crack to expand. Once a crack is in the driver’s line of vision, the law requires the entire windshield to be replaced. This costs about $500.

It’s crazy to allow that to happen when you can fix the crack for much cheaper. Cracks are so easy to fix that you can even fix them yourself. About 1 in 100 cars receive a repairable windshield crack each day.

If you happen to own one of these cars, be sure to get it fixed. It will help save you money as well as your safety! http://glass-staramerica.com

*

31pi3%2BtAKjL. SL500 AA160 Your Windshield Damage

*

windshield+wipers Your Windshield DamageAutomotive Windshield Accessories Store

*

Be Sociable, Share!
  • more Your Windshield Damage
 
Even if this article on the subject of repair windshield cracks, has served as no more than an introduction to the topic of car maintenance and associated automotive information in general, it is certainly a good place to start.

If you feel this article on the subject of repairing windshield cracks has helped you with your research, please share the knowledge with others, using the buttons provided. Thank you.

 

Read full article |Leave a comment
Tags: No tags
Categories: Car Safety, Car Troubleshooting

Your Cars Suspension System

September 2, 2011 Posted by dyates

 
Are you finding information on the subject of your car's suspension system confusing? Perhaps you are finding much of the information out there is somewhat contradictory, or everyone is an expert? If so, you are not the only one. That's the reason why we developed our car maintenance blog.

Have a look at the article below on the subject of replacing your shock absorbers. It presents the facts in an easily understandable language, rather than a lot of nonsense. If this helps to make things clearer for you, please let your friends know about our website using the buttons below, as they may find it useful also.
 

Replacing Your Shock Absorbers

You Can Examine Your Shock Absorbers
Bouncing down the road one day it occurs to you that things are just not what they should be. The road you are riding on is as smooth as glass, yet your car is jostling up and down like nobody’s business.

You enter an upcoming curve in the road and quickly learn that the control you had over your car was lost just moments before. Suddenly, the vehicle careens off the road, goes down through a ditch and up an embankment before coming to rest against a fence adjacent to Tony’s garage.

You are in luck: you aren’t dead and your car is at Tony’s, who happens to be your favorite mechanic.

Yes this story is ridiculous, exceedingly so.

All joking aside, your shock absorbers [or struts in the case of some cars] play a vital part in your vehicle’s suspension system. When certain signs of wear and tear become apparent, you must replace your shocks or otherwise you can put yourself in danger and/or damage your car.

A shock absorber works by damping the compression and extension of the vehicle’s suspension springs to prevent ongoing movement. Shocks work to diminish road impact, prevent excessive bounce back, reduce sway, and improve general road handling.

When your shocks are functioning properly your vehicle grips to the road whether you are braking, negotiating a curve in the road, driving on uneven roads, or experiencing powerful side winds. When worn out, shocks can play a part in you losing control of your car putting you and everyone else in harm’s way.

How often should you replace your shocks? One manufacturer suggests no less than once every 50,000 miles, but that depends on whether you frequently drive on coarse roads [in this case it will need to occur sooner] or it could even be much later if you do mostly local driving, the roads are well maintained, etc.

There is a simple test you can perform on your car to establish whether your shocks need replacing. It isn’t absolute, therefore you may want to take your vehicle to a garage to make certain:

  • Take hold of a corner of your vehicle’s bumper.
  • Press down on the bumper with all of your strength and then let go.
  • Your shocks are probably okay if the bumper drops down and returns in place without rebounding again. Slight movement is okay, but if it continually moves, then that particular shock is no longer effective.
  • Duplicate the test on the remaining three corners of your vehicle.
  • Other telltale signs of shock wear can be observed through leakage [although a leak is not always indicative of wear] and by observing tire wear patterns.

Finally, if you are simply experiencing motion sickness every time you go for a ride, then that can be the best indicator that your shocks or struts need replacing. No kidding here!

*

suspension pic Your Cars Suspension SystemAutomotive Automotive Suspension Store

*

suspension pic Your Cars Suspension SystemAutomotive Suspension Book Store

*

Be Sociable, Share!
  • more Your Cars Suspension System
 
Did you find the article on the subject of suspension system repairs useful? It's an interesting topic and as you learn more about it, so your understanding will be greater, and so too will your confidence in sharing the knowledge with others, which you can easily do using the buttons provided above.

Please feel free to leave your comments in the box provided. Thanks for reading this article on the subject of your vehicle's suspension system and please, do come back again.

 

Read full article |Leave a comment
Tags: No tags
Categories: Suspension

The Solar Battery Trickle Charger

September 1, 2011 Posted by dyates

 
Are you finding it confusing, with all the contradictory information about car maintenance and associated automotive issues, with everyone being an expert? With easy to understand articles like the one below on the subject of the solar battery trickle charger, we hope to give you a relaxed view, so that you can form your own opinion.

This car maintenance blog, includes many related topics and plenty of articles, like this one on the subject of using solar battery chargers, so that you may indeed form a considered opinion of your own on issues dealing with car maintenance and associated automotive issues.
 

Using Solar Battery Chargers

One of the really frustrating experiences in life, is going to your automobile only to find that the battery is flat. For many of us, this will happen when the car is parked for extended periods of time. On top of that, there are other occasions when your car battery may have died on you.

A particular example might be that you left the interior lights on in the car overnight. Or perhaps you left your car doors ajar, possibly you left the the radio on. No matter what the reason, you should get a solar trickle charger.

The great thing about these units, is that anyone can simply plug it in to your cigarette lighter and leave it there all the time. It has an overload failsafe feature so that you won’t inadvertently over charge your batteries.

Consequently, you can have the unit set-up to be permanently activated. These units generally include alligator clips, letting you hook it up directly to the battery, which is a good option when you have other devices that also need to use the cigarette lighter.

Solar battery trickle chargers can be utilized in other instances besides your automobile. This is a great option for fisher-folk and fishing boats as it is weather proof. There is nothing more terrifying than getting caught in the middle of a body of water with a dead trolling motor and no means to recharge it.

By having one of these units you will not have to bother with that, as it will continuously keep charging your battery for your entire fishing trip.You can also use solar trickle chargers during the winter months, so that your batteries are always charged up and ready to go. Over the winter months, many people remove the batteries from their motorboats, ATVs and other vehicles they may not be using.

With a solar trickle charger you won’t have to worry about the batteries going dead, as you can simply put the unit in a window and use the alligator clips to keep your battery charged all winter long, without wasting mains electricity.

This could be one of the finest inventions in a long time. The only drawback is that some models are made from plastic, therefore not as durable as may be necessary for outdoor pursuits. But if you are only planning to put one in your car then it should be a foregone conclusion to get one.

*

Solar Battery Trickle Charger

*

Be Sociable, Share!
  • more The Solar Battery Trickle Charger
 
Did you find the article on the subject of solar car battery charger useful? It's an interesting topic and as you learn more about it, so your understanding will be greater, and so too will your confidence in sharing the knowledge with others, which you can easily do using the buttons provided above.

Please feel free to leave your comments in the box provided. Thanks for reading this article on the subject of get a solar trickle charger and please, do come back again.

 

Read full article |Leave a comment
Tags: No tags
Categories: Mechanically