understanding your break system

To help prevent brake problems or failures, the following regular inspections and maintenance should be performed on your brake system.
1. Check the fluid levels.
2. Check the line for rust or punctures. You may be able to do this, but consult a qualified technician if necessary.
3. Check the brake hoses for brittleness or cracking. This check should be done by a qualified technician.
4. Check the brake linings and pads for wear, brake fluid or grease. This check should be done by a qualified technician.
5. Check the wheel bearings and grease seals. This check should be done by a qualified technician.
6. Adjust the parking brake as required. This adjustment should be done by a qualified technician.

Some signals that may indicate a problem with your brake system are:
1. Squeals -- caused by excessive heating of brake pads or linings.
2. Rubbing -- caused by the metal brake rotor rubbing against the metal component of the brake pad. This sound means that the brake pad is completely worn away.
3. A soft brake pedal indicating that there may be a brake fluid leak or air in the lines.
4. Brake pull indicating worn linings, stuck pistons in the calipers or wheel cylinders, or saturated linings (caused by grease or brake fluid).

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Tips For Buying Used Auto Parts

Automobile manufacturing is one of the largest industries in the manufacturing sector. Hence it generates a large amount of waste products. The auto salvage industry thrives on salvaging useful components from irreparable cars. Up to 70 % of the auto parts of an irreparable car can be salvaged, such as body panels or bumpers, wheels, front or rear ends, motors, transmissions, electronics, among others.

Advantages used auto parts are a great way to save money for maintenance and repair of your car. Used auto parts are fairly cheap and may cost anywhere between 20 to 80% of the cost of a new auto part. Used auto parts are environmentally friendly, as not using them would add to the junk in junkyards or consume scarce landfill space. Furthermore, manufacturing new components would also consume too much resource. Availability Used auto parts are available online or from local stores. . Most towns and cities have used auto part stores. Used auto parts can be purchased on online auto parts stores by credit cards, and the parts are delivered or shipped within 3 to 6 days. While purchasing online beware that the image shown on the site may not match with the actual part.

Identification The car part can be easily matched with your car by having your car's vehicle identification number (VIN). This number provides the seller with lot of useful information, such as the make and year of manufacture, engines, transmission etc. If there is any confusion the used auto stores sales person are in a better position to help you. Warranty Ask the seller to provide warranty. It is prudent to read the terms and conditions of the warranty. Age It is necessary to find out the mileage on the auto part. Also confirm whether the part is being sold as used, repaired or re-manufactured. Duplicate Auto parts can be duplicated easily and these are generally not safe and reliable. Usually it is easy to identify a duplicate part by visual inspection. If the part differs in look from a new part, has a mismatched logo, or typo or anything out of the ordinary then it can be assumed with high certainty that it is counterfeit.

Paint Usually there is a mismatch between the used auto part color and your car body. Consulting your body shop
is necessary before purchasing the part. Maintenance and keeping your car road worthy is becoming costlier by the day. Used auto parts can reduce the maintenance cost to a great extent. However some caution should be exercised before buying used auto parts. The Automotix team combines extensive experience in the automotive arena as well as online technologies, allowing sellers and buyers to procure cars, trucks and auto parts.

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Automotive Tips with Vinegar

Keep car windows frost-free overnight in winter by coating them with a solution of 3 parts white distilled vinegar to 1 part water.

polish car chrome with full-strength white distilled vinegar on a soft cloth.

Remove unwanted decals and bumper stickers by covering them with a cloth soaked in white distilled vinegar, or by repeatedly
spraying them with full-strength white distilled vinegar. They should peel off in a couple of hours.

Rid the windshield wipers of road grime by wiping them with a white distilled vinegar-soaked cloth.

Remove the leftover odor after a rider has been carsick by leaving a bowl of white distilled vinegar overnight on the floor.

Get rid of hard water stains on your car with a rinse made from 3 parts soft water to one part white distilled vinegar.

Wipe vinyl upholstery with a mixture of equal parts white distilled vinegar and water.

Remove winter road salt residue on car carpeting by spraying with a mixture of equal parts white distilled vinegar and water, then blot with a soft towel.

Remove the hazy film that builds up on inside windows by spraying with white distilled vinegar.

Remove dirt and stains from car carpeting with a mixture of half white distilled vinegar and half water.

When doing car maintenance, soak rusty bolts and screws with white distilled vinegar to make them easier to remove.

Loosen chewing gum stuck to carpeting or upholstery by soaking it in white distilled vinegar.

Create an all-purpose window cleaner with a few ounces of white distilled vinegar in a quart of water.

Give leather upholstery an extra shine by cleaning it with hot white distilled vinegar and rinsing with soapy water.

Make your car extra shiny by adding a few drops of white distilled vinegar to your bucket of water.

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Getting Your Car Ready for Winter Driving

Preparing your car or automobile for winter driving will decrease the chances of costly problems and aggravation you may experience. Depending on the location where you live, winter driving can be very pleasant or a real challenge, and steps should be considered to be prepared accordingly
to any climate change. Older cars or cars with high mileage should get more attention, in preparation for winter driving. National Car Care Council showed that more than seventy percent of motorists do not winterize their cars, in preparation of colder months. This can result in cooling systems failure, in engine roadside breakdowns.

Outlined are precautionary steps should be considered:

Test the car horn, make sure working loud and clear.

Check shocks and struts, if they need to be replaced, by pushing down on the hood, and observing if the car bounces more then normal.

Check for damaged, cracks or loose rubber hoses, and drive belts because that can make a car inoperable in very cold weather.

Check filters and fluids thoroughly for maximum efficiency. Make sure nothing is obstructing the filters, including any leaves or dirt.

Check the pH concentration of the cooling system: Mixer should have fifty percent good quality antifreeze and fifty percent water. Climates where the temperature could fall below twenty degrees then increase the antifreeze to seventy percent, and thirty percent water.

Change Antifreeze every two years or 30,000 miles, whichever comes first. Not changing antifreeze can cause contaminants like rust, sediment or oil to change colors that causes chemical breakdown over time, which can renders antifreeze ineffective.

Have the car battery and charging system tested, especially if the battery is within one year of expired warranty. A car battery will loose about 30 percent of power in freeze temperatures, and 60 percent at zero degree temperature. Make sure the battery has no corrosion, clean cables, and no problems starting a car. Clean the top of the battery with a solution of baking soda and water.

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10 things of taking good care of your car.

According to recent studies, 5 percent of all motor vehicle fatalities are clearly caused by automobile maintenance neglect. The following simple and
inexpensive preventive checks will greatly extend the life of the vehicle, ensure safer operation and even benefit the environment.
1. Always consult your owner’s manual, but a good rule of thumb is to have the oil filter changed regularly, every 3,000 to 4,000 miles.
2. Have all fluids checked, including brake, power steering, transmission/transaxle, windshield washer solvent and antifreeze. These fluids play a large role in the safety and performance of the vehicle.
3. Check tire inflation. Under-inflated tires can result in a loss of fuel efficiency. This is the least expensive form of preventive and safety maintenance. Tires should be checked once a month.
4. Keep your engine tuned. A fouled spark plug or plugged/restricted fuel injector can reduce fuel efficiency as much as 30 percent.
5. Have the chassis lubricated frequently. This step extends the life of the moving components of the vehicle's suspension system.
6. Check battery cables and posts for corrosion and clean them as needed. The battery fluid should also be checked and filled if it is low, except in the case of maintenance-free batteries.
7. Have the lighting system checked frequently, including headlights, turn signals, and brake and tail lights.
8. Check windshield washer blades for cracks, tears and windshield contact. Replace them approximately once a year or sooner if streaking begins.
9. Inspect engine belts regularly. Worn belts will affect the engine performance. Look for cracks and missing sections or segments.
10. Have the air filtration system checked frequently. The air filter should be checked approximately every other oil change for clogging or damage. This system ensures that the vehicle is performing at its peak condition.

Always consult the vehicle owner's manual for individual service schedules as manufacturer maintenance requirements vary greatly. by doing those steps, you show your self that you really care of your own vehicle.

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Motorbikes - Which is the Best One for You

Those wishing to purchase a motorbike need not go far to find one. Motorbikes are so popular that there are
agents and dealers all over the place. Motorbikes are not only popular with the younger age group either. Many people over the age of 40 purchase their first motorbike and have great fun riding it. So what kind of motorbike should you buy? Always take into account what you want your motorbike for and how much experience you've had before you purchase one. If you've never ridden motorbikes before, you won't want to buy a super speedster type; it would be too much for you to handle. Firstly buy a good motorbike suitable for a learner and hone your riding skills on that. Once you are proficient and experienced then you can trade it in on something bigger and faster. The main criterion for buying your first motorbike is simple. Your feet must be able to touch the ground on both sides when seated and you should be able to hold it up. A motorbike that is too heavy for you is dangerous - not to mention inconvenient. Motorbikes are fun to ride and if you join a club you will have the added benefit of social outings with likeminded friends. But first you will need to get your license. You will need to book in for professional training and testing. And remember that the type of motorbikes that novices can ride is restricted, so you'll need to find out just what you can ride before deciding what to buy.

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How to Keep Your Bike Safe From Thieves

It's alarming to note that around one hundred and fifty thousand road bikes are stolen every year in the
UK alone. Considering that you have invested a lot of money on your bike and that you love it you certainly will not like this to be happening to your bike. Here are a few simple tips that you can follow to keep your bicycle from getting stolen.

1.) Invest in a good lock

Sadly the fact remains that no bicycle lock is totally fool proof. But the good news is that higher quality locks are definitely harder to break. Considering this, make sure you get a high quality lock for your bicycle. The types of locks in the market range from D or U locks, to cable locks to locking nuts and many others. As a rule of the thumb spend around 15% to 20% of your bike's cost on locks. You can also consider using a combination of different locks together for better security.

2.) Never leave your bike in a secluded area

As far as possible, leave your bike in a public area and not a secluded place where no one can see a thief trying to steal it. Even if it means you will have to walk a bit more to reach your destination, try and find a place with lots of people

3.) Lock your bike to something solid

Make sure that your bicycle is secured to an immovable object. Cycle anchors or railings are the best. Sometimes things that look solid are actually not, so double check to ensure that the anchor is strong enough and not brittle.

4.) Lock your bike to a post that is long enough

If you lock your bike to a post that is less than 4m in height, thieves will not have any difficulty simply lifting the bike off the top. So always ensure that the post you lock your bike to has sufficient height.

5.) Lock it tight

No matter what lock you are using to secure your bike, make it a point to lock it tight. Leave no space between the bike and the object it is locked to. This will make it all the more difficult for the thief to lever the lock open. Another important point that you got to keep in mind is to invert the keyhole so it is pointing down. This will ensure that the thief is not able to pour it with corrosive fluid and break it open.

6.) Take care of removable accessories

If possible always remove accessories like lights. Make sure that your bike seat is fixed to your bike with locking nuts.

7.) Register your bike

Registering your bike is a great way to ensure that the police are able to trace and identify your bike in-case it gets stolen. There are many websites run by the police where you can get your bike registered. All you need to do is take a picture of your bike and note down details like your bike's model, color and frame number.

So follow these simple tips and keep your bike safe! Happy biking!

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