Wheel alignment and wheel balancing are two different things. The wheel balance provides you with a smooth ride. To balance a wheel and tire assembly, the mechanic puts your wheels on a balancing machine. The machine will spin the wheel…
Alignment refers to the angle your tire contact the pavement, and is usually measured in degrees positive or negative. Alignment is surprisingly important, affecting the way your tires wear, the tendency on your car to travel straight, and overall steering…
Tire rotation is one of the easiest auto maintenance tasks to accomplish, and one of the most important. Done properly, it can extend the life of your tires, improve your gas mileage and ensure that your car handles in a…
Many of the cars on the road today have timing belts. They keep the valves and pistons in your car in synch. These belts take the place of a timing chain. The advantage is that they are lighter and more…
Along with oil and oil filters, spark plugs are the face of automotive maintenance, devices that produce an electrical spark to the combustion chamber in order to ignite the air & fuel mixture. Replace these per your manufacturer recommendations, though…
Like the five-day work week and glasses in about an hour, the 3,000-mile oil change is part of the American consciousness. Whether you follow the guideline or not, the number remains the same, decade after decade and car after car.…
If you're like most drivers, you don't think about your brakes until they stop working. But, if you're smart, you'll take good care of your brakes. You'll replace the pads and resurface the rotors as needed. Still, when your mechanic…
The lifespan of a given set of brake pads is dependent on a very wide set of variables ranging from personal driving style to the impersonal laws of physics. Mechanics and manufacturers have a loosely agreed upon mileage range from…
