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Every year, more than 36 million heart shaped boxes of chocolates are sold across the country.
Sorry men, it looks like you’ll be spending twice as much as women this year on gifts. The average man spends $130 on Valentine’s Day, while women spend about $70.
Don’t forget about your pets! Every year, around 9 million people buy their pets a Valentine’s Day gift.
February 14th is the second largest card giving day of the year, just after Christmas. This year, it’s expected that 1 billion cards will be exchanged around the world.
Teachers receive the most Valentine’s Day cards, followed by kids, mothers, wives and girlfriends.
Hallmark was one of the first to mass produce a Valentine’s Day card, all the way back in 1913.
More than one-third of men are comfortable not receiving anything from a lover on Valentine’s Day.
Source: 1800flowers.com
Rotary 2-Post Lift Daily Inspection Video
Winter Car Care Tips #5
TPMS Customer Education
The expected lifespan of tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) sensors is between 7 and 10 years, meaning many vehicles coming into your shop are already in need or going to be in need of replacement sensors. Use this opportunity to educate your customers on the importance of the TPMS sensors – safety, vehicle awareness and peace of mind.
Since 2008, the U.S. government has mandated that all cars have tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) sensors under the Transportation Recall Enhancement, Accountability and Documentation (or TREAD) Act. TPMS systems ensure tire pressure is monitored and communicated to the driver to help increase vehicle safety. Sensors must be reprogrammed every time a tire is replaced or moved to a different position on the vehicle.
When you replace or recalibrate the sensors, some vehicles have dog-and-pony steps to walk through: Turn the ignition on, then off, then on and depress the brake pedal 3 times. Then let air out of each tire until the horn sounds. They work, but they’re often time-consuming and different for every vehicle, requiring you to read a service manual or look up the procedures online.
To save time, think of investing in a standalone or paired TPMS tool that can reset and relearn the sensors quickly.
Tire failures cause approximately 11,000 crashes a year in the United States, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). If your customers are riding on worn or under inflated tires they can experience reduced braking effectiveness and increase the likelihood and severity of an accident.
So educate your customers on proper tire maintenance and the importance of not ignoring in-dash warning lights. Keeping their safety top of mind and getting their car fixed faster will only continue to strengthen your relationship as well as ensuring the safety of others on the road.
As auto manufacturers continue to
work toward meeting more stringent fuel requirements mandated by the
government, your customer’s batteries are paying part of the price. OEM’s are
taking every possible load they can off the engine in order to maximize fuel economy.
Unlike two to five years ago, alternators are no longer continually charging
batteries like they used to. Today’s ECM’s monitor the battery and only use the
alternator to charge when needed, allowing the battery to drain and then
recharge — adding strain. Another piece of technology that is placing
additional stress on vehicle batteries these days are the start/stop systems
found in a growing number of vehicles.
Due to the battery workload
realities, it is more important than ever for shops and technicians to check
and inform their customers on battery health.
A recent examination of one shop
found that 30% of the batteries that came through its service bays were not
performing optimally. Proper battery testing is a powerful tool that can help
you generate shop revenue while driving customer satisfaction, retention and
conversion.
Source: otctools.com
Winter Car Care Tips #4
See You at NADA?
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Winter Car Care Tips #3
Dial in the Proper Temperature for Your Job!
223-8977-20 Heat Gun 100° to 1,040°F
Dial Control Variable Temperature From 100°F to 1,040°F.
A puller can speed up most jobs
significantly and save you a ton of time during vehicle service. Because of the
extreme force exerted, manually up to 20 tons, it’s important to use the puller
safely to avoid vehicle damage or injury.
When you’re using an OTC puller,
always follow the below steps and you’ll quickly be removing vehicle components
and getting your customers back on their way.
Mount the puller tightly to the
vehicle. If it’s a jaw-type puller, tighten the adjusting strap bolts and
square the puller legs and jaws. Where possible, use a 3-jaw puller.
Make sure you have the right size
puller. If you’re applying maximum force and nothing is moving, use a larger
capacity puller.
Expect a gradual, controlled pull.
Do not use an impact wrench on the forcing screw unless the puller is
specifically designed for it.
Only use legs designed for the
puller for maximum force. Swapping legs from one puller to the other reduces
its effectiveness and can potentially damage the tools. Also use the shortest
legs possible when selecting a puller. This will help deliver the force where
it’s needed.
Install threaded puller legs evenly
to avoid putting too much stress on one side of a component. If you’re pulling
cockeyed, parts can be broken.
If using sliding plates, they must
be on the opposite side of the cross block from the forcing screw nut or
hydraulic cylinder.
Pulling attachments may not
withstand the full force of your puller. Because of this, we recommend using
the largest attachments that fit the component. This will help prevent vehicle
damage and breakage of your puller.
As with any tool, proper maintenance
and care can help them last a lifetime and more. Keep your pullers clean,
lubricate the forcing screw and inspect your tool for dents, cracks or
excessive wear.
Written By Dirk Skogerboe
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Happy Holidays!
Winter Solstice
December 21st is the Winter Solstice, marking the longest night and fewest hours of daylight of the year. It is the moment at which the Northern Hemisphere is tilted farthest from the sun.
It also marks the point on the calendar when days will start getting longer as we start moving towards the Summer Solstice; a day for those of us that prefer warm weather.
