Do It Yourself Auto Repair

A bearing protector (sometimes referred to as a bearing cap) is a small metal cap that fits into the center of your trailer's wheels. The bearing protector helps keep dirt and moisture out of your...

Ford ball joints hold the suspension together. Without ball joints, a Ford suspension would travel side to side to such a degree that the tie rod and steering knuckle would separate from the...

Ford has made a litany of transmissions over its long history, some more durable than others. No matter which type of transmission the vehicle is equipped with, there comes a point where the...

Chevrolet has produced the Corvette sports car model from 1953 to present. Many of these models have an independent rear suspension that utilizes half-shafts to transmit the rotational power from...

Control arms provide stability and handling while you drive. A series of rubber polycarbonate bushings on your Chevy help dampen road vibration and establish control over metal-to-metal friction...

In this hard economy that we’ll facing today many people are do it yourselfers. One of our biggest expenses is auto repairs. What can we do if our cars need simple repairs or maintenance? How can...

A Ford Probe transmission mount holds the transmission in place and works with the engine mounts to minimize vibration caused by normal engine and transmission operation. The transmission mounts...

Is your Ford Escort not starting, or are you struggling to keep it running? A failing fuel pump could be the culprit. The electric fuel pumps on fuel-injected cars provide constant power to the...

The axle on a Dodge Grand Caravan transfers power to the wheels from the transmission. The axle's only weak point is the CV joints on either side of the shaft. These joints provide flexibility in...

Jack stands are a must for anyone performing safe auto maintenance at home. They are able to support the weight of a vehicle, which allows work to be performed underneath it. They are typically...

You have a flat and there is no one to help you. You will have to do it yourself. It is not that hard but be careful.

Ford Ranger wheel bearings are angled, lubricated parts to the hub and wheel assembly. These bearings can dry out, losing their grease and failing due to heat and stress. When they lose grease...

Dodge Ram trucks use wheel bearings inside rotor housing to allow the wheels to spin freely. These wheel bearings can fail because of a loss of lubricant or heat damage, and will require complete...

The rear bumper assembly of your Toyota Corolla is made of polyurethane. While this material is lighter than sheet metal, it is also more prone to unsightly cracking and chipping. If you must...

Spanish automaker SEAT produces the Ibiza, which is classified as a "supermini" automobile. While nimble, the Ibiza is not immune to wear and tear. Especially problematic are the front and rear...

The back wheel bearings on your vehicle help take the stress and load off the axles and CV joints. The bearings are actual ball bearings that run around the inside of the bearing and hub assembly....

A wheel bearing hub assembly refers to a sealed unit, as opposed to a regular wheel bearing assembly, which is typically mounted inside a wheel hub. The sealed unit makes it very easy to change,...

Coil-over shock absorbers use a normal shock body with an attached coil spring to increase the towing or loading capacity of a truck. The shocks are usually placed in the rear, where the loads can...

The control arms keep the drive axle centered underneath a vehicle as the suspension fluctuates up and down. Control arms utilize two bushings, one on each end, and attach to the vehicle's...

Chevrolet trucks use torsion bar springs for the front of most four-wheel-drive models. The compact nature of torsion bars allows room for the front differential and CV axles. One advantage of...

Shock absorbers dampen the suspension of most automobiles, and when they wear out they require replacement. Fitting a shock to a car is a simple process once you have removed the old shock. Just...

If you must replace your clutch, replace your transmission or have it rebuilt, you will have to remove the transmission. Removing the transmission on a Subaru is straightforward and similar to the...

The tires on cars and trucks are held on with lug nuts. These attach to lug bolts, which are the studs the wheel is mounted on. The most common number of lug bolts per wheel on cars is four or...

Changing a flat tire should be the next thing that you should learn after learning how to drive. If you are in the middle of a highway driving alone and one of your tires suddenly becomes...

A worn ball joint on a Camaro causes a knocking noise over rough surfaces when beginning to loosen in its pocket. A severely worn ball joint is dangerous inasmuch as it will come out of its pocket...

The sole purpose of an oil pan is to store the oil used by the engine. Oil pans are one-piece designs, which makes them fairly durable. However, they can sometimes crack. Oftentimes the crack can...

If a door is becoming difficult to close because it is not lining up perfectly with the door striker, the door bushings are probably worn. To test the door hinge bushings, lift up on the door at...

Monroe shocks use a gas-pressurized cylinder to cushion hard jolts and keep the vehicle stable on the highway. These shocks can wear out or leak, lowering efficiency or failing completely. The...

If your Thunderbird fuel filter is clogged, your engine will likely sputter and have reduced power. The fuel filter keeps harmful objects and contaminants from entering your engine; unfortunately,...

The alternator in your car provides power to the accessories in the vehicle such as the radio, headlights and ignition coils. It does this by creating current from the turning engine belt. Without...

The timing belt on your Hyundai Tiburon is an item that you need to maintain and replace routinely, since usage and varying weather conditions will cause the belt to eventually wear out and break....

If you need to replace your clutch, you will have to remove your transmission. Removing your Subaru transmission is straightforward and similar to removing most transmissions with some key...

Replacing the motor in a 1969 VW might sound difficult or intimidating, but it's really a fairly simple process. A VW air-cooled motor simply hangs from the bell housing by four bolts, so aside...

Manual transmissions use a clutch to engage and disengage the power from the engine to the transmission. This is necessary so that when you are at a complete stop, you can rest at idle without the...

The lug nuts on a semi truck are just like the lug nuts on a car or standard-size pickup--only they're much larger. You'll need an impact wrench capable of removing these lug nuts. You also need a...

Replacing the fuel tank on your Ford Ranger may seem like a daunting task. And it could be if you do not know the correct steps. Getting rid of the fuel system pressure is your first task to avoid...

Anyone that plans on handling some of their own car maintenance or repair will eventually need to use a hydraulic car jack. The fact that these tools will be lifting and holding thousands of...

Automotive fuel tanks suffer brute force attacks by flying rocks, weather-related deterioration and punctures by sharp road debris, and, in some cases, must be removed from the vehicle for repair...

Chevrolet Blazers use submerged fuel pumps that are mounted to the top of the fuel tank, making them a challenge to replace when they fail. Complete disconnection and removal of the fuel tank is...

A wide-band oxygen sensor works just like a narrow-band O2 sensor, except that it is used for high-performance tuning applications. The sensor measures a broader range of air-flow specifications...

There can be different reasons why you might need to remove the fuel tank from your Ford Taurus vehicle. Even if you don't need to replace the tank, you might need to clean it out every year or...

The fuel tank on your Ford Ranger may develop problems that make it necessary to remove or replace it. Some tank leaks, holes or contamination issues can only be fixed with the tank off the...

Be prepared for a tire emergency by following these steps for changing a flat.

The BMW 635CSi was manufactured with rear shock absorbers that provide high-speed stability and ride dampening. These shocks can wear out and require replacement, which will take the average...

Recreational vehicles and motor homes use shock absorbers to cushion jolts and stabilize highway driving. These shocks can wear out, causing a rough ride and high-speed weaving. The average...

Any time the brake system is opened, removal of unwanted air is required to ensure proper brake function. This is known as bleeding brakes. Once you understand how to do this other things like...

The diameter of the sway bar on a Jeep Grand Cherokee determines the under- or over-steer on this vehicle, taking wheelbase, height and weight into consideration. When the sway bar is removed,...

Changing the front axle on a 1995 Honda Accord is only necessary when the CV joint begins to grind or the shaft itself shears in half. Normally, the joint fails long before the shaft does. Since...

The transmission mount on a Ford Ranger is a steel and rubber component that bolts between the transmission tailhousing and the transmission crossmember on the truck's frame. The transmission...

Many rear wheel bearings use a sealed bearing unit. This eliminates the need to press out bearings from a wheel hub to install new wheel bearings. Because there are no tie rods or other steering...