Auto Repair

The brake system on your Ford Mustang requires periodic inspection and maintenance. Unfortunately, it is not until we notice strange smells, noises or mechanical changes coming from a brake...

CV joints on a vehicle allow flexibility in the drive shaft. The joint itself is like a ball and socket. It's packed with grease, called axle grease, to help with lubrication. The joint is covered...

The Honda Prelude is a dependable, long-lasting sport-compact car with a large following of enthusiasts. The Prelude does not require a great deal of regular maintenance, however eventually the...

Rear wheel cylinders are the hydraulic braking component for drum brakes. Internal pistons on both sides of the cylinder extend outward from inside the cylinder when demand is placed on the...

The Suzuki Swift is a compact car that was manufactured with a hydraulically actuated braking system, which requires routine maintenance. You can easily replace or resurface the friction surfaces...

Modern trucks use a hydraulic caliper to apply a friction surface onto a rotor. This rotor can warp or wear out, usually due to heat stresses, and require replacement. Changing the rotors is a...

Anti-lock brakes systems use a series of sensors, valves and solenoids to alter individual wheel brake pressure. Modulating individual pressure allows the vehicle to stop wheel slippage under...

Motorcycle wheel spokes can rust if they are not well taken care of, or if the spokes are prone to rusting because the finish has been damaged. Rust will eventually destroy a wheel, so it is best...

The Explorer is Ford's midsize SUV. Debuting in 1990 for the 1991 model year, it has been the best-selling SUV in the United States. The 2003 Ford Explorer is part of the vehicle's third...

Easily remove paint and rust from metal with a wire wheel---a collection of wire strands fastened to a base, which then attaches to different types of power tools. A wire wheel attached to a drill...

The key switch for your Ford truck's ignition system is more properly called a lock cylinder and is in the steering column. If you need to replace the switch, you also will replace the old key....

The steering wheel lock plate holds the steering column bearings in place while providing recesses for the steering wheel locking bolt to latch and lock the steering wheel. Introduced in the...

Rounded wheel bolts are special types of bolts that use an inverted hex head. The bolts are usually used on wheel calipers, but they can also be used as locking bolts and nuts on the wheel hub...

There are many kinds of bolts on a vehicle. The wheels themselves use wheel stud bolts, traditional hex bolts and round wheel bolts. The round wheel bolts are actually an inverted type of hex...

Arguably the most important part of any motorcycle is its wheels. Without them, the bike would not move or turn. Keep your motorcycle rolling correctly and safely by straightening your rims regularly.

The Cordia uses a rear drum braking system that requires routine maintenance to operate properly. The adjustment screw on the bottom of the brake assembly often needs attention and is only...

Most people think of their automobile as their lifeline. If this describes you, then following these five basic tips will provide you with a safer and more knowledgeable relationship with your...

The 2001 Chevy Impala came equipped with a standard 3.1L V-6 engine, in a front-wheel drive configuration. The wheel bearings for this car are a hub and bearing assembly driven by the drive axles...

A bad ignition switch will make it difficult for electrical power to reach the starter solenoid on your 1993 Toyota T100, or it will cut power once the engine has started. You can easily fix the...

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

I was looking for instruction on how to change the front brake pads and the rotors on my 12 year old 97 Nissan Sentra GXE. I found some generic instructions and videos. Some of them were not very...

Replacing the ignition switch in the Chevy Blazer is not a task for the mechanically challenged. A quality repair manual specific for your specific year and series Blazer will help illustrate the...

Automobiles manufactured with front disk braking systems use rotors and wheel bearings to stop the vehicle and keep the wheels rotating, respectively. These parts can wear out over time and...

The 2004 Toyota Tacoma was manufactured with a hydraulic braking system, which requires purging of the master cylinder, lines, calipers and wheel cylinders after repairs. This "bleeding" must be...

Most automobiles were manufactured with rear drum brakes during the 20th century, and these braking systems use hydraulically operated shoes to apply friction to the interior of a drum, stopping...

Most vehicles manufactured in the late 20th century came with disc-style front braking systems, which include a caliper, rotor and pads. Any of these parts can wear out and require replacement....

The Renault Clio 2 is a French automobile. The brake system uses a caliper and piston design for maximum clamping force. Over time, the friction material in the brake linings wears down. This is...

The steering gear on a GM vehicle is the gear inside the steering rack that controls steering. When this system fails, a critical failure of the rack occurs. This will leave you without the...

Manufacturers have come a long way in terms of providing at-home mechanics with a way of repairing front-wheel-drive wheel bearings. Today's front-wheel-drive cars, and many rear-wheel-drive cars...

Drum braking systems use a hydraulic wheel cylinder to press twin shoes into the interior of a drum, stopping the vehicle. The rubber seals on both sides of the wheel cylinder can become worn and...

Early Toyota models were manufactured with rear drum brakes, which use a hydraulic wheel cylinder to press twin shoes into the interior friction surface of a round drum, stopping the vehicle. The...

The Nissan Frontier was manufactured with rear drum brakes on some models, which require routine maintenance for optimal performance. The twin shoes that are pushed against the inside of the drum...

Owners of a Toyota 4Runner might panic when the gearshift begins to have problems. Knowing a couple of the things that often go wrong in a 4Runner can help a driver diagnose or even repair the...

Honda automobiles are manufactured with rear disc brakes on some models. This hydraulic caliper, rotor and pad system can wear out and require the replacement of some parts to function correctly....

The Ford Ranger uses a rear drum braking system that stops the truck and provides a stationary parking brake. The shoes can wear out and require replacement. The drums should be replaced after...

The Hyundai Accent is manufactured with a hydraulic braking system that uses calipers, rotors and pads to provide most of the car's stopping power. The pads can wear out, and when that happens,...

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 Ford Mondeo uses a hydraulic caliper braking system that must be maintained to operate properly. The brake pads are a routine maintenance item and are designed to wear out of material and...

The 1984 Chevrolet Camaro was manufactured with a hydraulic braking system that employs front disc brakes. The brake pads are pressed against the rotor with caliper pistons, and they can wear out...

Toyota lower ball joints are bolted to the lower control arm. Once the vehicle passes 90,000 miles, the ball joints should be checked every 30,000 miles. It is an easy procedure. The ball joints...

The rear axle bearing, also called a wheel bearing, is a crucial part of the steering system. The wheel bearing allows the wheel to turn smoothly. The rear axle bearing may need replacing when you...

Wheel bearings support the radial and lateral loads of a vehicle's wheel, as well as the weight of the vehicle and cargo. Grease provides the lubrication to prevent overheating and galling. During...

The Mitsubishi Lancer is manufactured with a hydraulically operated caliper braking system that requires routine pad maintenance. Replacing worn or damaged pads ensures safe braking and can...

The Land Rover Freelander is manufactured with a hydraulic disk braking system that requires routine maintenance to function correctly. The twin braking pads on each caliper will wear down their...

The Chevrolet Aveo is a sub-compact automobile manufactured with a hydraulic master cylinder braking system, with rear drums on some models. The pads and shoes are routine replacement parts;...

The 1967 Chevrolet Camaro uses hydraulic lines to transfer brake fluid from the master cylinder to the calipers and wheel cylinders at each wheel. Over time, the steel lines attached to the...

Wheel bearings used to be a bit complicated to replace, but nowadays things are much easier. On the 1999 through 2006 Chevrolet and GMC trucks, the front bearings are in one assembly. Granted, the...

The air bags in a Ford will need to be removed if you want to remove the steering wheel. The air bag assembly is just behind the center steering wheel cover. To remove the air bag, you'll need a...

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...

The tires on an all wheel drive vehicle will wear somewhat evenly because power is being distributed to all wheels. There are tread depth markers on most tires being sold today to indicate whether...