October 16, 2015 / como / 0 Comments
Consumers looking for a high-quality windshield replacement should understand the major differences between the various types of auto glass available to them. Common options include original equipment manufacturer (OEM) distributor glass, dealer glass, and aftermarket glass. Which is the best for your windshield replacement?
If you purchase a replacement from a manufacturer-authorized dealer, you will get the same brand as your original windshield. But if you purchase your window from an auto glass shop, you will get it from a reliable OEM distributor who manufactures windows to the same exact specifications. These windows are the same shape, size, thickness, durability and color as original specifications. They are practically identical to the dealer versions and are also DOT-certified, meaning they are approved by the Department of Transportation.
Since this windshield was not manufactured by the original company, it is not exactly the same as what the dealer had on the car when it was manufactured, but it is comparable. The similarity is enough that if you were to return a leased automobile with an OEM replacement, the dealer would accept it.
Glass that you buy from a manufacturer-authorized car dealership is sourced from the exact same distributor that originally created your window. In this case, it will oftentimes have the car’s make stamped directly on it. If you absolutely must have the brand logo on your replacement window, you will have to go to a dealer to get it.
It is very common for automobile companies to change the supplier that they purchase their windshields from. It is a highly competitive business, so as contracts expire, the work may go out to bid. The bidding process is very competitive since these contracts are lucrative. This can result in a different company producing windshields from year to year for the same auto manufacturer.
Aftermarket glass is manufactured by businesses that don’t contract with any automobile manufacturers in particular. Because of copyright and licensing laws, these businesses are not allowed to produce windows for vehicles to the same specifications as OEM distributors. While aftermarket windshields are considerably less expensive than dealer or OEM products, having them installed can sometimes cause issues for the car owner, as some aftermarket products do not meet manufacturer and/or dealer requirements.
In addition, aftermarket glass is typically a different thickness than its counterparts. The vast majority of dealers will not allow you to bring back a leased automobile that has undergone aftermarket windshield replacement because the quality varies so much from the initial design; they don’t go through the same processes or meet the same requirements that OEM products do.
Of course, not all windshield damage requires a full replacement; any reputable automotive repair shop that handles glass repair or replacement can tell you if chips or cracks can be repaired. If a replacement is needed, consumers have a variety of windshield companies available to them, each offering services ranging from mobile installations to repair. In order to avoid leaks, outside noise or other potential problems that come with aftermarket products, be sure your window is being replaced only with OEM- or dealer-quality glass.
October 15, 2015 / como / 0 Comments
When purchasing a surface mounted two-post automotive lift, it is important to decide what type of lift you will need to best suit the vehicles you want to pick up. An automotive lift is a tool and just as you know that a pneumatic wrench is better than a monkey wrench for changing tires, it is important for you to determine which type of lift is best suited for each type of vehicle.
Symmetrical Vehicle Lifts
Approximately 30 years ago, when cars were built out of steel, men were strong and women wore skirts…..The symmetrical lift was designed as an alternative to the hydraulic inground lift. The lift wasn’t known as “symmetrical” right off the bat; it was called a surface lift because it bolted to the concrete floor, rather than being installed through the floor. At the time of its inception, the surface lift was being designed (often times poorly) to pick up rear wheel drive vehicles that had a pretty good front to rear balance. The cars were big and heavy and mechanics relatively skinny and strong.
In order to balance these behemoths six feet up in the air, the columns were placed across from each other and the arms were all of equal length. Some lifts were connected from side-to-side overhead; a base plate connected others down below. One thing was certain about these lifts; if you were a mechanic with a beer belly trying to get out of the car after it had been driven into place, you were going to have a tough time. Since the lift was balancing the vehicle between front and back, the column needed to be located somewhat close to the center of the vehicle. What else is in the center of the vehicle? We all know the answer to that! The doors! What happens when doors meet columns? Door dings!
It took the lift manufacturers a while to figure it out, but eventually they did. Currently, very few lifts are sold as “symmetrical” lifts. The ones that are sold are usually being sold for a particular purpose, such as working on vans or trucks. (Vans and trucks have the door in front of the centerline of the vehicle, so a column really doesn’t get in the way.) Some customers will purchase a symmetrical lift because they want a “drive thru” capability, and sure enough, the symmetrical lift usually gives a few more inches in that regard.
Sure Fire Ways to Tell a Symmetrical Lift:
The columns face each other.
Front arm length is the same as rear arm length.
The lift states “symmetrical”.
You have a difficult time getting out of the car when you drive in.
You don’t have a difficult time getting out of the truck when you drive in.
You have an account with a body shop to repair door dings.
Asymmetric Vehicle Lifts
Sometimes Europeans are smarter than Americans. I don’t like to admit it, but it’s true. It turns out, some guy named Gnter was using his symmetrical lift (not a Rotary Lift, mind you), when he realized that those last two lagers had pushed his belly past the point of no return. That’s right, he was stuck in the car and couldn’t get out. Since he had some time to sit and think, he did what most mechanics do with their free time; he tried to design a better lift so that he wouldn’t have to lose his bought and paid for beer belly.
What Gunter came up with seemed to be a pretty good design. By making the rear arms of the lift longer than the front arms, the vehicle would theoretically sit far enough back to allow him to open the doors. Not only that, since most of the cars being manufactured in Gunter’s day were front wheel drive, the balance of the vehicle on the car lift would be better. (Gunter had never forgotten the time that he had pulled the engine out of a car, only to have the car flip backwards off the lift due to the newly created weight distribution imbalance). It would also help to reduce the number of times he had to have a customer’s door fixed after dinging the door on the column.
Gunter’s design worked for about two years. He still dinged a door occasionally, but he was able to continue growing his belly and was always able to get out of the vehicle. One day however, Gunter raised a car with his vehicle lift and heard a horrendous squealing noise, metal on metal. He also noticed that the arms of his lift were shaking and rocking and he stopped to make sure that the vehicle didn’t bounce off the lifting pads.
After some serious investigative work (and several snaps of his suspenders), he noticed that there were metal shavings on the floor near the columns. It soon became apparent that when he had changed the load center of the lift by extending the rear arms, he had caused excessive wear on the load bearings that ride inside the column. Soon, all of Gnter’s beer drinking buddies (who had copied Gunter’s idea) were shaking their heads and refusing to buy Gunter beer anymore. Gunter was not a happy man.
Thankfully, those smart engineers in the United States don’t drink beer while they are trying to solve a problem. (Most of the time….) They had seen Gunter’s design and saw the problem right away. They also realized that their solution would have an added benefit to the beer belly problem. Rotate the columns to face the new load center and you automatically get extended door-opening clearance. Ever wonder why American automotive lift engineers have big beer bellies? Because they CAN!
Enough about Gunter; A TRUE asymmetric lift has columns that are rotated 30 degrees to point the load center of the lift in the general direction of the load center of the car as it is being lifted AND front arms that are shorter than the rear. A semi-asymmetric lift only has the front arms shorter than the rear, without addressing the load bearing issue.
Very few manufacturers take the time to make this distinction on their auto lifts. The good majority of two-post auto lifts that are advertised as “asymmetric” are the exact same as the symmetric auto lift with different arm lengths. Does this concept work? Of course it will for a while. But remember what happened to Gunter and his buddies, you will experience severe wear on the bearings (or slider blocks) over time.
We highly recommend purchasing a TRUE asymmetric lift when you purchase this design. A quality auto lift manufacturer will also include a wheel-spotting dish to help you or your techs spot vehicles properly when positioning the vehicle.
Sure Fire Ways to Tell a True Asymmetric Lift:
Columns are rotated 30 degrees from each other, facing the load center of the vehicle.
Front arms of the automotive lift are shorter than the rear arms.
You have a beer belly bigger than Gunter’s and don’t have a problem.
A Rotary Lift engineer tells you it’s a True Asymmetric Lift.
Reduction in bill from the body shop allows for a bigger beer belly.
Sure Fire Ways to Tell a “Semi-Asymmetric” Lift:
The columns face each other, rather than the load center of the car.
The front arms of the vehicle lift are shorter than the rear arms.
The lift squeals, shakes and whines when lifting a load.
You have metal shavings on the floor near the column.
You bought the lift so you wouldn’t bang the door on the column, but continue to bang the door on the column.
You pay a company like mine to replace slider blocks every few years.
“Versymmetric” Design Auto Lift
If you have been really doing your research, you will have probably heard the term “Versymmetric” thrown out there from a few manufacturers. The theory behind this term is that they have designed an automotive lift that is capable of being both symmetrical and asymmetric at the same time.
One opinion is that this design takes the worst situations of two different types of lifts and combines them to really confuse a technician.
First off, a symmetrical auto lift will cause door dings and clearance problems with cars, no question. Second, an “asymmetric” lift that doesn’t have columns rotated will still cause door dings. Third, if the technician isn’t properly trained on how to set up each and every vehicle properly, the lift will be used improperly. The end result will be an unsafe lifting situation with the vehicle, door dings and excessive bearing wear.
Some of these lifts are listed with the ALI and pass 3rd party testing. They can be constructed well and the sales people selling the concept really have their pitch down. Having seen the products used improperly in the shops and having serviced numerous “Versymmetric” lifts that have had failed bearings (slider blocks), our opinion isn’t very positive.
We here at Standard Industrial & Automotive Equipment are happy to discuss various issues regarding automotive lifts, quality and what is best suited for your shop. Feel free to contact us if we can be of any assistance.
October 13, 2015 / como / 0 Comments
The Growing Usage Of Pets As Therapy. The addition of animals into hospital and rehabilitation environments is certainly considered extremely healing, and pets keep on being an important part of long term after rehabilitation is finished./p>
Along with filling lonely hours with companionship, pets could be trained, much like the more familiar Seeing Eye dogs, to do tasks and help individuals with disabilities in many other ways.
The duty for pet care can raise cognitive functioning in ways which can be more slight and enjoyable than conventional therapies. Fun activities usually stimulate individuals with low inspiration in many ways that aren’t usually achieved by near a tv for hours at a time.
Pets have become good companions which help individuals feel less lonely. Additionally they react with feedback which could negate improper behaviours, and interest in a pet may redirect egocentricity that will arise from frontal lobe deficits.
Selecting a pet is changed into a intellectual exercise of planning. The choice of the pet is enjoyable, maybe not fraught with discord. It’s vital that you start thinking about all choices e.g. an enhanced put up of aquariums with pumps and filters can be too complex for some.
Animals must certanly be looked after, otherwise they neglect to flourish. This might be a hard lesson, perhaps every so often even cruel for the animal, but those with brain injury must discover or relearn this essential fact of life.
Obviously a responsible adult should intervene if the pet’s wellness or well-being is adversely affected. Whenever limits due to the ABI are barriers to on their own taking care of a pet of preference, talk with the patient about methods that’ll allow more independency and discover just what duties is likely to be handled by whom so duties could be supervised. Almost everyone really loves animals.
This often enhances social abilities building for individuals whenever encountering others inside park, neighbourhoods alongside places people congregate with pets. Maybe you have had the opportunity to pass without observing or striking up a conversation with somebody sitting on a park workbench with a colourful, exotic bird perched on his / her shoulder?
Animals are superb conversation pieces. Individuals with serious mind damage and other impairing conditions frequently have little control of their lives. Owning a pet provides the opportunity for managing a minumum of one element of their lives – their animal!
Animals also have time for sharing with their owners and their commitment is indisputable.Pet treatment actually well-established routine in lots of hospitals, assisted living facilities and rehabilitation centres.
Anecdotal accounts talk about the many benefits of animals being in the presence of individuals in every phases of recovery, rehabilitation as well as end-stage illnesses. The comforting and soothing affect of stroking a furry animal frequently elicits more relaxing facial expressions and/or postures in individuals also thought to be in minimally-responsive states.
Nonverbal people generally respond with contented smiles when pets are introduced within their environment. Just about all individuals with disabilities may take some obligation the care of an animal, even in the event it’s only an everyday stroking or play session.
Dogs are generally taught to assist those with brain damage, specially people that have mobility impairments. Custom-styled saddlebags may be added to your dog and employed for holding individual things, wallet, daily log and other items needed by those utilizing wheelchairs and/or other assisting products that increase mobility.
Pets are certainly wonderful companions and certainly will frequently affect definitely also on those for who other therapies, exercises and/or future promise for continuing recovery hold little interest.
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October 12, 2015 / como / 0 Comments
When you’re driving down the road with the music turned up and your favorite tunes piping through the speakers, do you feel compelled to sing? If so, you are like the majority of Americans who tend to break out into song while cruising in their cars. In fact, according to the Music in Motion survey of more than 1,000 U.S. drivers, conducted by Directive Analytics and commissioned by Auto Expressions, a leading brand of automotive accessories and car care products, more than nine out of 10 Americans sing in their cars…that’s more than the number of people that sing in the shower!
Who are the car crooners?
The survey revealed that redheads, not blondes, have more fun singing in the car, since 53 percent of redheads always sing in the car. The survey also discovered that women, more often than men, sing in their cars; however, both men and women born under the Aries astrological sign are more likely to sing in their car than any other sign. Capricorns are least likely to attempt to carry a tune while driving.
What are they singing?
The preferred genres of song for the car crooners are rock songs, followed closely by music from the ’80s and pop music. However, country songs top the charts for older Americans who exercise their vocal cords behind the wheel.
What are their cars like?
Car manufacturers may want to consider renaming SUVs to “Singing Utility Vehicles,” since the survey found that drivers of these types of cars tend to sing the most. Car crooners also enjoy having a fragrant, organized “stage” since four out of 10 car stars have air fresheners and organizers in their cars.
Turn It Up and Win
Are you looking for more ways to sing in the car? Now through September 29th, or until supplies last, look for specially marked packages of Auto Expressions Vent Fresh adjustable air fresheners to find a “Turn It Up and Win” scratch-off game piece. Five lucky Grand Prize winners will receive an Alpine music car makeover and 200 First Prize winners will receive an Apple iPod Nano 4GB. All game pieces, whether you are a winner or not, may be redeemed at the iTunes Music Store for a free song download.
October 11, 2015 / como / 0 Comments
The automobile paint booth is such a specialized room where the vehicles are painted thoroughly including all the other vehicle repairing works. In fact, vehicle painting is also considered as one of the most important vehicle repairing tasks. You must create a concrete planning regarding the smooth execution of the vehicle painting work. The exhaust fans need to be fitted in a proper way and the system of air intake needs to be maintained for creating absolutely dust-free environment for facilitating vehicle finishing and painting in an effective manner. The vehicle paint booths are also sometimes popular referred as spray paint booth for automobiles. In some cases, large spacious garage plays the role of vehicle spray paint booth. Look for only high-production professional vehicle paint booths in order to get only customized vehicle painting services.
These automotive paint booth can be of varied types as per the vehicle type and painting specializations like restoration shops, semi-truck painting shops, custom painting motorcycle shops or many more. The vehicle painting procedure is quite a hectic one and the vehicle needs to be completely uplifted for catering the painting tasks. You must always look for those painting booths where only safe painting environment prevails with the use of organic vehicle paints which are devoid of toxic chemicals. The vehicle painting contractors mainly wear different protective clothes for getting necessary protection. The vehicle size is considered as one of the most essential factors that are highly required to determine for conducting the vehicle painting work. The clients preference is also very much important especially in case of creating customized painting impressions.
The external painting is much easier in comparison to the internal parts and thus the internal vehicle part painting must be conducted with great care and by following some specific safety measures. The internal electrical wiring needs to be maintained in a proper manner for effective painting work. There is different painting equipment with the help of which the automotive spray painting task can be smoothly conducted without nay hazard and interruption. The automotive paint booth is quite less in number in small towns and so you must look for the best vehicle painting booth f your locality for catering the emergency purposes in times of need. You must verify the professional quality of the painting contractors of the booth so that you can receive only high-quality vehicle painting.