As we all know the wheels are the closest car parts to the road so they must be kept in excellent form and condition as much as possible. They also significantly affect handling and ride quality so they must be properly taken cared of. Moreover, the wheels lend the vehicle a more stylish look and thus, they too can make the car a lot more fun to drive.

When it comes to quality, design and durability, Ford truck parts wheels including GMC truck wheels, Toyota wheels, and Ford wheels are stand out. They are made to match every make and model’s specifications and various likes of auto users.

Auto Parts Deal provides the best deals on auto wheels and other auto parts like Ford bumpers, Dodge fog lights, Chevrolet headlights, Toyota radiator and Mazda spoilers, so you can truly enjoy shopping for your replacement part needs. And with its long-time experience in the auto parts business, you can be confident that your getting only the best replacement auto parts for your car.

However, every auto user must not only concern himself with the quality of the parts he is purhasing but also on how he is going to install the parts to his vehicle. In installing the wheels, proper wheel alignment is important so as not to sacrifice the tire’s life and hence, the car’s ride and handling.

Often times, wheel alignment is confused with wheel balancing; the two, however are two different terms. Wheel alignment consists of adjusting the angles of the car wheels so that they are perpendicular to the road or the ground and are parallell to each other.

Improper alignment of the wheels result to excessive tire wear, steering and tracking problems so make sure you check your car wheels’ proper alignment before you hit your hot new car wheels from to the road.

The key to prolonging the useful life of your car is prevention – plug the leaks and replace parts that need to be replaced even before they break down. Identifying and quickly fixing a problem while it is small keeps it from being overwhelming and saves you a lot of money in the long run.

Change your oil every three months (or every 3,000 miles). This is the general rule unless you car manufacturer says otherwise. Do not neglect this seemingly trivial maintenance task. Keep in mind that failure to change your oil will increase the wear and tear on your engine, leading to other problems.

Regularly check your transmission fluid, your brake fluid, your power steering fluid, and your coolant. These fluids make up the lifeblood of your car, and checking them frequently can help nip small problems in the bud, saving you from breakdowns and expensive repairs. Different cars require different kinds and amounts of fluid. Read your manufacturer’s handbook to find out more.

Keep your batteries new. Your battery is your most important power source – if it fails you, you will get stranded. This is why it is important to always check it with every oil change. Keep your battery clean with a mixture of baking soda and water. Make sure that the cables are corrosion-free and are securely attached. Remember that most disposable batteries last for only over a year – after that span of time, you should replace your battery.

A car is like a patient – it needs a good doctor. If you are not very handy with cars, have one official mechanic service your car regularly. The mechanic will be able to develop a familiarity with your car and be able to recommend the correct preventive and diagnostic care it needs. What’s more, you can probably get a lot of discounts from mechanics if you are a repeat customer!

* Perform a brake inspection and troubleshoot the problem

* Know what it takes to do a car brakes repair

* If possible, do the fix yourself

* If not, be able to describe the problem to someone who is able to repair your automobile brakes.

To become able to perform the work listed above, the first thing you need to know is how a car’s brake system works.

A drum system is utilizing hydraulic pressure to press a pad against a brake drum to slow down the speed of the vehicle. Here is how it works:

* press the brake pedal

* the piston in the master cylinder sends pressure via the brake lines held by the brake shoe to the wheel cylinders inside the brake drum

* the friction caused by the shoe pressed against the drum is stopping the wheel from turning

A brake drum is a flat-topped and heavy cylinder, that you normally find somewhere between the wheel rim and the drive wheel. When you press the brake pedal, the friction material held by the brake shoes is pressed against the brake drum. This will slow the rotation of the wheels. A wheel cylinder contains pistons utilizing hydraulic power from the master cylinder to force the brake pads against the brake drum.

Another brake system, called disk brake system is using hydraulic pressure to press a pad against the rotor. This way it slows down the vehicle. Here is how it works:

* press the brake pedal

* the piston in the master cylinder is activated and sends pressure via the brake lines to the calliper

* when the pad makes contact with the rotor, friction is created and this stops the wheel from turning

A rotor is nothing but a circular plate that is gripped by the brake pads for slowing down the vehicle. A brake pad is a pad made of friction material. When pressed against the rotor it stops the wheel from turning. This pad is held by the calliper, which straddles the rotor by using hydraulic pressure from the brake lines. With help from internal pistons it forces the brake pads against the rotors.

Performing this process, the breaking system needs brake fluid. The master cylinder provides this by distributing the brake fluid under pressure, to the entire breaking system of your vehicle.

Now it’s time to mask the car, and be sure to mask all that you don’t want painted leaving no masking hanging of the car, that would get in the way of a nice paint job. The main idea of the whole thing is to produce the best quality paint possible with the given surroundings, it is preferred that you have a paint booth, but if not, make sure that the area that you use to perform the work is ultra clean and dust free.

After the car has been masked it’s time to get ready to spray the primer, once again make sure that you have cleaned your surroundings, it’s best to have some water on the floor to keep the dust down, once you are confident that the area is clean then you can begin checking the spray guns to be sure that they are clean. This is a very important step especially if they’re not your guns, dirty guns will make an ugly paint job there for wasting all of your time.

Now that you have determined that the paint guns are clean, make sure that your respirator is in good working order. Now be sure that you have all the products that you need to perform the primer job on the car. You will need primer, reducer and catalyst, you will also need strainers, stir sticks and a measuring device.

It’s best not to have to leave the paint booth during the time that your priming the car. Reducer comes in different temperatures and you need to know what temp is best for your working conditions.

If you are really serious about the way that you want it to look the you might want to take the primer one step farther and use an etching primer before you spray the urethane or epoxy primer, an etching primer will give the top coat just a little more to stick to. Etching primer has no building qualities there for it’s not used for smoothing out waves in your work, but it will make the primer stick allot better.

I do suggest that you always use a urethane primer,and not lacquer type,as lacquer can and will shrink urethane or epoxy is recommended for best results. Epoxy is a very hard primer to sand but it’s extremely tough, and urethane is I think probably your best choice,because it’s high building and easy sanding, their are a lot of brands to choose from, I use DuPont euro myself but it’s all up to you to choose that.

Follow all instructions on the back of the paint can to the letter or it could cause problems with the out come of your paint.

Now that you have the car in the booth, be sure to double check the masking on it, what you are looking for here is perfection and nothing less.

This means everything that if you don’t want it painted it must be masked for sure, their is no room for error here. Now you need to take a look at the supplies that you have to do the job with, and inventory them to be sure that you have everything you need to complete the job, the last thing you need is to find that you don’t have something right in the middle of painting the car. Here’s a list of what you will need for the job.

Supply List

1) Paint
2) sealer
3) reducer
4) Catalyst
5) Tack Cloths, preferably designed for clear coat
6) Measuring Cups
7) Stir Sticks Measuring Stick
9) Strainers
10) Respirator in working order

Now I will give you a few things to think about, if your painting with metallic paints then you must pay allot attention to the settings on your paint gun. Metallic paints will tend to get lighter if the pressure goes up and darker if it goes down, your fluid flow and fan on your gun will also effect this.

Now I will give you a basic mixing chart, most paints will follow this chart.

Instructions
1) get your paint ready to pour.
2) make sure that your mixing cup is clean.
3) Get your strainer and sticks.
4) Put a strainer in the top of the measuring cup.
5) Now pay close attention to the level of paint in the cup.

Paint Mixing Table. Always be sure to read and follow the paint manufactures mixing guide lines. These mixing ratios are just a basic idea of what to do, things will change with different manufactures.

Recommended Air Pressure At Gun Head. Paint Mix Ratios. Paint Product.
25-40 PSI Mix 4:1:1 Base Coat
25-40 PSI Mix 4:1:1 Sealer
25-40 PSI Mix 4:1:1 Clear Coat
25-40 PSI Mix 2:1:1 Primer Coat

When using a paint gun, you try to achieve a certain spray pattern without any heavy or light areas, in the pattern chart above you would try to achieve pattern (A).

Recently I was asked if it made sense for someone with lots of boating experience who wished to become a Boat Detailer if he should start his business cleaning boats or start with cars first and move into boat detailing later?

Impressive question indeed and yes well this is definitely thinking ahead as one prepares their business plan. Going from Detailing Cars to Boats is an easy transition and it makes sense; although, boat detailing is much different. There are nautical personality types and there are those who are not.

If you are a nautical type then it might makes sense to do both. Why turn away work, but if you have enough business in boats, well, you would not have time for cars anyway. Someone who can talk the marine language indeed is much more likely to have many customers. Having started out in aviation, I just do not see how a non-aviation person could build their business at an airport without that knowledge.

Same is true with the nautical personality displacement. Of course in wintertime you could still refurbish and hibernation services and in the summer you would extremely busy, but chances are you might also like to be out on the water, catch 22. In aviation, I loved to fly not clean the aircraft, but I loved aircraft so it was fun to be cleaning them when I was not flying. You learn a lot by doing these things of course.

The skills needed to clean boats are different, more advanced and more difficult in the marine industry than the automotive industry. Many auto-detailers have a tough time with gel coats and glass, and do not know a thing about corrosion, teak or metal type cleaners and often spin their wheels.

Certain guidelines are to be followed when you do auto repair. Protective eyewear and rubber gloves should be worn when you undertake auto repair. It is imperative that you disconnect the battery when the job involves an electrical repair. You should not shift the gear when the vehicle lies on a stand or on jacks. Special care should be taken when dealing with the engine. When the engine is hot, the radiator caps should not be removed. You are not supposed to come close to the engine belt, and it is not advisable to repair vehicles while the engine is in operation. Some auto repair tasks should not be done at home by individuals and should be made only by a professional mechanic.

There are several websites devoted to auto repair, offering help even for dummies. They help you troubleshoot your car problem and find out quick solutions. You can make consultations with experienced professionals online. There are also e-books available online that deal with getting the best service from your mechanic.

The American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) is responsible for attesting the quality and protective features of air compressors. The ASME rating should be considered in evaluating which air compressor you should buy.

Reviews are another great way to know more about products, features, working, quality, and price-performance ratio. Many a time, comments of reviewers have prevented consumers from draining off their hard earned money.

A wise buyer doesn’t get blown away by a manufacturer’s tall claims. He finds out whether a product in question really stands up to expectations. This information can be had by directly approaching people who have bought the product and are currently using it. People already using the product are best placed to provide useful information about the practicability of a particular product.

Although information acquired from users is very significant and useful, a buyer must remember that collecting data from a small and restricted base has its drawback too. A buyer must, therefore, check reviews of the product on the Internet or in trade magazines. Such reviews are usually unbiased and are based on the experiences of thousands of the people who have purchased and used different products (given that the products are not very recent entrants in the market). Website such as epinions.com allow consumers to post their reviews for a huge range of products and reading these reviews before making a purchase decision is advisable.

When should I change my oil?

Look in your cars owners manual. Most auto manufacturers recommend changing the motor oil every 6,000 miles for normal service, or every 3,000 miles for severe service. I change my oil every 6,000 miles, and my engines run like new when I trade my vehicles in with well over 100,000 miles on them. One thing that I do is change a new cars oil after the first 300 mile break-in period. Then, after that, I change the oil every 6,000 miles.

What kind of oil should I use?

You are not going to save money by using an off-brand oil because your engine will wear out sooner. Use oil that meets the American Pertroleum Institute (API) classification SL. I use Valvoline, Quaker State, Pennzoil, or Havoline brand oil. These quality oils contain additives that make them work better and longer.

If you are changing your oil just before winter, use SAE 10W30 weight oil. This number means the oil will have a thin 10 weight viscosity when the engine is cold, helping the engine to start easier, and then the oil will thicken to 30 weight viscosity when the engine warms up, protecting the engine better. If you are changing oil just before summer, use SAE 10W40 weight oil. The extra 40 weight viscosity will protect your engine better when it’s hot.

What’s the First Step?

First let your engine cool off. Modern engines run at close to 300 degrees (F) and hot oil will definitely give you a severe burn. You shouldn’t have to jack your car up unless you have some kind of ground hugging sports car or low rider. Almost all cars have enough space underneath to reach under and change the engine oil.

Step 1: Drain the old oil.

Locate the oil drain plug and place a pan under it to catch the oil. With a box wrench, remove the oil plug.

Note for newbies: To remove the drain plug, turn it counter-clockwise.

- If you have a GM dual-overhead-cam EcoTec engine you may have a difficult time locating the drain plug on all that aluminum.

When the oil stops draining, reinstall the drain plug.

Note for newbies: To replace the drain plug turn it clockwise. Start the plug with your fingers. If it seems even slightly hard to turn, back it out! You are crossing the threads.

Step 2. Replace the oil filter.

Move your oil catch pan under the oil filter. Using an oil filter wrench to get it started, remove the oil filter. (newbies: counter-clockwise, and you will get some oil on your hand.)

- A strap type oil filter wrench is the best kind to use. A socket type oil filter tool is used with a ratchet just like a regular socket. The problem with the socket type is that it tends to get stuck on the filter. Use the socket type tool if you don’t have enough clearance around the oil filter to use the strap type.

With your finger put a thin coat of oil on the new filter’s gasket to make it seal better.

*! Now pay attention – here’s were you can screw up royal!

With your hand, install the new oil filter. If it seems even slightly hard to turn, back it out! You are crossing the threads. Most filters have an instruction printed on them to give the filter one more turn after the gasket has made contact.

Here’s what I recommend: screw the filter on until its “hand tight”. Then use the oil filter wrench to snug it up another 1/8 to 1/4 turn. This is critical!

When the vehicle is running, the oil pump puts the oil under pressure. If you don’t install the oil filter tight enough, the oil will come gushing out. If that happens shut down the engine immediately! Without oil, an engine will lock up within seconds.

The first time I changed my oil, I used the filter wrench to tighten the filter as tight as I could get it. Wrong! The next time I went to change my oil, I couldn’t get the filter off. Luckily I had plenty of room around the filer, so I hammered a screw driver through the body of the filter and used the handle of the screw driver to turn the filter off.

Warning! Don’t over-tighten the filter. Follow the instructions above carefully!

- The GM dual-overhead-cam EcoTec engine has an unusual oil filter located on top of the engine. Remove the engine air intake hose. That’s the oil filter canister just to the right of, and below, the end of the open air intake tube. Use a proper size wrench to remove the canister lid. This engine uses a special filter cartridge.

Step 3. Add the new oil.

Locate the oil filler cap on the valve cover. I’ve seen newbies pour motor oil in everything from the master brake cylinder to the radiator cap. Make sure you have located the the oil filler cap. Remove the oil filler cap.

When pouring the oil, you would be wise to use a funnel between the oil can and the valve cover oil filler hole.

How much oil should you add? Look in your cars owner manual. Most engines have a capacity of four or five quarts. Don’t overfill the crank case. When you run the engine the extra oil will be blown out through the PCV value, possibly stalling your engine.

Tip: If you don’t know the oil capacity of the engine, add four quarts, then check the oil level, if it’s a quart low add another quart.

Replace the oil filler cap.

Step 4. Start the Engine.

Yes, I know, I said there where only three steps. You’re finished, this is not really a “step”.

Start the engine and make sure the oil warning light goes off. Look under the vehicle to make sure oil is not leaking out. Turn off the engine and let it set for a minute to let the oil drain down to the crank case. Then use the dip stick to check the oil level.

How to check the oil level: Remove the dip stick, wipe it clean with a rag, reinstall the dip stick. Make sure the dip stick is in all the way or you will get a false reading. After a few seconds remove the dip stick and examine how far up the stick is covered with oil. Most dip sticks have a “full” mark printed on them.

Note: I find the best way to dispose of the old oil is to use a funnel to pore it from the collection pan into the bottles from which the new oil came. When I get a big pile of used oil bottles I bring them to the oil recycling center. Be sure to mark the used oil bottles so you don’t accidentally think they are new oil.

Remove stubborn contaminants: There will be dirt, bugs, tar, etc… that will be left after washing. There are many products that are made specifically for removing these items you’re your paint and car. The resounding answer from the experts was Meguiar’s bug and tar cleaner. Remove all the contaminants and follow the directions (some products can remove paint if not used correctly). Expert tip: 3M and other manufacturers make a plastic shield that can be applied over areas of your car’s paint like bumpers and behind the tires to protect from contaminants and rock chips.

Use a cleaner polish: This will remove any left over stubborn contaminates like ground in bug splatter on your painted bumper, acid rain etching, bird drop spots, and minor scratches. Use a circular motion, just like for wax. Follow the directions for that particular cleaner polish (some require a wet or damp applicator pad others don’t). Do the car one section at a time and use a clean section of cloth to buff once dry. Most cleaner polishes will dry to a whitish haze. Be sure to buff off all the haze and residue from the cleaner polish. When done the car finish will be really smooth. Expert tip: for deeper scratches, contaminants, etc… you can use an orbital buffer or polisher to apply the cleaner polish. Be careful and use low rpm’s (under 2000) anything above this and you risk burning the paint.

Apply several coats of polish or wax: There is a big difference between car wax and car polish. Car wax is usually a blend of carnauba and other waxes which will give a deep, wet look and new car shine. It comes in both a liquid and a paste, and it will not last as long as a car polish. Car wax is also less effective in high temperatures and can actually melt on hot areas like the hood. Car polish is a polymer blend usually with no wax. Car polishes can last 1 year between coats and is very durable protection for your paint. The experts recommend a car polish with Teflon in it for maximum protection and durability. The experts love the extra, deeper shine from car wax, but all agreed it was better suited for car shows. Whichever you choose, they are both applied the same way. Apply in a circular motion and let it dry to a haze. Then buff dry with a clean terry cloth or microfiber towel.