Spare Parts | Car Parts | Motorcycle Parts

Whether you’re headed for the mountains or the beach, it’s crucial that your auto be in good working order. There’s nothing worse than having a vacation ruined by car trouble.

Step 1:
Make an appointment with your mechanic at least a few weeks before your road trip to do a pretrip inspection. Bring a checklist of things to ask your mechanic to review.

Step 2:
Check all fluids.

Step 3:
Check belts and hoses.

Step 4:
Look for any leaks.

Step 5:
Check and fill all tires, including the spare tire, and make sure they’re in good condition.

Step 6:
Perform a four-wheel brake check (if not done in the last six months).

Step 7:
Check the condition of the exhaust system.

Step 8:
Flush the cooling system (if not done in the last year).

Step 9:
Pressure-check the cooling system to inspect for leaks.

Step 10:
Load-test the battery to test its ability to hold a charge.

Step 11:
Check the alternator output to make sure that the charging system is working well.

Step 12:
Replace the spark plug wires if they are more than two years old.

Tips & Warnings

• These steps are in addition to routine maintenance.
• Don’t wait until the day before you plan to leave to make any big repairs or get a tune-up.
• Some garages sell a pretrip inspection service. Find out exactly what they check, or just give them this list, so you get your money’s worth. A pretrip inspection like the one suggested here should take no more than 1 to 1 1 /2 hours.
• More than half the cars that get towed into shops are there for repairs that could have been prevented by regular maintenance.

Want to save some money and learn about your beloved machine at the same time? Try changing your own oil! Its cheap, fun, and doesn’t require many tools!

Steps

1. Set up your spot. This is one of the most important steps. You dont want to be running around looking for tools, containers and rags while oil is flowing out of your bike and your hands are too slick to turn a doorknob! Check the "Things You’ll Need" section to get everything ready.
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If you own a car you will someday you will have to replace the Disc Brake Pads on it. The Disc-brake systems are more friendly than the comparatively drum setups called the Neandethal. Because of this the components aren’t the obtrude of a brake drum, that is why the systems are easier to access and inspect them. Anybody that has any mechanic training can replace disc pads, but it is better if you let a certified mechanic do it because of other problems you can run into such as leaks (fluid) and rotor surface problems.

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Things You’ll Need:

• Brake pads
• Ratchet
• Flat-head screwdriver
• Philips screwdriver
• Brake bleeding set (glass jar, 2-foot length of clear tubing 3/8-inch in diameter)
• Wrench
• Pliers
• Brake fluid
• Lubricant formulated for calipers
• Drain pan
• Caliper brake piston turning tool

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