How Well Do You Know Your Driveshaft?

How To Answer Customer Ride Control Questions

I-CAR Announces Initiative To Address Tech Shortage

How Well Do You Know Your Driveshaft?

How To Answer Customer Ride Control Questions

I-CAR Announces Initiative To Address Tech Shortage

Sponsored By BCA Bearings by NTN

Sponsored By Carter Fuel Systems

Sponsored By NGK Spark Plugs

AC Diagnostics: Troubleshooting Pressures and Temperatures

The most difficult AC complaints to resolve are the system blows warm, or the air is not as cold as it once was. The causes of the declining performance could be caused by a multitude of components and conditions. In a 45-minute webinar, the experts from Transtar AC will cover the possible causes of AC failure.

The training session will cover:

Speakers Andrew Markel, Director of Technical Content, ShopOwner Dennis Husband, ASE Certified Technician, Transtar AC

Sponsored By BCA Bearings by NTN

The July issue includes technical and management content and is free to download and read.

Presenting your customer with inspection results and benefits of replacement will help sell the job.

The reality is that if you can master some very general skills, ADAS is not rocket science.

Brake & Front End serves repair shops conducting a high volume of undercar repairs by providing application-specific technical information and solutions to address emerging trends in the undercar repair segment. By subscribing, you’ll receive the ShopOwner digital edition magazine (12 times/year) featuring articles from Brake & Front End and the Brake & Front End eNewsletter (twice weekly). Access to digital editions, contests, news, and more are ready for you today!

Brake & Front End serves repair shops conducting a high volume of undercar repairs by providing application-specific technical information and solutions to address emerging trends in the undercar repair segment. By subscribing, you’ll receive the ShopOwner digital edition magazine (12 times/year) featuring articles from Brake & Front End and the Brake & Front End eNewsletter (twice weekly). Access to digital editions, contests, news, and more are ready for you today!

ByBrake and Front End Staff on Jan 6, 2017

How does a turbocharger work? Let's talk about it in simple terms. This video is sponsored by Standard Motor Products.

Don’t settle for “almost” - it matters where the engine is manufactured or remanufactured. Sponsored by ACDelco.

GM transmissions and transfer cases are unique to each individual vehicle. This video is sponsored by ACDelco.

Don’t settle for “almost” - it matters where the engine is manufactured or remanufactured. Sponsored by ACDelco.

Click here  to view past issues.

Under extreme braking conditions, some lubricants can’t stand the heat and melt off, evaporate, oxidize or burn. That’s why ordinary, general-purpose chassis grease should never be used for lubricating brake components.

AdvertisementU nder extreme braking conditions, some lubricants can’t stand the heat and melt off, evaporate, oxidize or burn. That’s why ordinary, general-purpose chassis grease should never be used for lubricating brake components. It simply won’t hold up. What’s needed is a specially formulated, high-temperature brake grease that can withstand the heat, but won’t harm rubber seals or plastic bushings. Petroleum-based lubricants should never be used for brake assembly work because mineral oils can cause seals to swell and fail. What needs to be lubricated? Lubricate any mechanical components in the brake system that slide, move, rotate or bear pressure. On disc brakes, lubrication points include the caliper slides and bushings, self-adjuster mechanisms on rear disc brakes with calipers, and the parking brake cables and linkage. AdvertisementWhy do lubricants work to reduce some brake noises? When a caliper finger is lubricated at the point where it touches the brake pad, the lubricant creates a boundary layer that keeps the vibration of the brake pad from exciting the caliper finger and the caliper. This is one approach to solving NVH problems, but it can have limitations. Lubricants do not dampen forces by adding extra mass like a brake shim. Also, lubricants can not fill in pitting on brake slides, nor do they insulate against vibration. Plus, they are only effective for some frequencies. What are the types of lubricants? There are several basic types of brake lubricants: those that are designed for lubricating hardware and mechanical components and typically contain a high percentage of solids (dry-film lubricants), and those that are designed for lubricating seals, boots and other internal parts when assembling calipers, wheel cylinders and master cylinders. Lubricant for hardware is a special high-temperature grease designed to provide lasting protection. The lubricant may be a synthetic- or silicone-based product. AdvertisementMoly Synthetic-based, boundary-type lubricants that come in tube, paste or stick form have a high solids content and typically contain a variety of friction-reducing ingredients such as molybdenum disulfide (moly or MOS2) and graphite. Moly and graphite are both dry-film lubricants that can handle high temperatures and pressures. Some of these products are rated to withstand intermittent temperatures as high as 2,400° F! Moly won’t evaporate or burn off over time, and it won’t attract or hold dirt like ordinary “wet” greases can. Silicone Silicone-based brake grease is designed for caliper and wheel cylinder assembly work because silicone is an excellent lubricant for rubber and plastic. Silcone’s normal working range is -40° F to 400° F, but it does not have the high temperature staying power of a high-solids synthetic lubricant. Also, silicone is a “wet” lubricant that can attract and hold dirt, making it less suitable for lubricating external metal-to-metal contact points. This type of product is best suited for assembling calipers, wheel cylinders and master cylinders.Advertisement Regardless of what type of brake lubricant you choose, always follow the supplier’s recommendations as to how their product should be used. 

U nder extreme braking conditions, some lubricants can’t stand the heat and melt off, evaporate, oxidize or burn. That’s why ordinary, general-purpose chassis grease should never be used for lubricating brake components. It simply won’t hold up. What’s needed is a specially formulated, high-temperature brake grease that can withstand the heat, but won’t harm rubber seals or plastic bushings. Petroleum-based lubricants should never be used for brake assembly work because mineral oils can cause seals to swell and fail.

Lubricate any mechanical components in the brake system that slide, move, rotate or bear pressure. On disc brakes, lubrication points include the caliper slides and bushings, self-adjuster mechanisms on rear disc brakes with calipers, and the parking brake cables and linkage.

When a caliper finger is lubricated at the point where it touches the brake pad, the lubricant creates a boundary layer that keeps the vibration of the brake pad from exciting the caliper finger and the caliper. This is one approach to solving NVH problems, but it can have limitations. Lubricants do not dampen forces by adding extra mass like a brake shim. Also, lubricants can not fill in pitting on brake slides, nor do they insulate against vibration. Plus, they are only effective for some frequencies.

There are several basic types of brake lubricants: those that are designed for lubricating hardware and mechanical components and typically contain a high percentage of solids (dry-film lubricants), and those that are designed for lubricating seals, boots and other internal parts when assembling calipers, wheel cylinders and master cylinders. Lubricant for hardware is a special high-temperature grease designed to provide lasting protection. The lubricant may be a synthetic- or silicone-based product.

Synthetic-based, boundary-type lubricants that come in tube, paste or stick form have a high solids content and typically contain a variety of friction-reducing ingredients such as molybdenum disulfide (moly or MOS2) and graphite.

Moly and graphite are both dry-film lubricants that can handle high temperatures and pressures. Some of these products are rated to withstand intermittent temperatures as high as 2,400° F!

Moly won’t evaporate or burn off over time, and it won’t attract or hold dirt like ordinary “wet” greases can.

Silicone-based brake grease is designed for caliper and wheel cylinder assembly work because silicone is an excellent lubricant for rubber and plastic. Silcone’s normal working range is -40° F to 400° F, but it does not have the high temperature staying power of a high-solids synthetic lubricant. Also, silicone is a “wet” lubricant that can attract and hold dirt, making it less suitable for lubricating external metal-to-metal contact points. This type of product is best suited for assembling calipers, wheel cylinders and master cylinders.

Regardless of what type of brake lubricant you choose, always follow the supplier’s recommendations as to how their product should be used. 

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Technical Resources for diagnosing and servicing undercar components