Auto Maintenance Basics: Anti-Lock Brakes

There’s a common misconception among Saskatoon drivers that Anti-Lock Brakes help you stop faster. That is not always the case on loose gravel, wet roads or snowy surfaces. Anti-Lock Brakes, in fact, are designed to help you maintain control of your vehicle in an emergency braking situation.

Imagine you are driving on a wet Saskatoon road. You need to slam on your brakes and your rear wheels lock up. Chances are good that the rear end of your vehicle will try to pass the front end and you can easily lose control. What would happen in the same circumstance if your front wheels locked up? Well you certainly would not be able to steer properly and your front end would go to wherever gravity leads it. The Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS) modulates your brakes on and off as many as 15 times a second. This keeps your wheels from locking up while providing the greatest amount of braking possible. You are better able to steer your vehicle and maintain control. Saskatoon motorists often talk about the 3 S’s of Anti-Lock Brakes: Stomp – Stay – Steer. Stomp on the brake, Stay on the brake, and Steer normally.

Modern ABS utilizes a computer to receive information from sensors and control the anti-lock brakes. There are wheel speed sensors at each wheel reporting back to the computer which can then decide when to activate the anti-lock brakes on the wheel or wheels in need.

So what affects how well the ABS works? First, the condition of your brakes: If you brakes are worn or not working properly, the ABS will not be able to do its job as effectively. A brake inspection at Crestview Auto Service in Saskatoon will let you know if your brake shoes/ pads are in good condition, if there are any mechanical brake issues and if your brake fluid and power brake system is in need of service. Proper brake fluid maintenance helps keep the brake control module in good working order. There can also be problems with the various sensors and the wiring that sends the messages to and from the computer. And of course, your tires need to be in good condition in order to have enough traction to start, stop, and steer. Worn tires are a big problem for ABS and Stability Control Systems.

The ABS is the foundation of Stability Control Systems, providing the vital information needed for stability control as well as to strategically brake a wheel when needed, so making sure your ABS is working well is very important. Also, the rolling diameter of your tires is one of the factors on which the computer uses to base anti-lock decisions. If you buy tires that are more than 3% larger or smaller than the tires that were installed at the factory, the ABS and Stability Control systems will not work properly. The computer can be recalibrated for the new tire size so that the systems have the correct information.

When you start your vehicle, the ABS light will briefly illuminate on the dashboard. If the system detects a problem with itself, the light will stay on. That is your cue to bring your vehicle in for an inspection to determine the problem. Crestview Auto Service is your partner in keeping this important safety system operating as it should.

Give us a call or book online at www.crestviewautoservice.ca

Crestview Auto Service
24 23rd St E
Saskatoon, SK S7K 0H5
306-244-6522

#brakes #tires #trustedsaskatoon #driving #YXE

Shocks & Struts (Part 2)

Are your shocks and struts in control of your ride? (*Part 2*)

Vehicle ride, handling and braking are directly linked to the integrity of your suspension components. Like many of the systems on your vehicle, struts and shocks wear very slowly; many people only realize how worn they have become after they have had them replaced. After replacement the vehicle feels like new.

As the internal components of shocks and struts wear, additional internal heat is created resulting in deteriorating ride quality, braking and handling. With this wear, the oil inside the struts and shocks aerates becoming more like foam than the liquid oil it is meant to be. The farther you drive the worse this gets. The air acts like a squishy ball, allowing excessive movement of the vehicle. When we step on the brakes or make sudden steering moves the vehicle starts to rock or roll, this lifts up one end and drops the other end. Any time this happens the tires, brakes and suspension are over loaded on the low side and you don’t have enough traction on the high side. This is the reason it takes longer to stop and you have less control with worn struts and shocks.

Unfortunately we cannot change the oil in the struts and shocks when it gets old like we do engine oil. You may have seen advertising from manufacturers advising you to replace struts and shocks after 80,000 kilometers; this is the reason; the oil is worn out resulting in the struts and shocks not working as they were intended to.

There are other considerations with worn struts and shocks; all of the extra vehicle movement creates wear in suspension and steering components, requiring replacement sooner than needed. The braking system will be over loaded in the front from having too much weight transferred from the back of the vehicle to the front when slowing down. This overloads the front brakes and causes the rear brakes to be less effective creating longer stopping distances. Additionally your tires will wear out far sooner than a vehicle with good shocks and struts.

Regular maintenance inspections, performed by experienced technicians along with the needed services will help you save time and money keeping your vehicle safe and reliable for many years to come.

At Crestview Auto Service “We’ll Keep Your Car Young a Long Time”

#‎shocks‬ ‪#‎struts‬ ‪#‎safety‬ ‪#‎YXE‬ ‪#‎Tires‬ ‪#‎Brakes

(P2) Canadian Tidbits

(P2) Tidbits of information about Canada you may never need:

Did you know? 

· 73% - The number of Canadians that drive themselves to work in their own vehicle. Another 5.5% ride along as passengers. 

 · $2000. - The maximum fine for distracted driving in Canada. Along with this fine you can also be charged with careless driving.

 · 8030 km - The total length of the Trans Canada highway.

(Information gathered from Government of Canada and the automotive industry, 2015).

#tidbits #distracted #carelessdriving #Canada #TransCanada

“Why do wheels need to be re-torqued?”

Re-torquing wheels after vehicle servicing

When you bring your vehicle to our repair shop, if we have had your wheels off of the vehicle, we will ask you to return so we can re-torque the wheels. Your invoice will also have a statement on it advising that the wheels need to be re-torqued. You can do this yourself if you like, but if we were the ones to work on the car we do this at no charge to you. We always use a torque wrench to tighten your wheels when we re-install them. This is more of a safety concern now than it was 20 years ago. Vehicles are much more reliable today, but they are made with lighter materials and some of these are very fussy about how they are put together. Even a slight decrease or increase in the tightness of bolts and nuts can have adverse affects, in that they can loosen or they can break. 

Occasionally a customer will come into our auto repair shop with a concern of a noise; once in a while we find loose lug nuts that hold the tires and rims tight to the car. This usually happens shortly after they have had the vehicle in for servicing somewhere and the wheels were off or they have taken the wheel off themselves. Most automotive shops will use a torque wrench to tighten the wheel and this is the best way to make sure the nuts are tight but not so tight that the wheel studs break from too much pressure on them. Some vehicles are more prone to having the lug nuts loosen and will need multiple re-torquing to make sure they stay tight.

Loose wheels don’t happen often, but to be safe, have your wheels re-torqued within the first 100 KM after they have been put on. It is the responsibility of the vehicle owner/driver that this is done. Loose wheels can cause a lot of damage to your car and potential injury to you and others. It doesn't take long to re-torque wheels and could save you a repair bill and a big headache.

www.crestviewautoservice.ca
(306) 244-6522

Winter Driving in Saskatchewan

How well did you prepare your vehicle for winter? Here are some things to remember and some tips to help ready yourself for a winter trip. Plan to be safe this winter when you are out on the road, reducing the stress of winter driving.

Have your vehicle inspected and serviced to be sure you won’t break down in the cold. Winter conditions with snow, cold and icy roads demand that a vehicle be in top condition. For this reason, a winter readiness inspection is a necessity, and in the end is less annoying and less costly than battery boosts, calling a tow truck, being late and those unplanned hotel stays half way to your destination.

Before it’s too late and you’re on the side of the road or worse, stopped in the middle of the road, give us a call, e-mail or book online to set up an appointment for your vehicle. You will know the condition of your vehicle and what needs to be done for safe winter driving.

Having a block heater on your car and using it when temperatures are colder than -15⁰c is the least expensive way to prevent engine damage from cold winter starts; just make sure you unplug before driving away.

Remember; daytime running lights on your vehicle usually only have the headlights on, not the park lights. They provide less light than when you turn the lights on yourself. At dusk or inclement weather you need to turn the lights on manually so others can see you from the front and the back; swirling snow, fog and cloudy days make it difficult to see and to be seen.

Tips before you head out on the road each day:

·        Unplug the car

·        Brush the snow off your car.

·        Scrape the windshield, rear and side windows.

·        Clear your heater air intake (this is usually between the windshield and the hood).

·        Clean your headlights, tail lights and signal lights.

·        Be sure to clear your tissue boxes, sunglasses, papers, etc., away from defroster                  outlets or your windows won’t clear properly.

For out of town or even for short trips, follow this link for information on what survival equipment to take with you in your vehicle: http://crestviewautoservice.blogspot.ca/2014/10/prepared-for-winter.html

Fuel Economy Tips you can take to the bank

The following maintenance and driving tips can translate into fuel cost savings and cash in the bank; read along to find ways you can save some cash. It’s like paying less for fuel each time you fill up. Information gathered from Car Care Canada.

1)     Tires inflated properly, even one tire that is 8 PSI low can have the same affect as saving up to $0.04/litre. For the average driver that’s the same as saving $69 a year in fuel cost. If you drive a truck it can be over $100 per year.

2)     Avoid aggressive driving, this can mean up to a 40% change in fuel cost. For a car that could be a savings of almost $700 a year and over $1000 with a truck.

3)     Remove excessive weight, for every 45 kgs (100 lbs.) extra weight in the vehicle, fuel economy drops between 1 and 2% that’s between $30 and $50 a year for every 45 kgs. So the question is - What’s in your trunk?

4)     Use a block heater; because a cold engine does not burn fuel efficiently you will use more fuel starting your car/truck in winter when it is not plugged in. Depending on how cold it gets, this can make a difference of up to 10% on economy during the cold winter months.

5)     Properly tuned engine, from maintenance tune-ups to major running issues the benefits add up. Annual savings from $100 to over $1000 a year in extreme cases.

6)     Observe the speed limit. Reducing speed from 120 km/h to 110 km/h typically saves at least 10%, the bigger the vehicle the more you save. Annual savings of $175 to over $500.

      Crestview Auto Service is a proud partner of Trusted Saskatoon and will work with you as "We'll Help Keep Your Vehicle Young A Long Time" - visit us online at www.crestviewautoservice.ca or call at (306) 244-6522. 

Honest-1 Auto Care on CBS 5 Charleston

Honest-1 Auto Care on CBS 5 Charleston

The segment featured Sherry Rector, Honest-1 Auto Care Owner, talking about how viewers can drive safely on icy roads. CBS 5 Charleston on Wednesday, February 11^th, 2014. In the segment Sherry talks about how to handle black ice while you’re driving on the roads. Sherry talks about tips the drivers can use if they run into problems out on the roads. The tips she offers include letting the car drive you by taking your foot off the gas and to not slam on your breaks. Furthermore, she talks about how you should steer into the direction that your car is headed and let your car take the lead if you run into black ice.

You can view the link here.

Land Rover Defenders at play

I thought I'd change direction for a moment and show you one of the machines our company ( J E Robison Service )builds. We're known for customizing Land Rovers for folks who want to take them to serious rough country, and expeditions, and adventures.

We get work like this shipped to us from all over the eastern United States.

This is a Land Rover Defender 90 that we built last summer for a fellow in Virginia.

In this photo Jeff ( one of our Rover techs ) has just driven up a knee-high rock ledge and he's climbing the slope at a steep angle.







Here are Jeff and Dominick from our Land Rover shop crossing a small stream on the trail.

All the equipment on the front - the high lift jack, the winch, skid plates, and such were fabricated or fitted in our shop.

This truck started life as a 1995 Defender, and it's gotten a 300TDI motor, a new frame, custom skid plates and guards, custom bumpers front and rear, Safarigard stage III suspension, ARB lockers front and rear, crawler transfer box, bigger tires, a 2-inch lift, air conditioning, CB radio, onboard refrigerator, and much more.








In this photo you can see the incredible range of suspension motion in a modified Land Rover. Look at the front axle, which is twisted in a direction opposite the rear.

This truck's been prepared to run out west, in the rock and sand of the desert. Those two cans on the back will carry drinking water. We've moved the spare tire to the floor inside.

The custom bumper is clearly visible. It can take the weight of the truck should the vehicle drop onto a large rock.

The box below the bumper is the armor for the fuel tank.



Here's another front view. The snorkel for the diesel air intake is visible. This Defender has the 300TDI motor.

The cables from roof to front bar are to deflect limbs that might otherwise smack the windshield.