Wheel Alignments

Wheel Alignments

Wheel alignments are one of the most important maintenance items for your vehicle, as not only does the process prolong the life of your tyres and suspension, but misaligned wheels can also compromise your car’s safety.

It is important to have your wheel alignment checked whenever you have them rotated, and of course whenever you replace your tyres.

When driving your car, some signs that your wheels require an alignment are:

• Your steering doesn’t feel right
• Your car is pulling to the left or the right
• Your steering wheel is shuddering or vibrating

There are many ways that your wheels can become misaligned, and over time even a slight misalignment can cause big problems.

• Road hazards – hitting the curb, driving over potholes, or bumping into parking barriers
• Minor Accidents & Bingles – even small bumps in your car can cause the wheels to be knocked out of alignment, even if you can’t notice it from the outside
• Wear and tear – as your car ages, rubber components start cracking and lose their elasticity, which can cause the ball and socket joints to develop looseness.

Wheel Alignment vs. Wheel Balancing

As well as wheel alignment services, we also offer wheel balancing. Different to a wheel alignment, which corrects misaligned angles and keeps your car from veering to one side or another, wheel balancing corrects any uneven distribution of weight in the wheels (which can lead to vibration, excessive tyre wear, damage to suspension and other problems). During a wheel balancing service, we mount steel weights to the inside or outside of wheels to balance the wheel assembly.

Click here to book a wheel alignment or wheel balancing service today or call us on (08) 9452 7972, and protect your tyres.

TIPS TO HELP YOU AVOID BEING "RIPPED OFF" BY YOUR MECHANIC

Do you dread the thought of dealing with your mechanic?

It’s common for consumers to feel nervous about taking their car in to a mechanic for general servicing and repairs, and rightly so. Most people lack the knowledge and understanding when it comes to cars to know when a mechanic is telling the truth or trying to rip you off. Although there are some poor workshops out there, there are plenty of great ones too. Hopefully by reading this article I can help avoid some of the anguish and unnecessary repair bills, keeping your car in tip top shape.

• Word of Mouth – How do you find a trustworthy mechanic? Ask around, friends and family will no doubt have already used a workshop they are happy with.

• Check for a Repairers Business Licence – Not that this ensures a trustworthy mechanic, but it does ensure that they have complied with the necessary licensing requirements. Businesses can be searched here:
http://www.commerce.wa.gov.au/…/consumer-protection-licence…

• Do some research – A quick flick through Google can often lead you to find out if the issue with your particular car is a common problem or if it is simply routine maintenance, there will be a wealth of information to ensure you know what your mechanic is talking about.

• Go Independent – Why? There may be reasons for using a dealership over independent workshops and vice versa. Usually independent workshops are cheaper (due to lower operating costs) and rely heavily on repeat business over a longer term to ensure a healthy business. Independent workshops will go that little bit further to ensure their customers keep coming back and you usually get to deal directly with the owner themselves.

• Ask for evidence – Ask for your old parts back, I doubt any workshop will mind holding on to your old parts for you and explaining why and where they play a role in your car. Ask them to show you where they go in the vehicle (within reason) so you have an understanding. If the workshop in question can’t find time to explain this to you then they obviously don’t want your business.

• Get a Quote – Ask for a quote to be done before any work is done on your car. If it’s a routine service then a quote should be provided for the service schedule that was booked and a quote should be provided for any extra repairs needed.

• Get a second opinion – If the quotation seems too excessive or you are simply unsure, don’t be shy in taking the vehicle elsewhere for a second opinion. This could save you big dollars.

• Beware of the upsell – Beware of workshops that consistently try to upsell services or find a large list of faults every time your car enters the shop. Transmission flushes, power steering flushes, emission servicing, throttle body cleaning and injector cleaning are some of the more common upsell items that many shops use. While some of these items may be required from time-to-time, for the most part, if the vehicle is running well and has never missed a beat then be wary of the common and unnecessary upsell.

• Ask Yourself – Ask yourself if the workshop really cares about you and your car. Look for the little things that show you they go that little bit further – such as:
- Washing and/or vacuuming the car
- Tyre Shine
- Complimentary air fresher or fragrance
- Complimentary wiper blades
- Service reminders by text or email
- Windows cleaned
- Old parts kept for viewing
- Communication prior to performing extra repairs

Finally, here is a quick list of things you can do to help your workshop which will show your mechanic you care and they will more than likely go that little bit further for you.

1. Clean out your car – No mechanic likes rummaging through a boot load of junk to check the spare tyre or a glove box so full it takes 5 minutes to find the log books, and most mechanics will probably just close the compartment and walk away.

2. Avoid booking for a Friday – Most shops are already flat out on a Friday and might tend to rush things to get the jobs out the door before the weekend. Booking earlier in the week is the safer option.

3. Don’t ignore the warning signs – If your car has a dash light on or is making an unusual noise then get it in as soon as possible. Ignoring the warning signs can mean the difference between a few dollars or a major repair bill.

4. If you can’t make the appointment then call and cancel with as much notice as possible. Simply not turning up without a quick call doesn’t allow the workshop to fill the vacant spot and can cost them in lost income for the day.

5. If you have problems with your car, try and take notice of when the problem occurs. By giving the mechanic as much information as possible you will make their job easier in diagnosing the issue and perhaps even save them time, in turn, saving you money.

For more information, visit our website:  www.currenttech.com.au

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A BRIEF EXPLANATION OF DUAL BATTERY SYSTEMS

A BRIEF EXPLANATION OF DUAL BATTERY SYSTEMS

On every 4x4 forum I come across, someone is always asking ‘Which dual battery system do I choose?’ No doubt they have read through several online articles only to become even more confused about the options available for their 4x4 set-up. So with this article I will briefly explain the different systems that I believe to be the most beneficial to the everyday 4x4 owner.

The first question I ask people when they ask how much a dual battery system will cost is:

How much is your budget?

Some people see this as a marketing ploy but honestly there is no point in me trying to sell you a dual battery system built around the Redarc BCDC1240 charger when your budget is $800, as the charge unit alone is over $450 not including battery, cables, battery tray etc.

The second question is:

What are you using the system for?

There is no point in having a $1700 system in your vehicle when you only plan on using it twice a year or to simply run a fridge overnight, unless you feel that is really what you need. You will also need to know what you will be running off it and the wattage of each of these items.

If a customer can answer these two questions then they are already well on their way to designing the system they require.

I will break down the three most popular systems as follows:

System 1 - Manual dual battery switch

This is perhaps the most basic dual battery system available and is built around a manual battery switch (such as Narva 61090) where the user selects the battery required to be used and/or charged or both. A very simple system that works well however the switch and wiring required is quite cumbersome. This system is what I call a ‘direct parallel system’ (DPS). There is also the downside of the user having to remember to switch the master switch to the desired setting, which if forgotten could inadvertently drain both batteries by accident.

·        Good for high current situations, winch etc.

·        Easy to use.

·        Relatively cheap although larger cable size can become expensive over larger runs.

·        Not recommended if different battery types are being used together.

·        Can jump start vehicle if auxiliary battery is charged.

System 2 – Voltage sensitive relay/solenoid

This is a favourite amongst most 4X4 owners, utilising a solenoid (such as the Redarc SBI12) due to the relatively low cost of the solenoid and the ease of installation. This simple solenoid (also a DPS) detects when your main (start) battery has reached a high state of charge and then closes the contacts to join the two batteries together to start charging the auxiliary battery. These solenoids have served the industry well for a number of years but with advances in battery technology they have since been less desirable when using different battery types together.

·        Simple.

·        Cheap.

·        May not work with newer vehicles that utilise variable voltage alternator output.

·        Can also cater for jump starting.

·        Can also be used where higher current demand is required.

·        Can also be used for winch applications.

System 3 – The DC to DC Charger

The DC to DC Charger has really changed dual battery systems in the last few years, allowed us to do so much more with our dual battery systems and take care of our auxiliary batteries so much better. Put simply, the DC-DC charger has allowed us to charge batteries efficiently, and electrically isolate the main battery and the main charge system (the alternator). The main benefit of the DC-DC charger is the ability to be able to charge different battery types using pre-set charge algorithms selected for the battery type being used. This ensures that the battery being charged is charged at the optimum rate which means it is charged as high as possible (some batteries require different charge rates to reach full capacity). The other benefit is that electrically both batteries are separated and if either battery fails or starts to degrade then it won’t compromise the other battery, as the DPS type may.

·        Maximises battery life by charging to optimum level.

·        Expensive.

·        Set and forget – no user input required.

·        Current output is limited to capability of unit.

·        Can’t be used for jump starting alone.

·        Capable of supporting small amounts of volt drop.

In both of the DP systems, if one battery starts to fail or degrade then it will start to drag the other battery down with it. If different battery types are used in the DP systems then this will also cause premature battery failure (over time) and it’s always recommended that if one battery fails in this instance, then both batteries should be replaced at the same time. In saying that, if matching battery types (preferably make and model) are used in the DP system then this will maximise battery life. Yes of course everyone will know someone that has used the DPS type, never had to change a battery and will never want to part with the money to buy a DC-DC charger. Each system has its strengths, weaknesses and its place in the dual battery world but I will never recommend using different battery types together in a DPS type set-up.

This article was never intended to explain dual battery systems at length but rather, give the reader an idea of what is out there and how it might benefit them. Time again we have had customers come in saying they got a dual battery system installed but they have no idea what they paid for or how it works. If you don’t know what you paid for then how do you know what the system will do or if it’s right for you? Some customers have come in thinking they want a super dooper dual battery system that could cost upwards of $800 only to be sent away with a Arkpak type battery box because that is all that they require to run their fridge for a few hours or overnight while fishing every now and again.

If I have missed something or you feel something else might be more relevant then don’t hesitate to contact me.

Regards,

Gavin.

Current Tech Automotive

www.currenttech.com.au

https://www.facebook.com/currenttechauto/

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