Shifting Gears Archives

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Quick tip for greasing clogged fittings

I’m showing my age a bit, but when I write a car up for a LOF job, while I’m undercar I’m sniffing around looking for spots to hit with my grease gun. Many newer cars have nothing at all, but an older truck? There might be a dozen. Older tractors and motorcycles,...

Which type of salvage yard do you prefer?

In the world of salvage auto parts, most yards fall into one of two camps: you-pull-it and full-serve. You-pull-it yards are just what they sound like: bring your tools; you’ll be removing the parts you need. Full-serve is just the opposite; you call up and either...

VIDEO: The fastest way to remove a wiper arm

We've all gotten stuck using a pry bar, the smallest two-jaw puller in the toolbox, or a block of wood and a mallet to free a wiper arm, but there's an easier way—a Dorman Wiper Arm Tool. Watch as Lem shows you the quickest way to pull wiper arms without putting the...

Mechanics React: Dorman techs respond to crazy Reddit questions (VIDEO)

Oh, brother. The boys are at it again. Nick and Lemmy, both Dorman employees and mechanics, watch a few internet videos and try their hands at diagnosing over the phone again. The results are...well, let's call them murky. Take it easy on them in the comments section...

Five different types of service techs everyone knows, based on how they manage their tools

This story begins with the lack of a garage when I was growing up. Tools never had a consistent place in my house. Every time I blew up a tire or popped a chain on a bicycle, I would spend more time tracking down the correct wrench (or my trusty and incorrect rusty...

California predicts zero-emission vehicles could eliminate 1 out of 7 auto repair jobs [Updated]

As California goes, so does car care. The Golden State’s instituted some of the nation’s strictest emissions standards, partly because it’s generally progressive, and partly because it’s had some of the nation’s worst air pollution. Automakers and other states have...

Prime numbers are the secret to prolonged gear life

I’m going to make a list of numbers, and I want you to see if you can tell me where you might know them from. Ready? Here goes: 3.23, 3.42, 3.73, 4.10, 4.11, 4.56. Rest your eyes here because the answer is in the next paragraph. My suspicion is if you’ve taken apart...

Mechanics React: Dorman techs react to customer car care issues (VIDEO)

Nick and Lemmy, both Dorman employees and mechanics, sat down to watch a few internet videos and try their hands at diagnosing over the phone. The results were as humorous as they were incorrect. Do us a favor and take it easy on them in the comments—Nick's pretty...

Are daytime running lights really a bad idea?

by Lemmy | Feb 3, 2022

I’ve kind of had it with headlights. I mean, headlights are grand. Heck, I need them more than ever; I’m no spring chicken. Driving at night has become harder for me as my vision has deteriorated. However, other drivers operating their headlights incorrectly or...

150 of the truly best songs about cars, trucks and driving

by Lee Procida | Jan 13, 2022

You can read our methodology below, or click here to skip right to the playlist. Wrenching on cars and listening to music go hand in hand. Any work with your hands sure goes a lot faster and easier when you’ve got good tunes in the background. It gives you a little...

The Toyota Tacoma just doesn’t make sense any more

by Lemmy | Dec 3, 2021

Allow me to deliver you a Very Spicy Take: the Toyota Tacoma is not a great truck. Oh, it was a great truck. At one point, it was awesome. The Hilux (and later the Tacoma) was small, light, capable far beyond its advertised abilities, rugged, and cheap to own and...