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Tool review: Milwaukee M18 Tire Inflator

Disclaimer: I purchased this tool at full retail price. I do have a cousin who works at Milwaukee Tool, but he stopped getting me discounts on stuff years ago. Have you switched (or are you switching) to electric tools from air? If so, you’re aware that choosing is...

PSA: Your customers are probably parking incorrectly

It’s hard to tell someone they do something as basic as parking their car incorrectly. But I’m a charismatic guy, and I like a challenge, so I do this with customers and have for a long time. Why? Because the commonly accepted way of parking a car is pretty dangerous....

Gas vs. diesel (VIDEO)

Is there an ideal fuel for an ICE these days? Use case is everything, of course. Nick and Lem sat down to give some thoughts on the go-juice each prefers to burn, and while they might not agree on everything, neither of them seems real fond of the prices hitting the...

Rats increasingly causing more car repairs, says New York Times

If you’ve noticed more customers coming in with chewed wires and chicken bones in their engine bay, you’re apparently not alone. The New York Times published an article today on a reported rise of rats in cars causing all sorts of mayhem, from cutting wires to leaving...

Is that catalytic converter actually bad? (VIDEO)

Diagnosing a catalytic converter isn't always the most straightforward process simply because it's so far downstream from other parts that affect its operation. You might watch this video and say, "Of course!", but not every technician has been given the proper...

The easiest way to remove a cotter pin (VIDEO)

The easiest way to remove a cotter pin (VIDEO)

​For the longest time I used to remove cotter pins with either a hooked mechanic’s pick or a pair of needle-nose pliers. And when I say a long time, I mean, probably 15 years. Then my friend Zito showed me a better way. I’ve since seen others use this method, but I...
How to fix a Ford cupholder for almost free

How to fix a Ford cupholder for almost free

The in-dash cup holder on certain late ’90s to early 2000s F-150s, Expeditions and Navigators – which also holds an ash tray in some vehicles – has a tendency to break in service, leading to a cupholder that has to be pried into the open position in...
The other “Phillips” head screwdriver you might not know about

The other “Phillips” head screwdriver you might not know about

Not every Phillips head fastener is a Phillips head fastener. I believed this was common knowledge until today, when I was speaking with another tech who had no idea what I was talking about, and I relived a lesson from my salad days of wrenching. Many moons ago, when...
In defense of the beam-style torque wrench

In defense of the beam-style torque wrench

Way back when, torque specs didn’t exist. Oh, mechanics were familiar with busted fasteners. Prior to torque wrenches, factory tools often had handles of specific lengths, with the understanding that “cheater pipes” were not to be used and that an average man of...