Tag Archives: Safety

Dangerous Wheel Spacers

Posted on April 24, 2023 by Dan

I was looking over an 8th-generation Honda Civic in the shop, and was finding quite a few issues with it. There were some fluid leaks, the brakes were almost worn out, and there were broken springs in both the front … Continue reading →

Posted in In The Shop | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Didn’t Use PPE – Got Burned

Posted on March 6, 2023 by Dan

New blog post or video every Monday, plus pictures throughout the week on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram! Watch Mechanical Malarkey on YouTube! Mechanical Malarkey T-shirts, hats, and stickers are available to order! -Dan

Posted in Videos | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Let’s Talk About Lug Nut Torque

Posted on November 14, 2022 by Dan

New blog post or video every Monday, plus pictures throughout the week on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram! Watch Mechanical Malarkey on YouTube! Mechanical Malarkey T-shirts, hats, and stickers are available to order! -Dan

Posted in Videos | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Don’t Stack Wheel Spacers

Posted on August 29, 2022 by Dan

The same wheels don’t fit every car. The width, diameter, and backspacing will vary depending on the design of the car, as well as the center bore size and lug nut pattern. Sometimes people want to change out the wheels … Continue reading →

Posted in In The Shop | Tagged , | Leave a comment

The Scariest Tire I’ve Ever Seen

Posted on August 15, 2022 by Dan

As a mechanic, I see a lot of worn out tires. Usually we’re able to sell tires to a customer before they’re completely used up, but sometimes they’re already bald, or even worn down to cords. Sometimes the tires are … Continue reading →

Posted in In The Shop | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Aftermarket Trailer Hitch Ripping Out Sheet Metal

Posted on July 4, 2022 by Dan

Some cars have factory-designed trailer hitches available, with well-designed attachment points. Other cars, usually ones that aren’t really meant to do any towing, don’t have factory options, so you’d have to get an aftermarket one. I’ve seen a lot of … Continue reading →

Posted in In The Shop | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Be Careful With Your Sparks

Posted on June 20, 2022 by Dan

There are multiple things mechanics do that create a lot of sparks. Some are destructive, some are constructive: metal cut-off wheels, acetylene torches, and welding. When doing any of these, you need to be aware of where your sparks are … Continue reading →

Posted in In The Shop | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Don’t Forget the Center Ring

Posted on February 14, 2022 by Dan

Original equipment wheels that come on a car are designed so that they fit snugly around the center of the wheel hub. This is important because that takes the load off of the studs, so they’re not what’s holding all … Continue reading →

Posted in In The Shop | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Compare New & Old Parts Before Installing

Posted on January 3, 2022 by Dan

A customer brought their Honda Accord to the dealer because there was a little clunking noise from the brakes or suspension. It didn’t take me long to figure out what the problem was once I got the wheels off.

Posted in In The Shop | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Corroded Airbag Sensor Wire

Posted on June 7, 2021 by Dan

A Honda Civic came into the shop needing an SRS light diagnosis. This light indicates that there’s something wrong with the airbag system. On Hondas from the early half of the 2000’s, this is often caused by a faulty seat … Continue reading →

Posted in In The Shop | Tagged , | Leave a comment