Inspection of all Belts and Hoses on your vehicle

 May 30, 2012

Your belts and hoses are basically the blood line to keeping your engine operating at its peak performance.  When a hose or a belt fails, can or will cause an engine to overheat, loss of power steering and loss of the electrical charging system.  When a hose leaks coolant or the main belt turning the water pump snaps, the entire cooling systems becomes inoperable. If you engine overheats, this could cause serious internal damage to the engine with a very expensive repair bill.

Check your Coolant and heater hoses

Hoses are the weakest part of the coolant systems structural components. Hoses are made of flexible rubber compounds so it can absorb vibrations between the engine and the radiator or the case of a heater hoses, the engine and the body’s firewall. Hoses are designed to hold coolant under high pressure; hoses will fluctuate with different extremes of heat, cold, dirt, oils and sludge.

One of the most common failures of hoses is called electrochemical degradation (ECD), not an easy thing to detect by many automotive experts. The main reason is the damage starts from inside the hoses, causing tiny cracks; acids and contaminants in the coolant can then weaken the yarn material that reinforces the hoses.  Eventually pinholes will develop or the weaken hoses will finally rupture from the intense heat, pressure or the constant flexing.

Basic Maintenance in preventing coolant hose failure

-Always check the coolant-recovery tank often ensures proper fluid level. You will see marks on the tank indicating the proper level of engine coolant when engine is either cold or hot. Keep an eye for white, light green or pink coolant traces in the engine bay, which is residue left from a leaking coolant

-When the engine is cool, squeeze the hoses with your thumb and forefinger near the clamps, this is where (ECD) mostly occurs. A good hose will have a nice firm but pliant feel to it.

-Inspect for cracks, bulges or nicks, do this when the engine is still hot.

-Check for parallel cracks around the bends, hardened glassy surface (heat damage) or it could be abrasive damage caused by hose rubbing.

-Always flushing your coolant system by follow the recommendation on your owner’s manual, this will definitely help prevent (ECD)

-NEVER remove the radiator cap when the engine is hot, also keep in mind that an electrical fan may come on at any time.

Some of the automotive experts suggest that all hoses should be replaced every four years as the compounds in the rubber have hardened and become weak from (ECD) and all the other factors we talked about. If you change your hoses, have your coolant system flushed and checked as recommended in your owner’s manual, you will save much grief and a lot of money on avoidable repairs to your vehicle.

Accessory belts on your vehicle

Many of the same damaging factors that attack and weakened your hose will also have similar effects on your belts, heat, oil ozone and abrasion. With today’s technology  almost every car or truck on the road have a single multi-grooved serpentine belt that operates the alternator, water pump, power-steering pump as well as your air conditioning compressor. The serpentine belt is rated to with stand a life expectation of approximately 36,000 miles or 57,600 klms. The crucial point of a serpentine belt is at 50,000 miles or 80,000 klms. These belts should be change when you see any signs of excessive wear, some of the composite belts don’t show any sign of wear until failure occurs.

Tips for Inspecting belts
-check for any visible cracks, fraying, or splits on the top cover.
-check for any signs of glazing on the belt's sides
-Glazed or slick belts can slip, overheat or crack.
-Also twist the serpentine belt to look for separating layers, cracks, or missing chunks of the groves on the underside of the belt.

When you do encounter any of the above factors you should have your serpentine belt replaced, the length and width  should be the same size. Serpentine belts are kept tight with an automatic tensioner. If you ever hear a loud high pitched whining, chirping or vibration noise, this is a sign your belt tensioner is failing and needs attention and in most case has to be replaced.

Automatic Tensioner
will keep your belt tight and running properly

RJ PICK UP SERVICE
241A Main Street North
Uxbridge, Ontario, L9P 1C3
Phone 905-852-4238
Email: rjpickupservice@hotmail.com
TIRECRAFT!!   We're driving towards a cure with every car we serviceshow your support and go pink!!

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Why you should use trailer tires on your trailers.

May 24, 2012


Trailers tires are defined by the symbol "ST" which stands for Trailer Tires, "P" stands for passenger vehicles and "LT" stands for light duty trucks and SUV's. "ST" tires are made specifically for use on trailers and differ considerably from automotive tires. If you own a trailer you should be using only tires that where manufactured specifically for trailers with the symbol "ST"on the side walls.

The main benefit of using "ST" tires is it has about 10 percent more load capacity then an equivalent "LT" tire and about 40 percent more then a "P" tire when filled to the proper psi rating. The "ST" mold of the tire is designed to fit and accommodate trailer rims which are most often narrower then "P" and "LT" rims. This provides an advantage since the tires are narrower and designed to carry the necessary payload that the tire is rated for.

Another important advantage is the sidewalls provide a much stiffer and stronger ply especially in its lower section. This definitely reduces sidewall flexing, helping it to track straighter and diminish the risk of trailer sway and risk sidewall blowouts.

Two Types of "ST" Bias or Radials

Radial tires have since pretty much swept the tire industry. The main difference between Bias and Radials are the plies, in Radials the plies run perpendicularly, Bias have a crisscrossing cords of polyester or nylon on the sidewalls as well as on the tread.

So which tire is the better Radials or Bias, each one has a specific advantage over each other, when deciding which one will suit your needs the best, you should talk to a tire specialist so he can choose the correct tire to fit your trailing needs. The Bias tire would certainly have an advantage with payload and speed and Radial will have an advantage when it comes to tread wear.

Bias tire tread wear life is approximately 18,000 miles or 28,800 klms and the Radials would have a tread wear life of approximately 40,000 miles or 64,000 klms. This is under a perfect world; you may get more miles or klms depends on many conditions, weather, wheel bearings and how you maintain your trailer and how much your payload is on normal use.

Make sure you always check your psi on your "ST" tires no different then "LT" or "P" tires, under inflated tires will wear much quicker. As an example of an under inflated tire by 20 percent will cut 25 percent of the tires life expectation. so make sure you check your tires psi at least once a week.

Overloading your trailer is a huge cause of tire failure. You should always know the actual way that you are towing. This would included the boat, trailer, fuel in the boat and all other types of gear you will be carrying. When you are overloaded with additional carrying weight the overloaded tire will produce an inordinate amount of heat, which can cause tire degradation or a possible blowout.

RJ PICK UP SERVICE
241A Main Street North
Uxbridge, Ontario, L9P 1C3
Phone 905-852-4238
Email: rjpickupservice@hotmail.com

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How to read tire codes and understand what they mean.

May 23, 2012

You will find a series of codes that is engraved into each side wall of every tire, that represents useful information to the consumer regarding that specific tire, such as brand of the tire, whether it is a tubeless or a tube type, tire grade, speed rating, maximum load and maximum inflation. lets review what each series of codes stand for, whether it is a passenger tire, light duty, SUV tire, or a trailer tire.

The Example of the Tire we will use : P245/65/16 102T

The first letter we see is a "P" this means that this specific tire is manufactured for a passenger car as opposed for a tire that is made for a truck or other vehicles.  The P-metric is the US version of a metric tire-sizing system. "LT" designates the tire is a light duty truck or SUV tire also we have an "ST", which is specifically manufactured for trailers and large payloads.

"245" Section Width:  This is the measurement of the width of the tire measured in millimeters from sidewall to sidewall. This all depends on the width of the rim the tire will be mounted to, larger on a wider rim and smaller on a narrow rim. This calculation is measured with the tire fitted to the tire tires manufacturers recommended rim width. 

"65" Aspect Ratio: The ratio of height to width, in this case the tire's height is 65 percent of it's width.

"R"Construction: This provides you with information on how the piles are constructed in the tire carcass or you may also found these other letters in place of the "R".

"B" in place of the "R" means that this tire is a belt bias type of construction.

"D" In place of the "R" means means that this bios diagonal bias construction.

The majority of the of the modern cars and SUV's use radial tires.

"16" Rim Diameter: This is the diameter of your steel or aluminum rim, that the tire will be mounted on.

"102" Load Index: This tire has an industry-standard maximum of 1,874 pounds. Different numbers will correspond to different loads. The maximum load is shown in lbs (pounds) and in kg (kilograms), and maximum pressure in PSI (pounds per square inch) or in kPa (kilopascals).

"T" Speed rating:  This tire has an industry-standard maximum service speed of 118 mph or 188 KLM. Tires that use an older European system carry the speed rating in the size description: 245/65/HR16, again different letters would indicate different speed ratings for that specific tire

Here are some of the most conman speed ratings,  you will encounter when your buying a set of tires.

Rating Max Speed

Q 99 mph or 158 klm, S 112 mph or 179 klm, T 118 mph or 189 klm, U 124 mph or 198 klm, H 130 mph or 208 klm, V 149 mph or 238 klm,  W 168 mph or 269 klm, Y 186 mph or 298 klm, Z Above 149 mph or 238 klm

One other piece of information a consumer should also check out is the date that the tire was manufactured, you will also find this information on the side wall of your tire. Misconception of tires is not how much tread is left; but when it was produced will determine how much life the tire will have. This is the end result when the tire is old and the compounds in the tire have dried up. View the picture of a three month old tire that a consumer purchased. Thinking and investing in a current year tire, what you would expect, not at a 2 year old tire.

This is an ST tire which is
specifically manufactured to haul trailers with a 14 ply rating 

RJ PICK UP SERVICE
241A Main Street North
Uxbridge, Ontario, L9P 1C3
Phone 905-852-4238
Email: rjpickupservice@hotmail.com

TIRECRAFT!!    We're driving towards a cure with every car we service show your support and go pink!!

How to Read Tire Codes and Understand What They Mean from jfbmarketing

How often should l change the oil on my vehicle?

May 17, 2012

As a rule of thumb, you should have your oil changed every 5,000 KLMS or every 3 months for normal driving conditions. If you live out in the country where the roads are much dustier, then you should revise it accordingly to every 3,000 KLMS or every 2 months. Always check your Air filter every second oil change making sure it is clean and allow the engine to breathe properly.

The main functions of motor oil, is it lubricates metal parts that slide pass each other. This will reduce wear and prevents friction that would make the engine too hot to function properly. When there is no oil in the engine, parts then would start scraping against one another this would cause the piston’s precise machining would degrade overtime, increasing the friction, rate of wear and operating temperature. This would cause the engine to get even hotter burning all the oil off. The end results, the metal surfaces of the cylinders and piston could melt, seizing the engine and making it unsalvageable.

When the oil becomes dirtier, semi-solid dirty particulates precipitate out. The sludge can build up and clog your oil filter, not allowing oil to flow naturally through the oil filter. Without proper filtration, the oil gets dirtier quicker and this increase oil viscosity, causing to reducing the speed of your (RPM’s) engine turns.

2006 Dodge Ram 3500
with 5.9 Cummings Turbo Diesel Engine  

So make sure you keep on top of your scheduled oil changes


RJ PICK UP SERVICE
241A Main Street North
Uxbridge, Ontario, L9P 1C3
Phone 905-852-4238
Email: rjpickupservice@hotmail.com

TIRECRAFT!!   We're driving towards a cure with every car we serviceshow your support and go pink!!

Tips on why your Air conditioning system is not working efficiently

 May 14, 2012

With today’s technology all you have to do to make your air conditioning work is press a button, that simple. Most air conditioning systems today are very reliable on a modern or relatively new vehicle. If you own an older vehicle and the A/C system is not performing. Some of the most common reasons your air conditioning system is not working to its peak performance.  If you’re not getting any cold or not getting sufficient cold air. Based on our research we have listed below some of the common factors that may be causing you’re A/C system not performing to its peak performance level.

If you’re not get any Cold Air

-Loose or broken drive belt

-Inoperative compressor or slipping compressor clutch

-Defective expansion valve

-Clogged expansion valve, receiver-drier or liquid refrigerant line.

-Blown fuses

-Leaking component; any of the parts listed above or one of the A/C lines, hoses or seals.

If you’re only getting insufficient cold Air

-Low refrigerant charge

-Loose drive belt

-Slipping compressor clutch

-Clogged condenser or evaporator

-slow leak in the system

-Partial clogged filter or the expansion valve.

Air conditioning problems should be left to repair shops who have the knowledge and tools to properly diagnostic the root of the problem that is causing you’re A/C to not perform to its peak performance. Since most do not have the proper tools or knowledge to work on the A/C system. It is highly recommended that you have your A/C system checked regularly to the specs of your vehicles spec as advised by the manufactured. If you live in a cold weather climate, you should turn on your A/C unit for at least 10 minutes per month. You’re A/C system contains a light mineral oil in the refrigerant to keep the compressor well lubricated.

RJ PICK UP SERVICE
241A Main Street North
Uxbridge, Ontario, L9P 1C3
Phone 905-852-4238
Email: rjpickupservice@hotmail.com





TIRECRAFT!!   We're driving towards a cure with every car we serviceshow your support and go pink!!

Picking the correct Tonneau cover for your truck

May 10, 2012

Making your truck look as good as you can make it by adding some Accessories; that make sense and are practical for everyday use. Tonneau Covers not only look good it provides protection from all weather conditions from damaging your goods that your carrying. They come in many different price ranges from affordable to very expensive ones, here are some examples of what we offer, l am sure one will fit your budget.

Lund Tonneau cover Tr-Fold Type and Roll Up

Tri-Fold Model for 2007 - 2012 Silverado/Sierra  6.5 Box
Sale Price $599.99 + applicable taxes

Roll Up for a 2007 - 2012 Silverado/Sierra  6.5 Box
Sale Price $529.99 + applicable taxes 

We also carry the following manufactures of Tonneau Covers


Rugged Cover:..starting from $299.99 + applicable taxes  for roll up model
Tuff Shield:........starting from $499.99 + applicable taxes for Tri-fold model
Truxport:............starting from $399.99 + applicable taxes for roll up model
Truxedo:  ...........starting from $379.99 = applicable taxes for roll up model
Access: ..............starting from $499.99 + applicable taxes for a roll up model
Extang: ..............starting from $349.99 = applicable taxes for a roll up model
Vanish: ..............starting from $449.99 = applicable taxes for a roll up model
Truxmart: ..........starting from $379.99 + applicable taxes for a roll up model




All the above examples where price for a 2007 - 2012 Silverado/Sierra with a 6.5 box


Retractable Tonneau Covers with Canister and Rails:
Some of the features that the retractable Tonneau covers provide. Speed clamps provide instant access to the truck bed. Clamps conveniently store within rails when not in use. Tri-Fold design provides easy access, great style and cargo security. Fold up Tonneau cover for big loads! Easy to use clamp system. Rapid-secure and rapid system, without tools. when you order this model you will need to order canister and the rails.

Retractable Tonneau Cover for a 2007 - 2012 Silverado/Sierra with 6.5 Box
Sale Price $1,085.95 = applicable taxes includes canister, rails and installation 

Hard Tonneau Covers by Armor Lid


High impact UV tested ABS polymer. Weather-tite, lockable, strong design, low profile, scratch resistant, rugged texture, lightweight and removes easily. lock LED light and also hangers for wall storing included.

Hard Tonneau Cover for a 2007 - 2012 Silverado/Sierra with a 6.5 Box
Special Price $699.95 only 4 left at this price + applicable taxes

RJ PICK UP SERVICE
241A Main Street North
Uxbridge, Ontario, L9P 1C3
Phone 905-852-4238
Email: rjpickupservice@hotmail.com
TIRECRAFT!!   We're driving towards a cure with every car we serviceshow your support and go pink!!

Working on the Braking system of Chevy Silverado 3500

May 9, 2012

Brake systems are designed to slow the vehicles wheel movement friction. There are primarily two types of braking systems, ABS and non ABS (anti-lock brake system). Both of these systems work on basic hydraulics and utilize a brake master cylinder ( connected to the brake pedal in the vehicle) that supplies brake fluid pressure to the front brake calipers and rear wheel cylinder or brake calipers if its equipped that way. The brake system requires hydraulic force that is many times greater that the force applied by your foot. This added  hydraulic force is achieved by leverage multiplication. Varying the relative location of the brake master cylinder rod pivot as it relates to the lever can change multiplying force.

Standard configuration of a Braking System

Here is an example of a well used Brake Rotor from a 2005 Chevy 3500, as you can see from the picture all the groves in the rotor caused by worn out brake pads.

Worn out Brake Rotor

This example displays a newly installed Brake rotor, as you can see in the picture how clean it looks compared to the used one. Now the pads will be able to apply the pressure to slowing down without any pulsation caused by worn out pads and rotors.

New Brake Rotor

We also Specialize in customizing Rotors and Calipers
We can give your Calipers a totally different look, making them stand out and enhancing the over all appearance of your truck or vehicles. More picture to be added to this section as we are getting more and more requests for this type of service. In the example below we painted the Caliper black or any color you decide to choose, red is another hot color we have done.

Customized Brake Caliper
as you can see we painted the Caliper black!

Maintenance and Inspection on your Brakes.

Your brakes should be inspected every 40,000 to 50,000 klms, making sure they are operating at peak performance. Checking the following items your Master Cylinder, top it up with brake fluid make sure you  use a quality OEM product (original equipment manufactures) rated for your specific vehicle, flex hoses, brake shoes or pads for wear. Always use quality parts when your replacing parts, if your using inexpensive parts, they will squeak, grumble and will need to be replaced sooner then the quality parts.

This next example will illustrate when brake pads are not installed properly, lubricated and grind to fit properly making them slide evenly against the rotor.

Brake Pad that was not installed
properly

This is the result of what a poorly
installed brake pad will do to your Rotor

All our parts are supplied by Impact Auto Parts  so we never have to wait for parts to be delivered if they are in stock. 

RJ PICK UP SERVICE
241A Main Street North
Uxbridge, Ontario, L9P 1C3
Phone 905-852-4238
Email: rjpickupservice@hotmail.com

TIRECRAFT!!    We're driving towards a cure with every car we service show your support and go pink!!

Karatbars International 12 Week Financial System http://t.co/SNp05Wgc5C
— Joseph Botelho (@jfbmarketing) October 30, 2013

May 8, 2012


Specials on Custom rims from RTX!


Rims and tires always make your vehicle stand out from the the crowd, we have put together a selection of rims that we can offer at a very attractive price. This offer will END on June 30, 2012 or until supplies last.


ADUI rims

Horch Silver
17 x 71/2 5-112 +45 CB 66.6
Sale Price $139.95 + taxes

Bavaria Hyper silver
17 x 71/2 5-112 +45 CB 66.6
Sale Price $154.95 + taxes

BMW Rims

Munich Chrome
18 x 8 5-120 +35 CB 74.1
Sale Price $199.95 + taxes

Frankfurt Silver
17 x 8 5-120 +20 CB 74.1
Sale Price $$136.95 + taxes

HONDA Civic

Hyogo Silver
16 x 61/2 5-114.3 +45 CB 64.1
Sale Price $109.95 + taxes

Yamada Silver
15 x 6 5-114.3 +42 CB 64.1
Sale Price $119.95

MAZDA  Rims    

Hiro Silver
15 x 51/2  4-100 +51 CB 54.1
Sale Price $114.95 + taxes

Seto Silver
16 x 61/2 5-114.3 +43 CB 67.1
Sale Price $129.95 = taxes

MERCEDES BENZ Rims

Stade Machined Black
19 x 71/2 5-112 +47 CB 66.6
Sale Price $199.95 + taxes

Bremen Chrome
17 x 8 5 - 112 + 45 CB 66.6
Sale Price $199.95 + taxes

These are just some of the examples of rims we can supply we also have many different styles for all makes and modes. If you have a special request or model in mind. 
   


VIEW SUPPLIERS WEB SITE



RJ PICK UP SERVICE
241A Main Street North
Uxbridge, Ontario, L9P 1C3
Phone 905-852-4238
Email: rjpickupservice@hotmail.com

TIRECRAFT!!   We're driving towards a cure with every car we serviceshow your support and go pink!!