How to Measure a Drive Belt
To measure a drive belt you need three things its length outside circumference or effective length its cross section top width and thickness and for toothed belts tooth pitch and tooth count Which method you use depends on whether the old belt is still in one piece broken or missing entirely Get…
Should You Grease or Lubricate Bushings? Rubber vs. Polyurethane, Safe Grease Types, and Stopping Squeaks
Whether a bushing needs grease depends on its material not on a blanket rule Rubber bushings generally don’t need lubrication they’re bonded to their metal sleeve and work by twisting internally not sliding so grease doesn’t address how they actually function Polyurethane bushings do need periodic grease the metal sleeve rotates or…
How to Measure a Shock Absorber (Extended, Compressed, and Stroke Length)
Measuring a shock absorber means recording three numbers extended length fully open compressed length fully closed and stroke the difference between them the usable travel Where you take those measurements from depends on the mounting style at each end and getting that reference point wrong is the single most common source of…
How to Size a Drive Belt
Sizing a drive belt means finding the correct replacement when you don’t already have a known good belt’s exact dimensions in hand as opposed to simply measuring a belt you’re holding see How to Measure a Drive Belt if that’s your situation There are four starting points and which one applies determines…
How to Remove, Press, and Install Bushings Yourself
Pressing a bushing in or out isn’t the hard part of this job a hydraulic press or a decent press kit makes that step fairly mechanical The hard part is getting the old one out when it’s rusted into place and reaching the bushing in the first place if it’s buried behind…
How Much Does It Cost to Replace a Rack and Pinion? (Parts, Labor, and What Drives the Price)
A full rack and pinion replacement typically costs 700 to 2 800 in the U S parts and labor combined with most jobs landing in the 1 000 2 000 range The spread is wide because it depends heavily on three things whether your vehicle uses a hydraulic or electric power steering…
What Is a Universal Joint? Function, Parts, and How It Works
A universal joint U joint also called a Cardan joint or Hardy Spicer joint is a mechanical coupling that connects two rotating shafts whose axes meet at an angle letting torque keep transferring even when the shafts aren’t in a straight line On a vehicle the most common place to find one…
What Is a Bushing, What Does It Do, and Why Is It Called That?
A bushing is a cylindrical sleeve installed between two parts in relative motion to reduce friction absorb vibration and take the wear that would otherwise happen directly between more expensive components That much is covered in more depth in What Is a Bushing The part worth answering separately is the name itself…
What Is Rack and Pinion?
Rack and pinion is a mechanical gear system that converts rotational motion into straight line linear motion It works through two parts a circular gear called the pinion and a straight toothed bar called the rack When the pinion turns its teeth mesh with the rack’s teeth and push the rack left…
What Is a “Bond Bushing”? (Not a Suspension or Mechanical Part)
If you’re looking for the automotive or mechanical bushing the anti friction sleeve used in suspension components hinges or rotating shafts this isn’t that A bond bushing more precisely a bonding bushing is an electrical term used in conduit and raceway installations and it has nothing mechanically in common with the sleeve…
“Bushing vs. Bearing Barbell” — A Weightlifting Term, Not an Automotive One
If you found this searching for a car truck or industrial machinery bushing this isn’t that page Bushing vs bearing barbell is a weightlifting equipment term it refers to the sleeves on a barbell the part that spins around the bar and whether they’re built with plain bushings or rolling element bearings…
How Much Is a Brake Line? Real Cost Ranges and What Drives Them
A brake line invoice breaks into three parts and the part most people assume is the big number parts usually isn’t