Classy Chassis

The concept of "Try it before you buy it" works great for apparel retailers. Nothing makes a sale easier than allowing a customer to see what those sunglasses look like on their face, or how their jeans make your butt look in the mirror in the changing room. The Interactive Garage software program is the changing room for your vehicle. In the automotive world, you have to imagine what that catalog image of that running board on a Ford F150 would look like on your Dodge Ram, not to mention that F150 is a super done up project vehicle from the manufacturer with a huge air brushed snake on it so they could win best in show at the last SEMA Show. Now can you image what that product would look like on your vehicle? Nothing worse than dropping your vehicle off at your local accessory install shop hoping that the 4" lift for your Jeep with the rims and tires you picked out for it looks as good in your head when you put the full deposit down on everything as it should when you p...

A leveled truck As the name implies, leveling kits level your truck. Most trucks come from the factory with a “raked” stance. This means the rear of the truck sits slightly higher than the front. This added height in the back prevents your rear suspension from completely bottoming out under a heavy load. The advantage of this design is two-fold: It stops premature wear on your bushings and shocks and maintains decent handling when hauling cargo. A leveling kit involves hardware to slightly raise the front of the vehicle so it matches the stock height in the back. Most leveling kits include a strut spacer that varies between 1 and 3 inches. The spacer fits between the chassis of the truck and the upper spring perch. The effect is to move the chassis of the truck up by that distance without significantly affecting the geometry of your vehicle’s suspension. This is done primarily for looks, but a leveling kit can also added a small amount of ground clearance for slightly large...

Tires are one of the most forgotten about parts of your car, but one of the most important. They face the most wear and tear so it’s important to replace them as needed. As they get worn, traction is reduced, and it can even affect your gas mileage. So how do you know when it’s time for new tires? Here are some tips for examining your tires and their life. Check the tread. Tire treat is to improve traction, especially on wet roads. A good rule of thumb is once the treat hits 2/32 of an inch or less, its time to replace. Anything less than that can be a serious safety risk. A quick test can be setting a penny at the thinnest tread, if you can see the top of Lincoln’s head or copper above it – it’s time to replace the tire. Check for tire thread. Not to be confused by tread because tire thread is much different. Threading appears on tire thin spots. Once the thread or ware bars can be seen you are at risk of wearing through the tire. Check for damages. If you notice large...