2010 | Automotive Parts Suppliers

Prevent Your Car from Overheating

December 29, 2010 By

You’re driving your shiny, expensive car, on your way to something you have been looking forward to. A date, perhaps? You glance at the passenger’s seat and see a bouquet of flowers, waiting to make that special someone happy. You roll your windows down, and don’t mind the heat of the bright, sunny day. But just when you’ve assured yourself that today will be a great day, your engine overheats, and you’re stuck in the middle of the road. Tough break.

Stuck in the middle of the road because your car overheated?

We at Automotive Part Suppliers are against those kind of days, and would very much like not to see anyone in the middle of the road sitting beside their steaming car. So today, we’ll give out a few tips that could help you keep on driving.

Hot weather and scorching sun

Our poor fella above got the worst of this. Overheating is most common during long and sunny trips. Let’s place emphasis on the “long.” Drivers who plan to make a trip that require at least four hours of continuous driving should be careful with their engine, unless of course their car is designed for those lengthy travels. For safety precautions, it’s wise to let your engine cool down during occasional pit stops.

Now, let’s turn our attention to “sunny.” If possible, take long trips during the evening or early morning to avoid both the scorching sun and heavy traffic.

Moments for maintenance

The car manual is one of the most underrated and underused items of importance. More often than not, it has been pushed aside, neglected, and forgotten. Kinda like Lamar Odom when Pau Gasol joined the Lakers, but anyway – under your car’s hood lays many parts, and all of them contribute to the overall function of your automobile.

The manual is very helpful in giving you specific information and instructions regarding those parts. How can you detect errors in the motor oil levels, the radiator, and so on if you don’t even know what they’re supposed to be and do in the first place?

Know thy engine

This part of the post is just me reminding you that it is the driver’s personal duty to know thy engine, to know how to take care of it, and know what to do when things break, leak, or overheat. If you’ve made it all the way here, and realize that you’re unfamiliar with your engine – I suggest that you grab your keys, pop open your hood, open your car manual, and when everything seems to be in place, go for a ride, just you and your car, preferably not during a day when it’s scorching hot.

Tips and Tricks in Buying a Used Radiator

December 19, 2010 By

According to the latest study conducted by the United States transportation department, one of the ways to ensure smooth driving is through frequent radiator check- ups. Although many may view the routine check- ups as cumbersome, they are certainly worth the hassle because check-ups – especially for a vital automotive part such as the radiator – can save you a lot of time and money in the future. Radiators are responsible for your vehicle’s cooling system and it only goes that you should treat it with utmost respect. Without support from its “wingman,” your engine would perish due to overheating! So if your radiator is not working properly, it is best to replace it.

It would be useful to share with you this mantra that I picked up back at a public relations class in college “It’s better to be preventive than to be curative.” If you keep on using short-term cures, you’re not addressing the real problem. Just like if you have a lawn and there are weeds growing everywhere, simply cutting the weeds won’t stop them from growing back. You need to go deeper and pull out the root of the problem. Or better yet, prevent the problem from popping up in the first place!

I have to admit that it is quite difficult to find an affordable brand-new radiator, which is why most people have resorted to buying used radiators.

Here’s a helpful list to help you sort through all of those choices:

• Be prudent and look at the fine print of each promo out there. There is always a catch.

• Go window shopping first and try to find the right deal for you. Don’t fall in love with the first deal instantaneously. Exercise restraint. Ask friends or trusted salespeople for advice. You are in no way obliged to buy from the first nice agent you talk to.

• Visually inspect the item. Look for corrosion, damage and defects. A leak that lasts more than a few days will strip the paint wherever it drips.

• Always check the cooling cores for damage or bending and the mounting brackets.

• Also check the cooling pumps. They must be of high quality to force coolant through hot engines much faster than others.

Even with all these tips and tricks, bear in mind that you do have other alternatives to second-hand parts, such as brand-new aftermarket radiators. Buying used car radiators does pose many risks; you have to find out how the previous owner took care of it, and its previous illnesses if any. The question is – is it a risk you are willing to take?

“Tiger Look”

December 16, 2010 By

Roberts.com.ph is now holding a Photo Contest on Facebook!

To join the contest, you only need two things:

A Camera
Yourself

Prize:

10,000 pesos and recognition in our blog!

Instructions:

Take a picture of yourself with a Tiger ‘Grrrrr’ pose. Be creative!

Upload the picture to our Tiger Leafspring Facebook Page

Share it with your friends and have them ‘like’ the picture (our advice is to tag them up!)

Only one photo entry per fan.</span>

Title of the photo and participant’s name should be clearly indicated when submitting an entry.

Winning Condition:

The most creative picture with the most Facebook ‘like’s by the end of February 15 wins!

Photo creativity will be judged by our admins

Judging Criteria:

Creativity: 40%

Votes: 60%

Photo Contest extended Rules and Regulations

Photos will be uploaded in our Tiger Facebook Page
There will be no requirements for the contestants except for being a fan of our Facebook page
The winner will be determined by the number of ‘like’s
Contest will run from December 1 – February 15
Entries must be made personally. Entries made through agents/third parties are invalid.
Promoter cannot accept responsibility for lost entries or for transmission failures. Entry indicates acceptance of terms and conditions.
The prize winner will be notified by Facebook or Email no later than 2 days after deadline.
Tiger Look” Photo Contest is open to Philippine residents, aged 18 or over, aged 18 or over, excluding employees of Roberts AIPMC, its subsidiary companies, and any person whom, in the Promoter’s reasonable opinion, should be excluded due to their involvement or connection with this promotion.
All entries become the property of the promoter and will not be returned.
There is no other alternative to these prizes in whole or in part. Prizes are not transferable in whole or in part.
Prize shall be claimed at the expense of winner. Promoter will instruct winner how to claim the prize. Unclaimed prize 30 days after the contest deadline shall be forfeited in favor of the promoter.
The decision of the promoter in all matters is final and binding and no correspondence will be entered into.
The promoter is not responsible for any third party acts or omissions.
We are not liable for such disruptions, failings or cancellations unless they are caused by our negligence.
The promoter reserves the right to disqualify entries with or without reason. This is so because there have been incidents of cheating beyond the promoter’s control.
The promoter reserves the right to cancel or amend this promotion due to events or circumstances arising beyond its control.

Photo Requirements

There should be no revealing picture
- No bikini pics
- No topless pics
- No underwear pics
- No nude pics
- No pics violating laws and/or intellectual property
Picture must include the participant with his/her version of “Tiger Look”
Participant’s face must be visible
Commenting on photos is allowed
Participants can ‘like’ their own photos
Entries that do not meet these guidelines will automatically be disqualified

NOTE: To vote for a photo entry, you have to “like” Tiger Leafspring’s page first, then “like” the photo entry you are voting for.

Symptoms of a Leaking Radiator

December 12, 2010 By

According to the National Automotive Radiator Repair Association (NASRA) of the U.S., the lifespan of the radiator has more to do with radiator leaks rather than with mileage. The environment plays a huge part in this area more than you could imagine. Factors such as heat, assorted debris and chemical reactions can cause radiators to erode and begin to leak. Spotting and recognizing these symptoms can save you time, money, and also help you avoid accidents.

I find that thinking of an active volcano helps me remember these symptoms better. As you know, active volcanoes have lava, and lava is a colored substance much like our first clue.

Color, Texture and Scent

You don’t need a degree in auto mechanics to spot this first clue. If you can spot the presence of neon- colored, slimy fluid beneath your vehicle, this is a sign of a leak in your radiator. The color of your radiator fluid depends on the type you use but it would normally be yellow, orange, blue or red. It would often smell sweet and attracts small animals, but it is highly toxic.

Sometimes, when a volcano is ready to erupt, it rumbles or emits gases – much to the horror of the unsuspecting motorist.

Sights and Sounds

If your radiator hisses, sprays or gurgles, this is also a sign that it is leaking. You can hear these whether you’re inside the vehicle or outside. It can also look like a volcano when it emits white smoke. This means that the radiator fluid has spilled onto hot surfaces like the radiator or valve covers. Getting a “hot” reading from the temperature gauge could also mean that your radiator is leaking.

Fluid Dispersement

It would only be natural for a leaking radiator to disperse liquids in spots or puddles under the vehicle, in droplets on the underside of the hood or in the engine compartment and its various parts. If you spot any of these, contact your trusted mechanic to have your vehicle towed and repaired by the pros. Tinkering with these might cost you more than what you’ve bargained for.

At the extreme, you might have to replace your radiator, so make sure to buy only the best quality radiator in the market and to properly maintain it in order to avoid future leaks and malfunctions.

6 Simple Steps to Determine Correct Ride Height

December 5, 2010 By

Determining your vehicle’s ride height may seem like a daunting task. It’s necesary for maintaining your suspension system –which includes your leafsprings and shackles, among others – and getting your vehicle’s ride height certainly can’t be done by looking at the vehicle alone. You can’t just go on and say “Oh, I’d like to have my car raised to about maybe thiiiiis height?” What you need to do is to pick out the set of wheels or tires you’ll be using.

Begin getting the ride height by:

1. Measuring the diameter of the tires

2. Finding the front spindle location (this location is based on the manufacturer’s specifications. You can check this out with the manual that goes along a brand new car, or just ask around.)

3. Take the radius of the tire, as shown in the photo

4. Use these measurements to set the distance from the ground

5. In the front, measure from the center of the spindle and

6. in the rear, measure from the center axle

Surprisingly, you now have the ride height! And you thought I was going to tell you all about formulas and stuff. However, if you think that you can pass as a car mechanic by reading all these articles… dream on, it still ain’t that simple. But knowledge of how your car works and for doing procedures such as getting the ride height of your car will certainly make your life easier. You can better understand the lingo and of course, better understand the needs of your car. It pays to ask. As the famous National Geographic copy states it, “Live curious”.

“Chillin with my ride”

December 4, 2010 By

Roberts.com.ph is now holding a Photo contest on Facebook!

To join the contest, you only need three things:

A Vehicle
A Camera
Yourself

Instructions:

Take a picture of yourself beside your choice of vehicle and make a pose of your preference.

Upload the picture to our Evercool Radiators Facebook Page

Share it with your friends and have them ‘like’ the picture (our advice is to tag them up!)

Only one photo entry per fan.

Title of the photo and participant’s name should be clearly indicated when submitting an entry

Winning Condition:

The most creative picture with the most Facebook ‘like’s by the end of February 15 wins!

Photo creativity will be judged by our admins

Judging Criteria:

Creativity: 40%

Votes: 60%

Photo Contest extended Rules and Regulations

Photos will be uploaded in our Evercool Facebook Page
There will be no requirements for the contestants except for being a fan of our Facebook page
The winner/s will be determined by the number of ‘like’s
Contest will run from Dec 1 – Feb 15
Entries must be made personally. Entries made through agents/third parties are invalid.
Promoter cannot accept responsibility for lost entries or for transmission failures. Entry indicates acceptance of terms and conditions.
The prize winner will be notified by Facebook or Email no later than 2 days after deadline.

“Chillin’ with my Ride” Photo Contest is open to Philippine residents, aged 18 or over, excluding employees of Roberts AIPMC, its subsidiary companies, and any person whom, in the Promoter’s reasonable opinion, should be excluded due to their involvement or connection with this promotion.
All entries become the property of the promoter and will not be returned.
There is no other alternative to these prizes in whole or in part. Prizes are not transferable in whole or in part.
Prize shall be claimed at the expense of winner. Promoter will instruct winner how to claim the prize. Unclaimed prize 30 days after the contest deadline shall be forfeited in favor of the promoter.
The decision of the promoter in all matters is final and binding and no correspondence will be entered into.
The promoter is not responsible for any third party acts or omissions.
We are not liable for such disruptions, failings or cancellations unless they are caused by our negligence.
The promoter reserves the right to disqualify entries with or without reason. This is so because there have been incidents of cheating beyond the promoter’s control.
The promoter reserves the right to cancel or amend this promotion due to events or circumstances arising beyond its control.

Photo Requirements

There should be no revealing picture
- No bikini pics
- No topless pics
- No underwear pics
- No nude pics
- No pics violating laws and/or intellectual property
Picture must include the participant
Acceptable photos are photos of the participants with a vehicle – possibly not their own
Participant’s face must be visible
Commenting on photos is allowed
Participants can ‘like’ their own photos
Entries that do not meet these guidelines will automatically be disqualified

What You Should Know about Shackles

November 29, 2010 By

The other kind of shackles

Alright kiddies, a shackle is not just a handcuff, it’s also used to hold a leafspring and tire together. The spring shackle is attached to one end of the leafspring, allowing it to flex while keeping the tires on the road. Plus, these babies can be lengthened and give a greater amount of clearance to your vehicle.

Shackles and leafsprings

Leafsprings are generally attached and cannot be moved at one end to the vehicle’s chassis, while the other is attached to one of the two flat pieces of steel known as spring shackles. The shackles have been drilled with several holes in it to allow different mounting heights.

If you opt to mount the spring at the furthest mounting hole from the vehicle’s chassis, the spring is lowered and later on it raises the ride height of your vehicle and the distance between the fender and the tire. Now, I’m using a lot of jargons here, so let’s pause for a while and explain a little bit what I meant by “fender” and “ride height”.

“Ride height”, in plain English, is the clearance of space between the vehicle’s underside and the ground. Meanwhile, the fender is the part of your car that protects the wheels.

The recommended ride height

It helps in car racing if the ride height is lowered, but it can damage your car’s underside if the height is too lowered. By underside I mean your car’s muffler, chassis, and exhaust pipes, among others.

The disadvantage, however, of running a leafspring mounted at the maximum height on the highway, is that you let the vehicle sway on its springs and over time, the leverage will begin to push and pull the leafspring until it becomes loose. This may become a major hindrance on handling the vehicle during emergency situations.

Be sure to put the ride height at the correct level. I’ll be teaching you how to determine the correct ride height in our next article. Happy driving!

Finding the Perfect Radiator, Made Easy

November 25, 2010 By

Not all radiators are made equal

Even with good maintenance of your radiator, it’s undeniable that the time may come when you need to replace it. Whether it gets busted by way of natural disasters or just wear and tear – let’s face it, not all radiators are made equal – some just aren’t made to last. The difficulty now lies in finding the radiators that are. But fret not, because I’ll be making it very easy for you by sharing how to find the radiator brand that you can trust: there are just 3 qualities that you need to look out for in your search for the perfect radiator.

Reliability

You know you can trust a brand if other users can attest to the brand’s reliability. There’s nothing the like the tried and tested opinion of car owners like yourself, and it certainly beats listening to various manufacturers incessantly tell you that their brand is the best. However, buying a brand-new original radiator can make quite a dent in your wallet (Original, meaning if your car is a Honda and you buy a new Honda radiator). So you go for the next best thing which is to buy a second-hand original. Keep in mind though that when buying anything second-hand, you have to ensure that the item is in good condition. You have to ask questions like how did the previous owner take care of it, was it submerged in flood water, is the radiator having any problem, does it leak, was it fixed completely or was just hastily patched up. These questions can go on and on in a vicious cycle and at the end of the day you’re still not 100% satisfied.

The solution? The most affordable and reliable path to take in most cases is to buy a brand-new aftermarket brand. In a nutshell, the automotive aftermarket is the secondary market of the industry – manufacturing and selling car parts to people who’ve bought their cars from the original equipment manufacturers (OEM) such as Honda and Toyota; the aftermarket also caters to the OEM themselves. The aftermarket certainly offers brand-new and reliable car parts. Ask friends or read forums to know the best after-market brands out there.

Durability

Buying a new radiator at a cheap cost but having to fix it every hundred thousand kilometers or so can be heavy on the pocket and you might even end up spending more in the long run. Your hard- earned cash should go to products that are durable and can last for a long time. A durable radiator can resist decay, not rust out on you, and can last for years. Frankly, reliability and durability go hand- in-hand because after all, you can’t expect to rely on something that will break down after a few years.

Cost- efficiency

Now this is the tricky part. There are a lot of cheap after-market brands out there, but only few provide you with value for your money. I personally recommend Evercool radiators because they are subjected to tests for leak, pressure, vibration, impulse and heat exchanger, to name a few. Furthermore, this brand is known not only for its affordability but for its quality as well. Where else can you get OEM-quality, durability and high-cooling efficiency than from the country’s leading radiator brand? I speak like this because I am a firm believer of this product, along with major Asian automobile manufacturers.

Characteristics of High-Quality Leafsprings

November 21, 2010 By

What is shot peening?

Shot peening is the blasting method of cleaning or altering various surfaces. In the case of automotive parts, it is most used in the production of leafsprings. It is basically a process where a small ball called a shot bombards the target surface repeatedly. When a shot is fired it creates a dimple on the surface, but below the surface the material tries to restore its original shape, if you had a go at it for a hundred thousand times, it would create a compressed and highly stressed network.

Nearly all fatigue and stress corrosion failures originate at the surface, but cracks will not start in a compressively stressed zone. Shot peening makes sure that overlapping dimples create a uniform layer of compressive stresses which therefore lengthens the life of that metal.

Shot peened leafsprings

If this method is applied to a part of your vehicle, most especially to the weight-bearing parts, you can be guaranteed that your springs will not break at the slightest pressure. Tiger Leafsprings undergo such a shot peening process and are also subjected to various tests in order to assess the products’ performance. Aside from tests on pressure breaking points, Tiger Leafsprings also go through:

Fatigue tests to determine durability, elasticity and fatigue life
Hardness tests to ensure that leaves are on the right level of hardness.
Load testing to ensure the right posture of the vehicle.

Keep in mind that leafsprings are an important part of your car’s suspension system and present serious safety hazards when broken. Thus, go for brands that are proven durable and effective when it comes to choosing leafsprings for your vehicle.

3 Signs of a Faulty Muffler and the Hazards You Should Know

November 16, 2010 By

The muffler’s main purpose is to muffle or cancel out the sound emitted from the engine but it’s also responsible for preventing emissions from entering the “cab” or the body of the vehicle. If you start noticing that your car sounds different when it starts or when it’s running, that’s one reason to check and make sure that your muffler is still in good working condition. It might be hard to tell at first, but don’t fret because over time, you will notice it because your car will sound a lot different and much louder than what you are used to. Don’t be in a hurry to dismiss this as a minor problem because you might get a ticket from the local traffic enforcer for sound pollution – and more importantly, because this is not the only problem you might encounter for a failing muffler.

Beware of hazardous emissions

You’ll eventually experience emissions entering the cab from the car’s tail pipe if you leave this problem unresolved. Bills passed mandating drivers to park facing the wall were certainly not made on a whim as this is a serious health hazard and people do die from inhaling emissions. Small children, pregnant women and people with heart or lung problems are particularly at risk. It might be hard to discern if the fumes you’re inhaling are caused by a faulty muffler or a polluted area, but initially fumes can cause coughing and allergies or watery eyes. Exhaust fumes can also cause babies to fall asleep while riding the car. Aside from health risks a faulty muffler can also decrease gas mileage, meaning your car will be able to cover less distance with a gallon of gasoline, which translates to higher fuel expense.

When in doubt, you can always go to the mechanic and have it checked. You might need to replace your muffler, or find that the symptoms are due to other car parts like the tailpipe instead. Either way, you should regularly have your car undergo maintenance or check- ups to ensure not just your safety but also the safety of the people around you.