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By Dorman Products
Swapping a knuckle or replacing a bearing? Loaded knuckles are the DIYers best friend
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By carbdoc
I cannot find a remanufactured brake booster for my 1978 Dodge D-150 truck with 400 c.i.d. engine to save my life! Yes, I can send mine out for rebuilding and hope that it comes back correctly repaired (or comes back at all), but I don't want to take my truck completely out of service while I wait for it to (hopefully) be correctly rebuilt. I would, however, gladly settle for a "loose" rebuildable core.
If anyone reading this has a rebuildable core that they will sell to me, I would be quite grateful.
Jeff
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By Counterman
The
link hidden, please login to view — which tracks demand conditions, shortages, transportation costs, inventories and backlogs based on a monthly survey of 27,000 businesses — rose in April to -0.18, from -0.32 in March, which signals that global supply chains are operating at close to full capacity. An Index greater than 0 indicates supply chain capacity is being stretched. The further above 0, the more stretched the supply chains are. An index less than 0 indicates supply chain capacity is being underutilized. The further below 0, the more underutilized supply chains are.
Improving activity across global supply chains is a direct result of healthier demand, which has picked up consistently in the year-to-date after considerable weakness in 2023, GEP said. The Asian market is at the forefront of this trend, with input demand at the region’s factories remaining strong. Procurement managers in South Korea, Vietnam, India and China reported greater purchasing activity during April.
According to GEP Consulting, the North American market is showing more evidence of tightening capacity, with backlogged work reported by manufacturers, particularly in Mexico. Demand for raw materials, commodities and components, while still subdued, also improved slightly. Meanwhile, demand conditions were less robust in Europe, with the region’s manufacturing sector continuing to underperform and lag other parts of the globe. Positively, however, the industrial recession across the continent has eased considerably since late last year.
“After four years of supply shocks, inflation, stockpiling, and uncertainty, global supply chains are now operating in a Goldilocks zone, a steady state of full capacity, not expanding or contracting too quickly, which is excellent news for global suppliers and business,” Mike Seitz, vice president, GEP Consulting said. “In China, we’re seeing a steady pick-up in manufacturing activity, which will encourage Chinese Premier Li Qiang to accelerate efforts to remove barriers imposed by European markets and foster more FDI, especially as the potential for tougher U.S. tariffs and trade policies loom.“
April 2024 key findings
Demand: Global demand for raw materials, commodities and components remained close to its long-term average in April, highlighting vastly improved conditions in the worldwide manufacturing sector compared with late last year. As was also the case in March, Asia was the main positive force, with major goods-producing nations such as China, India and South Korea recording growth, according to GEP. Inventories: Inventory drawdowns persisted into April, albeit cooling in strength compared to March. Reports from global businesses of stockpiles rising because of price or supply concerns were among the lowest seen in over four years, GEP said. Material shortages: GEP said reports of a short supply for items, including semiconductors, foodstuff, chemicals, and metals, remain historically low. Labor shortages: After rising for the past three months, GEP said global reports of backlogged orders rising because of staff shortages fell in April and were broadly aligned with historically typical levels. Regional differences persisted, however, with North America seeing greater labor shortages than elsewhere. Transportation: Following recent increases in oil prices, global transportation costs rose for the first time this year in April, according to GEP. Regional supply chain volatility
North America: Index broadly unchanged at -0.30, versus -0.31 previously. Although indicative of spare capacity, the input demand trend ticked higher in April, while increased backlogs of work were also reported, GEP said. Europe: Index fell to -0.55, from -0.62. GEP said April’s increase suggests the continent’s industrial downturn continued to ease. U.K.: Index decreased to -0.47, from -0.17 as U.K. manufacturers destock sharply instead of ordering from suppliers, GEP said. Asia: The Index rose to 0.07, from -0.07, signaling the first month of stretched supplier capacity since January, according to GEP. The post
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By NAPA
When it comes to working in the shop, personal safety should always be the top priority. Safety glasses, gloves, hearing protection, even work boots are all meant to keep your body protected. It should come as no surprise that with new hybrid and electric drivetrains, there are also new safety gear requirements. Insulated tools are just the start of a well-stocked shop. There’s more to electrical safety than just owning a set of
link hidden, please login to view. This expert advice is meant to give an overview of the kinds of general
link hidden, please login to view (PPE) needed to service hybrid and electric vehicles. It is important to follow proper repair procedures for these vehicles, as described in the vehicle specific repair manual. This includes using all required PPE listed in the repair procedure with no exceptions. If you do not have ALL of the necessary PPE, DO NOT proceed with a repair, as doing so could lead to severe injury or even death. Now that you have an idea of the serious nature of vehicle high-voltage electrical systems, let’s take a look at how you can protect yourself. Personal Protection
Wearing the right personal protection gear is a must when working with electric and hybrid vehicle high-voltage systems. The electrical energy stored in a typical main traction battery pack is more than enough to kill or seriously injure a person.
In the past, wearing gloves while working on a car was usually a personal preference. Today, when working on high-voltage electrical systems, wearing gloves is mandatory. And not just one pair of gloves, but two pairs (inner and outer) are to be worn together. Just in case you are wondering, welding gloves are NOT the same as high-voltage
link hidden, please login to view. Class 0 gloves are required for protection up to 1,000 volts AC and 1,500 volts DC. One pair of rubber gloves (inner) protects against electric shock, while the leather gloves (outer) protect the rubber gloves from mechanical wear. They must be worn together in order to perform correctly. Electrical gloves
link hidden, please login to view every six months to ensure they are still capable of insulating the user from the rated voltage. Gloves will be labeled with the test date near the cuff. The exact personal protection gear needed for a repair will be spelled out in the vehicle service repair manual procedures. This may include an insulated apron,
link hidden, please login to view, insulated arm sleeves, link hidden, please login to view, arc flash face shield with neck protection, and insulated mats or blankets. These layers of protection are necessary not just for avoiding shocks, but also potential explosions like an arc flash. Tool Safety
It may seem odd to consider hand tools as part of personal protection equipment, but that is exactly the case when working with electricity. Most ordinary hand tools are made from metal, which does an excellent job conducting electricity. For servicing high-voltage electrical systems tools need to be designed in such a way that they don’t provide a path for electricity to travel to the technician, or to other vehicle components. That’s why EV tools are specially designed to protect the technician when used properly.
An EV tool set is a must-have for any technician looking to service an electric vehicle. A good start for insulated hand tools is an insulated screwdriver set, an
link hidden, please login to view and an link hidden, please login to view. Electric vehicle tools used for diagnostics need to handle higher voltages, like this link hidden, please login to view. For repairs where the battery pack must be removed, special care must be taken due the extreme weight involved. A link hidden, please login to view is the proper way to lower and transport a hybrid or electric vehicle battery pack. You wouldn’t pull an engine out of a car without the proper lifting equipment, so give the same respect to a heavy traction battery pack. Work Space Safety
Normally, when a car is being worked on in a service bay, there is little danger to fellow technicians. But that isn’t the case with a modern electric or hybrid vehicle. Whenever the high-voltage electrical system on one of these vehicles is exposed, proper notification must be given to those working in the area. Place
link hidden, please login to view and link hidden, please login to view around the vehicle whenever the high voltage electrical system is being serviced. This warns other technicians that there is an electrical shock hazard in the shop, and to keep their distance. You may also place an electrical warning sign on the vehicle to signal to everyone in the shop to stay away. Part of your workspace safety gear must be an
link hidden, please login to view. If a technician suffers an electrical accident while working on a vehicle, anyone attempting to help them is also in danger of electric shock. An insulated safety hook must be used to separate the victim from the electrical source. The last tip for work space safety is to never work on an electric or hybrid vehicle alone. Always let another technician or coworker know you are working on a high-voltage electrical system, and to check in on you periodically. Training Is The Key To Safety
Working on hybrid and electric vehicle high voltage systems requires meticulous procedures and extensive training. While there are plenty of dangers when working on internal combustion vehicles, many of the safety procedures surrounding those vehicles have been known for decades. As EV and hybrid drivetrain become more mainstream, so will their service safety procedures.
Tackling hybrid and electric vehicle high-voltage system repairs isn’t impossible, but there must be dedication to proper training. If you are a technician (or are wanting to become a technician), and are looking for electric vehicle service training,
link hidden, please login to view can help. NAPA Auto Tech offers a wide variety of convenient, cost-effective ways to become an automotive professional. In addition to eLearning and instructor-led training, NAPA Auto Tech offers hands-on and seminar-style classes for almost every make and model to help technicians keep their skills up to date. Photos courtesy of Brian Medford.
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