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LITESTIX Work Light by BendPak Now Lasts Longer
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By Mia
To extend the lifespan of your brake pads, you can adopt several practices and maintenance habits. Here are some tips to help make your brake pads a longer
Drive Smoothly
Avoid Hard Braking: Try to brake gently and gradually instead of slamming on the brakes Coast to Stop: whenever possible, let your vehicle coast to a stop rather than braking abruptly.
Maintain A Safe Following Distance
Reduce Frequent Braking: Keeping a safe distance from the car in front of you allows more time to brake gently.
Anticipate Stops
Pay attention to traffic flow and road conditions ahead to anticipate stops. Gradually slowing down instead of slamming on the brakes can significantly extend the life of your brake pads.
Avoid Overloading
Excessive weight puts additional strain on your vehicle's braking system. Try to avoid overloading your vehicle beyond its recommended capacity.
Coast When Possible
When approaching a stop sign or red light, coasting instead of maintaining speed can reduce the need for heavy braking.
Brake Gently When Towing
If you're towing a trailer or carrying heavy loads, be extra cautious with braking. Allow more distance to stop and brake gently to reduce strain on the brake pads.
Regular Maintenance
Follow the manufacturer's recommended maintenance schedule for your vehicle, including brake inspections. Promptly replace worn brake pads before they cause damage to other brake components.
Use Engine Braking
When driving downhill, downshift (if you have a manual transmission) or use the engine to slow down the vehicle instead of relying solely on the brakes.
Avoid Riding The Brakes
Constantly keeping your foot on the brake pedal, especially when not actively braking, can lead to premature wear of the brake pads. Practice keeping your foot off the brake pedal when not needed
Quality Brake Pads
Invest in high-quality brake pads that are suited for your vehicle. While they may cost more upfront, they can last longer and provide better performance.
Avoid Harsh Weather Conditions
If possible, avoid driving in harsh weather conditions like heavy rain or snow, as these can accelerate brake pad wear.
Check Brake Fluid
Ensure your brake fluid is at the proper level
If you want to know more basic information about brake pads, you can refer to this website：
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By Dorman Products
Mechanic trivia: Do you know which vehicle has the longer wiper blade on the passenger side?
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By Counterman
In the case of cordless lights, there is a lot more, starting with more light! The light comes from Light Emitting Diode, or LED, technology. When they were first invented, LEDs were a revolutionary development of electrical science, affecting virtually every aspect of our lives.
Now LED lights are everywhere, and we’re all familiar with them, even in our homes, but the automotive industry has reaped the benefits as much as, if not more than, any other industry. Just like a diode, LEDs allow current flow in only one direction. When current, or electron flow occurs, photons are released.
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Photons are tiny particles of electromagnetic radiation that are released as the electrons jump between atoms, and they’re emitted in the form of electromagnetic waves. This is where the visible light comes from. Certain wavelengths are visible to the human eye, which we perceive as light. Specifically, these wavelengths are those between 400 and 700 nanometers, and it’s in this range that LEDs emit photons.
Different wavelengths are seen by us as different colors. To control and obtain the different wavelengths that appear to us as different colors, LED output is controlled by altering the semiconductor material inside, which controls the energy of electron flow, the wavelength, and, ultimately, the color.
Early on, LEDs in automobiles were a type of LED called a through-hole LED, referring to the fact that their connectors went through holes in a circuit board for mounting. These were primarily used for warning indicators, such as an oil warning light or alarm indicator since they weren’t powerful enough for anything else. Over time, as technology was able to produce brighter white light, they began to see use in cordless lights.
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Through-hole LED were used for many years in lights, and worked well, but the most significant advance was the development of surface mount devices (SMDs) and chip on board (COB) technology.
SMDs were smaller with a much thinner profile, had as many as three LEDs on one chip and could be soldered directly to a circuit board. These made compact designs possible with multiple LEDs for extremely bright work lights. Then came COB technology which could fit nine or more LEDs on one chip, offering the highest light-to-energy ratio. Both types are very effective with light output, and both still commonly used.
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For an auto technician, cordless lights have replaced the traditional “trouble” light, and in addition to the advantages of an LED light, there are many other technology-based features we can take advantage of.
If headlamps are your game, there’s a new technology of adaptive light beams that automatically adjusts intensity and focus to provide the necessary light output for the job at hand. Who thought that word was just for cruise control?
White light is what we use the most, but since LED technology produces different colors, there’s a couple that are useful to us and are included in many lights. Ultraviolet light is used for leak detection, so it’s a useful option to have.
Ultraviolet is unique because it’s a photon wave that’s just outside the visible light spectrum, but it’s easy to think of it as a color because it does give off a visible purple hue.
Red is the second color that’s becoming more popular, especially in headlamps. Why? Red has always been known to preserve night vision, and we all know there are never enough hours in the day!
Here’s a feature I really like: The device finder. It’s just like when you lose your TV remote, only better. Nobody likes to lose tools, but especially not a light. You’ve got extra 10mm sockets and you expect those to disappear in the occasional black hole, but losing your light can ruin your day. I’d rather hit a button before pulling a car out, just to know my light is under a pile of tools versus under the hood.
Have you ever heard of CRI? It stands for Color Rendering Index, and it’s a measurement of the ability of a light source to reveal the color of objects in contrast to natural light. In other words, do they appear the same as they would under natural sunlight? Light sources have a huge effect on how we perceive colors, and while we don’t care so much what color brake pads really are, it’s a unique feature for body and paint technicians.
CRI is measured from 0-100, and anything under 80 is considered poor; over 90 is considered good. So, a high CRI in a shop light is valuable when comparing colors. A common use is for comparing paint chips to a body panel, but it’s very much a “thing” in home refinishing, too. If you’re trying to decide on that perfect color for your addition or match one when you can’t remember the color, a high CRI light will show you the true colors.
Here’s another term that may strike you as unusual: Ingress Protection. If you’ve never heard of it, you’ve seen it for sure. It’s the IP rating that’s called out on most lights. The IP code is an international code which classifies the degree of protection against dust and liquids for electrical equipment. The rating consists of two numbers, e.g., IP65 (a common rating.)
The first number indicates ingress protection against solid objects, ranging from 0-6, and is basically related to the physical object size, including things like hands, all the way to small dust particles. Zero is no protection, six is the highest level available meaning it is dust tight.
The second number indicates resistance to liquids and includes classifications from dripping water all the way up to immersion and high-pressure jets. This ranges from 0-9, nine being the highest rating.
This is an important rating to look for when shopping for a light, since we all know when you’re under a car, dripping liquid automatically seeks out the most inconvenient places to drip, such as your eyes, your mouth or your work light.
Cordless lights are the way to go. Cordless lights plus today’s technology equals some of the most useful tools you’ll own.
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By Counterman
link hidden, please login to view is officially open. The event will take place November 5–7, at The Venetian Expo and Caesar’s Forum in Las Vegas, Nevada. link hidden, please login to view Recapping the 2023 AAPEX Show, 130 countries were represented and more than 500,000 square foot of expo space was available for attendee exploration. There were more than 100 training opportunities offered as well as 2,500 exhibiting manufacturers.
“Elevate your expertise through hands-on training, empowering your business to embrace the latest best practices. Stay at the forefront of ever-evolving vehicle technology with captivating live demos and product exhibits. AAPEX isn’t just some flashy Las Vegas car show; it’s where the industry takes on challenges, builds relationships, and propels businesses toward a greener future,” the website said.
“AAPEX is the only event that combines live, interactive demos and training; expert-led business education; and in-person connection with the global automotive aftermarket community. Spend three days in Las Vegas packed with everything you need to keep vehicles on the road and your business on the right track,” according to AAPEX.
Stay in the know with AAPEX-TV 360: explore highlights from 2023, watch in-depth videos on industry topics, and see
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By Counterman
Don Henthorn, owner and founder of BendPak Inc.,
link hidden, please login to view at home Thursday, March 28, at the age of 85. Under his leadership, BendPak has grown from a small machine shop to one of the world’s leading manufacturers of car lifts and automotive service equipment. Management and operations of the privately owned company are unchanged.
Henthorn transitioned day-to-day management to the current leadership team in 2022 as part of an established succession plan. Serving as chairman emeritus, he continued to coach the team, coming to the office six days a week.
“Don’s visionary leadership and unwavering dedication have been the cornerstone of BendPak’s success. His passion, wisdom, and guidance have left an indelible mark on all of us and the organization,” said Jeff Kritzer, BendPak president and CEO. “His legacy lives on through the values and principles he instilled in our company. He was not only a leader, but also a mentor, inspiring all of us to strive for excellence and to never settle for anything else.”
Henthorn enlisted in the U.S. Army at 19 years old. He was stationed at a Nike Ajax missile site in Connecticut. While there, he met Virginia Ann “Ginger” Eib, and they married two days after he was discharged in 1959. Three days after that, they moved to California, where he went to work in the burgeoning aerospace industry. After learning all he could, he started Quality Machine & Associates (QMA) in Simi Valley, California. This premier job shop specialized in precision machine work for aerospace and defense giants like Rocketdyne, Rockwell, and Hughes Aircraft.
Not content with the “feast or famine” workload of a job shop, Henthorn labored after hours to develop and patent specialty tools QMA could market itself. The most successful of these included the 5ivePak, a portable combination coil spring compressor, U-joint press and gear-puller; a MacPherson strut spring-compressor; and a portable exhaust pipe expander.
By the 1970s, Henthorn was increasingly focused on building equipment for the then-bustling muffler shop industry. In 1977, he oversaw construction of the company’s first new building, a 20,000-square-foot manufacturing facility in Moorpark, California. Two years later, QMA introduced a hydraulic tubing bender for muffler shops, and Henthorn was inspired to change the company name to match. “BendPak” was born. In 1983, responding to customer requests, Henthorn introduced BendPak’s first four-post lift and entered the vehicle lift market.
Over the ensuing decades, BendPak continued to grow. Today, the company has manufacturing and distribution facilities around the world and employs more than 275 people. In 2023, BendPak moved its global headquarters into a LEED PlatinumTM certified administrative building in Agoura Hills, California. Work is underway on the BendPak Industrial Complex, a huge light industrial space being developed in Mobile County, Alabama, near the company’s recently expanded East Coast campus.
Never one to seek awards or accolades, Henthorn was a believer in hard work. Motivated by the fear of failure and the desire to expand his mind and his business, he pushed the company to continuously improve and grow. For decades, he was the first person in the door every day, starting between 5 and 6 a.m., Monday through Saturday. When asked the secret to BendPak’s success, he would answer simply, “We outwork everybody.”
Henthorn took his responsibility for the safety of millions of mechanics around the world very seriously and was committed to ensuring that BendPak produced superior products.
“We at BendPak wholeheartedly hold the philosophy that only going above and beyond on every product, for every customer, will keep us growing in this business,” he wrote in a letter to customers on BendPak.com. “When BendPak started, I was the sole name and voice attached to the company’s product development and operations. Today, BendPak exists beyond the control of just a few sharp minds. The hundreds of employees we hold dear are heard from and appreciated on a daily basis, which is why people continue to want to work here, and it’s why we’ll continue to thrive for generations to come.”
Henthorn could often be found out in the shop tinkering and inventing things. He also enjoyed golfing and sharing memories with friends, family, and colleagues.
Henthorn is survived by his wife, Ginger, daughter, Susan, and grandchildren Annika, Reagan, Carson, and Kennedy. He was preceded in death by his son, Gary.
For a look back on his life, please visit the
link hidden, please login to view. The blog will be updated with service information when available. About BendPak
Established in 1965, BendPak Inc. is an American-owned global manufacturer of vehicle service equipment and specialty consumer products sold under the trademarked brands BendPak®, Ranger®, Autostacker®, QuickJack®, Cool Boss®, GrandPrix®, JackPak®, MaxJax®, and ErgochairTM. Its collective range of products includes car lifts, parking lifts, EV battery lifts, pipe benders, air compressors, tire changers, wheel balancers, wheel aligners, brake lathes, evaporative air coolers, rolling work seats, and other equipment.
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