RockAuto.com March Newsletter

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Another Happy Customer!

THE place to get parts!

Easy navigation, great prices and a great reputation. Years ago I first ordered parts after seeing their ads in Car and Driver magazine.

When I talk cars with others I always mention RockAuto.com when acquiring stuff comes up. Every time I place an order, I am always satisfied.

Adrian in Pennsylvania

 

Upcoming Events
If you would like your event featured here, email us with details.

Eisenhower PTO-Fundraisers
3/16/2012
Picataway Township, NJ
e-mail

55th Annual Portland Roadster Show
3/16/2012
Vancouver, WA
e-mail

Car Show & Sound
3/17/2012
Douglasville, GA
e-mail

Highland Ave Auto Show
3/17/2012
Rancho Cucamonga, CA
e-mail

Strawberry Festival Car Show
3/17/2012
Palm Bay, FL
e-mail

Thunder in the Desert Show & Shine
3/17/2012
Buckeye, AZ
e-mail

Battle of the Bulldogs
3/17/2012
Royse City, TX
e-mail

Barndogs CC Ilmenau
3/17/2012
Martinroda, Germany
website

4th Annual Southern Pines Car & Truck Show
3/17/2012
Dublin, GA
e-mail

5th Annual Car Show
3/17/2012
Lampasas, TX
e-mail

Customer Appreciation DIY Class
3/17/2012
Big Bear Lake, CA
e-mail

Skips Swap Meet
3/18/2012
Oswego, IL
e-mail

Lake Dora Classic
3/18/2012
Mount Dora, FL
website

8th Annual Corvette Car Show
3/18/2012
Port Charlotte, FL
e-mail

Horsepower in Horse Country Classic Car Show
3/19/2012
Ocala, FL
e-mail

Ruhrparkcruise
3/20/2012
Herne, Germany
e-mail

Grand Prix Night at the Lube Car Show
3/22/2012
Indian Rocks Beach, FL
e-mail

AACA Sugarloaf Mountains Regions 42nd Annual Indoor/Outdoor Parts
3/23/2012
Mount Airy, MD
e-mail

Steinbeisser Trophy
3/23/2012
Wehringen, Germany
website

FCA Regional Show
3/23/2012
Daphne, AL
e-mail

Gathering of the Faithful Car Show
3/23/2012
Maitland, FL
e-mail

Dickeys BBQ & Chick Fil A Cruise In
3/24/2012
Greenville, SC
e-mail

Southeastern Michigan Mustang & Ford 2012 Spring Shop & Swap
3/24/2012
Livonia, MI
e-mail

5th Annual YHS Car Show
3/24/2012
Seaford, VA
e-mail

Mechanicsville Elementary School-Silent Auction
3/24/2012
Sykesville, MD
e-mail

Middle Peninsula Classic Cruisers - 2012 Events
3/25/2012
Gloucester, VA
e-mail

Empire Galaxies-Spring Breakout Cruise for a Cause Raffle
3/25/2012
Farmingdale, NY
e-mail

40th Annual Auto & Truck Swap Meet
3/25/2012
Murphysboro, IL
e-mail

15th Annual Collector Car Auction
3/25/2012
Bradenton, FL
e-mail

2012 Gulf Coast National Mustang & All Ford Show
3/25/2012
Enlsey, FL
e-mail

South Jersey-40th Swap Meet & Car Corral
3/25/2012
Woodstown, NJ
e-mail

Cal-Rods Car Show at Santa Anita Park
3/28/2012
Claremont, CA
e-mail

28th Annual CATFISH RUN
3/30/2012
Batesville, MS
e-mail

Dub Aid 2-VW Charity Car Show
3/30/2012
Chippenham, UK
e-mail

Seafood Festival & Car Show
3/30/2012
Cape Coral, FL
e-mail

Dodge Caliber Treffen - Berlin
3/31/2012
Berlin, Germany
website

2nd Annual Over the Hill Gang Spring Get Together
3/31/2012
Gold Canyon, AZ
e-mail

2012 Carolina British Classic VI Car Show
3/31/2012
Columbia, SC
e-mail

4th Semi Annual Bug-A-Rama All VW Show
3/31/2012
Hogansville, GA
e-mail

3rd Annual Rollin in the Park; Car Truck & Bike Show
3/31/2012
Bryan, TX
e-mail

Mustang Mania 2012
3/31/2012
Tucson, AZ
aztlan@theriver.com

NY AutoFest
3/31/2012
Syosset, NY
website

Kicklighter Academy Revved Up for Autism Car, Truck & Bike Show
3/31/2012
Savannah, GA
e-mail

Eric Lange Memorial Car Show
3/31/2012
Dayton, TN

Scotland County Speedway
3/31/2012
Keokuk, IA
e-mail

Shakespeare County Raceway
3/31/2012
Nuneaton, UK
e-mail

April Car Show
4/1/2012
Columbus, OH
e-mail

Texas Nissan Truck Meet 2012
4/4/2012
Forney, TX
e-mail

5th Annual Mississippi Stampede Car & Truck Show
4/7/2012
Byram, MS
e-mail

Pig Trail Harley Davidson Show n Shine Car Show
4/7/2012
Rogers, AR
e-mail

British Classic Car & Bike Show-6th Annual Wheels Across the Pond
4/7/2012
Jupiter, FL
website

Corvette Expo XX
4/7/2012
Enid, OK
e-mail


Magnaflow Catalytic Converters

See what we have from Magnaflow

Now available from RockAuto are Magnaflow catalytic converters, all of which are manufactured in the U.S. using premium components and the latest technology. This recent addition adds a tremendous number of catalytic converters approved to comply with California and Federal emissions standards.

Some reasons to choose Magnaflow:

  1. Their converters have a ribbed body that minimizes expansion and distortion when the converter heats up.
  2. There is a 1/2” lap-joint where the necks meet the body. The neck does not extend into the converter body where it could hamper exhaust flow.
  3. They maintain separate dies for different sized inlets. They don’t skimp by putting larger neck sizes on smaller bodies. This would reduce the flow of the converter and reduce the quality of their product.
  4. MagnaFlow uses a monolithic honeycomb catalyst. The ceramic is designed for maximum flow and surface area. The coating method is strictly controlled to maintain exact specifications.
  5. Magnaflow uses a heavier gauge stainless steel, tip to tip.
  6. MagnaFlow converters are seam welded close to the converter body for a strong, tight bond.
  7. MagnaFlow installs a factory capped, 90 degree air tube on “with air” converters. This saves time during installation. There is no need for additional labor to weld on an air tube or to create a bend when only an air tube stub is provided.
  8. MagnaFlow uses an aluminized or stainless OEM-style ribbed heat shield that creates a rigid wall of protection against heat and adds to the structural stability of the converter.

Next time you are in need of a new catalytic converter, whether it be Federal or California emissions, make sure you check out the Magnaflow converters found in the “Exhaust” category of the RockAuto catalog.

 

 

Forum of the Month

Firstgens.com

Firstgens.com is a forum-based website dedicated to fans of the first generation Camaro. Most of our members are owners of 1st Gen Camaros and we share Camaro tech articles and knowledge relating to the 1967 - 1969 Camaros.

Some of us own expensive cars that we have restored, and others own cheap cars that are still being worked on. Join today and be a part of a community of car guys and their Camaros. All Camaro owners are welcome!

 

If you are the administrator or member of a forum and you would like to see your website featured in an upcoming newsletter and receive a discount code to share with your members, contact cynthia@rockauto.com.

 

 

Repair Mistakes & Blunders

Ouch!

After completely re-doing the rear brakes on my '65 Ford F-350 dually, I took the truck to the local sawmill (6 miles or so) and got a full load of firewood, almost two tons. On the way home, at 50 mph on a two-lane road, the dually's left rear wheels fell off. Yes, the wheels FELL OFF! While I was coming to a stop, luckily straight if not exactly level, one of the wheels passed me in the other lane which thankfully was vacant. I stayed upright, as did the load of firewood.

Amazingly, all eight studs were intact, so apparently I simply did not tighten the nuts enough! I'll never use an air impact wrench again on lugs without hand-tightening afterwards. Never had before either, so I don't know what I was thinking that day. Anyhow, one brand new brake drum was destroyed, having been ground flat on one side against the pavement. One wheel deeply scored on the inside needing replacement. And the rear bumper/taillights were torn off and bent (most likely when one or both of the wheels came out from underneath). Nothing else hurt but my dignity! It could have been much worse.

Passersby stopped to help. One drove me up and down the road to collect the wheels and bumper, which ended up about 1/4 mile apart. Another one lent me a 3 ton jack. The very nice state trooper (who put out cones and directed the occasional car around the "work zone") actually drove me to the store to get 8 new lug nuts. I put the wheels back on and made it home. Brakes still worked, too!

Lesson of the day: Check your lug nuts... If you think you've checked them, do it again anyway! And then one more time for good luck.

Charles in Missouri

 

Tell us about your most infamous auto repair blunder or unconventional fix. Use your woe to help others avoid similar mistakes or share off-the-wall solutions that worked (at least for a while!). Please email your story to flamur@rockauto.com. Include your mailing address and if you would like a RockAuto T-Shirt (please let us know your shirt size) or Hat if we publish your story. See the T-Shirts and Hats under Extras in the catalog. The story will be credited using only your first name and your vague geographic location (state, province, country, continent, etc.) so you can remain semi-anonymous!

 

 

Automotive Trivia

Automotive Trivia

The 1964-1/2 Ford Mustang was revolutionary. The public snapped up Mustangs and the car received unique honors including the Tiffany Award for Excellence in American Design. In 1965, the 2+2 fastback Mustang body was added, but there was only one significant mechanical change for 1965. What was it?

A. front disc brakes replaced drums
B. lap seat belts became standard in front and rear lap belts were optional
C. alternators replaced generators

 

Answer below

 

 

Assuming the Repair is Always the Same

RockAuto

Raybestos Axle Bearing and Hub Assembly

I recently had an enjoyable conversation with the owner of a parts store and garage in West Virginia. His business both installs parts and sells parts to other repair shops. He noticed one of his professional mechanic customers had made a lot of warranty claims on axle bearing and hub assemblies. He asked his customer about it. The customer said he had so much trouble with aftermarket hub assemblies that he stopped using them and now only bought OEM (original equipment manufacturer) hub assemblies from the car dealers. The business owner knew that the aftermarket and OEM hub assemblies being discussed were likely the same parts made by the same manufacturers. The only difference was the printing on the cardboard box. He quizzed his customer further to figure out what was actually happening.

The axle bearing and hub assemblies from the car dealers were expensive and they were “OEM” so the mechanic took the time to look up and use the OEM torque specifications when he installed the parts. The aftermarket hub assemblies were less expensive and “aftermarket” parts so they were bolted on using an impact wrench with a random torque setting. The mechanic often serviced big trucks like the Ford F-350 and was likely under-tightening rather than over-tightening the bolts with his impact wrench. The bearing and hub assemblies wobbled around and were damaged, the brakes pulsed, the brake pads wore unevenly, etc.

After my initial “aren’t some people funny” reaction, I thought a little more and sheepishly realized I have at least two reminders to take away from this story myself. The first reminder is that installation instructions in the box and/or repair manual, including torque specifications, are worth reading and following. Even if the repair is 99% the same as something I have already done, that 1% change could be the difference between success and failure or at least a tip worth knowing.

I never have thought a Timken, Moog, SKF, Raybestos, etc. bearing and hub assembly requires more careful attention if it is packaged in an OEM box. I am actually more likely to get too comfortable with the aftermarket name on the box and start assuming the repair is always the same on every vehicle. My thought process goes something like: “I have installed Standard Motor Products throttle position sensors on three Fords so I don’t need to look at the repair manual before I install a Standard Motor Products throttle position sensor on any other vehicle ever built.” I should have stopped thinking that way decades ago after trying to unthread the lug nuts on my ’68 Plymouth by turning them the wrong direction (‘60s Chryslers have reverse threaded lug nuts on one side). Every few years I just need a nudge to read the instructions.

The other reminder I gleaned from the W. Virginian’s experience is that torque specifications are not just there to keep me from breaking the heads off of bolts or cracking an aluminum flange on a “little” part. Torque specs for a major suspension or drivetrain part, especially on a large truck, can be quite high. Bolts mounting the hub assembly to the steering knuckle might require a hefty 95 Nm (70 ft lbs) on a car and an eye popping 180 Nm (133 ft lbs) on a large pickup truck. Rather than breaking the part, the worry is do I have enough oomph and a long enough torque wrench handle to get the parts tight. Under-torqued heavy parts are something to avoid as much as over-torqued little parts.

Tom Taylor,
RockAuto.com

 

 

Paul's 1973 Montego GT
Paul's 1973 Montego GT

This is my 1973 Montego GT. Purchased 2 years ago from the original owner, in Detroit, with only 23,000 miles on it. Yes, it only went out for car shows and cruises. This is original everything - paint, vinyl top, carpet - with an immaculate interior, but the suspension needed some TLC

I just took delivery of new Coil Springs, Shocks, Ball Joints, Control Arm Bushings, Tie Rod Ends, and a Carburetor Rebuild Kit from RockAuto. It was a piece of cake selecting everything I needed from a single location.

All this hardware is going to be installed ASAP so that I can take this machine for a 2600 mile cruise with 5000 other vehicles on the upcoming Hot Rod Power Tour.

Paul in Michigan

 

Share Your Hard Work

Do you purchase parts from RockAuto? If so, RockAuto would like to feature you & your car or truck in our monthly newsletter. New, old, import, domestic, daily driver, trailer queen, classic, antique, we want to see them all! Please e-mail flamur@rockauto.com with your vehicle's history, interesting details, your favorite images, and what parts from RockAuto you have used.

 

 

Let RockAuto Help

Let RockAuto Help

Are you organizing a car show or other auto related event? From goody bag stuffers to gift certificates...we can help. We can even publicize your event in our newsletter.

Just send us an email with information about your show.

 

 

Automotive Trivia Answer

Automotive Trivia

The 1964-1/2 Ford Mustang was revolutionary. The public snapped up Mustangs and the car received unique honors including the Tiffany Award for Excellence in American Design. In 1965, the 2+2 fastback Mustang body was added, but there was only one significant mechanical change for 1965. What was it?

A. front disc brakes replaced drums
B. lap seat belts became standard in front and rear lap belts were optional
C. alternators replaced generators

Answer: C. alternators replaced generators (submitted by customer Jim F. of Maine)


Back up to trivia question

 

 

 

 

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