Critical Systems: Vital Pieces of Equipment Every Auto Shop Needs
In order to service customer vehicles, mechanics need the right gear, including tools and supplies. However, the shop itself must also be correctly outfitted. It’s as critical, or even more so, for a shop to have the necessary equipment on hand as it is for a mechanic to have the latest in automotive tools. What are the most important pieces of shop equipment to purchase or lease?
Compressor and Related Equipment
One of the most important considerations for any auto shop is the purchase of an air compressor and the related equipment that you need. Ideally, your compressor should be large enough to supply each service bay in the shop with an uninterrupted supply of air without overtaxing the system. You’ll also need hoses and hose reels in each service bay, and piping to carry the air from the compressor throughout the shop.
Car Lifts
In most instances, you’re going to want at least one car lift to make your life easier. While you can usually “get by” without a lift, you’ll find that this investment more than pays for itself over time. You’ll need to choose the right type of lift or combination of lift types for your shop’s needs, though. For instance, a mid-rise lift is great for tire and brake works, but a poor choice for oil changes or other services where you need to get under the vehicle. A two-column, floor mounted lift might be the most economical choice, but if you service heavy equipment, you’ll need an in-ground lift, or a large parallelogram lift.
Brake Lathes
Brake service offers your customers improved safety and peace of mind. However, you need to do more than just slap new pads on, or replace rotors. Turning rotors and drums to ensure a smooth, even stopping surface for pads and shoes is a critical consideration for any professional shop. Make sure you have several brake lathes, including a floor-mounted lathe that is capable of turning drums, as well as on-vehicle lathes that can make quicker work of turning rotors without having to disassemble the entire hub assembly to remove the rotor for resurfacing.
Strut Compressor
Suspension work is pretty common in all auto shops, but you need to make sure you have the right tools. Strut springs are under enormous pressure, and disassembling a strut assembly without the right tools can be incredibly dangerous. Make sure you have a wall or floor mounted strut compressor so that your mechanics can make short (and safe!) work of disassembling and reassembling strut assemblies.
A/C Machine
Being able to provide your customers with air conditioning maintenance and repair is a crucial consideration. Your first step will be to ensure that any mechanics you have on property providing this service have EPA certification to perform A/C service. Next, you need to make sure that you have a quality A/C machine. Look for a model that can handle both R12 and R134a, and that also incorporates a vacuum pump to ensure that all air and moisture are removed from the system before recharging it.
Tire Mount Machine
From repairing flat tires to tire replacement, you need a way to dismount and mount tires. A tire mount machine is the best option here, as it ensures that the wheel and tire are not damaged, and that your mechanics are safer while they’re working. A mount machine even helps with inflating tire safely, and with a model that offers a positive wheel locking mechanism, you can avoid the need to air up tires using a safety cage.
Press
Presses are probably the least thought of pieces of shop equipment, but they’re pretty important, particularly when it comes to dealing with things like wheel bearings and the like. Look for a floor-mounted press that offers plenty of usability, but does not take up too much in the way of shop real estate.
Speed Balancer
If you do any work in which tires are dismounted from the wheel, you’ll need a balancer to make sure the tire is balanced when it goes back on the vehicle. There are plenty of different options out there, including old-school bubble balancers, but a speed balancer is probably going to be the best investment for your shop.
Battery Tools
You’ll get a lot of complaints about battery-related problems, so it’s important to make sure that your mechanics have the tools necessary to handle those issues. You’ll need several pieces of equipment that fall into this category. One of those is a battery charging station to recharge batteries that haven’t failed, but have been discharged. You’ll also need a jump box to jump vehicles that are stranded with a dead battery, as well as a full charging and starting system tester. These are simple, handheld devices that check the battery, the alternator, and the starter. Some of them only offer an electronic readout, but some have the ability to print the test results.
Engine Hoist
There will come a time when one of your mechanics needs to use an engine hoist, even if you don’t actually offer engine replacements. Removing engine mounts, disconnecting the engine from the transmission housing – both are necessary steps in a wide range of services and repairs. Having a decent engine hoist on hand means that your mechanics don’t need to clutter their bays with engine stands, and ensures that they’re able to deliver quality work, more quickly than would otherwise be possible.
Alignment Machine
Finally, make sure you have a decent quality alignment machine in the shop. Your first thought might be to invest in a 3D alignment system. Save your money. CCD alignment machines are just as accurate, set up faster, and offer flexibility that cannot be found with 3D systems. They also don’t need proprietary computers or other peripherals, meaning you can save money over time.
Conclusion
There you have them – the most critical pieces of shop equipment for owners and managers to consider. Whether you’re starting your own shop, or upgrading an existing shop, make sure you at least have this equipment available.
Source:
https://jmcautomotiveequipment.com/blog/top-10-equipment-needs-for-opening-an-auto-repair-shop/
https://toughnickel.com/starting-business/How-to-start-an-auto-repair-business-the-right-way
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