Upgrade Shocks for Better Handling in FORT WORTH
Posted October 28, 2018 8:58 AM
Many FORT WORTH drivers probably don't think of their shock absorbers as an important safety system; but that's just what shocks and struts are. They're all about ride control – keeping your vehicle tires in contact with the road and managing body motion.
Every time you hit a bump or pothole on a FORT WORTH road, your tire wants to bounce up. The bigger the bump, the higher the bounce. Your shocks or struts push down on the tire to maintain the traction you need to start, stop and turn.
If you've ever ridden in a vehicle with bad shocks, you know how it wallows on corners. The front end dives when you hit the brakes and the rear end squats when you accelerate. It's not only uncomfortable, it is difficult to handle.
You may have heard vehicles described as having “flat cornering." That means that when you take a corner, the body doesn't roll very much. When shocks start to get worn, your vehicle will roll more on corners. The weight of your vehicle's body shifts and tosses your vehicle to the outside of the turn, making it harder to control.
With good shocks, you can turn corners with confidence. When the shocks are bad, the body rolls too much and you need to slow down to maintain the same level of control. When you have to combine brake dive with body roll, you can quickly end up with an unsafe handling situation.
Shocks can break or start to leak, but they usually just wear out. After all, your vehicle shocks will move up and down over 75 million times in 50,000 miles/80,000 km. If you replace shocks at Westmoreland Transmissions in FORT WORTH, it will restore your vehicle's original ride control and quality. You can even upgrade shocks and struts if you want better handling or towing capacity on TX roads.
Shocks are an important safety system: don't wait until they are completely shot, perhaps risking your safety or damaging other suspension components. At Westmoreland Transmissions we can help you with quality shocks and struts as advised in your owner's manual, usually at around 50,000 miles/80,000 km, for a comfortable, safe handling ride in FORT WORTH.
Give us a call.
Westmoreland Transmissions
2001 E LOOP 820 S STE 19A
FORT WORTH, TX 76112
817.466.7295
http://www.westmorelandtransmissions.com
The Westmoreland Transmissions Guide to Custom Wheels
Posted October 21, 2018 9:49 AM
If you're interested in customizing the wheels and tires on your vehicle, there are a few things you should know first.
Most importantly, the wheels you buy need to fit your vehicle. Not all wheels are created equal. Too many FORT WORTH drivers have bought a set of wheels that caught their eye, then, after going to the work of mounting them, have found that the wheels don't fit right and the tires rub against the vehicle when they turn or go over a bump.
To ensure a proper fit, you can consult with your Westmoreland Transmissions tire professional. He/she can also help you find tires that are suited to your driving habits as well as your vehicle. You may find their auto advice invaluable, and you'll probably be happier with your new wheels once you purchase them.
But if you just have to have that set of wheels, and you're willing to pay for them, you can modify your vehicle to fit the wheels. Again, you should seek a knowledgeable professional's help ahead of time. For example, if you want a bigger set of wheels on your pickup truck, you can get a suspension lift so they will fit the truck. A professional FORT WORTH custom wheel shop, like Westmoreland Transmissions, can help you get the work done right.
The anti-lock brakes and stability control system on your vehicle are engineered to work with a particular height of tire. This is another reason you should be careful when purchasing custom wheels in FORT WORTH. The new wheel and tire combo needs to match the height of the tires that came with your vehicle.
Your car's computer gauges your speed by the revolution of your tires and sends commands to the brakes and traction control based on that speed. If you put larger or smaller tires on your vehicle, your computer is calculating the wrong speed and, consequently, sending incorrect commands to the brakes and traction control. This can have serious consequences as it may result in damage to your vehicle or, worse, an accident.
If you change the size of your wheels, you need to get your engine's computer reprogrammed at Westmoreland Transmissions to accommodate the new tire size. New wheels shouldn't just fit your vehicle, they should also fit your lifestyle. There are hundreds of styles and sizes to choose from. You should do a little research about which wheels and tires will best fit your personality, give you the performance you want and meet your handling needs. We're not saying you shouldn't personalize your ride, we just want you to be happy with the result. Talk to us at Westmoreland Transmissions in FORT WORTH.
After all, good vehicle care isn't just about preventive maintenance. It's also about making good choices.
Westmoreland Transmissions
2001 E LOOP 820 S STE 19A
FORT WORTH, TX 76112
817.466.7295
http://www.westmorelandtransmissions.com
Ask Westmoreland Transmissions: What Happens When a Serpentine Belt Breaks?
Posted October 14, 2018 4:03 AMThe serpentine belt is aptly named since it snakes around under your hood. It may lack its namesake's fangs, but it sure packs a wallop when it breaks.
The serpentine belt powers a lot of engine systems. It runs the alternator, which charges the battery; the water pump (on some vehicles), which cools the engine; the air conditioning, which cools the driver and passengers; and the power steering pump, which allows for easier steering. When the belt breaks, all of these systems shut down.
Okay, so maybe you can live without air conditioning and power steering for a while, but your battery can't live very long without an alternator, and when the cooling system goes down, your vehicle engine will overheat. That's why FORT WORTH drivers should never wait to get a serpentine belt replaced.
Serpentine belts are fairly inexpensive at Westmoreland Transmissions in FORT WORTH. And they look downright cheap when you compare them to the cost of an overheated vehicle engine, a tow truck, time lost on the road, inconvenience, and the potential safety consequences of being stranded.
Good car care means never putting off preventive maintenance. Do yourself a favor. Ask your friendly and knowledgeable Westmoreland Transmissions technician to glance under your hood and give that serpentine belt a quick look-over.
Westmoreland Transmissions
2001 E LOOP 820 S STE 19A
FORT WORTH, TX 76112
817.466.7295
http://www.westmorelandtransmissions.com
What Is a Differential and Do You Have One?
Posted October 7, 2018 7:28 AM
With front-wheel drive being so common these days in FORT WORTH, TX, the differential is just taken care of during a transmission service, so most FORT WORTH drivers don't even have to think about it. And rear-wheel drive differentials don't need to be serviced for years, so it's understandable that it's not something on the top of FORT WORTH customers' minds. It's not uncommon for drivers to not know they have a differential let alone know that it needs service.
Call Westmoreland Transmissions in FORT WORTH at 817.466.7295 for information about differential service, or stop by our FORT WORTH, TX, auto center at 2001 E LOOP 820 S STE 19A, 76112.
To better understand what a differential does, think about our local FORT WORTH high school track. There are lanes marked off on the track. For the longer distance races, the starting lines are staggered. The starting lines for the outside lanes are ahead of the starting lines for the inside lanes. That's to compensate for the longer length of the outside lanes. Staggering the starting lines means that each runner has the same distance to run.
The differential compensates for the difference in speeds between the inside wheel and the outside wheel in a turn, because they have to travel together through slightly different distances.
It's a very important function. When you think of it, all the power to get a vehicle moving goes through the differential. Most cars in the FORT WORTH, TX area weigh between 3,000 and 6,000 pounds (1,400 and 2,800 kg) – trucks even more. The power from the engine goes through the transmission and then through the differential to the drive wheels.
That's a lot of work and requires very heavy duty parts. And those parts need protection. The differential fluid lubricates the gears in the differential and keeps them cool.
The fluid eventually gets dirty and worn down. Some kinds of differentials require special additives that break down over time. So vehicle manufacturers recommend intervals for replacing your differential fluid.
The professionals at Westmoreland Transmissions will drain the used fluid and check it out for metal bits, which could be a sign of excessive wear on the gears. Then they’ll replace the fluid and install the additives if necessary.
Your Westmoreland Transmissions service advisor can look up the vehicle manufacture's recommended service interval or you can check your owner's manual. Give us a call at 817.466.7295 for more information about your differential service.
Westmoreland Transmissions
2001 E LOOP 820 S STE 19A
FORT WORTH, TX 76112
817.466.7295
http://www.westmorelandtransmissions.com
