Monday, November 17, 2014
How to Adjust a Mustang Emergency Brake
Adjust the emergency brake on your Mustang right from your home garage and save money. You can adjust it from inside the car so you dont have to get yourself dirty by working under the car. Is time to adjust the parking brake when you park downhill and the parking brake starts to slip. This means that the parking brake cable has slackened inside the cable rod and needs to be tightened with the adjuster nut. Tension put on the emergency brake over time causes the parking brake to slip.
Instructions
- 1
Locate the parking brake in the front center of the inside of the vehicle. Remove the console cover that houses it.
2Lift up the emergency brake lever four notches.
3Look for the parking brake cable rod. On this rod is an adjuster nut. Turn that nut with the pliers until it is loose but make sure it doesnt fall off all the way.
4Release the parking brake and tighten the nut.
5Raise and lower the emergency brake lever four times. This will set the adjustment of the parking brake.
6Park the Mustang on a downhill slant and engage the parking brake only. It should hold the vehicle in place. If it doesnt, repeat the adjustment.
Saturday, November 9, 2013
How do I Adjust the Tailgate on a 1991 Ford F 150
The tailgate on your 1991 Ford F-150 is used to keep loaded items secure in the back of the truck bed. If you are having problems with your F-150s tailgate, you probably need to adjust the alignment. This can be done with a couple of tools that you probably have around the house. You dont have to pay for a body shop to adjust the alignment. You can do it yourself.
Instructions
- 1
Lower the tailgate so the gate flat. Use your fingers to detach the retaining cables from the pins on the side of the tailgate. Use a wrench to remove the bolt on the lower right hinge of the tailgate.
2Use a wrench to remove the right hinge pin from the tailgate and then remove the left hinge pin. Pull the tailgate off of the truck.
3Look for the latch strikers on the sides of the tailgate. These connect the tailgate to the truck bed sides. Clean any dirt or debris from the strikers. Use a Torex screwdriver to loosen or tighten the strikers to line them up properly.
4Reassemble the tailgate in reverse order to put back on your F-150.
Thursday, October 17, 2013
How to Adjust the Parking Brake on a GMC Safari
You can make an adjustment to the parking brake on your GMC Safari right from your home garage, saving yourself time and money. The way you can tell that its time to adjust your Safaris parking brake is when you park downhill and set the parking brake but it starts to slip. The best part is that the job doesnt take long and you dont even need any tools.
Instructions
- 1
Locate the parking brake pedal on the left side of the drivers foot well. Press down on the pedal all the way to the floor as far as it will go.
2Disengage the parking brake pedal by pressing down on it again with your foot.
3Repeat Steps 1 and 2 at least three more times to adjust your Safaris parking brake. This automatic adjustment takes up the slack in the parking brake cable.
4Park your vehicle facing downhill. Engage the parking brake. You will know you have correctly adjusted the parking brake if your Safari holds in place and doesnt slip.
Tuesday, October 15, 2013
How to Adjust the Power Steering Pump Belt on a 2003 Toyota Sienna
Toyota uses a short belt to drive the power steering pump on the 2003 Sienna models. The power steering drive belt is separate from the belt that drives the other hang-on equipment to prevent the loss of power steering if the other accessory belt fails. Over time, the power steering belt will stretch and lose tension, leading to belt slippage and loss of power steering when under heavy steering loads. Adjust the belt to restore steering power.
Instructions
- 1
Locate the pivot bolt at the top left and the adjustment bolt at the bottom right of the power steering pump.
2Loosen the pivot bolt, using the SST extension and ratchet. Loosen the adjustment bolt, using a ratchet and socket.
3Grasp the power steering pump and rotate it clockwise to tighten the belt. Tighten the pivot bolt to 22 foot-pounds, using the SST and a foot-pound torque wrench.
4Tighten the adjustment bolt to 32 foot-pounds, using a foot-pound torque wrench and socket.
5Push down on the center of the belt between the power steering pump and the crankshaft pulley. There should be about 1/4 inch of deflection in the belt.
Thursday, October 10, 2013
How to Adjust Harley Rear Motorcycle Shocks
All Harley-Davidson motorcycle shock absorbers fall into one of three categories: Standard, non-adjustable exterior shocks; adjustable exterior shocks and Softail shocks. The stiffness of adjustable shocks may be fine tuned with either a spanner wrench or compressed air. Softail shocks usually are adjusted with a spanner wrench. Non-adjustable shock absorbers must be replaced before you can adjust them. You must elevate the rear wheel to replace your shock absorbers or to adjust the shock absorbers on a Softail.
Instructions
- 1
Inspect the rear of your motorcycle carefully to look for the shock absorbers. Shock absorbers connect the upper frame of the motorcycle to the swing arm through a hole in the rear fender.
2Identify whether your shocks are sheathed with springs or are simply interlocked tubes. If you do not see springs, look for an air fitting on the top front of your shock absorber. If you see an air fitting and air line, you have air shocks. If your shock is sheathed in a spring, look for hourglass notches on the bottom of the shock absorber. If you see notches, you have identified your spring adjuster cam and your shocks are mechanically adjustable. If you have adjustable shocks, identify the brand. If you see neither notches or an air valve, your shocks are not adjustable and must be replaced before you can adjust them.
3Contact the manufacturer of your adjustable shock absorber or the website to determine the specifications for the stiffness of the ride you expect to achieve.
4Adjust the stiffness of your ride according the manufacturers specifications. Adjust air shocks by elevating your Harley on a motorcycle jack until your rear tire hangs as low as it will go. Locate the air suspension air valve on the left side of your bike. You may need to remove your left saddlebag by immobilizing the nut inside your fender with a box wrench and loosening the bolt inside your saddlebag with a socket wrench Raise or lower the air pressure in your air suspension using an air compressor and air gauge. Never adjust air shocks to less than 10 or more than 35 pounds of pressure.
5Adjust the rear suspension stiffness of mechanically adjustable shocks using a spanner wrench. Insert the tongs of the spanner wrench into the notches on the spring adjuster cam. Turn the cam counterclockwise to achieve a stiffer ride. Always adjust right and left shocks identically
6Push down on the rear of your motorcycle If you do not see shock absorbers. If it depresses and bounces back up you own a Softail.
7Adjust the shocks on the Softail. Remove the right side saddlebag. On some motorcycles, you may also have to remove the exhaust mufflers or muffler using a box wrench or socket.
8Elevate your Softail on a motorcycle jack until the rear tire hangs as low as it will go. Find the two rear shock absorbers where they join the Softail swing arm. You may need a flashlight. Identify the shock adjuster plate.
9Loosen the adjuster plate lock nut counterclockwise with a box wrench. Turn the adjuster plate clockwise for a softer ride and counterclockwise for a harder ride. Re-tighten the lock nut.