DIY: Road Tax Disc/Sticker Removal Made Easy

By NYC 9 hours ago

A must-have but sometimes a headache to maintain

To some of us, one of the most daunting events of owning a car is the time to replace the road tax sticker. Here’s a quick fix on how to perform the job without too much hassle.

Not only does the design of it make it easily broken-apart on removal, the remaining glue residue can be a nightmare to rub off before sticking on the replacement.

There is however a couple of methods to ease the pain and here is one of them:

Tools:

• hairdrier or professional heat gun
• anti-rust with toilet soap solution
• rag or tissues

Method:

1. With the hairdrier or heat gun on a an extension cord, start by heating up the corner of the sticker that you would start peeling

Heat up the sticker with a hairdrier

2. Carefully and slowly peel off the sticker from its edge. The heated section should easily come off together with the glue residue.

3. Pay special attention at areas where it is designed to tear.  Once torn, it will take more effort to remove that torn section. Giving it another round of hairdrier treatment might help prevent this.

Some of the many parts designed to tear

4. In case some leftover glue residue remains after the whole sticker is off, spray some anti-rust onto a piece of rag. Rub onto the spot until it is completely removed.

5. Lastly wipe the area with some soap solution and rinse it until its clean and dry. It is then ready for the new road tax sticker.

car tips diy road tax Road tax sticker stickers

DIY: Brake Bleeding made easy and explained!

By NYC 3 days ago

Here is a simple DIY on bleeding your brakes in an easy way that requires just a few simple tools, and a casual volunteer.

Ever since the first cart on wheels came along, mankind began its quest for more speed. And once he had achieved that and when he started to crash into looming obstructions ahead, he realised the importance of what everyone today expects to work without issue - braking. And like any other bits that make your vehicles work, braking systems require occasional maintenance.

This speed-shedding mechanism has two items that will need attention after a period of time; first is the brake pad for disc brakes or shoes in drum variants, the second is the brake fluid that runs from the engine bay to each wheel. Because of the brake fluid line’s length, amount of connections, and hygroscopic (water absorbtion, in layman terms) nature of brake fluid, it is vital for the whole system to be contaminant-free of water and air bubbles to maintain a consistent amount of pressure when the paddle is depressed.

But what if the brakes feel spongy even though you are sure it is leak-free and without any mechanical failure? Well that is when bleeding your brakes comes in handy; a process of flushing out existing fluid out through the nipple with new, clean fluid. Here is a simple DIY on bleeding your brakes in an easy way that requires just a few simple tools, and a casual volunteer.

Tools needed

• Closed end spanner: The main reason this is suggested over an open-ended variant is because a rusted nipple-nut combined with a loose grip will likely strip the nipple-nut
• One or two bottles of fresh brake fluid: Take note of the existing fluid specification, eg. DOT 3, DOT 4 etc. as different grades have different boiling points and thus should never mix
• A length of clear flexi tube that would fit over the nipple: I used the conventional aquarium air tubes from pet stores but widened by heating up the end that would go over the nipple.
• Empty bottle as a retainer for the drained fluid
• Anti-rust e.g. WD40 or RP7
• Water to wash off spillage
• Tire removing tools and jack-stands

Old fluid retainer preparation process

1. With the cap removed, make a hole big enough for the flexi tube
2. Insert the smaller end through the cap before screwing back onto the bottle
   

   Old fluid container

Bleeding process

1. Remove and wheel and secure the raised vehicle on jack stands

2. Remove the cap on the nipple before spraying some anti-rust onto the nipple-nut

3. Fit the spanner over the nipple-nut and make sure it can be loosened

Fit the spanner first

4. Fit the wider end of the tube over the nipple

5. Make sure brake fluid reservoir is at maximum level and top up if necessary
6. Ask your helper to step into the driver’s seat and pump the brakes before keeping the paddle down

7. While the brakes are applied, loosen the nipple nut to release the fluid through the tube. Tighten it again once the flow has stopped.
8. Continue steps 6 and 7 for 5 times and re-check the reservoir after each cycle. Do until the fluid within the tube appears clear without contaminates and bubbles. The paddle should feel firmer with each cycle.
10. Clean any off any spillage, fit back the nipple-cap and the rest of the items before putting the vehicle back on the ground and secure the wheel nuts onto the wheel.
11. Finally, make sure the brake fluid reservoir is fully topped up before repeating the whole procedure for all other wheels.

Car tips: Tyre buying made easy

By Chris Aaron 3 days ago

Words by Nooralia Zaharin, brought to you by Michelin

Replacing your cars’ tyres is usually an unwanted expense and often a confusing purchase experience especially for first timers. As a smart consumer, you want to make sure that you get the best tyre for your money.

These days, there are plenty of choices out there, but with a little guidance, you can get yourself a set of fairly-priced, safe and durable tyres for your vehicle.

The most important rule when buying a set of new tyres is to always do a little homework before you make your trip to the tyre store, as it makes it a less intimidating process if you first assess your situation and budget. Browsing through tyre manufacturer sites, online tyre selling and your nearest local tyre store is also recommended. This little bit of homework will help you make a wiser decision when purchasing your new tyres.

You also need to consider several factors that will help you decide what is best for your daily drive when making a purchase. Treadware for example, is an indicator of longevity. The wear ratings go from 100 to 600 and higher wear ratings mean longer life and better fuel economy. However, higher wear rating for longevity generally utilises harder rubber compounds that affect dry traction.

Traction is the key to safety. A common mistake is to select a tyre without considering its ability to grip the road. Traction grades provide a basis of how well tyres will stop on a wet surface. For the Malaysian climate where rain is a factor, it is better off paying a bit more by buying premium tyres that offers good wet grip.

Buying the right tyre for your intended speed is vitally important to safety, a tyre with a higher speed rating can dissipate more heat on long highway trips. If you were to spend less time on the highway, the speed rating might not be an important factor in choosing a replacement tyre. You can determine the speed rating by looking at the letter beside the load index in the alphanumeric code. The range is A to Z, with A being the lowest and Z the highest, but you’ll usually find a range that falls between Q to Z for most cars.

You should also consider your usage condition for your tyres. If you drive mostly on paved roads and highways, a smooth road tyre and street tyre should be on your shopping list. If you drive equally on paved roads, highways, and off-road, then all-terrain tyres should be a consideration. If you are driving mostly off-road and occasionally on paved roads/highways, then you might consider choosing an “off-road” tyre. However, bear in mind that 100 per cent off-road tyres do not offer optimum grip on asphalt, especially in the wet.

Another important factor in choosing a replacement tyre is the load rating. The load capacity number on the tyre-size code indicates the load-carrying capacity of that single tyre. When selecting replacement tyres, make sure you do not select a tyre with a lower load-carrying capacity than what’s currently on your vehicle.

Again, doing some homework, being well-informed, knowing what to look for, and what is required by a manufacturer in terms of their own specifications for buying tyres, will ensure that you have made a correct decision when purchasing this product and making the tyre buying experience less intimidating.