Aftermarket June 2022

Above: Geabox being worked on at Ivor Searle A nthony McAteer, Trading Director at LKQ Euro Car Parts observed: “Since 2020, SMMT figures have shown that automatic cars have been routinely outselling vehicles with a manual gearbox – and this trend is only accelerating.” He continued: “The most common complaints are associated with automatic transmissions are things like rough gear changes, failing to select the right gear, stalling and warning lights on the dashboard, so this is where most garages should invest in capabilities. We offer everything our customers need to work with automatic vehicles, from training and parts to equipment. This includes the ATF Machine CAT501S, from Launch. It’s a fully featured automatic transmission cleaner and fluid exchanger, and it provides a consistent, reliable and accurate 99.9% fluid exchange. It comes with a comprehensive range of adaptors, is user-friendly and includes ongoing access to technical support, something that matters a lot to us.” Repeat custom On the approach garages should take, Anthony observed: “Checking gear oil and fluid is an important first step in any transmission service, and technicians must also make sure to explain to their customers why it needs changing when it’s due. Resolved transmission problems are something customers will really feel the benefit of, so even just taking small steps such as this can go a long way towards driving customer satisfaction and encouraging repeat custom.” He added: “LKQ Euro Car Parts offers the OEM-approved MPM Gear and Engine Oil ranges, which cover more than 99% of automatic transmissions and manual gearboxes. By using products from this range, garages are helping to ensure their customers’ vehicles perform at their best throughout their lifetimes, delivering benefits in terms of driver experience, fuel economy, engine preservation and environmental impact.” Demand With the post-pandemic reopening colliding with the cost of living crisis, garages dealing with vehicle transmission systems are also looking to remanufactured components, as David Eszenyi, Commercial Director at Ivor Searle has noted: “Demand for Ivor Searle’s remanufactured gearboxes has increased by over a third in the past year. This is due to various factors, such as the increased use of home delivery vans during the pandemic and the continuing shortage of semiconductors causing new vehicle supply problems. This has resulted in vehicle lifecycles increasing, creating a surge in demand from workshops for our OEM standard transmissions to replace failed units.“ On the advantages of remanufactured components, David added: “Our quality remanufactured gearboxes typically cost around 40% less than a brand-new OEM unit. This saving helps workshops to gain a competitive advantage by enabling them to offer customers a lower 48 AFTERMARKET JUNE 2022 CLUTCH AND TRANSMISSION www.aftermarketonline.net Everything you need to know about working with clutch and transmission system, as it changes with an evolving world price for major component replacement. However, while it costs less to source a remanufactured transmission, quality is an important factor when choosing a supplier. With this in mind, all Ivor Searle gearboxes are remanufactured under a quality management system certified to ISO 9001:2015.” Advice First Line is looking educate independent garages and techs on the importance of best practice clutch installation, and to support the campaign, a technical poster outlining best practice and top tips for clutch fitment has been published. Global Marketing Director Jon Roughley commented: “The new poster reminds technicians to follow best practice during clutch replacement. It is a visual guide highlighting key parts of the process that if not followed, could lead to an avoidable warranty claim, which if it is due to an installation error or driver abuse, won’t be covered.” He continued: “It’s important to understand why the old clutch has failed, particularly if it has failed prematurely. There could be a number of reasons that can cause premature failure, including poor driving style, towing heavy loads, frequent hill starts or an installation error, that if left unknown, could affect the lifespan of the replacement unit. “One of the key messages shared by all clutch manufacturers is the importance of correct engine to gearbox alignment. Before offering up the gearbox, Borg & Beck engineers advise technicians to align the input shaft with the hub spline of the clutch disc and not allow the weight of the gearbox to hang off the spline, as this could cause the drive plate to break apart.” PRESS DOWN TO CHANGE