Service wins at Krystal Klear

Service quality leads to repeat business

GETTING THE RIGHT ADVICE, A RELIABLE PRODUCT, AND GOOD SERVICE LED KRYSTAL KLEAR CARPAINTERS BACK TO TREADWAY EQUIPPED FOR A SECOND NEW HOIST

Noel Brandellero took over running Krystal Klear Carpainters in Whangarei midway through 2021. As this was an established business with more than 20 years under its belt and a strong reputation for quality of service, Noel had some big boots to fill.

Stepping into his ownership position, Noel knew it was vital to maintain the business’ reputation for quality, but he also wanted to enhance the service he could provide his customers. Noel decided that adding a hoist to the workshop would really benefit his customers and his new business.

He approached Treadway Equipped. Having done a fair bit of research, he decided that a twopost would be best suited for the job. It would provide the access and flexibility he needed, while also being more affordable than a four-post hoist. Noel worked with the Treadway Equipped team and decided the European-certified LT235 CFPRO would do the job. The Steiner Professional Series 3.5 tonne electro-mechanical hoist offers good vehicle access.

Noel added the hoist within a month of taking over the business and, having had it for the best part of a year, he says it makes it much easier to do work under a vehicle, especially undersealing.

“We can also use it for vehicle storage if we’ve got a bit of a sitter, but also if we’ve got work to do on the side of a vehicle we can raise it up to a height which makes it easier and nicer to work on,” says Noel.

Noel initially approached Treadway Equipped partly because they were New Zealand owned, but they also allowed Noel to focus more on developing his new venture by removing the additional stress that often comes with organising installation. Treadway Equipped is a one-stop shop. It analyses needs and advises on product selection, delivers the products, and offers installation and a level of after-sales support that is rarely matched, as well as its 100 Promise.

As a new owner, Noel found peace of mind in knowing that if anything were to happen there would be no passing the blame between businesses. The Treadway Equipped 100 Promise means that if a purchaser is not 100 per cent satisfied with the equipment within the first 100 days of purchase it will repair, replace, or refund the equipment free of charge.

Noel’s experience with Treadway Equipped prompted him to return for the combination of quality equipment, quality of service, and value. Noel's second purchase was a single-post portable hoist.

“The plan is before you do an underbody seal, we can lift the vehicle up and take a look and clean it so it isn’t dropping dirt inside. Outside, we can wash the dirt into a sump, so it isn’t going into the stormwater either.”

For more information, see treadwayequipped.

SET YOUR TYRE SHOP UP IN STYLE

VCO-K2

Wheel Aligner

› The worlds fastest Wheel Aligner › Powerful computer, with easy-to-operate software › 27" Widescreen LED Colour Monitor › Contact Clamps (No run out required) › Wintrax 2 Sensors › Italian design and build

LT245CF

4.5 Tonne Hydraulic Clear Floor 2 Post Hoist

› Hard working direct drive 2 post hoist - ideal for dealerships and busy workshops › S-Column for extra strength and rigidity › Ezi-reach three stage asymmetrical arms › Simple one button push operating process

$26,800

$5,549

LT455A

4 Post 5.5 Tonne Alignment Lift

INCLUDES ROLLING JACK

› Electrical hydraulic power system, cable driven ideal for service and alignment work. › Dual safety device: In case the primary safety locks are out of operation, the lift would also be locked automatically by a second safety device.

$12,432

ST260 / ST420 COMBO

Tyre Changer & Wheel Balancer Combo

ST260 INCLUDES HELPER ARM

save $406

› ST260 WITH HELPER ARM - The perfect option for Workshops and Garages that have a tyre changing facility or want to get into changing tyres. › ST420 - Cost effective, feature packed wheel balancer from Steiner.

COMBO PRICE

$8,399

All prices exclude GST, installation and freight. Need finance?  Talk to us about 12 months interest free finance and lease options.

OUR PROMISE: 100

If you are not 100% satisfied with your equipment, Treadway Equipped will repair, replace or refund the equipment free of charge within the first 100 days.

GET IN TOUCH

0800 436 436

treadwayequipped.co.nz

How to test air conditioning performance

SOMETIMES CUSTOMERS HAVE A FEELING THEIR VEHICLE’S AIR CONDITIONING IS NOT WHAT IT USED TO BE. HOW CAN YOU BE SURE IF IT’S A PROBLEM OR NOT?

Before you get out the gauges, check if the system is indeed blowing cold air and that it is being sent to the right vents. Set the system for maximum cooling — fan on highest speed, temperature full cold. Place your hand in front of the centre duct to get a quick gauge of how cold — or how warm — the air coming out is. Take a quick look under the bonnet to see if the compressor is engaged. If so, shut down the system and connect manifold gauges to the service ports, and monitor ambient temperature and humidity, as well as the temperature coming from the centre duct.

How much of a difference should you see on a properly operating system between ambient and duct temperatures? Most of us are used to seeing 15+ degrees difference but according to most OEMs, today’s cars may only reach a 10 degree difference between the two. Testing specifications vary between OE manufacturers and vehicle models. For this reason, it is always important to check service information for the vehicle you are servicing. Humidity may also have an effect.

How you obtain your readings is also important. When we measure the ambient temperature from in front of the condenser and centre duct (with the doors open or closed), the position of the recirculation door can make a huge difference between the readings.

When the recirculation door is open to outside air, the system has the full heat load to dissipate. If we compare the temperature at the inlet and the outlet duct, and if there is a 5–10 degree change measured, the A/C system is doing a pretty good job of taking on that heat load.

What happens if we close the recirculation door? Compared to the ambient reading, the difference is significant! Now there can be a 20–25 degree drop in temperature compared with ambient air. Does that mean the system is working better? No. The air now being passed through the evaporator core has a lower heat load on each pass.

To judge the system’s performance more accurately, you should reference your ambient reading to the air entering the evaporator. In this case, now it’s from inside the car.

If we then compare the actual difference between the air temperature going in, versus the air coming out, the difference is close to the same as we saw when the recirc door was open.

The key is that both temperature readings are showing us how well the system is actually doing when it comes to removing the heat load. It is functioning properly but its performance should be compared to the information on the OEM pressure/ temperature charts for direction.

Synthetic oil vs conventional

IT USED TO BE ARGUED THAT SYNTHETIC OIL DIDN’T ‘WORK’ IN ENGINES DESIGNED FOR CONVENTIONAL OILS. IS THAT TRUE?

Asmall group of mechanics and techs might still maintain that synthetic motor oils cause bearings or roller followers to ‘slip or skid’, or that they cause oil leaks in older engines.

However, synthetics and conventional products are held to the same minimum industry standards so they both, for example, have to have seal compatibility. The use of synthetic lubricants is growing rapidly in new and older applications without issue because properly formulated synthetics offer benefits beyond those of conventional and synthetic-blend products. It is perfectly safe to switch a vehicle to synthetics at any time.

Synthetic oil is made from conventional oil but it comprises artificial chemical compounds produced by breaking down and rebuilding petroleum molecules. Their pure, uniform molecular structures provide better friction reduction, optimum fuel efficiency, maximum film strength, and extreme temperature performance beyond that of conventional lubricants. As a result, synthetics can be judged to provide better and long-lasting equipment protection.

Conversely, conventional oil is manufactured with whole refined crude oil. The sizes, shapes, and structures of the molecules in conventional motor oil differ. Crude oil also contains a number of contaminants, such as sulphur, nitrogen, oxygen, waxes, and metal components. A portion of these contaminants make it into the final product, reducing the oil’s life and performance.

Synthetic oil also contains additives synthesised from other raw materials that help to clean harmful deposits from building up in the engine. The different recipes for the combination of various additives are what differentiates competing oil brands, although the final products must all meet or exceed the different standards they were designed to conform to.

Note that synthetic oil can either be a full synthetic or a synthetic blend. A synthetic blend consists of a synthetic stock base and regular motor oil. This mixture provides better protection and improved performance than just using conventional motor oil but at a lower price than full synthetic.

This fact helps answer the question of whether synthetic and conventional oil can be safely mixed. All motor oils are designed to pass the same minimum standards. The main difference is conventional oil is typically designed to just barely meet standards while reducing the cost as much as possible.

Vehicle performance can be enhanced or hindered by the type of oil you use.

Some argue conventional oil is more suitable for older vehicles due to its higher viscosity. It offers better lubrication, due to the slower flow of the fluid.

However, synthetic oil outshines conventional motor oil in general performance, its cleaner composition produces less friction and therefore wear, and it is more stable in both cold and hot temperatures, making it a better lubricant overall.