Our Blog - Pellon Tyres And Auto Centre Halifax

Broken Springs- How would you know if your car had a broken spring?

19th February 2019/0 Comments/in All Car Repair Articles /by Eric

broken spring due to bad weather

Winter is a bad time for motorists to suffer broken springs

This is the time of year that many motorists experience their car having strange banging and rattling noises whilst driving along.

More reading...AA patrols have reported a big increase in the number of broken springs – in the year to February 2011 we saw more than 21,000 breakdowns related to spring failure.

Micra McPherson strut sowing the oil leak (dark part)

We are certain that the motorists are breaking their springs as the hit pot holes and pavements that are covered in ice or snow. It always seams to be this time of year when their suspension takes a pounding from the bad winter weather. We have also noticed that we have had more MOT test failures due the very same problem.

Some car owners do not notice that they have a broken spring until it comes to having their car tested on its annual MOT, but the damage is noticed most in winter. Once again we think it was caused by their car running into the kerb or some other raised object or hole, hidden by snow and ice, its easy done.

Broken spring is due to ice and snow and probably a kerb stone ?

So if you hear your car rattling or banging coming from your car it will probably be a Broken Spring on Car or shock absorber that you broke struggling home in the recent snow fall that we have just had.

More reading…AA patrols have reported a big increase in the number of broken springs – in the year to February 2011 we saw more than 21,000 breakdowns related to spring failure. The number of broken springs in January 2011 was 25% higher than in January 2010. Figures from 2012 (the graph below shows, 2010, 2011, and 2012) show no signs of the problem going away… http://www.theaa.com/motoring_advice/car-servicing-repair/coil-springs-breaking.html

Eric Roberts

Hi I would like to introduce myself. I have worked in the Garage and tyre and Ford Focus Battery business now for 40 years. I have worked for a couple for national tyre companies in my younger

Many cars are presented to us for the MOT test with a broken spring and do not know a thing about it. The main damage is caused when the car goes down a pothole or mounts the kerb for some reason. If the Broken Springs are only broken at the bottom, then the driver very often does not hear any rattling or banging coming from his car, but when the spring breaks say halfway up then the noise will drive him or her mad.

days, before starting my first business. I now own a company here in the UK called Pellon Tyre and Auto-centre, and I am a keen blogger about anything to do with cars and their related products that will help my business. We are members of Point-S and MotorCodes and are also a Unipart Car Care Centre and of course Tyresafe.

Unipart Brake Repairs-Unipart Car Care Centres-Brake Repair: How To Locate A Trusted Garage.

Unipart Brake Repairs

Unipart car care for Unipart Brake Repairs

You may avoid potential car issues by doing your research and seeking out an excellent brake repair mechanic or auto repair service center. A seasoned professional will repair your vehicle difficulties before they become …

eric roberts‘s insight:

Unipart car care helps to protect the motorist

We at Pellon Auto-centre were looking for an organisation that gave our customers protection from over pricing and parts that were not up to standard.

We looked at all sorts of options and after long consideration we decided to join the Unipart Car Care Centres (UCCC) scheme. This nationwide scheme gave us what we required to protect and give confidence to our customers here in Halifax West Yorkshire UK.

All the members have to have their garages vetted by the RAC (now the AA) and have to become members of the regularity body known as Motor-Codes. We also have to keep the old parts that we remove including Brake parts and Unipart Brake Repairs , for the inspection of the customer, and have to follow a “Fair Price Policy, when it came to Unipart Brake Repairs”

The guarantee of good workmanship is also carried across the UK, if the work that we carry out say on your brakes then you can call in to the nearest UCCC have have the problem fixed under warranty. So look out for your nearest Unipart Car Care Centre, and you can trust the Unipart Brake Repairs

Unipart Brake Repairs on this BMW Mini, in at Pellon Autocentre-Halifax-UK

guys.

Pellon Tyre and Auto-centre offer car and van servicing and repairs to all makes of vehicles. We are members of Unipart Car Care centres and give a nationwide guarantee for all our work and parts. We also sell tyres online from our website www.pellonautocentre.com by using the tyre selector and choosing your tyre size. We offer courtesy cars to local motorists who need to go to work and leave their car with us for work doing. We are also an official MOT testing station and are members of Motor-codes, who carry out checks for high standard of equipment and workmanship.

This post was compiled by Eric Roberts...www.batteriesontheweb.co.uk

Your Car Engine Oil-Then and now: how engine oil has evolved

18th February 2019/0 Comments/in All Car Servicing /by Eric

Your Car Engine Oil

In recent years, many motorists must have noticed the growth in use of synthetic oils. Synthetic oils are made to a more highly refined specification. Hence, that of standard conventional mineral oils. The improved refinement gives a higher protection and performance. Thus, of more conventional mineral oils.

For this reason the synthetic oils have a capability of giving modern vehicles better engine running at the top performance. Consequently, car engineers have been able to develop different types of oils for different engine types. Gone are the days that you can put any oil in any engine.

It is important to replace the recommended oil for your vehicle with the correct viscosity for your car. Therefore car manufacturers have all the engine oil specification listed in the handbook.

In short, the difference between conventional oils and older traditional oils. Is that traditional oil is just made by a regular method of refining crude oil. Synthetic oil is made by using advanced refining methods. As a result, this refining gives the synthetic oil a higher purity and a better quality oil. Synthetic oils have molecules that are more uniform. This gives more lubrication and less friction. Traditional oils, have molecules that are inconsistent in size. Therefore generating more engine friction.

A typical synthetic oil container with 5w-30 oil

Going back in time. I can remember that we had one oil tank that would be sufficient for all type and models of cars. The Castrol oils truck would come round when required and top up the tank. The tank contained 1000 ltrs. Now here at Pellon Autocentre in Halifax UK, we have to keep a few different types of synthetic oils in stock. This is to make sure that the correct oil goes into the correct vehicle according to the car manufacturer’s recommendations.

Eric Roberts

Source: Then and now: how engine oil has evolved

Caravan Tyres Season Again-A great Video from Tyresafe.org About caravan Tyres

18th February 2019/0 Comments/in All Tyre Articles /by Eric

Caravan Tyres Season Again

Yet another great video about your caravan tyres. Furthermore, this advice also applies to the owners of motorhomes and towed trailers. In addition, all vehicles that could be stood for long periods. Of course, and then take off on a journey. Consequently, the tyres on these vehicles are also exposed to the sun. For this reason, tyres that are exposed to the sun then suffer from cracking.

This cracking can be seen and identified on this video. Therefore, worth a look at the video. Millions of people set off this time of year. Subsequently, to take an Easter break. As a result, our roads are full of caravans and mobile homes. Nothing wrong with that? As long as the owners make safety checks. Especially on their crucial tyres. Including a visual inspection and checking the tyre pressures.

Caravan Tyres Season Again

Look out for your tyres cracking ?

I find it incredible when I see a caravan smashed to pieces after an accident. Many of these accidents are caused by tyre blowouts. For this reason, every year we see our customers bringing in tyres that have been torn to pieces after a deflation on the motorway. Undoubtedly, there are many such incidents that go unnoticed. Ownership of one of these vehicle should mean total responsibility from the owners for safety concerns.

Millions of caravan and motorhome are responsible people. Unfortunately, it is the few irresponsible drivers that give the majority a bad word. Another important thing that I feel I should mention. To sum up, is to make sure that the tyres on your vehicle match up to the correct load ratings for your specific vehicle. Especially, if you own a larger vehicle. You can be sure that your load rating will be higher than say a standard car tyre. Please check and if you are not sure ask your local tyre centre for advice.

Quality Yokohama winters- Yokohama winter tyres are available from Pellon Tyres in Halifax UK

17th February 2019/0 Comments/in Winter Tyre Articles /by Eric

Quality Yokohama winters

Quality Yokohama winters for real tough weather

As I look out of my office window at the snow falling . Therefore, I can not help but feel a certain amount of pride. Proud at the fact that I have sold hundred of Quality Yokohama winters. In fact, probably thousands of

winters. Hence, to my customers over the past few years.

For this reason, I know that the people who have bought these tyres. Will be safer when driving through the snow and ice. Here in Calderdale and Halifax we have a mixture of valleys and steep hills. Thus, making it very difficult to travel in bad weather,snow,ice and heavy rain. (we have a large amount of flooding during heavy rain) making driving with winters much safer as they get rid of the water much faster than summer tyres, making driving much safer.

Now because of the ability to ship all around the World at speed, it is possible for us to buy many different brands of winters . One of these brands is a well known make called Yokohama tyres from Japan. We here at Pellon Tyres in Halifax, UK were able to start buying from Quality Yokohama winters when we were privileged to be able to join a nationwide tyre group called Point-S.

Point-S enables to buy direct from tyre manufacturers such as Continental tyres, Firestone, Avon tyre,Quality Yokohama winters and many more including the top tyre company Michelin .

Introduced us to Yokohama winter tyres

One of the great benefits this brought to us was the introduction to Yokohama winters . We bought our first ones in October 2012 and sold out four times. We were surprised to learn of how many of the public had heard of Yokohama tyres. The thing that does stand out about this product though, is how deeply involved Yokohama are into motor sport. They are involved with a multitude of motor racing events, this includes the prestigious FIA World Touring Car

Quality Yokohama winters cope with conditions like this.

Championship(WTCC).The racing kicks off in 2013 on 24^th March at Monza in Italy and I cannot wait to the report the events in my blog and with a bit of luck I may be able to visit a race and take some real time pictures.

So to get back to my point Yokohama tyres make a mean winter tyre and we are now able to sell this product to our customers in Calderdale and Halifax. I know from reports back to me that my customers are highly delighted with the winter tyres performance in the early cold spell we had here in the north of England which included a fair amount of snow, unfortunately the weather turned mild again, but we are now into our second cold snap and are selling winter tyres again, remember it is becoming popular to keep the winter tyres on your car all year round, because we now seam to be in a spell of wet summers and winter tyres get rid of the water at a faster rate when driving at 80mph on a motorway in torrential rain.

This post was written by Eric Roberts..

Point-S members

Pellon Tyre and Auto-centre offer car and van servicing and repairs to all makes of vehicles.

Annual MOT training pass mark to be increased, DVSA announce

17th February 2019/0 Comments/in All MOT Matters /by Eric

Annual MOT training

This was good news to me? As a result, I did think that the whole MOT test process has been “dumbed down”. To put it another way, I have been the owner of an MOT testing station now for probably forty years. Consequently, the standards that we had to work under were very strictly controlled. Although we never had anything to hide. Then we were always nervous when the VOSA area manager called in to us for his regular testing station check.

Here at Pellon Tyre and Autocentre in Halifax UK, we have always been in the top testing station league tables. As a result, we are now in the “green light” of the traffic lights testing stations.

Consequently, this has been possible because of a new computer system that was launched a few years ago. Because of this things dramatically changed. Indeed, VOSA were now able to keep a watchful eye on all the UK testing stations. Computer operators could log into any testing stations remotely at any time of day and night.

Annual MOT training

Every MOT test had to be logged on and then off. Hence, the computer is able to record any information about any test at any time. As a result, we felt that we were constantly watched over a sort of “big brother situation”. Without doubt we were unnecessarily worried. as time went on we more familiar with the system. Because, I run a very honest garage then we had nothing to fear.

As a result, all the UK testing stations were watched over and then graded. Not to be naive, there are dishonest garages and garage owners out there? The traffic light system was introduced. Garages were then graded according to their status, green, amber and red (hence the traffic light system). Since then, the government have made staff cutbacks in VOSA staff. Testing staff have been put under the charge of outside companies. This article explains about how the testers test is becoming more difficult after a low pass mark.

Eric Roberts

Source: Annual MOT training pass mark to be increased, DVSA announce

Checking Your tread depth-on your car tyres is most important…Pellon tyres

16th February 2019/4 Comments/in All Tyre Articles /by Eric

Checking Your tread depth Car tyre that was NOT checked by the owner ?

Checking Your tread depth

eric roberts‘s insight:

This damage was not spotted because the owner did NOT check the tyres?

Checking Your tread depth will contribute to your cars performance. It is very important to check them at regular intervals and inflate them to the correct pressures.

Your personnel safety and performance together with the driving comfort are three of the most important reasons why drivers should Checking Your tread depth and the pressures on a weekly basis.

The picture above is a good example of a tyre that was not checked. The main problem of this car was the fact the cars steering geometry was all wrongly set, this cars steering was clearly out of alignment and needed tracking (wheel alignment).

if you check yours on a regular basis you will spot the wearing of on one edge, especially on the inside were it is more difficult to spot. This one in the picture was worn down to

Checking your pressures every week is very important.

the steel belt, and the driver would have certainly received a fine and points if he had been pulled up by the police.

Tread depth of the tyres

This is also an important point to make. The legal limit in the UK is 1.6 mm for Checking Your tread depth, but most manufacturers including Yokohama tyres do not put the sipes that dissipate the water down to the full depth of the tread, in fact it becomes “bald” when it has 3 mm of tread left, this applies to many of the performance cars. If a careful eye is kept on them, then they should be changed when the tread that is left is at 3 mm. although not illegal they become very dangerous in wet weather and will

Checking Your tread depth

When checking your tyre pressures you should always look out for bulges and cuts, like the one in the picture

need replacing. You should also inspect your side-walls for any bulges as well as Checking Your tread depth , that can be caused by clipping the kerb or going down a pot-hole. Also look out for any cuts or nails and screws that may have penetrated the tyre but not gone right through the tread, this is an accident waiting to happen.

In general you should have your pressures checked at regular intervals I would recommend every week if possible or at least every two weeks. If you drive an SUV or up-market saloons, keep an eye open for the 3mm depth of your tread appearing, although there is no markings they will appear to look bald. When this happens you should replace them with new ones.

Pellon Tyre and Auto-centre offer car and van servicing and repairs to all makes of vehicles.

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Pirelli coloured tyres-debut on Italian police cars and look great in blue

16th February 2019/0 Comments/in All Pirelli Tyres Stuff /by Eric

Pirelli coloured tyres

Pirelli coloured tyres

This follows to a previous article by me? This is a great idea. Hence, to enhance the look and colour match with your car.Accordingly, this Italian police car looks great. As a result, I do think that this will become successful. Colour matching will be a thing of the future. Consequently, I am very upbeat about the new tyres.

Of course, we have all seen the colour coordinates that are visible on the F1 racing cars. As an entrepreneur, I am always looking for something different. Especially, in the tyre trade. For this reason, I am always happy when new things come onto the market. I am not sure how these tyres will be marketed. Hence, I presume that they will have to be ordered specially?

Eric Roberts

Pirelli’s new coloured edition tyres, which were launched at the Geneva Motor Show, have made their road-going debut with the Italian police force.Lamborghini has donated a new Huracan to Italy…

Source: Pirelli coloured tyres debut on Italian police cars : Tyrepress

Wheel balancing Facts-Car Drivers are still not sure What WHEEL BALANCING IS ?

15th February 2019/0 Comments/in All Wheel Balancing Stuff /by Eric

Wheel balancing Facts

Wheel balancing Facts; in the beginning?

When I first started working in the tyre trade. Then, wheel balancing was not as important . Especially, on the old x ply tyres on slowly driven cars. Hence, as it is on today’s fast cars driving on the fast highways. For this reason, we used to spend hours trying to balance Jaguar wheels. Thus, on old “spirit level” wheel balancers. In times gone by the Jaguar was about the fastest British car out . Consequently, Jaguars came out on Dunlop tyres . This was a textile radial the size was Er70Vr x15.

The problem was that Dunlop could not get the tyre to balance correctly. Therefore, all the tyres had to go back to Dunlop to be skimmed on a special machine. Thus, to make the tyres circumference what you may call “round”. As I have said, a special machine had to be made to perform this. For this reason, all Jaguar wheels were done in this way.
Nowadays we used very sophisticated machinery. Exclusively, to perform the wheel balancing. Moreover, these machines are computerised and very accurate. Pinpointing the exact place where the weight should be attached.

It is now very rare that a wheel would need re-balancing. Even more, once the new tyre was fitted and the wheel balancing was done. For this reason, we have all experienced the vibration of their wheels. Especially, wheels that say, looses a weight. Balancing, also causes problems with your suspension and steering parts. Apart from annoying the driver. Therefore, it is important that you get the wheels balanced again. Preferably, as soon as possible.

Wheel balancing “wobble” is very distinctive

The vibration or wobble caused by an out of balance wheel is easy to identify. Your car will drive normally until a certain speed is reached , balancing Facts say 50 mph and start to vibrate through your hands on the steering wheel, the car will normally drive through this to say 60 mph and then feel perfectly normal, this is your wheels that are out of balance.

Sometimes the facts state that vibration comes through your seat, this is usually your rear wheels that are out of balance, most other things that can vibrate on your car such as faulty brakes, will be a more violent vibration and will start at low speeds and be very noisy , if this happens stop your car a seek some advice from a skilled engineer or your nearest Auto-centre.
To summarise balancing Facts can cause your tyres to wear prematurely and also feels uncomfortable when driving any good Tyre centre will correct the problem in half an hour and have you on your way in no time.
Please watch this great video from you-tube…

This post was written by Eric Roberts …www.batteriesontheweb.co.uk

Free gift mobility Batteries- for Disabled mobility scooter driver Eileen in Lancashire UK

15th February 2019/0 Comments/in All Battery Information /by Eric

Free gift mobility Batteries

Eileen gets her Christmas gift 2x new 42 amp Free gift mobility Batteries

Happy on her mobility scooter with the Free gift mobility Batteries

Toronto Star
Star readers give gift of mobility
Toronto Star
The strangers were Star readers, who spotted my column on Christmas Eve and were moved by Daigle’s Dickensian predicament.

eric roberts‘s insight:

We also gave a gift of two Free gift mobility Batteries ?

Just before Christmas. I was delivering a car battery to a customer in Dingle Lancashire the UK. Subsequently, I happened to take the the wrong turning into the neighbors drive. Soon, I realised that I was at the wrong delivery address. Because all that was there was a small wooden stable and a horse.

Consequently, I got out of the van. Soon, I was approached by a lady in her late fifties. To my surprise, she had lost her legs below her knees.As a result, she was walking on her knee stumps. The lady was stood up but only came up to my chest in height. My delivery van is covered with large pictures of mobility batteries for advertising. I noticed that the lady spotted this.

She asked me the price of batteries for her mobility scooter. Unfortunately, she said that she could not afford to buy any new batteries. As her present 12 Volt Battery was old and running down. For this reason, I felt very sad for lady.Hence, and continued to next door to deliver the car battery. Eileen is severely disabled after having both legs amputated.In a motorcycle accident. For this reason, her only means of getting about was on her mobility scooter. Which is battery powered. She does not have any prosthetic limbs for whatever reason. Eileen, relies totally on her mobility scooter. It was very strange to see her mount the scooter.Because she has developed a special knack for lifting herself up. Using, her now very strong arms.

Free gift mobility Batteries

The guy next door told me that Eileen could not afford to buy any new scooter batteries. Especially as how she was practically house bound. This pulled at my heartstrings. Therefore, being a good Christian i decided to give her two Free gift mobility Batteries. I returned to my stores in Halifax, Yorkshire UK and collected the two Free gift mobility Batteries to give to Eileen. I would have been choked to give her the Free gift mobility Batteries direct and so i called into Eileen’s

Free gift mobility Batteries for Eileen

neighbour who had bought the original battery.

The guy in and when i told him what i was doing he had a tear in his eye. I gave him the Free gift mobility Batteries, to give to Eileen, when i had gone back to Yorkshire. He telephoned me the next day to say that she could not believe what i had done for her, and she sent me a lovely Christmas card.

As an update to this Eileen is still going strong and looks after some horses for a good friend, she is still getting about on her mobility scooter and the Mobility scooter batteries, that i gave her are also still going strong.

Mobility batteries

Post compiled by Eric Roberts…www.batteriesontheweb.co.uk