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Janua r y 2013

2013:Let’s GetMoving

Janua r y 2013

Move more:● Cabin Air Filters● ECMs● Chassis● Belts● Reman Calipers● Radiators

Starting on page 24

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Tech Features..............................................24By Larry CarleyCabin air filters: The unseen filter.

ECM: The brains of the operation. ......................................26Chassis parts take a pounding. ....................................................28Belts are “need-it-now” items. ....................................................................30

COUNTERMAN (ISSN 0739-3695) (January 2013 Volume 31, Number 1): Copyright 2013 Babcox Media, Inc. All Rights Reserved: Published monthly by Babcox, 3550 Embassy Parkway, Akron, OH 44333U.S.A. Phone (330) 670-1234, Fax (330) 670-0874. Periodical postage paid at Akron, OH 44333 and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to COUNTERMAN, 3550 EmbassyParkway, Akron, OH 44333-8318. A limited number of complimentary subscriptions are available to individuals who meet the qualification requirements. Call (330) 670-1234, Ext. 275, to speak to a subscription ser-vices representative or FAX us at (330) 670-5335. Paid Subscriptions are available for non-qualified subscribers at the following rates: U.S.: $69. Samples and back issues - Domestic - $10, International/via air mail -$15. Canada: $89 for one year, $149 for two years. Canadian rates include GST. Ohio residents add 5.75% sales tax. Other foreign rates/via air mail: $129 for one year. Payable in advance in U.S. funds. Mailpayment to COUNTERMAN, P.O. Box 75692, Cleveland, OH 44101-4755. Visa, MasterCard or American Express accepted.

Editor’s Ink By Mark Phillips ....................................................8Have you printed that part yet?

Mechanic Connection By Gary Goms ......................32Reman caliper 101.

Radiators do double-duty. ......................................34Keeping It Simple By Gerald Wheelus..........................40A strong work ethic can be taught.

Counter-tech By Mandy Aguilar ........................................42Don’t hide — the online identity based economy is here.

From The Publisher By S. Scott Shriber ......................482013: Here we go.

features

3228

24

columns

2 January 2013 | Counterman

JanuaryVolume 31, No. 1

INSIDE

pg. 44



departmentsMarketPlace ....................................................................................................10Every month, MarketPlace showcases the newest automotive prod-uct and service innovations your customers are asking about!

Aftermarket News......................................................................................11Aftermarket News presents news, views and analysis of currenttrends and events in aftermarket distribution.

NASCAR Performance............................................................................38This monthly special section takes you behind the scenes of thisfast-growing sport.

Classifieds ..........................................................................................46,47

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P U B L I S H E RS. Scott Shriber330-670-1234, ext. [email protected]

E D I T O R I A LMark Phillips, Editor330-670-1234, Ext. [email protected]

Amy Antenora, Editor, aftermarketNewsManaging Editor, Counterman330-670-1234, Ext. [email protected]

Larry Carley, Technical [email protected]

C O N T R I B U T I N G E D I T O R SMandy Aguilar, ColumnistGary Goms, Commercial AccountsGerald Wheelus, ColumnistAllen Markowitz, ColumnistAllan Gerber, ColumnistJerry King, Cartoonist

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Founded 1983. Copyright 2013Babcox Media, Inc., All Rights Reserved

COUNTERMAN (ISSN-0739-3695) ispublished monthly by Babcox Media, 3550Embassy Pkwy., Akron, OH 44333. Periodicalpostage paid at Akron, OH and additionalmailing offices.

Member, BPA International

16

Pictured (left-to-right): Lucas McKinney, assistant categorymanager, customer satisfaction, performance chemicals,AutoZone; Brandi Gardner, category manager, customersatisfaction, performance chemicals, AutoZone; and Greg White,national sales manager, Casite.


In the future, you’re going to printauto parts, almost like you would aninvoice. Waiting for the punch line? There isn’t

one.Yes, one day — and people can already

do it to a limited extent — parts stores willbe able to print the parts a customer wants.Sound outlandish? It’s not.

3D printers have already successfullymade a range of objects, including jet parts,gun parts, toys and even scale models ofJames Bond’s Aston Martin DB5 that ap-peared in the recent movie “Skyfall.”

Currently, as I understand it, the types ofplastics used in the printing process meansome materials can’t yet be processed bythe machines. But it’s not going to be that

way forever.Imagine a company that holds the

patent to a particular part and astore or program group buys therights to print X number of parts.This is print-on-demand to theextreme.

3D printers are truly begin-ning to take off and the

cost, like all technol-ogy, is tumbling.

EDITOR’S INKBy Mark Phillips

Did You Get That Part Printed Yet?

Persistence Pays Off

The Realtor who sold us our home sever-al years ago is a tiger, a top performer. Shecould sell buckets of sand to someone liv-ing in the desert.

One thing that strikes me about her isshe always stays in contact with her clientsand she always tries new ideas to drum upbusiness. Some ideas work, some ideasdon’t. I’ve met many Realtors in my life-time but she’s the only one I can rememberby name. Why? Not because she sold us ahome. I can’t remember the names of any-one who’s ever sold me a car, and that’s abig purchase.

It’s because she reminds me who she isalmost every quarter. Not a quarter goes bythat I don’t get some kind of little calendar,card, letter or something else that basicallysays, “I’m in business. Let’s talk.”

We have a popular ice cream chain inOhio and every birthday, she sends me acoin that buys ice cream at those stores. Forthe New Year, it’s a calendar. Or a card —handwritten. Other times, it’s somethingelse — always something else. She doesn’tgive up. It’s infrequent enough that it’s notannoying, and frequent enough that youcan’t forget who she is. I don’t know whereshe learned it, but she had a good teacher.

Even though I’m not in the market for ahouse and haven’t been for years, guesswhose name comes to mind when a friendneeds a Realtor? CM

■ ■ ■

For more information: www.counterman.com

Imagine acompany thatholds the patentto a particularpart and a storeor programgroup buys therights to print Xnumber of parts.This is print-on-demand to theextreme.

A CorrectionDue to a production error, an advertisement for SpectraPremium appeared incomplete in the December issue.The ad runs in its entirety on pages 4 and 5. Countermanregrets the error.


PFC Releases New Corrosion ResistantProtective Coating

PFC Corrosion Resistant Protective Coating is a tech-nology unlike any of the competitors. The coating

prevents rust, peeling, corrosion and is extremelytemperature resistant. The PFC coating incorpo-

rates Geopolymer technology for strong protec-tion on all surfaces of the brake pad. Underextreme testing procedures, the PFC coatingwithstands all the elements, including theGM9540P accelerated corrosion testing withextended bakes at 650°F. PFC Corrosion Resist-ant Protective Coating also endured a saltspray and high-temperature exposure test, re-sulting in absolutely zero coat peeling and min-

imal to zero rust, with red rust calculatedbetween only 1 percent and 5 percent. Other pro-

tective coatings end in severe peeling, excessivered rust and even 100 percent red rust coverage on

the brake pads. PFC Corrosion Resistant ProtectiveCoating withstands all environmental and extremedriving elements.PFC


The Ultimate Import WireIntermotor™ Import Wire Sets provide customerswith a competitive edge in today’s complex globalimport market. Unrivaled for quality, coverage andoriginal match, they are engineered to exacting fit,form and function specifications. The wire sets installwith ease and confidence for exceptional power andperformance, and provide extra-long service life. INTERMOTOR

MARKETPLACE › visit www.counterman.com/ASAP for reader service

Textar Brake Rotors

Textar, one of the world’s leading manufacturers ofOE brake pads, now offers a range of German-engi-neered, high-carbon brake rotors for European appli-cations. Utilizing the know-how that comes fromnearly 100 years of developing OE brake pads, engi-neers at Textar have developed a perfectly matchedbrake rotor, ensuring the ultimate braking perform-ance of your car. This new range of high-qualitybrake discs is manufactured to precise German specifications. Textar brake rotors are available exclusively at WORLDPAC. WORLDPAC

▲ PFC Protective Coating

VIP Parts, Tires & Service To Sell Its Auto Parts Business To O’ReillyLEWISTON, Maine, and SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – VIP Parts, Tires & Service (VIP)has entered into a definitive agreement to sell its auto parts related assets toO’Reilly Automotive. With this agreement, which was expected to be completeon or about Dec. 31, VIP will continue to serve its tire and service customersthroughout all 56 locations.

VIP has been in the auto parts business since 1976, when the first VIP storewas opened in Lewiston, Maine. VIP currently operates 56 stores locatedthroughout Maine, New Hampshire and Massachusetts as well as a distribu-

tion center located in Maine. Founded in 1957 by the O’Reil-ly family, O’Reilly Automotive operates 3,896 stores in

39 states.

counterman.com 11

ROANOKE, Va. – Advance AutoParts has acquired B.W.P. Distribu-tors Inc. (BWP) in an all-cash trans-action. The deal closed at the endof December.

Founded in 1962, BWP is a pri-vately held company that supplies,markets and distributes automo-tive aftermarket parts and productsprincipally to commercial cus-tomers. Based in Armonk, N.Y.,BWP currently operates or supplies216 locations in Connecticut,Delaware, Maryland, New Hamp-shire, New Jersey, New York, Penn-sylvania, Rhode Island andVermont.

Advance says this acquisitionwill enable the company to contin-ue its expansion in the Northeast, astrategic growth area for Advance.Advance will operate 124 BWPcompany-owned stores and willtransfer the rights to distribute to92 independently owned locationsto an affiliate of General Parts In-ternational Inc. (GPI), a privatelyheld auto supply company. Addi-tionally, Advance will continue tooperate two of BWP’s distributioncenters in Sutton, Mass., and Del-ran, N.J. GPI will operate BWP’sother distribution center in Ar-monk, N.Y.

AFTERMARKET NEWS

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Advance Auto Parts Announces Acquisition Of BWP Distributors

National Pronto AssociationAdds Two New Shareholders

GRAPEVINE, Texas – National Pronto Association an-nounced the addition of Circle Distributing Inc. and Auto-motive Supply Center Ltd. to the Pronto membershipeffective Jan. 1. Circle Distributing was founded in 1983 byCEO and current president General Ralph Cloud. Thecompany started out as a Motorcraft FAD and then addedthe ACDelco product line in 1988 and today services threestates with distribution. Automotive Supply Center is a re-tail and wholesale parts and accessories distributor on theisland of Hawaii.



NORTON, Mass. – Autopart Inter-national has acquired all assets ofHempstead, N.Y.-based SteinwayAuto Parts Inc.

Steinway has provided automo-

tive parts to the commercial marketfor more than 40 years. Like Au-topart International, Steinway fo-cuses on delivering high-qualityparts and service to the profession-

al technician. Steinway services itscustomers from six locations inManhattan, Queens and Long Is-land. The addition of these storeswill bring the Autopart Interna-tional store count to 218, up from197 at the beginning of 2012.


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AFTERMARKET NEWS

Autopart International AcquiresSteinway Auto Parts

Automotive DistributionNetwork Joins University OfThe Aftermarket FoundationAs A Lifetime TrusteeBETHESDA, Md. – The AutomotiveDistribution Network has joined theUniversity of the Aftermarket Founda-tion as a lifetime trustee to help in-crease awareness of the manyprofessional opportunities availablein the aftermarket and grow the foun-dation’s scholarship program.

“We decided to take one small stepand contribute to the University of theAftermarket Foundation to help makeeducation more available,” said MikeLambert, president of the Network.“We want to support the foundation’sefforts to get the word out that our in-dustry has good jobs available, andnot just those turning a wrench, butcareers in all aspects of the businessfor those who are willing to learn.”

The Network will take an active roleon the University of the AftermarketFoundation Board of Trustees. DavidSegal, president of New Hampshire-based Automotive Supply Associates(ASA) will serve as the Network’s rep-resentative on the board. Segal, whohelped spearhead the Network’s do-nation, is a former chairman of theAutomotive Wholesale DistributorsAssociation (AWDA).

“We want to thank Mike Lambert,David Segal and everyone at the Net-work for their generous contributionto the University of the AftermarketFoundation and their commitment tohelp secure the future of the aftermar-ket through the education of the nextgeneration of industry leaders,” saidRusty Bishop, chairman of the Univer-sity of the Aftermarket Foundation.


Casite NamesAutoZone ‘USA2012 Retailer ofthe Year’TROY, Mich. – Casite recentlypresented its “USA 2012 Retailerof the Year” award to AutoZoneat the company’s headquarters inMemphis, Tenn. The honor is giv-en periodically by Casite to rec-ognize exceptional work by itsretail partners. The award wasconferred by Greg White, Casite’snational sales manager, to Auto-Zone’s Brandi Gardner, categorymanager, customer satisfaction,performance chemicals and Lu-cas McKinney, assistant categorymanager, customer satisfaction,performance chemicals.


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What vehicle does this picture represent?If you think you know the answer, go towww.counterman.com and click “Guessthe Car” on the nav bar. Submit youranswer and contact information. Awinner will be randomly selected by theCounterman staff from all correctanswers. The deadline to enter is Feb. 4.The winner’s name will appear in thenext issue. Stay tuned!

TrailBlazer

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#59

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Arnott Opens NewTexas DistributionCenterMERRITT ISLAND, Fla. – ArnottInc. has announced the opening ofa new distribution center near Dallas, Texas.

Arnott said the new facility ispart of the company’s ongoingcommitment to enhance customersupport and shorten delivery timesin North America and across theworld. In 2012, Arnott also openeddistribution centers in SouthernCalifornia and Ontario, Canada.

The new Texas location will dra-matically reduce freight costs andshorten delivery times for Arnottcustomers in the south centralUnited States, the company said.Prior to opening the new distribu-tion centers, customers in someparts of the central region, on theWest Coast and in Canada had towait five or six days for Arnott

parts shipped via UPS Groundfrom Arnott’s main distributioncenter in Merritt Island, Fla. Now,those same areas are able receiveArnott’s air suspension products inhalf the time and overnight insome locations, according toArnott.


MIAMI – National PerformanceWarehouse Companies (NPW) hascompleted its acquisition of CMAWarehouse located in Vernon, asuburb of Los Angeles. CMA Ware-house services customers in LosAngeles as well as the West Coast.

CMA Warehouse will maintainits current staff and managementto continue to service its customersin its present manner, as well as be-ing able to offer additional lines thecompany markets on the WestCoast.

Darrin Morgan, CMA warehousegeneral manager, commented,“CMA has been a family run oper-ation for over 20 years and we areexcited to become part of the NPWfamily. This acquisition will give usan opportunity to expand our

product offering and enhance ourservices while still being able togive the quality care to our cus-tomers that everyone has come toexpect from CMA Warehouse.”

Larry Pacey, NPW’s presidentand CEO, added, “The CMA Ware-house operation continues tobroaden and solidify our engineparts and traditional parts selectionand places us close to a base of cus-tomers in East Los Angeles. Broad-ening our product mix, improvingservice and responding to cus-tomers’ needs keep with our plansto be a major supplier in cateringto jobbers in the western region.”

Prior to the CMA deal, NPW alsoacquired Karbelt in Canada andMotor Warehouse in Sacramento,Calif.


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National Performance Warehouse Finalizes Acquisition Of CMA Warehouse In Los Angeles

Over the Counter By Jerry King


Parts Plus To Award SpaGetaway/Gourmet FoodExperience Through CarCare Center Sweepstakes

GERMANTOWN, Tenn. – BeginningJan. 15, Parts Plus Car Care Centersnationwide will be offering their cus-tomers a grand prize trip for two to anexclusive spa and resort in Sonoma,Calif., as part of the group’s latestsweepstakes promotion, according toMike Lambert, president of the Auto-motive Distribution Network.

“While Parts Plus has made a con-centrated effort to gear some of ourCar Care Center promotions towardour growing female customer base,this sweepstakes is ideal because en-joying gourmet food and relaxing inAmerica’s premier wine and spacoastal destination appeals to every-one,” Lambert said.

Twenty-five first-place winners willreceive a 10-piece gourmet cookwareset, while each Parts Plus Car CareCenter nationwide will be awardingcopies of the New American Heart As-sociation Cookbook to their local cus-tomers. No purchase is necessary towin. Entries must be received by Feb.28, 2013.

Spicer Universal Joints ToBe Carried By CARQUESTAuto PartsMAUMEE, Ohio – Dana Holding Corp.’s Spicer brand of universaljoints, including Spicer Life Series premium performance universaljoints, are now being sold through CARQUEST Auto Parts, an after-market distributor of automotive replacement parts with 3,000 loca-tions throughout North America. “By teaming up with CARQUEST,we are meeting the strong demand for premium aftermarket products from professional technicians and enthusiasts alike,” saidBill Gryzenia, vice president and general manager for the Dana Aftermarket. “The trusted Spicer brand has been around for morethan a century, and with the ongoing development in Dana’s premierproducts, we continue to supply superior technology and quality tomeet the unique needs of the market.”

for Federated. “We also are look-ing for the winning shop to be abusiness that is actively involvedin the community and has a trackrecord of pursuing and achievingexcellence.”

For more information or tonominate a shop, visit the Federat-ed Auto Parts website atwww.federatedautoparts.com/ShopOfTheYear.aspx.


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AFTERMARKET NEWS

STAUNTON, Va. – Federated isnow accepting nominations forthe first Federated “Shop of theYear” award.

“Federated is looking to honor a‘top shop’ that has knowledge-able, professional service techni-cians, while providing superiorservice and repairs that result invery satisfied customers,” saidPhil Moore, senior vice president

Federated Announces ‘Shop of the Year’ Award Program



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AFTERMARKET NEWS

LUDWIGSBURG, Germany &FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. –MANN+HUMMEL has announcedit will acquire Bosch’s 50 percentstake in the joint venture PurolatorFilters NA LLC. An agreement tothis effect was signed on Dec. 03.

Purolator develops, manufac-tures and sells filters for the auto-motive OE/OES and aftermarket.In 2012, the business, based inFayetteville, N.C., generated salesof $240 million. It employs some1,000 associates. The transaction issubject to approval by the antitrustauthorities. Terms of the deal havenot been disclosed.

MANN+HUMMEL and Bosch

founded the joint venture in 2006after buying the company fromArvin Meritor. In the past six years,MANN+HUMMEL and Boschstrengthened Purolator as a majorfilter supplier in the U.S. With theacquisition of all the shares of thebusiness, MANN+HUMMEL saidit will strengthen its OE and after-market business in NAFTA as wellas its global filter business.

Alfred Weber, president andCEO of MANN+HUMMEL, said,“For our customers, Purolator willcontinue to be a partner with thescale and scope to design, buildand distribute leading-edge filtra-tion products and services. Our

company will have one of themost experienced sales and serv-ices teams in the filtration indus-try. In fact, this acquisition willideally benefit customers, em-ployees and support our compa-ny’s strategy to become a globalleader in filtration.”

Rob Malone, CEO of Purolator,added: “We are committed tostrengthen the Purolator brand andto broaden our customer base. Thisdeal gives Purolator unlimited ac-cess to MANN+HUMMEL’s know-how and thus benefits ourcustomers. Purolator represents astrategic fit of portfolio, position-ing and people.”

MANN+HUMMEL To Acquire Full Ownership Of Purolator Joint Venture From Bosch


The cabin air filter (CAF) is not awell-known or well-publicized filter.


By Larry Carley, technical editorTECH FEATURE

Cabin Air Filter — The Unseen Filter

Anew cabin air filter issomething manymotorists need but oftendon’t know it. The cabin

air filter (CAF) is not a well-knownor well-publicized filter. Close to 90percent of late-model cars andtrucks now come factory-equippedwith a cabin air filter, but the origi-nal filters in many of these vehicleshave never been changed!

Depending on the type of filter,recommended replacement inter-vals can range from once a year orevery 15,000 miles up to 3 years or30,000 miles. Driving on dustyroads would obviously requiremore frequent filter changes, yetmany motorists are totally un-aware their vehicle has a cabin airfilter let alone how often itshould be changedor how to re-place it.

One reason why cabin air filtersare so neglected is because the fil-ter is often hard to find. It may belocated under the cowl cover at thebase of the windshield or insidethe HVAC (Heating Ventilationand Air Conditioning) plenum be-hind the glove box or under thedash. Accessing the filter often re-quires some disassembly, and somefilters have to be folded and un-folded to fit in place.

The filter’s location can usuallybe found in the vehicle owner’s

manual along withthe recommendedservice intervals.

Some vehiclemanufacturer’s(notably GM)have been in-consistent intheir use ofCAFs. The fil-ters have beenused sincethe 1980s,but on someGM trucks,the filter was

discontinuedwhen certain

models were updat-

ed or changed from one year to thenext.

In some cases you also will finda cabin air filter listing for a vehicleapplication that has a slot for a fil-ter but was not originally equippedwith a filter.

How important is the cabin airfilter? A plugged cabin air filter canrestrict airflow through the heater,defroster and air conditioner. Thefilter prevents dust, pollen and oth-er contaminants (down to 1 to 3microns in size and smaller) fromentering the passenger compart-ment. For allergy sufferers, this is agood feature to have.

Filters that have a layer of acti-vated charcoal also can trap odorsand other pollutants, making for amore pleasant driving experiencein heavy traffic or when passinghog farms, soybean processingplants and other sources that gen-erate nasty odors. Activated char-coal can even reduce the levels ofcarbon monoxide and oxides of ni-trogen from the exhaust of othervehicles, which can be high inheavy traffic. The concentration ofthese pollutants can often be sever-al times higher inside a vehiclethan outside, which can affect driv-er reaction time and alertness. Soregular CAF replacement can alsohave a safety benefit. CM

The filter’s location can usually be found inthe vehicle owner’s manual along with therecommended service intervals.




Engine Control Module: The Brains Of The Operation

The Engine Control Module(also called the PowertrainControl Module or PCM) isthe brains of the engine

management system. Itcontrols the fuel mixture,ignition timing, variablecam timing and emissionscontrol. It constantly moni-tors emissions performancevia its OBD (Onboard Diag-nostics) programming, andit oversees the operation ofthe fuel pump, engine cool-ing fan and charging sys-tem. It also interacts withthe transmission controller(if separate),ABS/traction/stability con-trol system, body controlmodule, climate controlmodule and anti-theft sys-tem. In short, the enginecontrol module performs awide variety of functionsthat are necessary to oper-ate a vehicle.

The electronic compo-nents inside an engine con-trol modules are fairlyrobust, but sometimesthings can and do gowrong. Shorts in sensor cir-cuits may overload anddamage the module. Prob-lems with the module’s power sup-ply (too much voltage or notenough) or ground connections cancause it to misbehave. Bad inputsfrom sensors or other modules mayalso cause it to malfunction. Corro-sion, excessive heat and vibrationalso can cause harm to the module.

When an engine control module

fails, it may or may not set any Di-agnostic Trouble Codes (DTCs). Thiscan make troubleshooting difficultand often results in misdiagnosis of

a bad computer. Often the real prob-lem is outside the computer such asa bad sensor, wiring fault, power re-lay or voltage issue. Complete mod-ule failures are rare, but failureswithin the module’s various subsys-tems and memory are more com-mon. A shorted fuel injector, forexample, may overload and burn

out the injector driver circuit withinthe engine control module. If the un-derlying cause is not found andfixed, it can cause the replacement

computer to fail, too.If a bad computer has

been accurately diagnosed,replacing it usually requiresseveral steps. First, the re-placement computer mustbe programmed for the spe-cific vehicle into which itwill be installed (year,make, model, engine, VIN,trans, etc.). In some cases,the supplier of a remanufac-tured module can performthis step by providing themwith the necessary informa-tion. Or, the module can beprogrammed by the techni-cian using a J2534 pass-through device and scantool. Programming requiresprofessional expertise andspecial equipment, and isNOT something a DIYer cando himself.

On older GM and Fordcomputers (1995 and pre-OBD II), the programmingis on a calibration PROM(Program Read Only Mem-ory) chip. The chip has to beremoved from the old com-

puter and installed in the replace-ment computer.

On many vehicles, it is also nec-essary to perform a relearn proce-dure after the computer has beeninstalled so the anti-theft systemwill recognize the new computer— otherwise the engine may notstart. CM




Like brake pads and tires, chas-sis parts wear with every milethat’s driven. The rougher theroads, the greater the pound-

ing these parts take. Rain and roadsalt also can contribute to the earlydemise of balljoints, control armbushings, tie rodends and othersteering linkagecomponents.

The main prob-lems caused by wornchassis parts arethings like road noise,steering looseness, roadwander or pulling, wheel mis-alignment and accelerated tirewear. Worn chassis parts are usu-ally discovered when a vehicle isaligned or when its tires are beingreplaced.

Most ball joints that mate thecontrol arms to the steering knuck-le on late-model vehicles are sealedfor life and do not require any lu-brication. Some replacement balljoints do have grease fittings, andmay be recommended for hard-useapplications like trucks. If play in aball joint exceeds specifications, itneeds to be replaced. Worn balljoints should not be ignored be-cause if a ball joint pulls apartwhen it fails, the suspension willcollapse and the driver may losesteering control.

As a rule, load-carrying balljoints wear out before non-loadcarrying joints. Ball joints are usu-ally replaced in pairs (both lowers,both uppers or all four on vehiclesthat have SLA suspensions). Rear

ball joints on independent suspen-sions wear, too, and should also bereplaced in pairs.

On some applications, the balljoint is an integral part of a “uni-tized” control arm assembly so theentire control arm must be re-

placed if the ball joint is bad.On most other applications,

the ball joint can be re-placed separately. It

may be bolted, riv-eted or pressed inplace. A faster re-placement alterna-tive is to sell yourcustomer a

“loaded” control armassembly that comes pre-

assembled with a new ball jointand bushings and is ready to in-stall. It saves installation time andreduces the risk of installer error.

Many ball joints are secured withTorque-To-Yield (TTY) bolts. Theseare essentially one-use fastenersbecause they stretch when they aretightened. If reused, there is a riskof breakage. New bolts are recom-mended for these applications.

Worn tie rod ends will affecttire wear more than anythingelse. Like ball joints, the tie rodends need to be replaced if playexceeds specifications. Tie rodends should also be replaced inpairs (both outers or the inner tierod sockets with rack & pinionsteering, or both outers or innerswith recirculating ball steering).New tie rods or tie rod sleevesalso may be required. The wheelsmust be realigned after the newtie rods have been installed. CM

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Chassis Parts Take A Pounding




Belts are a staple in every automotive parts store. Belts are awear item, and when they fail your customer needs a replace-ment NOW. The only trick to selling belts is to make sure yourcustomer gets the correct one for his engine. The replacement

belt must be the same type as the original, with the same length andwidth. Consolidation of part numbers allows a little fudging on beltlengths, but not much. There are three basic types of automotive belts:V-belts (used mostly on 1980s and older vehicles), flat serpentine belts(used on most current vehicles to drive all or most of the engine’saccessories) and OHC timing belts (for overhead camshaft engines).

The V-belts in older vehicles tend to wear at a much faster rate thanflat serpentine belts for a couple of reasons. One is that V-belts gripwith the sides of the belt. If there is not enough tension on the belt, orthe belt or pulleys are worn or oily, the belt will slip, wear even fasterand rapidly fail. Belt life is typically 30,000 to 50,000 miles.

With serpentine belts, the belt grips with both the flat top side of thebelt and the V-grooved underside. The larger surface area providesmore grip to reduce slippage and wear. Original equipment serpentinebelts and many quality brand aftermarket belts for late-model applica-tions are made of long-life synthetic materials such as EPDM, whichdoes not crack as it ages. A high-mileage EPDM belt may still look likenew, but the grooves on the underside may be worn. Many of thesebelts can last up to 100,000 miles, but they do not last forever, so theydo need to be inspected for wear.

Belt tension is maintained automatically on most serpentine beltapplications via a spring-loaded tensioner. The tensioner keeps thebelt tight to reduce slippage and wear. But tensioners can weaken,corrode and jam, resulting in belt flutter, slippage and noise. By thetime the belt needs to be replaced, chances are the vehicle could alsouse a new tensioner.

OHC timing belts also wear as the miles add up. On the older appli-cations (1990s and back), the timing belts were not as durable as thebelts they use today. Replacement was typically recommended every60,000 miles to minimize the risk of belt failure. On the newer OHCengines, the recommended replacement interval for the timing belt isusually 100,000 to 125,000 miles.

Timing belt replacement is not something that should be postponed.On “interference” engines with close valve-to-piston clearances, a beltfailure can be catastrophic and cause expensive valve damage. So cus-tomers should be advised of the wisdom of replacing their OHC tim-ing belt BEFORE it fails! CM

Belts Are Need-It-Now Items

The only trick to selling belts is to makesure your customer gets the correct onefor his engine.



By Gary Goms, commercial accounts editorMECHANIC CONNECTION

Since the popular introduc-tion of disc brakes into thedomestic market duringthe 1960s, the symptoms of

a defective disc brake caliperhaven’t changed. In the vast major-ity of caliper failures, the caliperpiston sticks in the caliper bore,which causes the brake pads todrag against the brake rotor. Thedriver recognizes a sticking caliperpiston as a brake pull or steeringpull. On the other hand, a techni-cian might recognize a defectivebrake caliper as the cause of exces-sive brake pad wear or as a brokencaliper bleed screw.

During the early 1970s, disassem-bling the caliper was always frus-trating because the caliper pistonswere normally rusted into thecaliper bore. Assembly was equallyfrustrating because the piston hadto slip past the caliper dust bootand piston O-ring at the same time.

The trick to installing the pistoninto its square-cut O-ring was touse a one-foot length of 2-inchboard to “wobble” it into place.Given the above conditions, this iswhy a modern remanufacturedcaliper “loaded” with new brakepads is a true bargain when doingany professional brake repair.

Caliper Failure Points

The main failure point in anycaliper is the dust boot that pre-vents water and dirt from enteringthe caliper bore. Even one small pinhole in the dust boot will eventual-ly cause the piston to seize.

Keep in mind also that modern,lightweight brakes can routinelyexceed 500 degrees F. operatingtemperature. These high tempera-tures eventually harden both therubber sealing boot and the square-cut o-ring located inside the caliper.Since the caliper o-ring is actually

designed to reduce rolling frictionby retracting the caliper piston afew thousandths of an inch fromthe rotor after each application, it’simportant for the o-ring to remainas pliable as the day it was new.

Last, the interface between thecaliper piston and the O -ring is theprimary wear point in the caliperassembly. Most caliper pistonseventually corrode or produce fret-ting wear at the O-ring interface. Atthis point, I think it’s fair to pointout that the cost of the piston andseal alone usually exceeds the costof a remanufactured caliper.

Installation Tips

When installing any remancaliper, it’s important to lubricatethe caliper guides and all metalcontacting surfaces with syntheticcaliper grease. It’s also important toinstall all new brake pad shims andmounting hardware as required.For safety’s sake, all mounting boltsshould be lightly lubricated andtorqued to specification. In addi-tion, the brake hose should be in-spected for weather-cracking.When installing the remanufac-tured caliper, always use new cop-per sealing washers to seal the hoseto the caliper.

Base-bleeding a new remancaliper usually requires a pressureor vacuum–actuated brake bleeder.In any case, follow the auto manu-facturer’s recommendations forbase-bleeding the brakes. On someapplications, the anti-locking brak-ing system (ABS) unit must also bebled by entering the ABS bleedingmode with a professional-level scantool. In this mode, the scan tool ac-tivates the ABS pump and valves topush air out of the system. CM

In most cases, the condition of the discbrake caliper determines the success ofa brake pad and rotor replacement.

Reman Caliper 101



By Gary Goms, commercial accounts editorMECHANIC CONNECTION

Radiators Do Double-Duty

When we consider the amount of heat pro-duced by burning gasoline, it’s a miraclethat the modern radiator can cool anengine as well as it does. While the

majority of heat produced by internal combustion isvented into the atmosphere through the exhaust sys-tem, the remainder is absorbed by engine coolant cir-culating through the engine’s water jackets andcylinder heads. The hot coolant is then pumped intothe radiator, where heat is transferred through theradiator core tubes into the cool atmosphere. Theradiator also must do double-duty because frictionalheat produced by moving automatic transmissionparts is transferred into the radiator through a trans-mission oil cooler built into the radiator header tank.

As you might suspect, rust and scale build-up in-side the radiator tubes seriously reduce the radiator’sability to dissipate heat into the atmosphere. Clog-ging caused by dirty coolant or by gasket materialand sealants flaking away from the engine also re-duces the cooling capacity of the radiator. In addi-tion, the radiator’s delicate aluminum cooling finsare often damaged by airborne road debris, whichadditionally reduces the radiator’s cooling capacity.

Radiator Construction

Most early vertical-flow radiators were made of anupper “header” tank soldered to a brass header plateholding the radiator core tubes in place. The lowerplate and outlet tank was of similar construction. Un-fortunately, vertical-flow brass radiators were heavy,expensive and environmentally challenging due tothe liberal use of lead-based solder.

The cooling capacity of most radiators can be in-

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Any vehicle with more than 100,000 miles on the radiator is aperfect candidate for a radiator inspection and evaluation.


creased by adding extra rows ofcore tubes. While single-row radia-tors can cool a small-displacementengine, up to four rows of coretubes are required for heavy-dutyapplications. In terms of increasingcooling capacity, adding more thanfour rows of core tubes generallyproduces diminished returns. Con-sequently, the frontal area of the ra-diator becomes more important indetermining cooling capacity. Ad-ditional cooling capacity can beachieved by manipulating theshape and density of the aluminumcooling fins inserted between thecore tubes. But, when the coolingfin density becomes too great, airflow through the radiator is re-duced at normal road speeds.

During the 1960s, most automanufacturers adopted the hori-zontal-flow radiator design that isused to this day. Most horizontal-

core radiators crimp an aluminumcore tube assembly onto plasticheader tanks, which are sealed tothe core with rubber gaskets. Inconventional cooling systems, theinlet connection is located at the ra-diator top while the outlet is locat-ed at the diagonally oppositecorner. In contrast, reverse-flow ra-diators found on some high-perfor-mance sports cars flow frombottom to top. Generally, the inletconnection will be smaller than theoutlet connection.

When To Replace

Given enough time and mileage,rust, scale and debris will eventual-ly clog a radiator’s core tubes. Alifetime of road vibration, thermalstress and pressure cycling mayalso cause the core tubes to crackdue to metal fatigue. Engine boil-overs can also lift sludge from the

bottom of the engine’s water jack-ets, which will rapidly clog an old-er radiator already full of rust andscale.

Consequently, any vehicle withmore than 100,000 miles on the ra-diator is a perfect candidate for aradiator inspection and evaluation.If the coolant is excessively rusty orthe radiator core is excessivelydamaged from road debris, it’stime to consider replacing with anew, OE-fit radiator.

To prevent clogging the new ra-diator, it’s always best to flush asmuch of the old coolant as possiblefrom the engine before installingthe new radiator. When installingnew coolant, it’s usually more con-venient to install 50/50 premixedantifreeze and water. This will en-sure a lifetime of good perform-ance from the newly installedradiator. CM


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MECHANIC CONNECTION


Track Talk

For 2012 NASCAR Whelen All-American Series nationalchampion Lee Pulliam, beinglocked into the starting fieldfor the Late Model race at the2013 UNOH Battle at theBeach is the opportunity of ayoung racer’s lifetime.

“For me as a driver, theopportunity to go to Daytonais a really big deal,” Pulliamsaid. “This is probably going tobe my only opportunity to runat Daytona, so it’s going to be abig deal for a lot of us.”

Pulliam, a Semora, N.C.,native, will be among many ofNASCAR’s up-and-comingstars getting a chance to com-pete at the legendary DaytonaInternational Speedway duringSpeedweeks 2013.

The bright lights of the“World Center of Racing” willshine on the stars of NASCAR’sregional and touring series, asDaytona InternationalSpeedway hosts the inau-gural UNOH Battle at theBeach Feb. 18-19, 2013.

The two days of racingwill be headlined by threenon-points special events –the NASCAR K&N ProSeries, NASCAR WhelenModified tours and theLate Model division of theNASCAR Whelen All-American Series.

Joining Pulliam at theevent will be many ofNASCAR’s up-and-comingstars, including: NASCARK&N Pro Series East cham-pion Kyle Larson; 17-year-old Dylan Kwasniewski, the

youngest K&N Pro Series WestChampion in history; ChaseElliott, son of two-timeDaytona 500 champion BillElliott; and Joe Gibbs Racingdevelopmental driver DarrellWallace Jr.

“This is all about the stars of tomorrow vying for glory at Daytona InternationalSpeedway,” said GeorgeSilbermann, NASCAR vicepresident of regional andtouring series. “During twodays and nights of intensecompetition, fans will be ableto see today’s aces of shorttrack racing and some greatyoung talent.”

Racers will compete on a .4-mile oval track on the famedSuperstretch of DaytonaInternational Speedway. Theultimate prize? A piece ofthrowback hardware.

Inaugural “Battle at the

B e a c h ”trophiesare repli-cas of thet r o p h ybestowedu p o ni n f a -m o u sthrottle-stomperF o n t yFlock forwinningon theDaytona beach circuit in 1954.

“I always like old trophiesand the history of NASCARand where it comes from andwhat it began as,” saidPulliam, who lists DaleEarnhardt Sr. as his racinginspiration. “I think that's animportant part of this sport. Tosee that trophy being a replicaof one of the first ones givenout, that's really neat. It wouldbe pretty sweet to take thatthing home.”

With the addition of theBattle, Daytona InternationalSpeedway is the first track tofeature every level of NASCAR-sanctioned racing at its facility,as the short-track teams jointhe three national NASCARSeries and the Grand-AmSeries at the famed speedway.

“It's our first foray into short-track racing,” said DaytonaInternational Speedway Presi-dent Joie Chitwood. “Nowwe've got this new two-day

event on Monday andTuesday of race week, andwe're really excited.”

Tickets for the UNOHBattle at the Beach, alongwith all other Speedweeks2013 events, can be pur-chased online at www.daytonainternationalspeedway.com or by calling (800) PITSHOP.

Stay up to speed on the latest news by follow-ing hashtags #NASCAR, #DAYTONA500 and#NASCARBattle.

By Kimberly Hyde,NASCAR

NASCAR Short Track Aces toLight Up Daytona

The inaugural 2013 UNOH Battle at the Beach will be the destination for fans to

get a glimpse of NASCAR’s stars of tomorrow.

Back to the future: NASCAR’s next generation of drivers will

compete for 1954 trophy replicas at the Battle at the Beach.

Follow NASCAR Performance on Twitter and Facebookwww.twitter.com/NASCARauto ■ www.facebook.com/NASCARPerformance

counterman.com 39

PRODUCT SPOTLIGHTS

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Schaeffler Group USAInc. is pleased to an-nounce the release ofthe 07-202 LuKRepSet®. This clutchkit was developed forthe 2005-2010 V6, 4.0L,

Ford Mustang in response to a na-tional dealer inventory shortage andhigh aftermarket demand.

LuK is dedicated to bringing a steady flow of prod-uct improvements and innovations to both the origi-nal equipment and the replacement markets. EveryLuK RepSet® is 100 percent functionally tested andguaranteed to meet OEM performance specifications.The 07-202 clutch kit contains everything you need toget the job done right. The all new components in-

clude: clutch, disc, flywheel, release bearing, slavecylinder, pilot bearing, spline tool and lubricant.

John McKenna, engineering manager for the Schaef-fler Group USA, said, “We want LuK to be the brand of

choice for clutch repair. Schaeffler iscontinually adding breadth of coveragefor all our brands — INA, FAG andLuK — and strives to be a system solu-tion provider to our distributors in theNorth American marketplace.”

The 07-202 is available now. Con-tact your LuK distributor to placeyour order today.

Visit www.Schaeffler-Aftermarket.us to receive themost up-to-date catalog and product information.

Schaeffler Group USA Inc. is a leading partner to the auto-motive and commercial vehicle replacement parts markets inNorth America. The group, which includes the LuK, INAand FAG brands, offers a broad range of technologies forengine, transmission and chassis applications.

Another Solution… from LuK, the world’s leading OE clutchmanufacturer!


The definition of “work ethic” has notchanged much over the course ofthe past 90 years. Work ethic is partof our history. A strong work ethic is

easily spotted. And while some people don’thave it, the good news is it can be taught.Some of us learn it by putting hay out at 4:30a.m. every morning in the cold at the age of10. Some learn it by saying, “I want a joband don’t care what it is as long as it is notbailing hay in the 105-degree June heat ofTexas.” Maybe it is a combination of both.Either way, work ethic is not natural; some-times, it has to be drilled into us.

Many times when looking around three tofive different stores within a group of 10, it isapparent who had to earn it and who had itgiven to them. Folks do not inherently setout to do a bad job. I honestly believe that.However, folks come to our little “partsworld” and find that we do not have it aseasy as they think. That in turn translates to:“I took an $8-an-hour job and you really ex-pect all that of me?”

That is the attitude that sets the winnersand losers apart. Here’s a good question:

KEEPING IT SIMPLEBy Gerald Wheelus

Work Ethic Can Be Taught

“Do you really think that is all you will evermake working for this company if you proveyour place?”

Part of the problem is that too often toomany are sitting around watching anotherperson do what is “not my job; it’s theirs!”The best example is when you have a long-term employee who feels they’ve paid theirdues and “deserves” the opportunity andthe new employee who feels they have to“earn” theirs.

Here you have two opposite ends of the stick. One has become comfortableand the other is striving to be that next store manager or get the payraise they deserve. Again, “I took an $8-an-hour-job and you really expect all thatof me?”

Work Ethic — the Gerald Version: Takethe job at hand for what it is worth. Youtook the job, do it to the best of your ability.If that is not recognized, then point it out towhomever needs to know. Even when youknow you are doing your supervisor’s jobfor them, let it ride. The truth will come outsooner or later. CM

Gerald Wheelus isgeneral manager of

Edgewood Auto Parts,Edgewood, Texas.

A strong workethic is easilyspotted. Andwhile somepeople don’thave it, thegood news is itcan be taught.

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Subscribe to the CountermaneNewsletter, the industry'sfreshest twice-weekly, 100percent free, mobile-device-friendly eNewsletter.Developed specifically for theauto parts distributionchannel, the CountermaneNewsletter delivers timelynews, new products,promotions and other specialfeatures needed to gain anedge in the marketplace.Subscribe at Counterman.comto receive the CountermaneNewsletter two times perweek — every Tuesday andThursday — in your inbox!


The Web has become social, we allknow it. Just eight years ago, Face-book was nothing but an embry-onic idea in a single sophomore

brain at a dorm in Harvard. Today, itboasts 1 billion users. How do you archivesuch exponential growth? Clearly, havingthe “vision” is key; however, this was not asingle man’s accomplishment. The powerof the network, and more to the point, thepower of a network of people, helped Face-book’s creator, Mark Zuckerberg, revolu-tionize the Web.

Oftentimes tech vision alone cannot over-come human reality. Marc Andreessen is in-deed a man of vision and little has escapedhim in the new tech world order. An übertech venture capitalist and creator of Mosa-ic (the first Web browser and precursor toNetscape), Andreessen was asked about nothaving a social component in that firstbrowser. Way back then, the Web was ruled by anonymity; hard to believe,this was less than a decade before MarcZuckerberg first thought of Face-anythingin Cambridge. Adding any sort of socialcomponent to a browser could compromisethe user’s identity, so this created deep con-cerns for Mosaic’s creators. Thus, their so-cial vision was purposely sent to the benchto allow anonymity to play the lead role inthose early days of the Web.

How many of you remember your firstWeb pseudonyms? This was a thrilling newangle the Web brought to our lives. You nolonger had to be plain old John, Mary orMandy; you could recreate yourself on theweb as MustangTuner, purrKitty14 or Trek-Capt1981. Back then, our AOL or Com-puServe usernames became our Webpersonas; allowing us to freely to roam theWeb in chat rooms and bulletin boardswithout being recognized. Before any of

COUNTER-TECHBy Mandy Aguilar

Counter-Tech: Don’t hide —the online identity basedeconomy is here

this, pseudonyms were the refuge of covertaction in history and literature in America:Publius secretly gave us the country’sframework in the Federalist Papers andMark Twain still makes us wonders cen-turies later, if Mr. Clemens actually pennedall those stories by himself ...

Today, we are different, as if by collectiveinstant-dogma we decided to change (JohnLennon would be mad; we’ve gone frominstant-karma to instant-dogma in a gener-ation). We have all decided to drop thefaçade, step in front of our pseudonymsand proclaim our true selves daily on Face-book, Twitter and blogs. We post ournames, our pictures and our thoughts outthere daily, or even by the hour like somany Twitter-philes do. Not only have westepped out of the latent shadows of Web-secrecy, we have brought our businesseswith us. Our companies are now very pub-lic signposts on the information highway.Why have we collectively agreed to dothis? Publicity perhaps? I’m certain this is abig part of it.

The trick for us is in figuring out what todo with this newfound publicity. As busi-ness owners, we want to turn this publicityinto more business; however, that’s easiersaid than done! Managing social sites in anefficient manner is no easy task. Starting aFacebook page is easy; turning that pres-ence into more filter, harmonic balancerand coil sales is not. Coming up with aplan to leverage social media has spurredsome interesting, complex and, oftentimes,passionate arguments in our company. Iknow we are not alone in this; similar de-bates are raging across the business world.

I have put myself squarely in the middleof this debate, not only in my business, butout here on the public stage as well. Attimes, this makes me a target for the op-

Mandy Aguilar is aregional vice president forJacksonville, Fla.-based

The Parts House.

We have alldecided to dropthe façade, stepin front of ourpseudonymsand proclaimour true selvesdaily onFacebook,Twitter andblogs.

counterman.com 43

posing view; you know, the one that sub-scribes to hiding your company from Webusers — also known as customers. Turnsout not everyone is ready to assimilate so-cial media and have retreated behind awall of privacy concerns. And guess what?Many of them are right with regard to pri-vacy issues. “Guts and all” is not the beststrategy for your company’s Web presence,but hiding in a brick and mortar cave isperhaps even more dangerous.

We all need to figure a way to drop thevestiges of the pseudonym era and let ourcustomers find and engage us on the Web.Most customers already dropped their fakeWeb-IDs and are ready to engage us onlineon a new identity-based economy. Are youready to identify yourself?

This is terra incognita for all of us, youare not alone in that. We just bolted out ofthe starting gate, so I say hurry up andget social before your customers start “so-cializing” with other companies. Learn byyour online mistakes (just like in the real

world) and collaborate with as many peo-ple as you can. This perhaps is the biggestlesson I have learned in social marketing:There is power in a group. The tech-intel-ligentsia will evoke Reed’s law again andagain on this, which asserts that “the val-ue of a network increases dramaticallywhen people form subgroups for collabo-ration and sharing.”

Simply put, what MIT’s computer sci-entist David P. Reed tried to capture is thenotion that the usefulness of social net-works will scale exponentially with thesize of the network. Now think about thatconcept, exponentially scaling up yourcustomers. Tell me you don’t like thesound of that! Our customers, vendorsand competitors are all in a mad dash toform groups, subgroups and online com-munities to flesh out a way to make senseof the social media opportunities nowpresent in our businesses. Join the crowdand make sure you don’t leave your com-pany behind a pseudonym. CM

■ ■ ■

Visit Mandy’s blog: www.mandyaguilar.com

Get FREE product and service info from the companies featured in this issue of Counterman. It’s fast and easy!

www.Counterman.com/ASAPand click the company you want info from!

Advertiser Page Advertiser PageAdvance Auto Parts Cover 3Advics 33Airtex Corp. Cover, 18,21,39Apex Automobile Parts 17Bar’s Products 20,40DEA Products/Pioneer Inc. 3DMA Goodpoint 14Exide Technologies 19Exxon-Mobil Cover 4Federated Auto Parts 7Interstate Battery Systems of America 23Key Craze 1KYB Americas Corp. 35Mahle Clevite 25

Mann + Hummel 22Moog Chassis 28,29NAPA Belden/Echlin 41NGK Spark Plugs 37Nucap Industries 16Packard Industries 34PartsMaster Cover 2Performance Friction Corp. 31Schaeffler Group USA 9,12,13,39Spectra Premium Industries 4,5Intermotor 15 Timken 11TYC/Genera Corp. 45Walker Products 27


SOUTHFIELD, Mich. – This marks the ninth year Polk will recognize andreward outstanding process improvements relative to inventory or sup-ply chain efficiency in the automotive aftermarket. All automotive after-market companies including manufacturers, retailers and distributors areeligible to apply for consideration.

Past winners include:

● Affinia Group● Aftermarket Auto Parts Alliance● Automotive Parts Headquarters● Dayco Products● Federal-Mogul● Gates Corp.● Hastings Manufacturing Co.● NAPA Auto Parts● O’Reilly Auto Parts● Parts Depot Inc.● Tenneco● The Timken Co.● Uni-Select● Veyance Technologies

Winners will be announced during the Global Automotive AftermarketSymposium May 21-22 at the Hyatt Regency O’Hare near Chicago, Ill.

To apply, visit www.polk.com/iea-app.

The submission deadline is Feb. 25, 2013.

NEWS EXTRA

Polk Now Accepting Applications For The 2013 Polk Inventory Efficiency Award

All automotiveaftermarket companies

including manufacturers,retailers and distributors

are eligible to apply forconsideration.


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Well, the New Year is upon usand if you have read previousyear-end columns, you knowhow I feel about planning for

the upcoming year. I am sure you have alldone your planning and are working atattaining the goals you have set for your-selves and your businesses. That is nosmall task in of itself, and if you havealready done it, my hat is off to you. If not,there is still time to look at what you wantto do and make a plan. As the ad says,“Just Do It!”

In the publishing business, it is impera-tive that we are planned out a year in ad-vance. That gives us the ability to have thebest editorial and stories available for youfrom the most knowledgeable sources. Ofcourse, we also need the ability to add inpertinent stories on issues that crop upthroughout the year. We all know in thisbusiness and economy there will be lots ofchanges and hot topics during the year.

You can count on Counterman to be onthe scene and have the most up-to-dateinfo to help you assist your customers.That’s why we have someone at all majorindustry events. If you are looking for

FROM THE PUBLISHERBy S. Scott Shriber

2013: Here we go…current information just visit us on theWeb at Counterman.com or sign up forour twice-weekly newsletter. Additional-ly, all previous content from our past edi-tions is available for free on the website.We feel it is our job to be the best resourcepossible for our readers. We are dedicatedto constantly bring you the latest prod-ucts, procedures and trends in our indus-try.

This year, we have a jam-packed editori-al lineup, covering everything to help youbetter serve your customers. Technical arti-cles on subjects like belts, brake pads, O2sensors and everything in between. If youneed to know about it, you can count on usto have the information you need. Whetheryou are a single-store owner or part of amulti-store chain, you will find relevantand productive information on our pages.

However you choose to get your infor-mation — magazine, web or newsletter —we have you covered. If you have a partic-ular subject you would like to read moreabout, just drop Mark or I a note and wecan research it for a future article. Thanksfor being a loyal reader and have a great2013. CM

■ ■ ■

For more information:www.counterman.com

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In the publishingbusiness, it isimperative thatwe are plannedout a year inadvance. Thatgives us theability to havethe besteditorial andstories availablefor you from themostknowledgeablesources.

Drop us a lineS. Scott Shriber at

[email protected]

Mark Phillips [email protected]



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