When most people think “environmentally friendly,” they picture solar panels and electric cars, not a bloke lying under a Hilux torquing a ball joint

However, steering and suspension work might be one of the most underappreciated green jobs in the trade, and it is time we gave ourselves some credit, says Logicar.
“Every control arm bush, tie rod end, and strut we replace correctly the first time is one less part getting chucked in the skip early,” Logicar Chief Executive Officer, Colette Kirby, said.
“Get it wrong and you send a vehicle back out with a misaligned front end, chewing through tyres like a toddler through a packet of Tim Tams.
“A car pulling to the left isn’t just annoying. It is burning extra fuel and shredding rubber.
“Here’s the bit nobody tells apprentices: half of ‘suspension problems’ are actually diagnostic problems in disguise.
“Every alignment should be followed by a steering angle sensor reset and verification. That isn’t optional on any vehicle with ESC, which is essentially every car built after 2012.”
Colette explains the trigger list is bigger than most techs realise.
Replacing tie rods, control arms or struts that affect caster, or a subframe, all change the vehicle’s toe and thrust angle.
“That means the SAS needs recalibrating even if the steering wheel looks dead straight,” Colette said.
“Go a step further and it isn’t just steering. Any suspension repair, ride height change, or alignment can shift the reference points ADAS cameras and radar rely on for lane keeping and autonomous braking.
“That shift often throws zero warning lights. Skip the recalibration and you send the customer off with a car that wears unevenly, drinks more fuel, and rolls back into your workshop in six months anyway.
“That’s not sustainability. That’s a very slow, very expensive way of doing the same job twice.
“The mechanics doing right by the planet are the ones diagnosing properly the first time, recalibrating correctly after any steering or suspension job, and not guessing their way through it because ‘she’ll be right, mate.’
“Getting that right consistently comes down to proper visibility into the vehicle’s electronics.
“A decent scan tool on the bench earns its keep here, particularly for the static SAS calibrations and ADAS resets a torque wrench alone will never sort.
“Which brings us to the Thinkcar 399, an award winner at the AAAA (Australian Automotive Aftermarket Association) awards, judged by working mechanics who know their diagnostics inside and out. If you’re weighing up options, that’s a solid place to start.”

To learn more about the Thinkcar 399, visit www.thinkcarau.com or www.logicar.com.au or call Logicar on 1300 322 782.