Garages should be positioned as ‘experts’ by offering safety checks to customers

ZF Aftermarket says it's supporting garages with OEM knowledge/parts to get vehicles ready for warmer weather

Garages should be positioned as ‘experts’ by offering safety checks to customers
ZF Aftermarket has said it will provide tailored service advice and parts to suit garage needs.

Global automotive parts and services brand ZF Aftermarket has said garages need to take advantage of spring tyre changes by offering safety checks, which they are supporting with “high-quality” spare parts and “expert” OEM knowledge.

According to ZF, The effects of the cold season on safety-relevant parts is often underestimated.

In a statement, ZF explained why it believes safety checks are necessary for garages to deliver for customers. It read: “Winter puts a lot of stress on many vehicle components: Humidity, road salts and potholes take a toll on our cars.

“This results in higher wear and makes it necessary to check safety-relevant components and replace them if required.

“Workshops that offer a spring check in addition to tire changes contribute significantly to road safety in general and the individual driving safety of their customers.

“ZF Aftermarket supports them with high-quality spare parts and sound know-how to help get customer vehicles in shape for the warmer seasons.”

A German study revealed that 90 per cent of drivers want to be certain that their car is in perfect technical condition at all times, according to the DAT Report 2019, carried out by Deutsche Automobil Treuhand (DAT).

ZF has said that safety relevant parts such as shock absorbers, chassis components and brakes need inspecting and replacing if necessary.

In spring, workshops should take the opportunity to position themselves as “experts” by offering their customers professional spring checks, the company said.

Increase customer loyalty

ZF continued by explaining how garages could justify safety checks on certain components based on tyre condition. They explained: “Professional education on possible safety risks not only increases customer loyalty, it also generates additional sales in the workshop.

“During tyre changes, it is easy to check shock absorbers and brake systems.

“Winter tyres that show uneven wear on one axle may indicate that shock absorbers are no longer working properly.

“This then impairs the vehicle’s traction and stability on uneven roads or in curves, presents the risk of aquaplaning even at low speed, safety and security systems such as ABS, slip and stability control no longer fully function.

“Defective shock absorbers should therefore be replaced immediately.

“Road salt also afflicts chassis components; for example, it corrodes the rubber bellows on the chassis joints, making them brittle and porous.

“This results in cracks that allow dirty water to reach the inside of the joints where it washes out the special grease, accelerating corrosion.

Other places to inspect

“The rubber bellows and sealing boot on the steering system’s tie rod should also be inspected for cracks, even though wear on these components tends to be gradual.

“However, it significantly influences vehicle handling, especially in critical situations.

Looking at brake systems

“During the winter, cold, humidity and salt also put a tremendous strain on brake systems.

“Grit especially can get stuck in the tight gap between brake pads and brake disks, which in turn shortens their service life considerably.

“Inspecting the brake system should be mandatory part of every spring check for this reason.

“Brake pads should be replaced at the latest when the residual lining is less than two millimetres, while drum brake shoes need to be replaced when the residual lining reaches one millimetre, at the latest.

“Today, disk brake systems in almost every car have wear indicators.

“These should not be ignored; some vehicle types are also prone to extremely rusty brake disks on the rear axle.

Getting the right components

“ZF Aftermarket has the right components if repairs are needed.”

ZF’s brands Lemförder, Sachs and TRW use OE quality and their technical innovation to support workshop service solutions.

The product portfolio includes transmissions and transmission parts, axles, steering systems and differentials, chassis and steering components, shock absorbers, disk brake systems, drum brakes and control systems.

Steering and drive components, rubber-to-metal components, as well as active and passive safety systems, are also available.

Find out more about ZF, its OE-quality parts and garage support services by clicking ‘more details’ below.

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