Know Your Towing Limits in Cold Spring
Posted July 24, 2016 1:16 AMSome Cold Spring drivers figure that anything they can attach to their trailer hitch can be towed by their vehicle. Nope. If you're going to do any towing around Cold Spring, you should be aware of safety issues, MN towing laws and potential liability.
Understanding tow ratings is important for safe towing. A tow rating is the weight limit that your vehicle can safely tow. They calculate the tow rating for every vehicle, but different options on the vehicle can affect that rating. Cold Spring drivers need to read the towing section in their owner's manual to get the specific tow rating for the vehicle they own.
Your trailer hitch also has a weight limit, and it may not match the tow rating for your vehicle. Your vehicle may be rated for 10,000 pounds (4,500 kg), but if you have a 2,000-pound (900 kg) hitch limit, you shouldn't be towing more than 2,000 pounds (900 kg). If you tow a 10,000-pound (4,500 kg) trailer on that hitch, it could break free and you would be liable for any resulting damages.
Another example, one popular pick-up truck has a tow rating of 10,300 pounds (4,600kg). But in the owner's manual, it specifies that a sway control device be used for trailers weighing over 2,000 pounds (900 kg) and that a weight-distributing hitch is required for trailers over 5,000 pounds (2,300 kg). If the vehicle owner tows a 6,000-pound (2700 kg) trailer without a weight-distributing hitch and ends up in an accident, the owner will be held liable for not complying with the towing requirements in MN.
Cold Spring auto owners also need to keep in mind that tow weights include the weight of passengers and cargo inside the tow vehicle. So if your tow rating is 7,000 pounds (3,200 kg), and you're carrying 700 pounds (320 kg) of passengers and cargo, you can only tow a trailer weighing up to 6,300 pounds (2,880 kg).
Two numbers that Cold Spring drivers should be aware of are the GVWR and the GCWR. These codes are usually imprinted on the inside of the driver's side door. GVWR stands for gross vehicle weight rating. Take GVWR and subtract the total weight of the vehicle, and you have the maximum weight the vehicle can safely carry in passengers and cargo. GCWR stands for Gross Combined Weight Rating. Take that number, subtract the weight of the tow vehicle and the trailer, and you have the maximum weight of passengers and cargo that the tow vehicle and trailer together can safely carry.
This may seem a bit complicated, but you ignore these ratings at your own peril. If you haul or tow loads over the maximum ratings around MN, you become liable in event of an accident.
Local Cold Spring laws require that safety chains be attached when towing a trailer. Some MN jurisdictions may require trailer brakes as well. Others mandate trailer brakes only in certain situations. If you are going to tow a trailer, you should find out the local Cold Spring laws regarding trailer brakes and hitches, as well as weight and length restrictions.
To tow safely, MN drivers also need the proper tires on the tow vehicle. Tires need to be in good condition with adequate tread, and they need to have a load rating high enough to handle the weight of the trailer. Your trained Bauer Auto Service tire professional can help you select the right tire to use when towing around Cold Spring.
Your 's owner's manual is your primary source for auto advice regarding towing since it is specific to your vehicle. Be sure to read it carefully before doing any towing. And as always, keep your preventive maintenance up-to-date, and practice good car care to ensure the safety of your vehicle on the road—especially when pulling a trailer.
Bauer Auto Service
14455 State Hwy 23
Cold Spring, MN 56320
320-685-8846
Cooling System Components
Posted July 19, 2016 3:12 AM
Today we want to talk about a system in our vehicles – the cooling system. It's one of those things that Cold Spring auto owners don't give much thought to until it fails and then they're stranded by the side of a road in MN.
Cooling systems fail more often than any other mechanical system – usually because of neglect. Don't you hate it when something breaks and you could have done something to prevent it?
The good news is that if Cold Spring drivers take care of their cooling systems, they can keep working for the life of their car.
Here at Bauer Auto Service in Cold Spring, we emphasize preventive maintenance services like replacing your coolant according to the factory schedule. But the various parts that make up the cooling system need attention too. The major components of the cooling system are the water pump, freeze plugs, the thermostat, radiator, cooling fans, the heater core, the pressure cap, the overflow tank and the hoses.
It sounds complicated, but we Cold Spring residents don't have to be experts – we can leave that to our friendly and knowledgeable service advisor at Bauer Auto Service. But, having an overview will help us remember how to take care of your car's cooling system.
Most Cold Spring folks would be surprised to know that burning fuel in your engine produces up to 4,500 degrees F/2,500 degrees C of heat. And all that heat has to be dealt with. If the heat can't be drawn off the engine, the pistons will literally weld themselves to the inside of the cylinders – then you just have to throw the engine away and get a new one. That would cost thousands of dollars.
Now the water pump is what forces the coolant through passages in the vehicle engine to absorb heat. The pump is driven by a belt that needs replacement from time to time. And the water pump will eventually wear out and need to be replaced. Spending some cash on replacing the belts and water pump is much less than the cost of repairing the extremely massive damage that can be done when an engine seizes.
There's another little known but important part of the coolant system that protects the engine. It's called a freeze plug. If you remember from high school chemistry, water expands when it freezes. In very cold areas, the coolant can actually freeze when the vehicle is left sitting.
It is hard to believe, but the expanding frozen coolant is enough to actually crack the engine block. The freeze plugs fit into the engine block. They fit tight enough to withstand the pressure of a running engine, but can expand or pop out if the coolant freezes. These little things save a lot of engine blocks.
The team at Bauer Auto Service can check your cooling system and make any necessary adjustments or repairs. Give us a call.
Bauer Auto Service
14455 State Hwy 23
Cold Spring, MN 56320
320-685-8846
I Can See Clearly Now: Wiper Blade Replacement in Cold Spring
Posted July 11, 2016 6:35 AM
About 90% of our driving decisions in the Cold Spring area are based solely on what we see. So having a good pair of windshield wipers is extremely important.
Most Cold Spring drivers have experienced the frustration and fear of not being able to see clearly during a storm, or when our vehicle windshield is just dirty. In fact, it's estimated that 46,000,000 drivers across the nation are driving with wipers that can't adequately clear their windshield in a storm.
It seems like our wiper blades are always at their worst when we need them the most. If that sounds like you, you've got plenty of company in the Cold Spring area. 78% of drivers only change their wiper blades after the blades function so poorly that they become a safety hazard.
Cold Spring drivers need to change their thinking. Instead of blades being something to replace when they fail, we need to consider wiper blades as vehicle safety component. Then we'll stay ahead of the storm.
Cold Spring vehicle owners really ought to replace wiper blades twice a year; in the spring and the fall. If you live in the colder parts of MN, you may even want to get special winter blades in the fall.
Winter blades are made to resist freezing. Speaking of winter and freezing Cold Spring conditions, if your vehicle has been sitting for a long time and the windshield becomes frozen, don't use your wipers to clear off snow and ice. That can shred your blades and may even damage the wiper motor.
Your wiper blades live outside in the freezing cold and blistering sun. Over time, they become hard and brittle, and then tear. They also lose their flexibility and just don't clear the vehicle windshield effectively. Worn wiper blades aren't just a safety hazard for Cold Spring drivers; they can also scratch their windshield. That may require replacing the entire vehicle windshield – that's the consequence for neglecting such a small part.
Bauer Auto Service recommends Cold Spring drivers replace worn blades right away. We can provide you with a quality replacement blade. At Bauer Auto Service, they cost about the same as they would at the store – but installation is included.
Of course you also need washer fluid to help your blades do their work. Even though Bauer Auto Service will top off the washer fluid with a full service oil change, it is a good idea to have some extra fluid at home. Take it with you if you're heading out on a road trip.
Always use windshield washer fluid. Plain water, even that fancy French bottled water, just doesn't cut it. It can freeze in the fluid reservoir or on the windshield itself, making things worse. Besides, water won't clean your windows as well.
So follow these tips to keep your windshield clear and your eyes on the road.
Find us at:
Bauer Auto Service
14455 State Hwy 23
Cold Spring, MN 56320
320-685-8846
