BIGGER AND BETTER IN BIRMINGHAM
Page 107
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With its move to the NEC, this year's Automotive Trade Show had more exhibitors and more visitors than previous years.
0 ver the four days of the relocated Automotive Trade Show, attendance figures were up 27% over the Earl's Court show last year.
Of increasing interest to workshops is a diesel injector tester from Sykes Pickavant (write number 50 on the reader reply card). The 6(X.) bar pressure gauge reads opening and leak back pressures while a mirrored disc allows the operator to view the spray pattern from behind. A venturi behind the disc draws out all the expelled fluid and fumes and works by compressed air. The price is around £500.
Innovations were much in evidence. One product with a very high "why didn't they do that before" factor is called Stickyboot. This is a range of joint boots for front-wheel drive vehicles which are split lengthwise so the wheel and half shaft need not be removed for replacement.
Having removed the old boot and cleaned the joint the Stickyboot is put round and the first couple of millimetres glued. Working along the boot a bit at a time the entire length is glued before the joint is re-greased and the boot clipped in place. Produced by Bailcast (card: 51), Stickyboot costs the same as a traditional OE replacement boot but is said to take only 20 minutes to fit.
A tyre tread depth gauge in the form of a dial test indicator was being displayed by UMlab (card: 52). Having pushed the probe into the tread groove to take a measurement, the pointer remains static on the millimetremarked dial until a release button is pushed. Currently Ifnilab is looking for distributors and only sells the tread measurer in boxes of 20 (at £47.50): they should retail at around £3.95.
ScrewGrab is a gritty compound which, when dropped into a screw slot, is said to increase the transmittable torque by up to 400%. The water-based, non-toxic substance is being marketed by Todays Tools (card53) which says the product will work on any metal to metal interface. Packed in 0.511 oz tubes costing just over .£5, a single drop on a screwdriver will last for up to 40 screws and there is amund 100 drops in a tube.
Tyre Seal, as the name suggests, is a liquid inserted into the tyre before a puncture occurs and seals holes up to 6mm diameter in the tread area if and when they happen. The glycol-based product is said to be water soluble and non-flammable by its distributor Gulfshore (card: 54). Enough Tyre Seal for a 22.5 inch tyre will cost around £25 and the product can be washed out before the casing is sent for retreading, says the company.
TEST STRIP Primalec (card: 55) best known for its ultraviolet leak detection system was previewing an innovative battery tester. In the form of a plastic strip, the Smart-Test is pressed on to the battery terminals and the metering oval changes colour depending on the state of the battery. Each strip is reusable and should cost under £3 when they become available in about three months.
Paintshops were well catered for with new launches, the first being a new two-pack CV refinish paint from R-M (card: 56) called Quartz. There are 16 base and 6,000 mixed colours including all the standard ranges and a variety of fleet colours duplicated from the company's single pack Cargo range.
The range meets the EPA solvent content requirement up to 1998 and the company says it can meet the post-1998 limits by altering the current formulations. When using the complete Quartz range including primers, R-IVI will guarantee the finish for up to six years.
The name Iwata may soon be well-known to UK paintshops as the Japanese company, which claims world leadership in spray gun manufacture, has set up a UK subsidiary. For spraying commercial vehicles lwata (card: 57) recommend the use of a twin diaphragm pump to take paint straight from the tin, Such a set up with two HVLP guns (for simultaneous use) would cost around £1,400 but is said to offer considerable time savings on paint application. UK production of spray guns is scheduled to start around the end of the year.
Wondermask, the plastic dust sheeting which allows paint keying, is now available in 4m wide rolls. As the paint does not flake off the plastic when removed it can be used to mask right up to the spray area giving a considerable time saving, says supplier Cumbrian Marketing (card: 58).