Year: 2018

When you buy a vehicle, the salesman often talks about horsepower. However, they rarely explain what horsepower actually is and why it is important for your car. Historically, horsepower means exactly what it sounds like it means.

What is Horsepower?

In 1781, James Watt needed to convince people to stop using horses and purchase his new steam engine. He measured a horse walking in circles as it turned a mill grindstone. He multiplied the distance the horse walked by the 180 pounds of pulling force, then divided it by the time it took, creating a new measurement known as horsepower. Basically, his calculations determined that a horse exerting 1 horsepower can raise 330 pounds 100 feet in one minute. Today, horsepower can be converted into other measurements. One horsepower is equal to 746 watts or 2,545 BTU. Basically, horsepower is the “power” of an engine.

What is Brake Horsepower?

Brake horsepower is the amount of work generated by a motor under the best conditions. It is calculated without the consideration of an auxiliary compoenent which could slow down the motor’s speed. Brake horsepower is measured in the output shaft of the engine and was originally created to measure the output of steam engines. Brake horsepower is critical for airplane engines and turbiens as it helps with the calculation of engine efficiency.

How Do I Calculate Horsepower?

To determine the horsepower of an engine, it must be connected to a dynamometer which places a load on the engine in order to measure the power the engine produces against the road. The dynamometer simulates starting an engine, putting it in neutral and then stomping on the gas. The dynamometer allows you to measure how much load an engine can take at various levels so that it can be graphed to determine peak horsepower.

What is the Difference Between Horsepower and Torque?

Horsepower is measured when the engine is at higher RPMs while torque is measured at the low-end. A diesel engine may only have 300 to 400 horsepower but could have 1,500 to 2,000 feet of torque. This allows trucks to pull heavy loads. Basically, horsepower is the power of the engine while torque is the rotating force that may or may not result in motion. Torque can be generated without moving something, but when it does move something, it becomes work. The more torque an engine has, the more work potential it has. Torque is important when a vehicle will be towing or pulling objects while horsepower is important when determining how much power an engine has.

Schedule an appointment today with Elmer’s Auto Body if your vehicle has been in a collision or has suffered damage to the body or windshield. You can reach us through the easy online form or give us a call today.

Torque, like horsepower, is a word that car manufacturers like to use when they promote the vehicles they manufacture. The fact is that torque is just as important as horsepower although it isn’t often given the credit it deserves. In the 1980s, torque was rarely mentioned, in fact. Today’s cars, however, have a significant amount of technology, comfort and safety features which add to the weight of the vehicle. For this reason, torque is important to the engine to get the vehicle moving properly.

What is Torque?

Torque is the engine’s rotational force and is normally expressed in relation to an engine speed. A car feels more responsive when peak torque occurs in low rev ranges, but there are many people who enjoy driving vehicles with engines that must be revved significantly before peak torque is reached. The larger the vehicle, the more important torque is. For example, a tiny Smartcar does not need a lot of torque, but an SUV towing a boat will need a significant amount of torque.

How to Measure Torque

Torque is simply a mathematical equation and is computed by multiplying the force needed to move an object. If it takes you 20 pounds of force to tighten a lug nut on a vehicle with an 18-inch wrench, the equation would be “20 (lb) x 1.5 (ft) = 30 lb” of torque. In other words, tightening the lug nut would require 30 pounds of torque.

What is Braking Torque?

Braking torque is the force applied to the brake wheel to stop something from moving. In other words, braking torque is the power of the braking system. To determine braking torque, multiply the force exerted by the caliper with the effective radius of the system. Braking torque changes with the force applied by the caliper or the radius.

What is the Difference Between Torque and Horsepower?

Torque differs from horsepower as horsepower refers to how quickly an engine delivers work while torque explains how much work an engine can exert. Torque is often referred to as “pulling power” while horsepower is usually referred to as simply “power.” Torque is normally referred to in either Newton metres or pound feet.

Your vehicle is one of your most prized possessions and you don’t want to leave its body work to just anyone. If your car has been involved in a collision, or if you have some minor issues you want to resolve in the exterior of your car, schedule an appointment at Elmer’s Auto Body today by calling or completing the easy form.

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]The wheel alignment of your car is critical to its performance. It can impact your fuel efficiency, the wear on your tires, how your tires perform as well as the handling and maneuverability of your car. There are some fairly easy ways to tell if the alignment of your car needs to be addressed so that your car is running at its maximum efficiency.

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_video link=”https://youtu.be/HYZZ36phAdE”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

What to Look for While Driving

While driving on a flat, dry road, you may notice that your car is pulling to one side of the road or the other. You may also notice that when you make slow turns, the car makes a squealing sound or that your steering wheel seems to be off-center. Your steering wheel may also vibrate as you drive. If your car is experiencing any of these symptoms, you need to bring it in for an alignment as soon as you can.

Tire Wear is Uneven

Your alignment determines how your tires meet the road. If you have noticed uneven tire tread on your car, it is possible your alignment may be off. Unevenly worn tires can also indicate that your wheel bearings are loose or worn. This can cause the tire to lean, leading to more wear on the inside or outside of the tire. It is also important to keep the right amount of air pressure in your tires to avoid alignment issues.

Alignment Checks

Even if you have not noticed issues with handling or wear on your tires, you should have the alignment in your vehicle checked at least once each year. If you routinely have your tires rotated, the service station should also check the alignment. During an alignment, a trained technician uses machinery known as the four-wheel alignment system to check whether alignment is necessary. Your car is placed on a large platform rack attached to diagnostic equipment. A visual inspection checks for suspension, steering and tire issues before the car is “driven” on the test platform. During the test, the machinery records the measurements of wheel and tire angles before comparing them to the manufacturer’s recommendations. Adjustments are made based on that recommendation to bring your car back into alignment.

If you have noticed handling issues or uneven wear on your tires after an auto accident, contact Elmer’s Auto Body today to schedule an appointment for a vehicle alignment. You can schedule the appointment by calling or completing the simple form online.

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]