12 / 14
Check and Replace Your Hood Lifts
If the gas lift cylinders that keep your hood open struggle when it’s warm outside, they’ll quit working completely when temperatures dip below freezing. Because the left and the right lifts receive the same amount of wear, you should always replace them in pairs. Right- and left-side lifts often differ in subtle ways, so ask the store clerk to label them for you.
Get a friend to hold the hood open while you replace the lift. Propping the hood with a piece of wood is a recipe for a head injury. The lifts attach to the hood and fender with bolts or a ball-and-socket arrangement.
The bolt styles make for an easy swap. Just remove the bolts and replace the lift. The ball-and-socket styles have a C-shaped clip that prevents the socket from popping off the ball. To remove the ends from the ball studs, just insert a small flat-blade screwdriver into the center of the clip to pry it out. That allows you to disengage the ball and socket.
Use the screwdriver to pry out the C-clip on the replacement lift and snap the end onto the ball.
14 / 14
Assemble A Winter Survival Kit
You probably already have a few of the items in this winter car survival kit in your garage. However, they and a few other things belong in the car! Just put them together in a box and place it in your car during the winter months for roadside emergencies. If you are properly equipped, you will be able to cope with most winter roadside breakdowns and avoid getting frostbite. For those of you that live or drive through rural, sparsely populated areas, being stuck in a blizzard can cost you your life. Here are the essential items your winter car survival kit should include:
- A candle powered heater;
- A flashlight;
- A cellphone charger;
- A notepad and pen/pencil;
- A compact tire inflator;
- A small tool kit (screwdrivers, pliers, an adjustable wrench, duct tape, zip ties);
- A bag of cat litter or floor sweep absorbent to help regain traction on ice;
- Jumper cables;
- A small shovel;
- A can of Fix-A-Flat;
- A basic first aid kit;
- Warm gloves, hat, and blanket.
ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7p63MoqOyoJGjsbq5wKdlnKedZLmqv9Nop6udoJa%2FpnnYqKyrZZOWv26yzqtksKGeqbKzew%3D%3D