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TIL a cheap infrared thermometer saved me from a bad diagnosis
For years, I just used my hand to check if a brake rotor was dragging or a wheel bearing was hot, figuring it was close enough. Last Tuesday, a customer came in with a 'pulling to the right' complaint, and my hand said both front rotors felt the same temp after a drive. I borrowed a coworker's $30 infrared gun and found the right side was actually 80 degrees hotter. That pinpointed a sticky caliper I would have missed. Anyone have a favorite brand for these, or another tool that changed your diagnostic game?
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sullivan.quinn27d ago
Remember how kellyr20 said you'd hear it? My buddy didn't, and his hand test missed a caliper that was cooking a wheel bearing.
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Eighty degrees hotter and your hand couldn't tell the difference? That's wild, it really shows how bad our own senses can be for this stuff. I would have sworn I could feel that big of a gap. Makes you wonder what else we're missing by just going by feel. I'm definitely adding one of those guns to my buy list now.
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kellyr2027d ago
Honestly, the hand test is usually fine for catching a real problem. If a caliper was that stuck, you'd probably hear it dragging or smell it before you needed a number. Seems like overkill for most shops.
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