Draper Tools is encouraging garages to keep their customers safe this winter with additional safety checks.
At this time of year garages can help offer motorists peace of mind when it comes to safety on the roads. Many motorists will be aware that winter brings increased risks and the need to carry out additional vehicle safety checks. However, not everyone has the time, inclination or the confidence to undertake this additional maintenance to a high standard.
A few straightforward checks, together with having the right tools, can significantly reduce the risks that winter brings with it. It’s equally important to consider the conditions in the workshop during winter and plan ahead with the necessary equipment. Here’s a few recommendations from tools and equipment specialist, Draper Tools.
Winter opportunities
Offering a thorough ‘winter health check’ or a ‘winter service’ option can present an opportunity for garages, alongside offering motorists some much needed reassurance. Include essential checks such as battery health, tyre condition, fluid levels, lights, brakes, windscreen wipers and anti-freeze to give your customers confidence on the roads this winter.
Lead the charge
Winter puts additional load on vehicle batteries, so ensure you check battery condition with a visual inspection and a test of the voltage output and charging rate of the battery, using a multimeter or basic battery tester. A great addition to the garage for busy times is a battery charging station that can charge multiple vehicle batteries at once. Draper offers a microprocessor controlled 6V/12V bank charger station with capacity to charge and maintain three vehicle batteries simultaneously. It’s compatible with all AGM and VRLA flooded batteries, making it suitable for a range of vehicles including motorbikes, vans and caravans.
There’s a huge range of battery care equipment designed for the busy garage available from Draper, including some feature-packed new lithium digital jump starters. A highlight is the new 12V Lithium Jump Starter and Tyre Inflater, featuring a built-in compressor and power bank in one convenient, compact sized tool.
Safety first
It’s hard enough for drivers to see in winter, with the poor weather conditions and the shorter days, so it’s especially important to keep lights and windscreens clean and clear at this time of year. When you have a vehicle in for a winter service, why not clean the windscreen inside and out, to offer best possible visibility for drivers? Don’t forget to add the right antifreeze additive into the vehicle’s screen wash too and check the condition of the windscreen wipers. It’s often the small jobs and simple checks like this that can make a significant difference to driver safety in winter.
Equally, winter’s poor lighting conditions can make life difficult in the garage too. It can be worth considering some extra lighting options, these could be anything from site and flood lights or simply some compact magnetic inspection lamps, allowing for hands free working under the bonnet. A handy solution is the Draper under bonnet rechargeable inspection lamp, which has three brightness settings and can be extended and rotated 360°, making it easy to direct the light where it’s most needed.
Winter warmers
It might sound simple, but the protection of a pair of gloves can really make a difference to winter working conditions. You can double up with a pair of disposable nitrile gloves that provide chemical resistance and wear a pair of three-fingered gloves on top, to keep your hands warm and protected, whilst leaving fingers and thumb free for precision and grip.
If you’re considering a heater for the garage, an electric space heater is a worthwhile investment. Going for an energy-efficient PTC model means the heater is able to self-regulate in order to warm up your space (and keep it that way) quickly and efficiently.
Quick Tips:
- All the basic checks are more essential than ever at this time of year – be sure to check the lights, oil levels and coolant levels before any vehicle leaves the workshop.
- It’s widely acknowledged that tyre condition can really affect vehicle performance, so tyre care is especially important in winter. Tyre pressure should be checked more regularly in winter as cold weather can see tyre pressure dropping. And don’t forget to check the wheelnuts!
- Use an anti-freeze tester to check the anti-freeze is correct and check the entire cooling system for leaks and other issues.
- Check and maintain the spark plugs as cold weather can affect these, replace where necessary.
