At Frank May Garage in Akron, OH, we like to offer a little insight from time to time. Here are some quick tips to unlocking the secret of keeping a transmission going strong.

For the first several decades of automotive history, transmissions weren’t reliant on electronics for operation. Today, that simply isn’t the case. At Frank May Garage in Akron, OH, we have the knowledge and equipment necessary to take care of even the most complex transmissions, no matter what type of car, truck, or SUV you drive.

It is inevitable that the sun will rise and set each day - so too is the inevitability of clutch wear if you drive a vehicle with a manual transmission. Unlike the sun, however, you have a lot of control over how fast that wear occurs. Here’s some information on riding the clutch, and why you should stop doing it!

What is “riding the clutch”? - Let’s start by defining exactly what we’re talking about here. “Riding the clutch” is one of many phrases in automotive slang, which circumnavigates the explanation of something sort of complicated. Any time your clutch pedal hangs out in the purgatory between fully depressed and fully released, except for the purposes of shifting or acceleration, you’re riding the clutch. Avoid using the clutch pedal to manage speed as much as possible. If you’re sitting at a stoplight or a stop sign, you might catch yourself letting the clutch out halfway to keep the car at a standstill instead of using the brake, or taking advantage of the clutch to drive slowly.

Your vehicle configuration determines how it should be properly towed to avoid transmission damage. Specifically, it matters if your vehicle is front-wheel drive or rear-wheel drive and whether it’s an automatic or a manual. From the professionals at Frank May Garage in Akron, OH, here’s how to tow your vehicle:

Your vehicle configuration determines how it should be properly towed to avoid transmission damage. Specifically, it matters if your vehicle is front-wheel drive or rear-wheel drive and whether it’s an automatic or a manual. From the professionals at Frank May Garage in Akron, OH, here’s how to tow your vehicle:

While transmissions are extremely complicated and it takes a professional hand to work on one, taking care of the one you have isn’t difficult. At Frank May Garage in Akron, OH, we understand the importance of caring for your transmission properly, so that it stays in good condition for as long as possible.

The hydraulic system in your transmission is responsible for telling the mechanical components what to do, and when to do it. In order to better understand how your transmission works, it’s important to understand the mechanical components of it.

The differentials on your Ford, Chevrolet, or Dodge diesel pickup are some of the hardest working components on your truck. At Frank May Garage in Akron, OH, our technicians are experts in maintaining, repairing, and replacing differentials, keeping your truck working reliable just as much as you do.

Manual transmissions aren’t necessarily simple, but they’re much easier to understand in concept than their automatic counterparts. You’re probably aware there are gears in manual transmissions - but there’s a little more to it than that. Here are some of the major components you’ll find in a manual transmission.

Shafts - There are three main shafts inside a manual transmission. There’s an input shaft where engine power is transferred via the clutch, and that drives the layshaft, also known as the countershaft. The countershaft has different sized gears to achieve various gear ratios. Corresponding gears on the countershaft connect to the output shaft. The output shaft is connected to the driveshaft, which powers the differential. 

While your transmission can certainly fail silently, there are certain sounds which indicate you have an issue. The sooner you catch a transmission problem the better, so Frank May Garage in Akron, OH wants you to know what to listen for.

At Frank May Garage in Akron, OH, we’ve witnessed our fair share of burnt out and broken clutches. While clutch failure is an inevitability, there are a variety of ways to make sure yours lasts as long as possible.

If you’re reading this, you probably not excited to be here; the time has come for a new transmission. Fortunately, we at Frank May Garage are here to offer you solutions, and let you know that it’s not all bad. Replacing a tired and worn transmission will truly bring your car back to life, and you’ll probably be glad you did it.

At Frank May Garage in Akron, transmissions are our game, and taking care of them is at the top of our list of priorities. Here are 5 things you can do to take care of your transmission, from the pros:

Automatic transmissions are, to many, a mysterious aspect of automotive mechanics. Torque converters, on the same hand, are a mystery shrouded within a mystery. Here’s a basic rundown of how torque converters work, and how to know if yours is failing, from Frank May Garage in Akron, OH.

For all your transmission repair and maintenance needs, trust the specialists with the knowledge and ability necessary to keep your car, truck, or SUV reliably on the road. At Frank May Garage in Akron, OH, we prioritize quality over everything. A huge aspect of that goal is keeping up with the technology of the modern era.

Though transmissions are generally reliable, there are a great number of issues that can develop with one. From Frank May Garage in Akron, OH, here’s a general overview of the types of problems your transmission may develop, all of which we service and repair.

At Frank May Garage in Akron, we like to provide customers with sound advice, to help them diagnose and understand issues they might experience with their car, truck, or SUV. Often, a small problem can cause a lot of headaches and frustration but knowing what you’re dealing with goes a long way towards getting an issue taken care of.

Once you have an idea of how the major components of your transmission operate, it’s time to bring them all together. In its most complex terms, a truck’s automatic transmission takes a lot to understand. However, at Frank May Garage in Akron, OH, we like to keep things simple when we can. We want you to understand exactly what's going on with your car, truck, or SUV. Here’s a rundown of how everything works together.

Transmission slippage can be caused by a variety of factors that are sometimes difficult to pin down. From Frank May Garage in Akron, OH, here’s a rundown of the more common issues that may cause a transmission to slip.

Worn/Burnt Clutches - Your truck’s transmission is packed with clutches that allow it to engage or disengage. If they’ve become worn or damaged, they won’t work properly, and your transmission will slip. Typically, there are other issues at hand that result in damaged clutches, and the clutches themselves require the entire transmission to be broken down in order for them to be replaced. Most of the time, a rebuild or replacement will be in order.

Transmission slippage can be caused by a variety of factors that are sometimes difficult to pin down. From Frank May Garage in Akron, OH, here’s a rundown of the more common issues that may cause a transmission to slip. Our highly trained technicians are ready to get you going with a top transmission.