Author: 1A Auto Team

It sure did. A German tax on imported chicken from the 1960s is still affecting where and how trucks are built and what trucks are available in the US – even though the original German tax has expired! International trade is complex and the results can be strange. Cheap chicken in the ‘60s is the reason you can’t get a Ford Ranger in the US today.

Why was there a Tax on Chicken in the ’60s?

Following World War II, US chicken farms became extremely productive, bringing down the price of chicken not only in the US, but in Europe. Cheap imported chicken led West Germans to eat 23% more chicken than before. That was great news for German chicken eaters and American chicken farmers, but bad news for German chicken farmers, who couldn’t produce chicken cheap enough to compete. In 1961, to keep German chicken farmers from going out of business, Germany imposed a tax on imported chicken. France, in a similar situation, followed suit.

The tariff became a point of contention between the US and Germany. German Prime Minister Konrad Adenauer later reported that most of his conversations with President Kennedy were about chicken.

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Electric power makes window-rolling easy. It can be a pain to roll your windows with a crank, and driving’s easier when your window motor does it for you. Until it works only when it wants to. Why do power windows do this? And what can you do to fix it?

Depending on the model and the options that you have on your master power window switch panel, one of three or four parts will cause the issue.

The Computer

Some vehicles have a slew of power options that send signals to the computer from the switch. Sometimes it’s just the computer that’s faulty, intermittently sending signals to your motor, and leaving your windows only working part of the time. As you may have guessed, automotive computers are pretty complicated. If you have problems with your computer, you’ll probably have to take your car to a reliable shop to get your issue sorted out.

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Labor Day celebrates all working people across the country. Ideally, it’s a time to relax and enjoy the last few days of summer, but this long weekend also offers an opportunity to finish a repair and prepare for the colder days ahead.

Eventually the sun will set sooner until it’s almost dark before you get home from work. And if that’s the least of your worries, it’s still an ample opportunity to put some extra time aside and focus on your car.

So here’s some Labor Day Weekend repairs you can do before the seasons change.

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Your shocks and struts can wear over time. The rate of wear will depend on the driving conditions where you live, but generally shocks last about 50,000 to 80,000 miles. Shocks are important to the overall safety of your vehicle. They help keep the tires in contact with the road, giving you the traction to accelerate, stop, and steer as necessary. They also keep your ride smooth and in control.

Fortunately, it’s pretty easy to check if your shocks need to be replaced. There are some telltale signs that your shocks may be wearing out, some visual signs to look for, and a simple test you can do yourself to decide if you need to replace your shocks.

Signs Your Shocks Are Going Bad

• Your ride will start to feel rougher or more bouncy than before.
• You may hear a rattling or creaking sound when you drive over bumps.
• Brake dive, acceleration squat, and the body roll.
• Loss of traction and increased stopping distances
• Uneven tire wear including cupped indentations or bald spots

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How do you know if you have a bad wheel hub or bearing? There are number of symptoms that can indicate a bearing or hub problem. They include:

• Grinding noises coming from the wheels
• Sounds of clicking, popping, or snapping from the wheels
• Steering that feels loose or sloppy
• Steering wheel vibrations that get worse at higher speeds
• Roughness or difficulty rolling in neutral gear
• Pulling to one side when you use the brakes
• Unusual or uneven tire wear on one side
• Lit up ABS dashboard light– on many cars the anti-lock brake system sensor is built into the hub

What Can Go Wrong With a Wheel Hub?

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Between packing your bags and shopping for school supplies, it’s easy to forget about what you’ll be relying on to get to class, your car. We’ve created a checklist you can follow to make sure your car is as prepared as you are to head back to school.

How’s Your Tire Pressure?

You can find the recommended psi for your tires on a sticker, in the door jamb, or in your owner’s manual. Keeping your tires inflated will give you better gas mileage and less likely you’ll get a flat, which could make you late for class, or worse, a midterm!

Most gas stations will have an air pump you can use to fill your tires. Some of these may or may not have a working tire gauge, so owning a one can come in handy. Then you can check your tire pressure wherever you are.

Check & Fill Fluids

Can’t remember the last time you changed the oil? Now is a great time to check. You want to find level ground and be sure the engine is off and cold. Then remove the oil dipstick. Clean it off and reinsert it. Then remove it again. This time, check the level by noting where the oil is on the dipstick. If it’s closer to the end or add line, add the correct oil for your vehicle accordingly by unscrewing the cap on the engine. If the oil looks black and feels coarse, it’s probably time for an oil change.

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