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Author: Professional Technician Staff

  • PACCAR TX-12 PRO transmission available on MX-13 engines

    PACCAR TX-12 PRO transmission available on MX-13 engines

    Peterbilt recently announced the availability of the PACCAR TX-12 PRO automated transmission with PACCAR MX-13 engines for the Peterbilt Models 579, 567 and 589.  

    The new transmission-engine combination offers optimized performance for both on and off highway applications such as dump trucks and tankers, according to a statement from Peterbilt.

    The TX-12 PRO builds on the TX-12 foundation, as one of the most efficient on-highway transmissions, with increased versatility and productivity for more rugged applications.

    “The seamless integration of the TX-12 PRO transmission and the PACCAR MX-13 engine creates a robust powertrain configuration for many types of on-highway and vocational applications,” said Erik Johnson, assistant general manager, Sales and Marketing for Peterbilt. “This advanced powertrain delivers superior fuel efficiency and uptime for our customers.”

    Operating with the MX-13 engine, the TX-12 PRO supports up to 1,700 lb.-ft. of torque and is ideal for applications such as dump trucks, tankers, municipality vehicles and more.

  • Senate bill assures access to repair and maintenance data

    Senate bill assures access to repair and maintenance data

    A bill was recently introduced in the U.S. Senate aimed at giving vehicle owners expanded options for repairs.

    U.S. Senators Ben Ray Luján (D-New Mexico) and Josh Hawley (R-Missouri) introduced the Right to Equitable and Professional Auto Industry Repair (REPAIR) Act. The bill, according to a statement from Lujan, ensures vehicle owners, independent repair shops, and aftermarket manufacturers have secure access to vehicle repair and maintenance data which is critical to the independent aftermarket industry’s ability to provide safe, dependable, and affordable repairs for consumers.

    The REPAIR Act guarantees the rights of vehicle owners and their repair facilities to maintain and repair their vehicles while maintaining the same cybersecurity standards, intellectual property protections, and vehicle safety standards that the manufacturers use with their dealerships.

    “Vehicle owners deserve to have options when it comes to safe, dependable, and affordable auto repairs,” said Luján. “Giving vehicle owners, independent repair shops, and aftermarket manufacturers access to vehicle repair and maintenance data is critical to improving repair options.”

    Hawley said, “Big corporations have a history of gatekeeping basic information that belongs to car owners, effectively forcing consumers to pay a fixed price whenever their car is in the shop. The bipartisan REPAIR Act would end corporations’ control over diagnostics and service information and give consumers the right to repair their own equipment at a price most feasible for them.”

    Lujan’s statement said the REPAIR Act protects consumers by:

    • Preventing motor vehicle manufacturers from deploying barriers that limit the ability of a motor vehicle owner (or their designee) from accessing their vehicle-generated data
    • Preventing barriers to an aftermarket parts manufacturer, a motor vehicle equipment manufacturer, a remanufacturer, a diagnostic tool manufacturer, or a motor vehicle repair facility (including their distributors and service providers), to access critical repair information, tools, and parts
    • Requiring motor vehicle manufacturers to make “Vehicle-Generated Data” available to consumers (or their designees)
    • Requiring motor vehicle manufacturers make “Critical Repair Information, Tools, and Parts” available to motor vehicle owners (and their designees), aftermarket parts manufacturers, remanufacturers, diagnostic tool manufacturers, and motor vehicle repair facilities (including their distributors and service providers)
    • Ensuring that Over-the-Air  updates do not render aftermarket parts inoperable
    • Prohibiting the mandate of a motor vehicle manufacturer the use of any particular brand or manufacturer of tools, parts, or other motor vehicle equipment
    • Ensuring federal enforcement through the Federal Trade Commission.
  • Snap-on to showcase equipment at WasteExpo 2025

    Snap-on to showcase equipment at WasteExpo 2025

    Snap-on Total Shop Solutions will display a wide range of vehicle service and repair equipment, available for demonstrations, at WasteExpo 2025, held May 6-8 at the Las Vegas Convention Center.

    “Keeping vehicles properly serviced and on the road is critical to the waste management industry,” said Mariana Montovaneli, director of marketing for Snap-on Equipment. “Snap-on TSS offers some of the most advanced vehicle service equipment available. Our team will be onsite at WasteExpo to share how Snap-on TSS heavy duty equipment solutions can help increase productivity, profitability and vehicle up time.” 

    Representatives from Snap-on TSS will be at booth 773 to answer questions about Hofmann , Challenger Lifts, JOSAM, and Pro-Cut equipment including:

    • Hofmann geodyna 980L Heavy-Duty Wheel Balancer – Designed for shops of various sizes, this balancer helps technicians accurately and quickly balance wheels with an intuitive interface and raised digital display
    • Hofmann monty3850 Heavy-Duty Tire Changer – Built to handle demanding wheel service tasks for trucks, commercial, off-road, and agricultural vehicles
    • JOSAM Cam-Aligner – A versatile alignment system ideal for shops aiming to increase profits through fast truck alignments, whether in-shop or on the road
    • Pro-Cut X1 Heavy-Duty On-Truck Brake Lathe – An innovative lathe that increases efficiency, reduces labor time, extends rotor life and maximizes profitability through on-vehicle brake disc resurfacing
    • Challenger Lifts CLHM-140 – A versatile heavy-duty mobile column lift that balances strength and maneuverability, making it an excellent choice for any solid surface, indoors or outdoors

    WasteExpo is North America’s largest trade show for solid waste, recycling, organics, food waste recovery, and sustainability, serving both private and public sectors for over 50 years. For more

    information, visit.

  • AutoZone contributes $60,000 for technician scholarship

    AutoZone contributes $60,000 for technician scholarship

    AutoZone Inc. recently donated $60,000 TechForce Foundation for scholarships to support students pursuing careers as skilled technicians.

    The donation funds more than 30 scholarships to help students cover the cost of their technical education and continue to build the next generation of technicians.

    “Thousands of technicians have completed school and entered the workforce after receiving support from TechForce,” said TechForce CEO Jennifer Maher.

    “When a few hundred-dollar expenses are all it takes to derail a student’s technical education, each scholarship makes a difference. AutoZone’s donation furthers our work to end the technician shortage and ensure young people and communities thrive.

    “With our partners, TechForce is building the technician pipeline by connecting students’ curiosity to successful careers. AutoZone has been a partner for over 10 years, and we appreciate their steadfast support for TechForce Foundation’s charitable work.”

    AutoZone’s scholarship contribution is in addition to the company’s ongoing annual donation in general support for TechForce Foundation’s charitable mission to champion all students to and through their technical education and into careers as professional technicians.

    “AutoZone is proud to continue our partnership, which has been in place since 2011, with TechForce,” said Ken Jaycox, senior vice president, commercial, customer satisfaction, at AutoZone.

    TechForce awards more than $6 million in scholarships and grants annually to financially disadvantaged students.

  • Snap-on’s Pro-Link+ provides Class 1-8 diagnostics

    Snap-on’s Pro-Link+ provides Class 1-8 diagnostics

    Snap-on has delivered its new Pro-Link+ diagnostic system, which provides diagnostic coverage for Class 1 to 8 trucks and code-specific repair guidance.

    Pro-Link+ combines hardware and software to deliver a code-based diagnostic and repair platform for all-makes of trucks. It provides a direct path from pulling a fault code via the vehicle communication interface to diagnosing and fixing the problem. 

    It delivers:

    • Code descriptions with step-by-step troubleshooting routines
    • Testing procedures
    • Component and connector photos
    • Fault-specific wiring diagram
    • Specifications and remove and install instructions

    Validated by all major OEMs, the Pro-Link+ creates a reliable wireless or wired connection and supports the latest protocols including CAN FD and DoIP. When connected, the PRO-LINK+ identifies all fitted systems on the vehicle, displays active and inactive fault codes and automatically saves a vehicle health report.

    The PRO-LINK+ hardware has been designed for commercial vehicle service environments. It has a 12-inch touchscreen, nine -hour battery life and integrated camera with light. 

    An internal microphone and stereo speakers are built in. 

    Additional and advanced features include

    • OEM-level software for all makes of trucks, engines, transmissions and brakes is all-inclusive
    • Live data graphing, component failure testing and replacement component programming
    • The ability to adjust over 600 user-configurable parameters like cruise control, engine idle shutdown and service intervals
    • Over 200 OEM special tests – including DPF regens, cylinder cutouts and fuel system leakage tests.

    Available online.

  • Let there be hands-free light!

    Let there be hands-free light!

    There’s no need to work in the dark, and no need to hold a flashlight in one hand and a wrench in the other when working under the hood.

    The Philips Xperion 3000 LED light offers a powerful, bright light of 1,200 lumens, making it powerful enough to see even the smallest parts and details.

    It delivers:

    • 110 degrees of light
    • Several attachments to ensure it can be fixed to any surface
    • Protection of IP54 to guard against dust and moisture
    • Resistance to common automotive chemicals 
    • Battery life of three to 12 hours, depending on light mode
    • Hands-free operation with a strong magnet in the base and two hooks to hang it
    • A battery status light so you know when it needs recharging
    • Quick recharging of just four hours
    • Aluminum and nylon housing to protect it against being dropped

    Available online for $69.99.

  • Grypmat keeps your tools where you want them

    Grypmat keeps your tools where you want them

    So you’re working on an engine, and need to put down one tool and pick up another. It’s no longer necessary to try to balance the first tool someplace flat under the hood or slip the first tool in your back pocket to pick up the second.

    Instead let the Grypmat from Tool Box Widget hold the tools and small parts you need to complete the repair. 

    Made of non-slip, food-grade silicone, the Grypmat is flexible and durable. It helps prevent scratches and dents, while keeping your tools close at hand. It doubles as an ideal holder for nuts, bolts and other small parts.

    The Grypmat can handle heat up to 500 degrees, and cleans up with soap and water.

    It comes in four sizes:

    • Small: 9″x4.25″x1″
    • Medium: 9″x7.5″x1″
    • Large: 16.75″x9.25″x1″
    • XL: 24″x12″x1.75

    And, the Grypmat is available in three colors: green, orange and gray.

    The Grypmat Quad Plus (one of each size) is available online for $99.99.

  • A. Duie Pyle opens maintenance facility in Virginia

    A. Duie Pyle opens maintenance facility in Virginia

    Pennsylvania-based A. Duie Pyle recently opened a new 9,700-square-foot maintenance facility near its existing LTL service facility in Richmond, Virginia.

    According to Richmond BizSense, the $7.6 million maintenance facility has:

    • Three drive-through work bays, one with a pit
    • Fully automated truck wash bay
    • Polished and burnished floors
    • Natural lighting
    • Radiant floor heating

    Headquartered in West Chester, Pennsylvania, Pyle has 32 LTL facilities and 16 warehouses.

    According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s SAFER website, A. Duie Pyle has 1,985 power units and 2,118 drivers.

  • Videos promote ASE certification

    Videos promote ASE certification

    The National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) has produced a series of web and television commercials to highlight the value ASE-certified professionals provide to the motoring public and why drivers should ask to see their technician’s credentials.

    The commercials, produced in conjunction with multiple OEMs and independent industry partners, are currently being distributed through a variety of streaming, pre-roll and connected TV, and will soon be showcased on screens in service center waiting rooms across the U.S., ASE said.

    “These new media assets offer a compelling look at why it is essential for motorists to trust ASE-certified technicians with their vehicle service,” ASE President and CEO Dave Johnson said.

    “The response has been phenomenal to these commercials with nearly seven million online views already. We invite repair shops, automotive businesses and industry organizations to download and share these commercials with their customers and post them on websites and social media platforms.”

    Four videos are available to ASE members.

  • Snap-on latest software release adds new codes, tests

    Snap-on latest software release adds new codes, tests

    The recent Snap-on spring software release provides answers for vehicle diagnostics with new codes, tests, tips and data to extend professional technicians’ diagnostic tool capabilities. Technicians and shops with the new software can improve repair accuracy and fix cars faster, according to Snap-on.

    When it comes to diagnostic software, Snap-on puts more power inside the diagnostic platform to give technicians everything needed to achieve faster and smarter fixes for complete and confident repairs. By keeping a tool’s diagnostic software up to date, a technician’s overall investment is maximized, and they receive even better performance than they did on day one. 

    With every software upgrade, Snap-on has added coverage for late and older domestic, Asian and European models. The latest release has  new coverage for over 30 makes and 2025 code scan and clear for all makes. European coverage is strengthened with new systems for popular vehicles such as Audi, BMW, Land Rover, and Volkswagen, plus secure gateway access for Mercedes-Benz.

    Snap-on software also includes extensive diesel OEM coverage to simplify the diagnosis with serviceable items such as transfer case to unlock the wheels, locking differentials, NOx sensor replacements, DEF service, advanced driver assisted systems (ADAS) and more. 

    Snap-on aims to simplify diagnosis and repair with features such as exclusive guided component tests for electric vehicles and more component location images to help technicians find the fix faster. 

    With each upgrade, the diagnostic tool will continue to be enhanced with information based on real experiences straight from technicians and validated by Snap-on engineers, resulting in thousands more SureTrack Real Fixes and PID flags.

    Snap-on includes the coverage and features technicians need to finish the job at no additional cost, including: 

    • Fast-Track Intelligent Diagnostics with patented troubleshooting workflow and filtered information bringing focus to the specific vehicle and code being worked on
    • Snap-on Security Link secure gateway access, including newly added Mercedes-Benz
    • SureTrack based on over 2 billion repair records with tens of millions of Real Fix tips from real technicians validated by Snap-on engineers. 
    • Over a million service resets and relearns that navigate straight to any reset procedures needed to finish the fix
    • Fast-Track guided component tests provide a direct path to the relevant test, but also includes a step-by-step guide showing how and where to test, including pin-in and -out locations
    • New component location images to easily and correctly identify the component and where it lives.

    Software release coverage detail is available in the online vehicle coverage guide at snapon.com/vcguide.