296MM+
Number of Registered Vehicles in the US
Case Study
Kroil Helps Accelerate Auto Maintenance and Repair
Big Jim’s technicians use Kroil on everything from shocks and bumpers to entire rear-end assemblies, including sway bars, torque bars and complete truck beds.
Automotive repair technicians have seen it all. Vehicles take a beating on and off the road, and it is often up to professional mechanics to keep them running smoothly. While rust and corrosion can occur in any climate, the midwestern and northeastern regions of the United States can be particularly unkind to cars and trucks. The combination of harsh weather conditions and salted roads can wreak havoc on even the most well-maintained vehicles.
The Challenge
Big Jim’s Auto Body of Beverly, MA has been in business for over 60 years. They perform body work, general maintenance and other specialized services. Being in the New England environment, dealing with rust is a daily occurrence, and the Big Jim’s team must ensure that expensive parts and tools are not sacrificed. They also need the confidence of knowing they can complete one job, and move on to the next to keep their business in motion. David Braun is an independent auto mechanic in Wisconsin, who specializes in truck repairs. Like New England, the upper Midwest is prime rust territory. One repair that Braun recently completed involved replacing major front-end steering components. Some of these components utilized tapered studs, which when properly installed, effectively bury themselves into sleeved holes, creating a weld-like fusion to the metal they are being fastened to. Salted roads and related rust can cause these tapered stud junctions to freeze-up and severely hamper removal efforts. Freeing these studs without the use of a penetrating oil can result in broken parts and tools.
The Solution
Mechanics use Kroil penetrating oils to soak rusted nuts, bolts and other metal parts to ease disassembly. Kroil’s penetrating power seeps into the smallest of openings, allowing mechanics to break parts free and greatly reduce service time. The Big Jim’s technicians use Kroil on everything from shocks and bumpers to entire rear-end assemblies, including sway bars, torque bars and complete truck beds. Similarly, when executing the front-end steering project noted earlier, Braun proactively sprayed all bolts and studs with Kroil, letting the product sit for about ten minutes. Kroil’s penetrating power allowed him to break the frozen studs free and complete the job.
The Results
“We’ve found Kroil to be the most effective. If you use a good penetrating oil,
such as Kroil, it actually penetrates itself into the middle of the nut, and lubricates the thread, which makes it a lot easier to take out.”
Jamie Zarella, Owner, Big Jim’s Auto Body
“We come across a lot of rusted, older and specialty bolts. If we can’t get them off, we usually end up breaking them, which causes a lot of problems. And, if we don’t have the bolts on hand, we have to order things and the car sits longer, tying up the shop. So, we use Kroil to soak the bolts and crack them loose. This saves a lot of time, especially for some of the older stuff.”
Barry Lefavour, Service Technician, Big Jim’s Auto Body
“Replacing front-end steering components is a very expensive and time-consuming repair. If you don’t use Kroil, a repair that usually takes 4-5 hours to complete, can easily balloon to 8-12 hours or even a 2nd day of work.”
David Braun, Auto Mechanic
“We like using Kroil, because when you spray it on, you can actually see it working into the threads. It’s just a great product.”
Robert Ballentine, Shop Foreman, Big Jim’s Auto Body
Get the Right Products for Your Business
