Tailored Solutions for Automotive Maintenance Professionals

When it comes to automotive maintenance and repair, tools that run on compressed air play a significant role. In many auto repair shops, custom air compressor systems powering pneumatic tools often work better than standard solutions. Customizing these systems enables auto shops to organize their workspace better and enhance safety. Automotive hose reels complement these air compressors, enabling mechanics and workers to fill up tires or power equipment. For professionals in the auto repair and related industries, tailoring these automotive hose reels to the application helps improve efficiency in the workplace.

Automotive Air Hose Reels & Other Custom Auto Maintenance Solutions 

Before looking at why automotive air hose reels are employed in auto repair shops, it’s important to understand why auto maintenance professionals often prefer pneumatic over electrical equipment. Many specialists use pneumatic tools instead of electrically-powered equipment because of their lighter weight and generally better ergonomic designs. These factors allow professional auto mechanics to handle them comfortably for longer periods of time.

With an external power source, pneumatic tools don’t require an inbuilt motor. Because of this, air-powered tools are more compact. Some pneumatic tools are even small enough to get into areas inaccessible by electrical equipment. Generally, pneumatic tools provide greater flexibility and power than tools running on electricity while handling harsher environments better. They also last longer due partly to having fewer working components while being less expensive to purchase than electric power tools. For professional mechanics who use tools powered by pneumatic automotive hoses, reels offer professionals a way to make their jobs even easier.

Types of Automotive Hose Reels

Most professional auto maintenance and repair shops use a couple of types of automotive air hose reels, which tend to automatically pay out and retract these hoses while acting as storage devices when they’re not in use.

Open Automotive Hose Reels

The most commonplace type self-retracts and has an open face. Modern auto shops normally have fairly robust automotive air hose reels made from thicker steel and components made from corrosion-resistant materials. Such automotive hose reels will automatically rewind, while mounting can be from the ceiling, on the wall, or even positioned on trucks sent to repair vehicles away from the shop.

A good air hose reel can also be mounted on the wall, ceiling, or service truck. Another feature to look for is dual axle support (this is important to withstand vehicle vibration if the air hose reel is mounted on a service truck), weep holes in the drum (Weep holes allow moisture to drain from the drum and reduce rusting), and heavy gauge steel.

Closed Automotive Hose Reels

Dealerships and other places that repair vehicles also use closed automotive air hose reels that better protect the hosing than the open ones. When retracted, closed reels fully protect the hosing within the case, protecting them from the unforgiving conditions in an auto repair shop and when exposed to harsh weather. To ensure an even retraction of the air hose, reels of this type wind the hosing back and forth so that it remains level inside the reel’s casing. This casing also protects the hose against sunlight, protecting it from corrosive substances and preventing dents.  

Automotive Air Hose Reels for Mechanics

Air compressors are essential for professional mechanics, though combining them with air hose reels makes their jobs less hazardous and gives mechanics fewer frustrations. Usually hung from ceilings in garages or shops, these professional automotive hose reels help streamline productivity within an auto repair shop, keeping pneumatic hosing organized yet easily accessible. Their use also requires minimal training to prevent damage to the automotive hosing from misuse.  

Benefits of air hose reels can include: 

• Features for custom air hose reels, like variable speed drives (VSDs), adjust airflow as needed to reduce energy use.
• Minimizing time to complete tasks by enabling more efficient use of air hoses.
• Optimizing space as they provide compact storage for hosing used in auto shops.
• Preventing hosing from tangling, which can lead to damage.
• Prolonging lifespan of pneumatic hosing by better protecting it.
• Reducing tripping hazards by keeping unnecessary length coiled up and away from where they can pose a danger.
• Using air hose reels with enclosures protects hosing from weather, ultraviolet radiation, and other environmental conditions.
• A variety of material choices for air hose reels help them handle temperature extremes, humidity, chemicals, and other conditions.

Most auto repair or auto body shops use air compressors to power various air tools and equipment. Automotive hose reels make it easier to organize, protect, and store pneumatic hosing for grease guns and other air-powered tools, as well as for inflating tires and other tasks requiring compressed air.

Handheld Task Lighting to Illuminate Details

Auto repair shops generally don’t have adequate task lighting to see inside a vehicle’s engine compartment to view internal components or for work under vehicles. The better the lighting, the less likely accidents will occur.  Well-illuminated work areas enhance efficiency dramatically, saving mechanics from struggling to see in poorly lit areas where shadows make it difficult to see. Proper task lighting is necessary for any shop that does auto repair, body shop, or dealerships where vehicle work needs to be done. Body shop technicians, in particular, need sufficient lighting to ensure the paint job is cleanly done. At the same time, fitting spare parts correctly often involves working in the shadow spaces surrounding a vehicle’s engine block.

Task lighting benefits vehicle mechanics as well as paint and body technicians for: 

• Adding or changing brake and cooling fluids.
• Assessing damage to paint and body after an accident.
• Close-up work under the hood.
• Complete paint jobs or spot painting of vehicles.
• Electrical repair and maintenance on a vehicle.  
• Inspecting and replacing worn components.
• Maintenance of vehicle bodies, doors, lights, windows, and other exteriors.
• Oil changes.
• Priming, removing dents, and sanding before a paint job.
• Repairing air conditioning, electronics, wiring, and other electrical system parts.
• Repairs to alternators, belts, brake systems, engines and other components and systems.
• Replacing tires as well as brake pads or discs.
• Welding a vehicle’s underbody.
• Working closely under the lifting platform.

While task lighting has become increasingly important for professional mechanics and bodywork technicians, proper deliberation should go into selecting the best type of lighting for the application.

Considerations for Task Lighting for Auto Repair & Body Shops

LED lighting has become more economical, with prices falling even as the development of these lighting elements has made them progressively advanced, bringing down costs while making them more effective. Whatever the task, lighting for auto mechanics must be robust, able to withstand falls and other rough treatments, and resistant to oil and other fluids commonly associated with auto maintenance and repair.

Having the capabilities for both broad and directional lighting is also incredibly useful for lighting up areas. LED floodlights can illuminate larger areas for more extensive jobs, while spotlights and flashlights can focus light on specific components in difficult-to-reach vehicle parts to check for wear or augment replacement.

Flexibility is also very important when working on vehicles, as a mechanic or technician often needs both hands. Customized mounting options involving clips, hooks, magnets, or other mechanisms allow stable illumination on a specific vehicle part. For example, any surface of a vehicle with sufficient ferromagnetic material, such as the hood of a car, will work for LED lighting with magnets.   

Rechargeable LED lighting works well for examining under the hood of a vehicle or to check out the vehicle’s electrical system. LED lighting also requires much less energy than incandescent lighting, which requires about five times more energy to achieve the same illumination intensity. Whether used for painting or auto repair, LED lighting is preferable.

Tailored Automotive Hose Reels from Alert Reel

Along with our standard air hose reels, Alert Reel focuses on manufacturing tools and equipment for the automotive maintenance and repair sector. We offer solutions tailored to auto mechanics and auto body technicians, including clamp-on lights, extension cord reels, handheld task lighting and other products. We look to address specific operational needs and challenges for auto body shops, auto dealerships, auto repair shops, and generally for other automotive maintenance specialists. To learn more about our automotive hose reels and other products, contact the reel experts at Alert Reel Manufacturing.