By now, it’s likely you’ve heard someone claim “manuals get better gas mileage than automatics.” While in the past this has certainly been true – driving an automatic was truly a sacrifice, dramatically affecting acceleration, reliability, and gas mileage – is it still the case in the modern era? R.C. Bratcher, Inc in Owensboro, KY has the answers.

If your transmission is slipping, what are your options? As you’ve seen, a variety of issues can cause a transmission to slip. Likewise, repairs differ widely depending on the issue. Here are some steps you should take to make sure your repair is as simple and cost-effective as possible.

If your transmission is slipping, what are your options? As you’ve seen, a variety of issues can cause a transmission to slip. Likewise, repairs differ widely depending on the issue. Here are some steps you should take to make sure your repair is as simple and cost-effective as possible.

Transmission work is a world of precision and attention to detail. Transmission specialists, like the technicians at R.C. Bratcher, Inc in Owensboro, KY, chose to specialize in transmission work partly because they have a knack for both. It’s just one of the things that make us the best in the business.

Transmission failure is never a fun subject. But, if your transmission has finally bit the dust, don’t panic. R.C. Bratcher, Inc in Owensboro, KY has the solutions you need that will save you time and money in the long run. We're here to help you explore all your options so you can make the best decision for you and your vehicle.

Your transmission cooler is an integral part of the reliability and proper function of your transmission. At R.C. Bratcher, Inc in Owensboro, KY, we’re well equipped with the knowledge you need about coolers, and the ability and equipment necessary to keep your transmission in good shape.

At R.C. Bratcher, Inc in Owensboro, KY, we know that the key to keeping a transmission reliable and in shape is taking care to prevent an issue in the first place. Here, we’ll explore a condition that has a lot of potentials to cause your transmission harm; overheating.

At R.C. Bratcher, Inc in Owensboro, KY, we see a lot of the same mistakes that cause a transmission to fail. With our help, you can avoid a preventable transmission failure and keep your car reliably on the road.

If your transmission isn’t shifting correctly, you’ll want to be careful about how you choose to proceed. The best thing to do is turn the vehicle off and have a professional take a look at it, but if that isn’t an option, there are some steps you can take to ensure nothing gets damaged. At R.C. Bratcher, Inc in Owensboro, KY we can take a look at your issues and also give you some tips on what to do when that option isn't available yet. 

Once you know what's in your transmission, and what’s connected to it, it’s much easier to understand how it works. Let's take a look at how it all comes together. At R.C. Bratcher, Inc in Owensboro, KY, we want to make sure you know how your car works so you can keep it in great condition.

At R.C. Bratcher, Inc in Owensboro, KY, 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 R.C. Bratcher, Inc in Owensboro, KY, 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 R.C. Bratcher, Inc in Owensboro, KY, 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 R.C. Bratcher, Inc in Owensboro, KY, 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 R.C. Bratcher, Inc in Owensboro, KY, 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 R.C. Bratcher, Inc in Owensboro, KY, 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 R.C. Bratcher, Inc in Owensboro, KY wants you to know what to listen for.