When a customer brings in a car with unwanted noises what do you do? Some techs will use a screwdriver and put their ear up to it to find loose bearings. This is unsafe and not the optimal solution for finding noises. There are some techs that will actually fix a noise that the customer wasn’t complaining about which wastes time and money.
Now there is a high-tech solution for finding and pinpointing squeaks, noises and rattles anywhere within a vehicle. Smart Ear by Steelman PRO is designed to turn a smart phone or tablet into a state-of-the-art sound-detection device. Simply purchase the Smart Ear hardware, attach your smart phone or tablet to the Smart Ear hardware, download and initiate the app, and you are ready to start finding unwanted noises! With three different versions, Smart Ear Lite, Smart Ear 1 and Smart Ear 2, the technician can choose which model fits their needs.
Smart Ear Lite (91925) comes with a sound wand, aluminum probe, ear buds and a dual port connector. This version is ideal for the technician wanting to use their smart device as a stethoscope. Sound output levels are displayed in digital or analog format and a sound wave graph is also shown. The aluminum probe attachment can help find loose bearings or vibrations coming from different components under the hood.
Smart Ear 1 (91927) comes with a sound wand, aluminum probe, one sound sensor clamp, ear buds, a dual port connector, and a dual port dongle. This version is great to use as a stethoscope, or the technician can use one of the sound sensor clamps to find noises. The clamp can be used to zero in on noises that are hard to reach or hear under the hood or chassis. The Smart Ear 1 app comes with an equalizer so the user can zero in on specific pitches and frequencies of noises. Applications include but aren’t limited to finding fuel injector misfires, loose bearings in an AC compressor or pinpointing noises in differentials, idler arms, or tie rods.
Smart Ear 2 (91929) comes with a sound wand, aluminum probe, six sound sensor clamps, Bluetooth wireless headphones, a docking station and a wall charger for the docking station and headphones. Smart Ear 2 has several features within the software that enables the user to pinpoint noises more accurately. The technician can name each clamp location within the app for ease of reference while testing. Diagnostic sound events can be recorded and emailed to other technicians to get a second opinion or emailed to the customer to ensure the proper noise is being fixed. An equalizer within the sound settings can be used to hone in on specific noises as well.
The Smart Ear Diagnostic Tool line from Steelman PRO will help technicians save time and money when trying to pinpoint squeaks, noises and rattles anywhere within a vehicle, according to the company.
