Rensselaer Student Auto Shop: Renovation and Revitalization

“The beauty of RSAS is that you get out of it what you put into it. Some members only use the shop once a semester to perform an oil change or a brake job. Other members spend countless hours volunteering their time every weekend to help others out while also earning free lift time to work on their own project vehicles. At RSAS, no matter your skill level, you can learn how to safely work on your car, ultimately saving money down the road and learning very useful skills! I have met my best friends through the auto shop and am forever grateful to RPI and the students who run the shop for continuing to support and grow the club.” – James DAngio '22

The Mission

The Rensselaer Student Auto Shop (RSAS) was originally chartered in 1972. This charter stated that the shop was to be run for the benefit of the entire RPI community. The group that originally ran the shop was the Rensselaer Sports Car Association (RSCA). Later the RSCA and RSAS split and RSAS continued as an entity whose sole purpose was to run and maintain the auto shop. The current RSAS facility makes use of a garage behind the Armory which originally contained a tank lift for servicing war-time tanks. This lift has been replaced with a modern two post automotive lift, which is a main draw for the facility. Other major pieces of equipment and tools have been obtained over the years, including but not limited to: an air compressor, a tire mounter and balancer, socket sets, and computer scanners. The auto shop’s most recent makeover was in 2004 when the walls were repainted, the floors were epoxy coated and some equipment upgrades were performed. The auto shop has shaped many people’s experiences at RPI. Many have found life-long friends through the facility and gained valuable experience applying their engineering learning through hands-on repairs to automobiles.

What You're Supporting

This project focuses on replacing broken equipment, updating tools, renovating the shop, and adding an additional automotive lift so that the Rensselaer Student Auto Shop (RSAS) is able to return to offering all of the amenities which make it a unique and a valuable resource for the RPI community. The goal is to increase the number of people who can use the shop to not only fix their own cars but broaden their horizons into the practical applications of the engineering they study in the classroom. RSAS is a vital service, especially for students who cannot afford to have their car fixed at a repair shop or who need help expediently on campus. For students on a tight budget, the existence of the RSAS on campus, where an automotive lift and tools are available for use at as little as $10/hour, is a great alternative to having to pay a mechanic often over $100/hour to repair their car. Having a state of the art automotive repair facility will set RPI apart both in the quality of the campus as well as the quality of the education available here. Multiple members have told us that RSAS was a deciding factor for pursuing higher education at RPI.

Who We Are

The Rensselaer Student Auto Shop is a student-run facility with proper tools and equipment for most automotive repair tasks, and serves to educate students about automotive technology. It exists to provide individuals of the RPI community with a means of performing automotive tasks that is safe, with proper light, heat, and personal protective equipment (PPE), convenient to a RPI student's schedule, and well equipped for most automotive repairs.

Why Support Us?

The last major update and renovation of the auto shop facility was completed in 2004. Recent major equipment failures along with the combined interest of current students and past alumni to revitalize the shop have spurred this campaign. We have identified six major sub-projects that we would like to address: The replacement of our air compressor, the replacement of our tire machine, the professional refinishing/epoxy coating of the floors, renovation of the shop bathroom, the purchase of new, modern, professional-level scan tools for common makes, and the purchase and installation of a second automotive lift.

The current air compressor is from 1988, and this year the motor failed for the second time in this compressor’s history. A new compressor is needed to operate the tire machine and air tools which are essential to a variety of repairs that are commonly performed in the shop.

The current tire machine at the shop has been in need of constant repair for the last five years. Each time it is repaired a new failure presents itself soon after. As it stands, the bead breaker is non-functional, and the jaw and rotation functions are weak. With a new tire machine, we can continue to offer one of our most popular services, the removal and installation of tires, especially snow tires, which are of critical importance in Troy.

The shop floors were last coated during the 2004 shop renovation. With regular power washing and use, this coating has flaked off of the majority of the floor, making it difficult to keep the floors clean and allowing for a build-up of dirt and grease. A professional cleaning combined with a new epoxy coating would aid in keeping the floors clean and safe.

As cars become increasingly reliant on computer modules to perform their regular functions, mechanics must rely heavily on computers to diagnose problems when they arise. Modern, professional scan tools for popular makes (e.g. Bosch Tech 2 (GM)), similar to what a dealer would have access to, would allow our shop to assess and diagnose computer systems present on modern automobiles.

Currently the shop has two bays, one of which contains an automotive lift. Adding a second lift to the second bay in the shop would allow two people to simultaneously conduct repairs with the convenience that a lift provides. The current lift is fully booked during most open hours, making it one of the most utilized pieces of equipment in the shop. A second lift would make a valuable addition to our equipment portfolio.

Each of the goals of this campaign will serve to improve the student autoshop and allow it to continue to remain a valuable resource for the RPI community for many years to come.