OP
BoilermakerFan
Well-known member
I'm back to not seeing the pics again.
That's so weird. They even show for me in Chrome on my phone.
If you click the link for the pic, can you see it then?
Killing time in a small "2 car" garage
- Thread starter BoilermakerFan
- Start date
That's so weird. They even show for me in Chrome on my phone.
If you click the link for the pic, can you see it then?
xtremek
Well-known member
I'm using Chrome and there's just blank spots in your text. And when I click on the blank spots, it gives me the standard drop down and view link, etc. isn't there.
OP
BoilermakerFan
Well-known member
Maybe you need to put your computer upside down above your head and shake it back and forth to reset it?
OP
BoilermakerFan
Well-known member
Oh wait, that's for an Etch-A-Sketch...
xtremek
Well-known member
OP
BoilermakerFan
Well-known member
xtremek, I added links to the two coffee pots for you in my original post... at least you can go see the two coffee pots.
OP
BoilermakerFan
Well-known member
Our pop-up camper has new shoes!
The spare is bothering me, so after this weekend, one of the old wheels is going to be refinished in a grey powder coat to match the mag wheels. Part of me is really tempted to just buy a third wheel and swap the tire over... If it's within $20 of what it will cost to have the old steelie powder coated, I'll just order the third wheel. For now, I'm just going to get a universal black cover for the spare.
I'm mostly miffed at Coleman. The U-bolt that holds on the spare is 1/2-13 thread instead of 1/2-20 like the axle studs.
I bought a full set of black security spline lug nuts for the camper thinking I could just use two of the extra nuts on the spare. I need to see how I can change the studs to 1/2-20... I may need to at least step it up to a common wheel stud size so I can get a pair of matching security lug nuts even if they're a different size. I have a collapsing lug wrench so it won't be a big deal if the spare nuts are a bigger size than the wheels. All the spare nuts and the lug wrench go in the camper.
Pics of the new wheels on the camper will come tomorrow after they're put on. When we got home tonight it was too dark to mess with it.
The spare is bothering me, so after this weekend, one of the old wheels is going to be refinished in a grey powder coat to match the mag wheels. Part of me is really tempted to just buy a third wheel and swap the tire over... If it's within $20 of what it will cost to have the old steelie powder coated, I'll just order the third wheel. For now, I'm just going to get a universal black cover for the spare.
I'm mostly miffed at Coleman. The U-bolt that holds on the spare is 1/2-13 thread instead of 1/2-20 like the axle studs.
I bought a full set of black security spline lug nuts for the camper thinking I could just use two of the extra nuts on the spare. I need to see how I can change the studs to 1/2-20... I may need to at least step it up to a common wheel stud size so I can get a pair of matching security lug nuts even if they're a different size. I have a collapsing lug wrench so it won't be a big deal if the spare nuts are a bigger size than the wheels. All the spare nuts and the lug wrench go in the camper.Pics of the new wheels on the camper will come tomorrow after they're put on. When we got home tonight it was too dark to mess with it.
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Strouty
Well-known member
Since the spare holder is not structural, just run a die over it for the 1/2 20 threads, should work well enough for the purpose.
OP
BoilermakerFan
Well-known member
Thanks Bret. The tires are soaking up the tire conditioner like a sponge. I've had to apply it twice already. I'll be applying it again when we get back.
I thought about that. But since the OD is the same, I'm not sure how much thread would actually be left if I did that. It looks like the threaded rod is actually welded on to two nuts that are welded to the interior frame. I think I can just remove the back cover, grind off the nuts with the rods, and duplicate it with SS nuts and SS 1/2-20 rod. Then I don't have to worry about rust and I use anti-seize on the threads anyway so the steel lug nuts on the SS threaded rod won't be an issue either.
The new wheels and tires look so much better! I'm glad I went with black lug nuts instead of chrome too. The lip of the wheel is polished, but I thought chrome wouldn't look as good as black.
I need to order center caps. There is a chrome bullet style that I like, but I would have it blasted and powder coated gloss black. There is a black cap available, but it's not a bullet shape, just a basic cylinder look.
I just realized that the tires and wheels cost more than what I paid for the entire camper.
Yeah, we got the camper that cheap... I have a few more cosmetic upgrades that I'm seriously considering for it. I'm looking at having more modern decals made to replace the faded and dated ones; going with navy, forest green, sage green and a grey to match the wheels. The front part of the frame needs some TLC. I'll probably have the whole exposed portion blasted and shot with LineX that is color matched to the grey of the wheels, then have then shoot the support stands for the roof rack as well. When I do that, the old tongue jack is getting ground off and a new bolt-on one is going on. If they can apply LineX to the actual top part of the camper, I'd have that done as well. Mostly to add protection and hide the dirt better. Might even add a second spare tire carrier on the tongue just to CYA since the odds of losing both tires on a long road trip is a possibility. I have 3 steelie wheels now, so why not...
I'll definitely get a new grey cover for the awning. My wife and mom are going to sew new light blocking curtains since the original curtains are faded, dated, and have shrunk to were they no longer completely cover the windows. Probably have them sew new covers for the mattresses in the same navy fabric. The awning cover and curtains are a must, the rest are just things I would like to do. I can get an entire new custom tent setup for it for about $1200. I'm on the fence on that. It would be great to get higher quality material and have all the screens in perfect condition, but we'd only break even at that point when we sell it, if we sell it. The only reason I'd want to sell it to get a newer model that has queen beds instead of the full size beds. Unfortunately, it seems like all the new models are much heavier and come with A/C units, furnaces, and refrigerators. All of those items are costly to maintain/replace and kill the resale value if they aren't working. I kind of like the K.I.S.S. nature of our "big tent on wheels."
I've thought about updating the lighting to LED. The only thing is, the tail lights have backup lights and I haven't found a replacement that has the integrated back up lights. I know I could rewire the whole thing and add them myself, but I didn't realize how great a feature those lights were until I backed the camper up the driveway in the dark.
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OP
BoilermakerFan
Well-known member
We didn't leave as early as I hoped so we didn't arrive at the park until after 11pm local time. But my son helped me back into our spot... and of course Murphy's Law kicked in... the backup lights on the trailer aren't working. Oh well, I'll investigate and fix them later.
The camper pulled like a dream though. Even loaded 3 bikes on the rack. I have a couple pics I'll upload when I have a better connection.
The camper pulled like a dream though. Even loaded 3 bikes on the rack. I have a couple pics I'll upload when I have a better connection.
Strouty
Well-known member
Go camping, not Garage Journaling. It does look good with the rims and I can respect the black lug nuts and center caps. My toolbox has black casters instead of the fancier chrome ones, it looks nice. Your wheels have a decent amount of chrome and the black accents will be great.
OP
BoilermakerFan
Well-known member
LOL! The best camping trip involves both!
Friday night I was wide awake and having trouble settling down to sleep. It had cooled off to 72degF, but it was so humid I was sweating like a pig. My son and his friend decided they did want hot dogs... at 12:30am so I grilled up a few dogs on our camp grill. After that they went to bed, but I couldn't fall asleep, so I jumped on GJ while I settled down and cooled off.
My wife and daughter didn't get on the road as early as they had hoped either, so they didn't get to camp until around 1pm. Grrr... I set an alarm at 8am because I was expecting them at 9am. So we were pretty tired Saturday. Yesterday we had a blast. Hiked a couple trails, one of which goes along/in a creek bed. Check out wasn't until 5pm on Sundays so we got to do a lot in the park before I had tear down and pack up. The boys conked out in the car within 10 minutes of leaving the park.
My son's birthday was yesterday. We went camping and he invited 3 friends. One backed out and the other one was there with his family, but he stayed at our site most of Saturday and slept with the other boys in the tent Saturday night. The other family was camping on the other side of the campground in the non-electric sites but they came over and hung out with us Saturday night. We got to know them a lot better and we all got along great so we're definitely going to go camping with them on a more regular basis now.
My son and his friends all had a great time too so it was just a fantastic weekend overall. Even with the stupid heat and humidity.
A couple pics...
Friday night all packed up and getting ready to leave:
And at our campsite on Saturday before I pitched the tent for the boys:
Notice the lack of trees or shade at the site? Yeah, we booked that site figuring that in early October it would probably be chilly and shade in the cold mornings would ****. Instead the lowest it got down to was 68degF and the high was 90degF on Saturday.
OP
BoilermakerFan
Well-known member
Well, I think the alternator is going out in the Pilot. The battery idiot light has come on 3 times now since Saturday and there is an odd sound. I think I'm going to upgrade the output just a little when I replace it.
And I guess my mind was playing tricks on me last year when I brought the camper home because the backup lights aren't even wired in the camper and it takes a 5-pin harness to have them function. I'm trying to decide if I just want to upgrade to a 7-pin on the Pilot and add a brake controller so I have it if I ever need it. Then rewire the camper to a 7-pin for separate backup lights.
The camper is getting new LED lights very shortly... the rear tail light actually broke on me when I went to remove the cover to check the wiring.
I found dimensionally identical LED replacement lights for the marker lights:
There is not a direct cross for the old tail lights... I found two that will work. the first one is the correct width and close to the same height, only off by 1/2". The second light is 8-1/2" wide but only 3" height so it's 2/3 the height... I'm leaning towards the first light only because it's much closer in size and I think it looks better as well even though they are $12ea more expensive:
And I guess my mind was playing tricks on me last year when I brought the camper home because the backup lights aren't even wired in the camper and it takes a 5-pin harness to have them function. I'm trying to decide if I just want to upgrade to a 7-pin on the Pilot and add a brake controller so I have it if I ever need it. Then rewire the camper to a 7-pin for separate backup lights.
The camper is getting new LED lights very shortly... the rear tail light actually broke on me when I went to remove the cover to check the wiring.
I found dimensionally identical LED replacement lights for the marker lights:
There is not a direct cross for the old tail lights... I found two that will work. the first one is the correct width and close to the same height, only off by 1/2". The second light is 8-1/2" wide but only 3" height so it's 2/3 the height... I'm leaning towards the first light only because it's much closer in size and I think it looks better as well even though they are $12ea more expensive:
OP
BoilermakerFan
Well-known member
This morning I went out to hook up the charger on the battery on the Pilot. Then I realized it has an alternator output display so I turned over the Pilot to see if it would start and it did. The alternator was charging the battery but it would really drop when the cooling fan kicked on. Took a video and headed to the dealer since I remembered that a part I ordered came in a couple months ago. With the job change they didn't have my cell number. Oops.
Showed them the video and they said the alternator was definitely going out and it was probably intermittent now with the battery idiot light coming on and off. Headed to Interstate and picked up a new AGM battery. It was raining so I had to wait a couple hours to put it in. The new battery was at 75% so I started the Pilot and drove around the block. By the time I got home the battery idiot light was on and the VTM-4 warning light was on. That's new, but common when the battery gets really low since it's an electronic center diff... Hooked up the battery charger and the alternator output was... 0%. Damn.
I was going to run to O'Reilly Sat. morning and pick up a Ultima Reman alternator since it was in stock. Then I Google-Fu'ed Ultima reman alternators. Phew! That saved me $190 and a lot of hassles. Apparently they only last 2-3 months and I did more research to see that most "reman" alternators only have the immediate bad parts replaced so the rest fails over the next couple of months. So now I will either be buying a genuine Honda reman, new Honda OEM alternator, or a new alternator from NAPA. The NAPA new units are 100% new and everything is tested. But, it will have to be ordered. The genuine Honda reman is the only reman I would consider putting in.
So the alternator replacement is going to have to wait until the middle of next week.
Showed them the video and they said the alternator was definitely going out and it was probably intermittent now with the battery idiot light coming on and off. Headed to Interstate and picked up a new AGM battery. It was raining so I had to wait a couple hours to put it in. The new battery was at 75% so I started the Pilot and drove around the block. By the time I got home the battery idiot light was on and the VTM-4 warning light was on. That's new, but common when the battery gets really low since it's an electronic center diff... Hooked up the battery charger and the alternator output was... 0%. Damn.
I was going to run to O'Reilly Sat. morning and pick up a Ultima Reman alternator since it was in stock. Then I Google-Fu'ed Ultima reman alternators. Phew! That saved me $190 and a lot of hassles. Apparently they only last 2-3 months and I did more research to see that most "reman" alternators only have the immediate bad parts replaced so the rest fails over the next couple of months. So now I will either be buying a genuine Honda reman, new Honda OEM alternator, or a new alternator from NAPA. The NAPA new units are 100% new and everything is tested. But, it will have to be ordered. The genuine Honda reman is the only reman I would consider putting in.
So the alternator replacement is going to have to wait until the middle of next week.
I am with you on the OEM. I have shifted away from all Auto store brands. I honestly find just about every AC/DELCO parts for my Chevy's or Genuine Volvo for the wife's car on Amazon. And if they don't have it Rockauto will. I do like the convenience of O'Riellys' (they are the only local place I will go now) but they have such a huge markup. Sometimes its up to 40%. I do use them for part number sometimes and then go plug that into Amazon and see if they have it. Of course if you have to have it same day that doesn't work. I haven't heard of AGM batteries. I have been buying Interstate batteries. My dad has one in his 72' GMC that is 10 yrs old and still works like a champ.
Bret
Bret
Strouty
Well-known member
AGM is Absorbed Glass Mat IIRC, not a brand but a kind of battery. Optima was the big name in them way back.
***** on the alternator, but if you can wait, then order one. At this point base everything on the warranty, NAPA has a lot of lifetime warranty stuff.
***** on the alternator, but if you can wait, then order one. At this point base everything on the warranty, NAPA has a lot of lifetime warranty stuff.
xtremek
Well-known member
A couple of things jump out at me. First is I've given up on Autozone, because of their constant failures. Unitized wheel bearings lasting only 2 years on my wife's Exploder. Heater control valves only 10 months. So I'm switching to O'Rielly's, and now you've got me worried. Second, 2:26am? Do you ever sleep?
OP
BoilermakerFan
Well-known member
Yep, AGM is absorbed glass mat which is a type of battery construction. The last one was a Sears Diehard Platinum and it lasted 8 years. The Interstate AGM has a 4 yr warranty versus the standard 2 yr and the size 34 AGM has 800CCA vs 610CCA in the standard SLA battery.
Interestingly enough, I found a new ACDelco alternator for the Pilot on Amazon. Thought that was a little odd since the OEM unit is a Denso... Haven't ruled it out though because it was something like $364.
Strouty, you are correct and Optima still makes the best AGM batteries, especially for deep cycle, but I'm not paying an extra $125 for the Optima. I'm just glad I searched the O'Reilly Ultima reman before I ran there today. Wed. & Thurs. weather is supposed to be really nice so I'll have the new alternator by Thurs.
X, just search Google on any of the components for O'Reilly or any of the suppliers for that matter. I've bought motorcycle exhaust gaskets from the O and they are great. A few large metric sockets and 3/8" drive hex keys too that have been just as good as anything else out there.
Uh, it was 1:26am my time. I had been texting a couple friends and my daughter up until 12:45am after enjoying a cigar and tawny port. So jumped on Fortnite to play a match, then posted here before going to bed. I'm usually up until 12:30-1:00am on Friday and Saturday nights. I'm genetically a night owl. It has run in my dad's side of the family for generations. My dad isn't a night owl, but his mom was and his brother is too. My daughter is a night owl as well. My grandma told me it goes back generations to at least her great-grandfather & grandmother. She lived in West Lafayette when I was at Purdue. Sunday evenings we would go out to dinner then hang out. I'd usually head back to my dorm around 10:30pm or so and she would usually be up until at least Midnight every night even into her 80s. She would get up at 5am to do the mail at her retirement community, then have breakfast with friends. She'd take a hour nap at 10am, then another hour nap around 2pm.
Up until 6-7 years ago I would be up until 2:00 or 3:00am on the weekends and 1:00am most week nights. As I've gotten older I need a little more sleep, but not much. I force myself to go to bed at 11:30pm week nights now, but there are nights I'm still up until 12:30am or 1am during the week. About once a year I naturally just stay up all night and the next day, then go to bed around 9pm to sort of reset my bio-clock. Up until I turned 40 I would have 3 or 4 all nighters every year. I just wouldn't be tired so I would stay awake for 38-40 hours straight.
That said, tonight I'm actually tired because we ran a lot of errands today and I did a decent amount of house work today before that. So I'm about to head to bed in the next 10-15 minutes.
Interestingly enough, I found a new ACDelco alternator for the Pilot on Amazon. Thought that was a little odd since the OEM unit is a Denso... Haven't ruled it out though because it was something like $364.
Strouty, you are correct and Optima still makes the best AGM batteries, especially for deep cycle, but I'm not paying an extra $125 for the Optima. I'm just glad I searched the O'Reilly Ultima reman before I ran there today. Wed. & Thurs. weather is supposed to be really nice so I'll have the new alternator by Thurs.
X, just search Google on any of the components for O'Reilly or any of the suppliers for that matter. I've bought motorcycle exhaust gaskets from the O and they are great. A few large metric sockets and 3/8" drive hex keys too that have been just as good as anything else out there.
Uh, it was 1:26am my time. I had been texting a couple friends and my daughter up until 12:45am after enjoying a cigar and tawny port. So jumped on Fortnite to play a match, then posted here before going to bed. I'm usually up until 12:30-1:00am on Friday and Saturday nights. I'm genetically a night owl. It has run in my dad's side of the family for generations. My dad isn't a night owl, but his mom was and his brother is too. My daughter is a night owl as well. My grandma told me it goes back generations to at least her great-grandfather & grandmother. She lived in West Lafayette when I was at Purdue. Sunday evenings we would go out to dinner then hang out. I'd usually head back to my dorm around 10:30pm or so and she would usually be up until at least Midnight every night even into her 80s. She would get up at 5am to do the mail at her retirement community, then have breakfast with friends. She'd take a hour nap at 10am, then another hour nap around 2pm.
Up until 6-7 years ago I would be up until 2:00 or 3:00am on the weekends and 1:00am most week nights. As I've gotten older I need a little more sleep, but not much. I force myself to go to bed at 11:30pm week nights now, but there are nights I'm still up until 12:30am or 1am during the week. About once a year I naturally just stay up all night and the next day, then go to bed around 9pm to sort of reset my bio-clock. Up until I turned 40 I would have 3 or 4 all nighters every year. I just wouldn't be tired so I would stay awake for 38-40 hours straight.
That said, tonight I'm actually tired because we ran a lot of errands today and I did a decent amount of house work today before that. So I'm about to head to bed in the next 10-15 minutes.
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OP
BoilermakerFan
Well-known member
So the Pilot has been parked in the driveway all week... hopefully my new alternator will be in tomorrow. I went with a NAPA new unit. My Honda dealer reman was over $450! The NAPA new one was $407.
And today I had to have a new set of tires put on the Focus. I put tires on the car 3-1/2 years ago and went with Yokohama thinking they would last at least 7 years. Nope. Had the sidewall crack out on one and the three others were dry rotting away quickly. Went with Toyo Proxxes 4plus this time.
And within the next couple weeks the Pilot will need new tires too. Yeah! Hemorrhaging cash! But I want to get the tires replaced so I don't have to worry about that when we start pulling the camper more. Planning another trip in early November with friends, weather permitting.
My wife said she looked online and the KBB value for the Pilot is around $6K. We bought it used 8 years ago for $21K so for it to be worth $6K now isn't bad, but for that I think I'd just keep it and not bother trading it in on anything in a couple years. The engines are good for 400+K miles and it only has 146K on it. It's due for all the fluids to be changed and I need to get a new radiator for it soon. When I put the new radiator in, it will get the upgraded coolers for the transmission, oil, and PS too so it will be fully tow prepped. The service dept. at my dealer said the struts, springs and shocks do not need to be replaced ever... But I think I'm going to look for upgraded units to improve the handling and load carrying abilities. At least progressive springs in the rear with aftermarket anti-sag bump stop replacements.
Oh, and it really needs a new radio. The factory sound system just *****. Horrible sound and no modern connectivity.
And today I had to have a new set of tires put on the Focus. I put tires on the car 3-1/2 years ago and went with Yokohama thinking they would last at least 7 years. Nope. Had the sidewall crack out on one and the three others were dry rotting away quickly. Went with Toyo Proxxes 4plus this time.
And within the next couple weeks the Pilot will need new tires too. Yeah! Hemorrhaging cash! But I want to get the tires replaced so I don't have to worry about that when we start pulling the camper more. Planning another trip in early November with friends, weather permitting.
My wife said she looked online and the KBB value for the Pilot is around $6K. We bought it used 8 years ago for $21K so for it to be worth $6K now isn't bad, but for that I think I'd just keep it and not bother trading it in on anything in a couple years. The engines are good for 400+K miles and it only has 146K on it. It's due for all the fluids to be changed and I need to get a new radiator for it soon. When I put the new radiator in, it will get the upgraded coolers for the transmission, oil, and PS too so it will be fully tow prepped. The service dept. at my dealer said the struts, springs and shocks do not need to be replaced ever... But I think I'm going to look for upgraded units to improve the handling and load carrying abilities. At least progressive springs in the rear with aftermarket anti-sag bump stop replacements.
Oh, and it really needs a new radio. The factory sound system just *****. Horrible sound and no modern connectivity.
wasfast
Well-known member
There's a decent following of the Pilot's especially out west. They make such great utility vehicles. You could likely do better than the $6K depending on condition as well.
OP
BoilermakerFan
Well-known member
Thanks wasfast, but I wasn't complaining about the resale being low per say. I was more or less trying to say that since it is "only" worth about $6K that we would just keep it and I'll upgrade it a bit. Ours is in decent shape, but needs a little cosmetic work. I broke a trim piece in the rear that is only available with the ENTIRE rear trim so I check our local pull yards and eBay for it from time to time. My wife is still pi$$ed about that... had a KZ650 engine roll, bounce off the rear hatch and literally land on the top trim before rolling back to the floor. I'm just thankful no glass was cracked in the incident. And my son whistled me out like a canary.
I agree though, the Pilot is an amazing utility vehicle. Ours is a 2006 and there are tons of our body style still on the road and their owners all love them. My wife loves our Pilot. It's her favorite vehicle she has ever owned. We still use the 3rd row of seats all the time when we visit friends or have friends in town. New Years Eve I'm almost always the DD since my employer has very strict DUI/DWI policies and we pile in 4 couples to go out for festivities.
My wife is interested in the Acura RDX for her next vehicle. It's basically a nicer, fancier Honda CRV. So it won't be able to tow much. Our current popup only weighs 1200-1400lbs loaded, but I am wanting a little bigger one before too long. The Pilot is rated to tow 4400lbs and I have probably exceeded that by 750lbs twice but I was very careful and drove very conservatively. It did great so I really like it as a tow vehicle.
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OP
BoilermakerFan
Well-known member
The new alternator is in!
Only took me about 3-1/2 hours to replace it and the intake hose from the air filter. Labor for this at the dealer would have been about $525, so I paid myself $150/hr. The savings covers new tires for the Pilot!
And after that I went ahead and put new connectors on the on the wiring harnesses on the Pilot and camper. It's a temporary fix until I get the new wiring harness for the Pilot and replace the lead on the camper.
Only took me about 3-1/2 hours to replace it and the intake hose from the air filter. Labor for this at the dealer would have been about $525, so I paid myself $150/hr. The savings covers new tires for the Pilot!
And after that I went ahead and put new connectors on the on the wiring harnesses on the Pilot and camper. It's a temporary fix until I get the new wiring harness for the Pilot and replace the lead on the camper.
Strouty
Well-known member
The Acura will have a higher parts price tag too.
I think with what you do, you may want to look at a ridge line, I have always liked the look of them, not the newest ones, but even those are starting to grow on me.
Good job on the alternator, it is satisfying saving yourself that kind of money.
I think with what you do, you may want to look at a ridge line, I have always liked the look of them, not the newest ones, but even those are starting to grow on me.
Good job on the alternator, it is satisfying saving yourself that kind of money.
jon72vega
Well-known member
Excellent job on replacing the alternator. 
MacTexas
Well-known member
Congratulations for your football team's big win yesterday.
OP
BoilermakerFan
Well-known member
There are a lot of common parts on the Honda/Acura models so the parts aren't bad. And TBH, they don't need a lot of parts. Our Pilot has only needed a new alternator. Everything else has just been general maintenance or age related.
My wife has pretty much driven how me down cars from me or the used Pilot, so if she wants a new Acura in a few years, she gets a new Acura!
I had to get the Forester new. My old job required the vehicle be within 4 years old to get the full stipend and they had a mileage limit of 150K miles. Now I don't have any vehicle requirements. UL pays straight IRS mileage rates and I can rent cars if I want. I'm based out of a home office again so my commute is zero miles. I haven't decided what I'll do for my next vehicle. The Pilot or the Forester will go to my son when he is a junior or senior in HS. I have been seriously considering a full size van. I love the Sprinter vans but they're stupid expensive for what you get and they're notorious for bad paint. I can't see paying $70K for a van that has **** paint. And used they're still over $50K. I like the look of the new Ford Transit but then I researched it against the Nissan NV and was shocked that the NV trumps the Transit in every category, but especially handling and reliability.
And then I came across this:
And this:
Both are suitable for daily driving but the blue van can be outfitted so that I can take out the seats and carry my motorcycles to shows. And it can tow 9,000lbs!
Eventually I will build an FJ45 on a FJ80 chassis using the Aqualu aluminum body kits:
And I was very happy to get the alternator done. My wife was even happier!
Excellent job on replacing the alternator.
Thanks! It was the first one I've ever had to replace. I still prefer working on motorcycles though... so much easier!
Thanks! That was such an amazing win! The team is finally synchronizing. They lost their first 3 games of the season by a combined total of only 8 points. Pretty cool for a young team.
My daughter was at the game and stormed the field with everyone else. She's in the Reamer Club so they are in the first 3 rows and always on TV. She said she was on ESPN at least 3 times.
OP
BoilermakerFan
Well-known member
I love the look of the new Ridgeline, but it's built on the same chassis as the new Pilot so the bed is really small, only 64" long. The AWD version is rated to tow 5,000lbs with the towing package which is a little better than the 4,400lb rating of our Pilot, but I'd want at least 7,000lb rating just to cover me for any boat or camper that we might want to get.
OP
BoilermakerFan
Well-known member
As much as I think the 4x4 converted Nissan NV would be awesome and perfect for my wants... I just don't think I can bring myself to buy one... Their reliability appears to be bipolar. You either get a great one or one that is practically a lemon.
I found the option I think I'll pursue in a few years. I'll post pics of it later...
Today I ordered the new tires for the Pilot and the new lights for the popup. It's going to be raining all weekend and early into next week, so the lights will have to be done on Wednesday or Thursday next week. I have to at least get the taillights installed before Friday since we're camping again next weekend.
I picked up two of the Harbor Freight Apache watertight cases too. I bought the 2800 model first. Turns out it will hold at least 48 cigars! That's a little too big for a travel case, so I bought the smaller 1800 today. It will hold two lighters, my cutter and 12, 14, or 17 cigars. If I decide not to put the lighters and cutter in it, then it would hold 17, 19, or 22 cigars. I have all the foam plugs picked out for the first variation with the spots for the lighters and cutter. I'm just letting the foam air out so that there won't be any lingering odors. The foam didn't stink too bad, but I can smell it if I put my nose right up to it. I'd rather have it be as odor free as possible.
Not a lot planned for this weekend because of the weather.
I found the option I think I'll pursue in a few years. I'll post pics of it later...
Today I ordered the new tires for the Pilot and the new lights for the popup. It's going to be raining all weekend and early into next week, so the lights will have to be done on Wednesday or Thursday next week. I have to at least get the taillights installed before Friday since we're camping again next weekend.
I picked up two of the Harbor Freight Apache watertight cases too. I bought the 2800 model first. Turns out it will hold at least 48 cigars! That's a little too big for a travel case, so I bought the smaller 1800 today. It will hold two lighters, my cutter and 12, 14, or 17 cigars. If I decide not to put the lighters and cutter in it, then it would hold 17, 19, or 22 cigars. I have all the foam plugs picked out for the first variation with the spots for the lighters and cutter. I'm just letting the foam air out so that there won't be any lingering odors. The foam didn't stink too bad, but I can smell it if I put my nose right up to it. I'd rather have it be as odor free as possible.
Not a lot planned for this weekend because of the weather.
OP
BoilermakerFan
Well-known member
Well, I'm glad I didn't plan anything major for the weekend. I forgot we had a fundraiser wine tasting on Saturday afternoon and Sunday my son had a lacrosse tournament so we were at the field all day long yesterday.
Today my new camper lights arrived and started the process of installing them.
I had to drill new holes for the mounting. The green highlighted holes are the new ones:
The base covers all of the existing holes, but I'm going put on a bead of clear RTV on the back of the light before I rivet it in place.
Interestingly enough, even though I ordered two RH lights since I didn't need the license plate hanger or light, the stock outlet hole for the wiring was on the LH side of the light. So I had to drill a new hole for the wiring on the base of the light:
I pulled the old rear side marker light off and drilled out the stripped holes so they can be riveted on as well. That was as far as I got this evening since I was running out of daylight and I didn't know if the RTV sealant had a minimum application temp or minimum curing temp for the first two hours...
I drilled the new hole for the wiring on the RH light as well since the stock hole is in the middle of the base and I need it on the lower left side for the LH light.
Here's a pic of all the lights together. The taillights were very easy to disassemble so I can actually mount just the base first, then complete the wiring and reattach the light cluster before putting the covers on.
The new tires for the Pilot arrived today too, so my wife will take the Forester to work tomorrow so I can get the tires put on and check the wiring on the lights before I make the crimp connections and heat shrink them.
My wife just told me that we're supposed to have strong storms on Wednesday night so there will probably be kids out Trick or Treating tomorrow night. Poor kids... I don't give out candy the day before Halloween...
Today my new camper lights arrived and started the process of installing them.
I had to drill new holes for the mounting. The green highlighted holes are the new ones:
The base covers all of the existing holes, but I'm going put on a bead of clear RTV on the back of the light before I rivet it in place.
Interestingly enough, even though I ordered two RH lights since I didn't need the license plate hanger or light, the stock outlet hole for the wiring was on the LH side of the light. So I had to drill a new hole for the wiring on the base of the light:
I pulled the old rear side marker light off and drilled out the stripped holes so they can be riveted on as well. That was as far as I got this evening since I was running out of daylight and I didn't know if the RTV sealant had a minimum application temp or minimum curing temp for the first two hours...
I drilled the new hole for the wiring on the RH light as well since the stock hole is in the middle of the base and I need it on the lower left side for the LH light.
Here's a pic of all the lights together. The taillights were very easy to disassemble so I can actually mount just the base first, then complete the wiring and reattach the light cluster before putting the covers on.
The new tires for the Pilot arrived today too, so my wife will take the Forester to work tomorrow so I can get the tires put on and check the wiring on the lights before I make the crimp connections and heat shrink them.
My wife just told me that we're supposed to have strong storms on Wednesday night so there will probably be kids out Trick or Treating tomorrow night. Poor kids... I don't give out candy the day before Halloween...
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OP
BoilermakerFan
Well-known member
So Monday afternoon or somewhere in that time frame the local bureaucrats or some sort of officials decided that since there was a 100% chance for rain on Halloween they recommended that all Trick or Treating be done on Tuesday night. WTF? That screwed up my birthday plans so I had a low key birthday and we just went out for pizza Tuesday night.
But with the rain coming I also had to get the lights finished on the camper on Tuesday so I cancelled my plan to go out for a nice lunch and got busy putting on the new lights:
And I realized I forgot to take pics of the lights before I replaced them, both in the daylight and at night... Oh well.
Last night when my wife and son were out trick or treating on the wrong day, I backed the Pilot up to the camper and plugged it in to see how the lights looked at night:
They're definitely brighter at night. The side marker lights are about the same on the off axis angles, but as you come to view them straight on, they are a LOT brighter.
The only exterior lights I have left to switch over to LED are the two lights for the license plate. I didn't order those so I'll grab them on the next order when I buy the LED interior dome lights, the step light and spare tire cover. The remaining lights weren't critical like the taillights and marker light since they all work. My RH taillight was completely out by the time I got home from the last trip and it broke apart when I tried to change the bulb so I had to get it replaced. Two of the marker lights were cutting in and out intermittently as well since one screw on each was either missing or stripped out causing the vibrations and bumps to rattle the bulbs.
But with the rain coming I also had to get the lights finished on the camper on Tuesday so I cancelled my plan to go out for a nice lunch and got busy putting on the new lights:
And I realized I forgot to take pics of the lights before I replaced them, both in the daylight and at night... Oh well.
Last night when my wife and son were out trick or treating on the wrong day, I backed the Pilot up to the camper and plugged it in to see how the lights looked at night:
They're definitely brighter at night. The side marker lights are about the same on the off axis angles, but as you come to view them straight on, they are a LOT brighter.
The only exterior lights I have left to switch over to LED are the two lights for the license plate. I didn't order those so I'll grab them on the next order when I buy the LED interior dome lights, the step light and spare tire cover. The remaining lights weren't critical like the taillights and marker light since they all work. My RH taillight was completely out by the time I got home from the last trip and it broke apart when I tried to change the bulb so I had to get it replaced. Two of the marker lights were cutting in and out intermittently as well since one screw on each was either missing or stripped out causing the vibrations and bumps to rattle the bulbs.
OP
BoilermakerFan
Well-known member
I'm glad i took the time to get them finished yesterday too. By 8:30am this morning it started to rain and it hasn't stopped. I had a few chores outside that I had to get done this morning before work. I'm glad I got those completed, they would not have been fun to do this afternoon in the rain. I didn't get anything loaded into the camper like I had hoped I could, but the rain will be gone by Friday morning so I can pack the camper Friday at lunch.
Earlier in the week or late last week, I was driving past a little used car lot and I spied another Coleman popup on their lot. It's a newer model and looked to be a little bigger. I have no idea how much they're asking for it or what kind of shape the tent is in, but I'm probably going to call and see how much they want for it. They haven't advertised it anywhere that I could find so that may work to my advantage. If it has a queen bed and a full bed or two queen beds with a tent that is in better condition, I will probably see if the wife is willing to upgrade. I'd keep my new wheels and tires from this camper and sell it, but it would have to be a good deal for me to make the switch.
Earlier in the week or late last week, I was driving past a little used car lot and I spied another Coleman popup on their lot. It's a newer model and looked to be a little bigger. I have no idea how much they're asking for it or what kind of shape the tent is in, but I'm probably going to call and see how much they want for it. They haven't advertised it anywhere that I could find so that may work to my advantage. If it has a queen bed and a full bed or two queen beds with a tent that is in better condition, I will probably see if the wife is willing to upgrade. I'd keep my new wheels and tires from this camper and sell it, but it would have to be a good deal for me to make the switch.
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OP
BoilermakerFan
Well-known member
The other pop-up camper was already sold...
We went camping this past weekend and the new lights worked great. The little electric heater did a fine job of keeping my wife warm enough too. The low was around 39 or 40degF, but it was windy so we probably lost heat faster than normal. Saturday night's low was 50degF and the heater's thermostat worked great. It probably ran 50% of the time Saturday night and I had to turn it down a bit in the middle of the night. It was raining when we packed up to leave so I'll have to set up the camper to dry everything out once the rain moves through late Tuesday night. It should be clear Wednesday and Thursday so that will be enough time to get everything dry before packing it away for the winter.
I did a little more research on the new 2019 Ford Ranger too. I found this:
"Ford has trickled out more specs on the forthcoming 2019 Ranger. While it was confirmed that the new truck would come exclusively with the 2.3-liter EcoBoost I4 and 10-speed automatic, we didn’t know until now what the power and payload/towing figures were for that combo.
According to Ford, the Ranger’s version of the 2.3-liter EcoBoost will be rated at 270 hp and 310 lb-ft. While those numbers fall significantly short of the EcoBoost Mustang’s (310 hp and 350 lb-ft), this application is tuned for low-end torque over a broader range. While the Ranger’s turbo-four won’t be king of the horsepower hill in the segment, it does out-torque every other midsize gasser.
That torque has apparently paid dividends, because the Ranger is rated to tow 7,500 pounds with a payload capacity of 1,860 pounds. Those numbers are at the top of the class for midsize pickups. Only the diesel Colorado/Canyon, rated for 7,700 pounds, out-tow the Ford. The ToyotaTacoma comes closest to the Ranger’s payload numbers with a rating of 1,620 pounds.
On paper then, the new Ranger looks like it will make a solid tow rig. Ford’s turbocharged I4 should provide down-low grunt, and the 10-speed auto should do a good job of balancing fuel efficiency while keeping the engine in its happy place."
I'd prefer the smaller EcoBoost V6, but the towing rating is where I need it so if the EcoBoost 4 gets good fuel economy unloaded, I'll be happy. And with my purchase being a few years out, Ford might even decide to offer the small V6. The new Bronco will be released in 2019 as a 2020 model too, so that will go on the short list with the Ranger.
We went camping this past weekend and the new lights worked great. The little electric heater did a fine job of keeping my wife warm enough too. The low was around 39 or 40degF, but it was windy so we probably lost heat faster than normal. Saturday night's low was 50degF and the heater's thermostat worked great. It probably ran 50% of the time Saturday night and I had to turn it down a bit in the middle of the night. It was raining when we packed up to leave so I'll have to set up the camper to dry everything out once the rain moves through late Tuesday night. It should be clear Wednesday and Thursday so that will be enough time to get everything dry before packing it away for the winter.
I did a little more research on the new 2019 Ford Ranger too. I found this:
"Ford has trickled out more specs on the forthcoming 2019 Ranger. While it was confirmed that the new truck would come exclusively with the 2.3-liter EcoBoost I4 and 10-speed automatic, we didn’t know until now what the power and payload/towing figures were for that combo.
According to Ford, the Ranger’s version of the 2.3-liter EcoBoost will be rated at 270 hp and 310 lb-ft. While those numbers fall significantly short of the EcoBoost Mustang’s (310 hp and 350 lb-ft), this application is tuned for low-end torque over a broader range. While the Ranger’s turbo-four won’t be king of the horsepower hill in the segment, it does out-torque every other midsize gasser.
That torque has apparently paid dividends, because the Ranger is rated to tow 7,500 pounds with a payload capacity of 1,860 pounds. Those numbers are at the top of the class for midsize pickups. Only the diesel Colorado/Canyon, rated for 7,700 pounds, out-tow the Ford. The ToyotaTacoma comes closest to the Ranger’s payload numbers with a rating of 1,620 pounds.
On paper then, the new Ranger looks like it will make a solid tow rig. Ford’s turbocharged I4 should provide down-low grunt, and the 10-speed auto should do a good job of balancing fuel efficiency while keeping the engine in its happy place."
I'd prefer the smaller EcoBoost V6, but the towing rating is where I need it so if the EcoBoost 4 gets good fuel economy unloaded, I'll be happy. And with my purchase being a few years out, Ford might even decide to offer the small V6. The new Bronco will be released in 2019 as a 2020 model too, so that will go on the short list with the Ranger.
OP
BoilermakerFan
Well-known member
My wife and I have pretty much decided to stay put for another 5 years so my son to go to high school here instead of moving to Carmel. We know he will get a great education here and he has an amazing group of friends here. He'll be able to keep doing everything he loves to do, especially lacrosse. He's not a great player, so he wouldn't make the team in Carmel. That wasn't the only reason though, the bigger reason was that we could buy a really great house in Indy proper in a really cool neighborhood for about half the cost of a house in Carmel with much lower property tax. He'll be in college then so the quality of the city schools won't be an issue for us. It allows us to get more house and a great location for a lot less money and a lower house payment which will be important when he's in college.
With that decision, that means that I DO need to insulate the walls in the garage and get it finished. Saturday my wife was up in Indy with a friend shopping. I had planned to go out to the garage, get things cleaned out, organize, and make room for a couple of motorcycles that are still out in the driveway. And my wife would have been ok with that, BUT the weather was perfect for yard work Saturday and I still have a ton of landscaping to do. My son wanted to do the leaves in the yard to pay off his debt to me, so I took a little time to take care of the leaves in the beds to make his job easier.
That led to me realizing that the landscaping bed on the side and part of the front of the house was a disaster. Full of leaves and weeds. I blew out the leaves and turned my son loose on the rest of the front yard. Then I weeded the bed and started putting down weed block and lava rock.
There was such a mess on the patio and driveway after I finished that little bed I needed to hose everything off.
My wife was shocked and happy when she got home.
Today we were supposed to get rain in the afternoon and I had seven 1cu. ft. bags of lava rock left so I tackled the area under the big holly bushes today.
That's when I ran out of both landscaping staples to hold the weed block in place and lava rock. So I had my son help me bag as many leaves from the long pile as we could. Then we blew what was left off to a corner where it's out of sight from the street and the front entrance. We're hosting Thanksgiving this year so I wanted the house to look a little nicer. My son pointed out that we'll actually need to mow the yard one more time before winter. I'm going to see if the weather cooperates on Tuesday so it will be looking good for Thanksgiving.
I really don't like doing yard work and I don't really care about having a "golf course caliber" manicured yard, but getting the beds cleaned and putting down the rock was a necessary evil I had to do. And now a big chunk of it is done.
There is a big section of the bed that has a ton of naturalized, native ferns in it.
Each dark spot is a fern and you can see that several have popped up outside of the bed in the yard. I have to move those back into the bed. Because they spread, I can't put down weed block in that section so it will just get a heavy layer of rock around the ferns. As I see new ferns trying to come up through the rock, I'll just have to move the rock out of the way. Weeds are not much of a problem in that area because the ferns block all the sun so the weeds don't have a chance to grow once the ferns open. About the only thing that does come up in that part of the bed are maple, redbud, and oak trees from the seeds that get dropped or buried by squirrels. They're easy enough to spot and pull out.
And I realized I never cleaned up the paint on the inside of the basement window until I started working in the bed this weekend. I need to get that paint scraped off so the window doesn't look so bad from outside. I'll just add that to my list of stuff to get done after Thanksgiving.
With that decision, that means that I DO need to insulate the walls in the garage and get it finished. Saturday my wife was up in Indy with a friend shopping. I had planned to go out to the garage, get things cleaned out, organize, and make room for a couple of motorcycles that are still out in the driveway. And my wife would have been ok with that, BUT the weather was perfect for yard work Saturday and I still have a ton of landscaping to do. My son wanted to do the leaves in the yard to pay off his debt to me, so I took a little time to take care of the leaves in the beds to make his job easier.
That led to me realizing that the landscaping bed on the side and part of the front of the house was a disaster. Full of leaves and weeds. I blew out the leaves and turned my son loose on the rest of the front yard. Then I weeded the bed and started putting down weed block and lava rock.
There was such a mess on the patio and driveway after I finished that little bed I needed to hose everything off.
My wife was shocked and happy when she got home.
Today we were supposed to get rain in the afternoon and I had seven 1cu. ft. bags of lava rock left so I tackled the area under the big holly bushes today.
That's when I ran out of both landscaping staples to hold the weed block in place and lava rock. So I had my son help me bag as many leaves from the long pile as we could. Then we blew what was left off to a corner where it's out of sight from the street and the front entrance. We're hosting Thanksgiving this year so I wanted the house to look a little nicer. My son pointed out that we'll actually need to mow the yard one more time before winter. I'm going to see if the weather cooperates on Tuesday so it will be looking good for Thanksgiving.
I really don't like doing yard work and I don't really care about having a "golf course caliber" manicured yard, but getting the beds cleaned and putting down the rock was a necessary evil I had to do. And now a big chunk of it is done.
There is a big section of the bed that has a ton of naturalized, native ferns in it.
Each dark spot is a fern and you can see that several have popped up outside of the bed in the yard. I have to move those back into the bed. Because they spread, I can't put down weed block in that section so it will just get a heavy layer of rock around the ferns. As I see new ferns trying to come up through the rock, I'll just have to move the rock out of the way. Weeds are not much of a problem in that area because the ferns block all the sun so the weeds don't have a chance to grow once the ferns open. About the only thing that does come up in that part of the bed are maple, redbud, and oak trees from the seeds that get dropped or buried by squirrels. They're easy enough to spot and pull out.
And I realized I never cleaned up the paint on the inside of the basement window until I started working in the bed this weekend. I need to get that paint scraped off so the window doesn't look so bad from outside. I'll just add that to my list of stuff to get done after Thanksgiving.
OP
BoilermakerFan
Well-known member
I realized I never posted this little update on the camper...
While camping the first weekend in November, I took a little time to install the new receptacle that has the built in USB charger ports:
It worked great!
The other end of the camper had a GFCI receptacle and it was originally installed to code with the grounds up. That ruled out installing a second USB receptacle and I had to flip the receptacle around.
I had to flip it over for this:
It has the built in USB charger and a night light that can be turned off! It will be perfect for the camper.
And the best part is it doesn't block the bottom receptacle and the cabinet door can still open 90 degrees:
I'm still going to replace the ceiling dome lights in the camper with dimmable LED units, but the night light will be a very handy feature to have in the camper. I have the two license plate lights and one light for the step on the outside of the camper that I need to swap out for LED units in the Spring. But the camper is pretty much ready to go once it gets warm again, I have all of the critical maintenance and repairs done on it. We'll need to make new curtains sometime in the spring and I need to replace the awning, but neither of those projects will keep us from being able to actually use the camper.
I had found a fantastic deal on a tandem axle hybrid travel trailer and I was just about to ask the wife for permission to upgrade when I decided to do a little more research on that particular model. That led to a discovery that while the Pilot is rated to tow 4400lbs and this travel trailer only weighed 3800lbs loaded; it wasn't going to work. The hybrid travel trailer has way too much frontal area and the wind drag would cause a lot of wear and stress on the transmission, plus absolutely kill the gas milage on the Pilot. So the Pilot is limited to puling pop-up campers or Hi-Lo stye trailers. I'll have to wait until I have the Ford Ranger before I start looking at used travel trailers.
While camping the first weekend in November, I took a little time to install the new receptacle that has the built in USB charger ports:
It worked great!
The other end of the camper had a GFCI receptacle and it was originally installed to code with the grounds up. That ruled out installing a second USB receptacle and I had to flip the receptacle around.
I had to flip it over for this:
It has the built in USB charger and a night light that can be turned off! It will be perfect for the camper.
And the best part is it doesn't block the bottom receptacle and the cabinet door can still open 90 degrees:
I'm still going to replace the ceiling dome lights in the camper with dimmable LED units, but the night light will be a very handy feature to have in the camper. I have the two license plate lights and one light for the step on the outside of the camper that I need to swap out for LED units in the Spring. But the camper is pretty much ready to go once it gets warm again, I have all of the critical maintenance and repairs done on it. We'll need to make new curtains sometime in the spring and I need to replace the awning, but neither of those projects will keep us from being able to actually use the camper.
I had found a fantastic deal on a tandem axle hybrid travel trailer and I was just about to ask the wife for permission to upgrade when I decided to do a little more research on that particular model. That led to a discovery that while the Pilot is rated to tow 4400lbs and this travel trailer only weighed 3800lbs loaded; it wasn't going to work. The hybrid travel trailer has way too much frontal area and the wind drag would cause a lot of wear and stress on the transmission, plus absolutely kill the gas milage on the Pilot. So the Pilot is limited to puling pop-up campers or Hi-Lo stye trailers. I'll have to wait until I have the Ford Ranger before I start looking at used travel trailers.
xtremek
Well-known member
Sounds like you've been busy. It's cool that you have some help (your son) to do those chores. Does the Ranger come in diesel? More grunt from a diesel. And I still can't see your pics
OP
BoilermakerFan
Well-known member
Sounds like you've been busy. It's cool that you have some help (your son) to do those chores. Does the Ranger come in diesel? More grunt from a diesel. And I still can't see your pics
My son is 13 now, he'd better be doing more yard work! When I was 13, I was making $80-$100 a week mowing lawns and I'd make $200 in a weekend cleaning up leaves.
Ford has a diesel engine in the Ranger globally, but the only engine offered in the US will be the 2.3L EcoBoost I4 for at least the first year of production. They might offer the V6 in the future or it may be a Bronco only offering. Ford has no plans to offer the diesel in the Ranger at this time. At first I was disappointed to read that, but TBH, with diesel running about 35%-40% more per gallon here, plus the cost premium up front; I'm not sure the diesel would really offer much benefit over the EcoBoost I4 over a 5-7 year time frame. Most articles I've read estimate the Ranger should get near 30mpg on the highway unloaded. The diesel might get 33mpg. For as little I as I would actually be towing relative to the rest of the miles, the numbers just don't add up. Plus the HP/TQ numbers for the 2.3L in the truck are tuned for low end grunt and you know there is more available with aftermarket tuning...
Heck, I may even go with a 4dr Bronco in 2021 if the wheelbase isn't shortened too much or it doesn't affect the tow rating by more than 1,000lbs. It's definitely a better looking vehicle, but Ford has been very quiet about what it will actually be.
There will be no Raptor version of the Ranger, but there probably will be a Raptor version of the Bronco too. I suspect the Raptor version will get a higher displacement EcoBoost V6, probably a retuned version of the one in the Tarus SHO. I have no inside info on that, it's just my forecast based on what I know about the Ranger's frame size and the fact that the Bronco will share that platform with the Ranger. Plus Ford won't pilfer sales from the F150 Raptor. If you want a V8, you'll have to go big...
Bummer that you still can't see my pics. Can you follow the link directly to the DropBox location?
OP
BoilermakerFan
Well-known member
Good news xtremek, no pics in this post! 
We hosted Thanksgiving this year for my family and friends. Planned on 14, but my sister was sick so we ended up with 11. The work for Thanksgiving started on the 19th...
I think I just finished the leftovers on Friday.
We missed all the winter weather that hit St. Louis, Chicago, Northern IN, and MI last week.
Yesterday was crazy warm so I headed out to the garage to straighten **** up. I still need to make room for the GL1100 and KZ650 inside the garage.
The motorcycle work table I built isn't going to work so I'm going to disassemble it. It's too narrow and too long, but it takes up too much room on the floor.
We hosted Thanksgiving this year for my family and friends. Planned on 14, but my sister was sick so we ended up with 11. The work for Thanksgiving started on the 19th...
I think I just finished the leftovers on Friday.
We missed all the winter weather that hit St. Louis, Chicago, Northern IN, and MI last week.
Yesterday was crazy warm so I headed out to the garage to straighten **** up. I still need to make room for the GL1100 and KZ650 inside the garage.
The motorcycle work table I built isn't going to work so I'm going to disassemble it. It's too narrow and too long, but it takes up too much room on the floor.
Strouty
Well-known member
That stinks about the work table, can it be repurposed or is it totally no go?
xtremek
Well-known member
Glad you missed the "fun" weather. Sounds like it was pretty wild in the middle of the country. I think my wife gave up on all of the remaining leftovers and pitched them. And what Strouty said?