The Automotive Thread

[Road Guy]

If thats all it is that seems like not much for $5K?  Maybe a nicer tire package and some electronics?  I never trust hitting a button will help me "off road"

At least with the Rubicon you get an actual front axle upgrade, oh I forgot, Toyota's dont do front axles any more..

Were looking to phase 2 of life when the youngest is out of HS and want to do some camping up Montana, Idaho, etc and would like to either get a small tear drop trailer or something that would be easy for this to pull. Wouldn't mind one of those roof top tents but they are a no go in Grizzly country..

 

[Supe]

I think it might be different wheels, too, but...

 

[envirotex]

Were looking to phase 2 of life when the youngest is out of HS and want to do some camping up Montana, Idaho, etc and would like to either get a small tear drop trailer or something that would be easy for this to pull. Wouldn't mind one of those roof top tents but they are a no go in Grizzly country..

Same...Mini-Tex is out the door this fall. 

We're building one of these in the shop...Can't decide between the tent on top or the flip up roof.  Seems like the tent on top would really be better for overlanding, just because you don't lose interior storage space, but I don't think it's as cool...

 

[Road Guy]

I really like the roof top tents -  but the places we want to go usually require metal due to the bears!

 

[envirotex]

I thought roof top tents were preferable for bear-proofing...I think the flip top is the better option, but I think it cuts out some interior storage space.

 

[Road Guy]

The places we eyeballed for camping just require a metal “tent” / RV to stay there.

But I don’t know where I will store this trailer if we ever actually do it....

 

[Master slacker]

Ordered several things for the wife's Rav4 - front control arms, ball joints, and brake / rotor kit.  Suspension parts came in Tuesday.  Brake parts were supposed to be delivered by end of day tomorrow... then it didn't get picked up from the warehouse, therefore it was pushed out to Monday... then yesterday (for no stated reason) it is scheduled for Tuesday delivery... and NOW the bar code is "unreadable and replaced" so delivery is for next Wednesday.  Ugh.  My fault for waiting until the pads are razor thin before getting to their replacement but got dam!

 

[jeb6294]

I think the TRD package gets you shocks, a skid plate, and a fancy shift knob, lol.

Biggest thing it gets you is the $3,400 "TRD" sticker on the bed.

 

[Road Guy]

That's sort of what we were thinking.. I think the next model down from TRD has what she needs.  I think the lack of heated seats sucks at this option though, its very much appreciated here

She dropped the idea of the 4runner, which is what she always wanted.  But I think the tacoma offers some more options for what we can do in terms of doing some travel camping and such.

 

[envirotex]

Ordered several things for the wife's Rav4 - front control arms, ball joints, and brake / rotor kit.  Suspension parts came in Tuesday.  Brake parts were supposed to be delivered by end of day tomorrow... then it didn't get picked up from the warehouse, therefore it was pushed out to Monday... then yesterday (for no stated reason) it is scheduled for Tuesday delivery... and NOW the bar code is "unreadable and replaced" so delivery is for next Wednesday.  Ugh.  My fault for waiting until the pads are razor thin before getting to their replacement but got dam!

Better watch the rotors...No braking until next week.

 

[MA_PE]

Better watch the rotors...No braking until next week.

New rotors coming.....grind away :laugh:

 

[Road Guy]

So last weekend I finally replaced my serpentine drive belt (& what a PIA that was)  never had one that made you remove the actual housing bracket for the alternator before - one of those jobs where it takes you longer to remove **** to get to the belt than it did to actually replace the belt.  I had to order this strange tension release device to even release the tension on the belt & I was glad I did because even a really long breaker bar wouldnt have done it

But it had been squeaking pretty bad, I cleaned and greased the pulleys (one was stuck) but it still does some squeaking?  Id say its 90% less squeaking - normally while idling.. I don't know if I didn't get the pulleys all 100% free?  But I dont want to do that **** again.. The old belt didnt seem to have any signs of wear and tear (but its at 115K miles)  - Alternator is also new and I tested it and its cranking out the amperage that its supposed to?

Any thoughts?? I may just continue to turn the radio up loud..

 

[MA_PE]

I know Ford wants you to replace the tensioner pulley when the belt is replaced.  Not sure about other brands.

 

[Road Guy]

that would be a PIA on this model....

 

[Road Guy]

The red one, lol

View attachment 17751

so one of you guys was supposed to ask if I had checked all the bolts on the carrier to make sure they were tight, well all the bolts in the yellow side were pretty loose, so at lunch I got out the impact gun and after a few oompa loomp's  they should be tight for a while

 

[blybrook PE]

so one of you guys was supposed to ask if I had checked all the bolts on the carrier to make sure they were tight, well all the bolts in the yellow side were pretty loose, so at lunch I got out the impact gun and after a few oompa loomp's  they should be tight for a while

They appear to have lock washers, so if they were tight to begin with, they shouldn't have rattled loose. Did you add any "blue" loc-tite to them?

Are they course or fine thread? I believe I recall you stating that they could be metric. Hell, beg or borrow a welder and just tack the suckers in place. See them come loose now!

 

[Road Guy]

they are metric (thanks china) & they do have lock nuts .  Maybe it just needed to be re tightened after some driving around..   I didnt add any loc tite to them but will grab some..  Drove around our ****** developer built Bloomfield, CO roads (that have a sewer lateral every 200 FT that caused the road to bump) & no squeaky!  

 

[snickerd3]

Had to get 4 new tires this weekend.  I swear someone must go around pounding nails into peoples tires or this style of tire is just too weak.  I noticed Friday night when  I left the store that there was a huge *** nail sticking out of the tire.  I just replaced a tire in late february for the same reason...and also about 6 months before that.  It always ends up in the sidewall...never in a place they can just plug.  Two new tires (Essentially) and two old tires with different enough thread wear, the tire place wouldn't do it.  But they did give only charge me for two of the four, other two were still new enough for warranty replacement.    

 

[Road Guy]

Is there a lot of residential or commercial construction near you?  I recall going through several years with that and its so annoying.

 

[snickerd3]

not really.  Just the new home being built down the street but i purposely go the other direction to avoid that scenario.