MatthewMay1
amateur professional
Yep. I wanted to get the most out of the 15W radio and the center of the roof is the best place to mount an antenna. It’s not so bad when the antenna is only 3.5” tall
What have you done to your ride lately?
- Thread starter jdmcq
- Start date
MatthewMay1
amateur professional
I have discovered something disappointing. One of the local repeaters that’s on top of a building in downtown Dallas says it has a 20-30 mile radius but it has a different DCS privacy code for TX and RX. It doesn’t appear that the MXT115 is capable of tuning one code for TX and a different code for RX. That means I can ride around and monitor the repeater but not able to transmit to it. That sucks....I’m sure that’s going to be the case as I get more into this. Lame, bro.
The mygmrs.com map shows most towers needing login info; but the FB GMRS page I follow a lot of the guys say there are lots of open repeaters too. Sadly a lot of them seem to be in the NE and MidWest area. I would like to have the resources to put up a public use repeater if nothing else to help promote the use of GMRS.
But then again my general use for it is for specific range/trail use so at most a mobile basecamp repeater would do everything I am looking for.
But then again my general use for it is for specific range/trail use so at most a mobile basecamp repeater would do everything I am looking for.
MatthewMay1
amateur professional
The login info is just the DCS/CTCSS privacy code information that you put for specific channels on your radio. The one in Dallas has the codes listed publicly but there are two different ones. I need to get in tough with the owners of the repeaters in Rockwall and Forney and see if those are single or split tone (I think that’s what it’s called). I should be able to hit them with my mobile radio
MatthewMay1
amateur professional
Today was another productive day. I adjusted the new points that I put in the ‘51 Chevy a little over a month ago and it started up on the first crank of the starter. I was blown away! I went ahead and let it run for about 20 minutes since this was the first time I attempted to start it since the snow storm. Next for that truck will be to clean out and reinstall the fuel tank with a new pump/filter. I’ve been gravity feeding fuel to the carb to run the engine.
After that I put the Tundra in the shop in order to begin prepping for the steering rack swap. I got the front diff removed and put it up on the bench. Holy shit that thing must be every bit of 80 pounds or more! I figured while the steering rack is shipping, I can be troubleshooting the 4x4 actuator on the front diff. I already went through the transfer case actuator in February and found it to be functioning normally.
Do you ever take something apart and then instantly have regret and spend the following hour and a half cursing yourself saying “why the hell did I think this was a good idea”? Well I sure did. I took apart the motor housing of the actuator and it was like a damn jack-in-the-box of tiny electrical contacts and springs. It took me forever to put it back together with a surgeon’s precision and the smallest screwdrivers and picks I have. I was hoping to open it up and find a ton of corrosion, but it looked clean as a whistle. FML, now I’m going to try to track down a wiring diagram to see if I can bench test the actuator with a 12V source to see if the electric motor moves like it should.
At least with the diff removed, I have what appears to be easy access to the steering rack for R&R once the new one arrives. Not quite sure how I’m going to get the diff back in....might have to enlist help from the neighbor to operate the jack while I line it up.
After that I put the Tundra in the shop in order to begin prepping for the steering rack swap. I got the front diff removed and put it up on the bench. Holy shit that thing must be every bit of 80 pounds or more! I figured while the steering rack is shipping, I can be troubleshooting the 4x4 actuator on the front diff. I already went through the transfer case actuator in February and found it to be functioning normally.
Do you ever take something apart and then instantly have regret and spend the following hour and a half cursing yourself saying “why the hell did I think this was a good idea”? Well I sure did. I took apart the motor housing of the actuator and it was like a damn jack-in-the-box of tiny electrical contacts and springs. It took me forever to put it back together with a surgeon’s precision and the smallest screwdrivers and picks I have. I was hoping to open it up and find a ton of corrosion, but it looked clean as a whistle. FML, now I’m going to try to track down a wiring diagram to see if I can bench test the actuator with a 12V source to see if the electric motor moves like it should.
At least with the diff removed, I have what appears to be easy access to the steering rack for R&R once the new one arrives. Not quite sure how I’m going to get the diff back in....might have to enlist help from the neighbor to operate the jack while I line it up.
Wow that is a stupid clean actuator. As for installing it again - pull the rear transmission mount bolts and jack up the transmission a half inch or so. It makes rolling the front axle back into place a lot easier.
Silverback
Lima Gulf Bravo Foxtrot Juliet Bravo
Taco stared in a bukkake film today. 
Man that foam cannon is awesome! Still needs to be clay bar'd but it looks 10x better!
Man that foam cannon is awesome! Still needs to be clay bar'd but it looks 10x better!
Silverback
Lima Gulf Bravo Foxtrot Juliet Bravo
This stuff works awesome!!
Silverback
Lima Gulf Bravo Foxtrot Juliet Bravo
I did.. it hooks to the pressure washer. Works awesome.
balakay
BabyMax
I'd like a pressure washer and a foam cannon. Just can't really justify it just for washing cars and don't have much other use for it at the moment. I have the Chemical Guys one that just hooks to a water hose though but haven't used it yet. Everytime I wash the cars I just take them to a quarter wash and use their pressure washer. Need to take the 4Runner out to my parents' house where it'll actually fit in the garage and claybar/wax it. Maybe I'll find time to do that sometime this week between getting the new insurance setup, getting quotes for the shower re-do, and dealing with the mortgage refi. Nothing I hate more than dealing with people on the phone and this week is going to be full of it.
Silverback
Lima Gulf Bravo Foxtrot Juliet Bravo
Those quarter wash places are like 8-track players around here. I can think of 2 within about 15 miles. Both suck. Used to be several close by.
MatthewMay1
amateur professional
I bought one of the foam cannons that screws on the regular water hose. On the foam bottle it says to add 2oz to the jug and fill the rest with warm water. Mine hardly foamed at all, but it was soapy enough to wash the pollen off my truck without me needing to use a sponge. I guess it works good enough for light dirt and mild road grime but if the truck is properly dirty I don’t think it’ll work well, unless I add a hell of a lot more soap. It surely didn’t produce anywhere near the amount of foam from a powerwasher attachment. I didn’t expect it to, but I was hoping it would foam more than it did.
Silverback
Lima Gulf Bravo Foxtrot Juliet Bravo
I filled mine full of soap.. plugged it it and it was game on.
Silverback
Lima Gulf Bravo Foxtrot Juliet Bravo
I bought one for my dad 3 years ago or so for farm equipment, he loves it.
balakay
BabyMax
I had one from another company a few years ago. It worked pretty well. Foamed up quite a bit. But I didn't like how it applied it. Kind of just fell out the end of the gun like a water hose. The one from Chemical Guys has a tip on it that looks like it'll put a bit more pressure behind it. I'll try it out one day. Either way, it'll have to be good enough to soap it up. I can just run down the road and use the pressure washer at the quarter wash if I need to get heavy stuff off of it.
Silverback
Lima Gulf Bravo Foxtrot Juliet Bravo
Hook it to your dads pressure washer.
balakay
BabyMax
I doubt that thing even runs. Probably hasn't been started in 10 years.
Silverback
Lima Gulf Bravo Foxtrot Juliet Bravo
replace the carb.. $20.. #winning.
MatthewMay1
amateur professional
I am also a fan of the quarter wash powerwashers. No muddying up my driveway and I get to practice my Spanish while I’m at it
My water hose foam cannon is the Chemical Guys one. It didn’t work like it showed in the pictures. Maybe I need to fill the entire canister with soap, but then I’d be using a ton more soap than I usually would for a wash job
My water hose foam cannon is the Chemical Guys one. It didn’t work like it showed in the pictures. Maybe I need to fill the entire canister with soap, but then I’d be using a ton more soap than I usually would for a wash job