SQOD Squad - Stupid Question Of the Day (8 Viewers)

[Mutant]

Yeah, I’d love to hear your review of them in actual use.

My truck is definitely used for adventuring, but I found that still doesn’t mean it needs to look worn. I figured I can easily switch a fitted canvas top that has cutouts for all the little features on the console and not have to deal with those straps. Then make the same pockets onto that.

Might be the same reason I don’t have their seat covers, I figured why spend $1k on seat covers and still have leather under there that still needs to be maintained. I could just replace the leather itself with a cotton canvas and have a better product at the end.

I don’t know man, I’m just thinking outloud, I might also be too jaded from so many products I’ve bought over the years that I found could of just been so much better.

I agree. I considered buying the Escape Gear seat covers until I saw the price. At over $600 just for the front seats it doesn't make sense. IMO, the dash cover is too expensive as well but I haven't found a cheaper alternative for adding storage pockets to the dash that look halfway decent.

I'm with you on being careful buying aftermarket gear. A lot of it is not worth the money or trouble, despite the seeming popularity online. I usually take my time reading reviews and researching products before I actually buy. Treat these things as investments and weigh the cost vs true benefits. I have to admit I've been buying a lot this year though... trying to complete the LC setup before work gets super busy next year.

Also, maybe you can do like ConcreteJungle suggested and make a cheap mod to the saddle bags to reduce wear/etc? If you do end up fabbing your own I'd be interested in seeing the end result.

 

[Mutant]

But it doesn’t need to be.

I have to agree with Higgins. Almost every part or gear addition will have some sort of compromise or trade-off. (Loss of space and addition of weight, "opportunity loss", etc)It's up to the individual to decide if it's worth it or not. Even our trucks come with compromises that we've accepted (MPG being a big one) because we decided other aspects make up for the negatives.

 

[Taco2Cruiser]

I have to agree with Higgins. Almost every part or gear addition will have some sort of compromise or trade-off. (Loss of space and addition of weight, "opportunity loss", etc)It's up to the individual to decide if it's worth it or not. Even our trucks come with compromises that we've accepted (MPG being a big one) because we decided other aspects make up for the negatives.

Oh, I’m with everyone on there are compromises, like the examples you mentioned.

Some times you just can’t beat physics. Heavy off-road tires get worse mileage, armor takes away from payload capacity, and so on. I’m so with you on those facts and couldn’t agree more.

But I also feel that if we don’t push ourselves to not accept limitations, we would still be running dirty leaded fuel motors, with terrible road manners, and so on.

Your dash cover example is a great explanation. I feel the same way, I don’t like the sticky Velcro tape that will eventually leave nasty residue on the expensive dash. But I can’t think of a better way to secure it. So there for I’m interested. Not for the sun protection (because I’m making the dash worse off because of the sticky tape) but for the storage.

If I can’t think of a better way to do something, then I usually buy it and find out if it’s good or not.

It’s when I look at something and say, “why didn’t they just do that.” Escape gear obviously can make nice fitted products that go around things, like the dash cover, why didn’t they do that for the saddle bag? Because it’s not a good product, and they got lazy. Well I can build it better.

Like my drawer system, I like ARB drawers, but I knew I could get more storage, with better functionality, with less weight, for almost the same price.

Or my armor, I didn’t feel anyone made armor worth my money, so I had better armor made.

While I don’t have them, look at Ridge Grappler tires. Only a bro-rig driving pavement princess would want a road tire that looks like an aggressive off road tire. But by not accepting compromises, it looks like it is a solid off-road tire that acts as a great road tire,

Is it perfect, no, but it’s better than yesterday’s tires, and because of that, tomorrow’s tires will be even better. All because we didn’t accept compromises.

Nothing breeds better products like letting a business either fail or realize their products suck, and then we will get a better products. Either the company will realize their products is inferior, or they fail and a better company fills the void.

It might be a $30 products, but $30 is a half a tank of gas. And I can have a lot more fun with 130 mile range in my 200, than a storage pocket that pulls on my e-brake boot.

 

[KLF]

I just now snapped this with a flashlight.
You can clearly see the embedded flat-wire within the glass on my windshield that make up the heating element.
But...it's a CHOICE when replacing windshields. If someone added a windshield to your rig, they might have chosen to skip it to save about $70....

See the lines in the photo here (the brighter red line is just a drop of water that magnified it in that spot) :

View attachment 1594877

Thanks @Markuson, that photo is very helpful. Just checked mine again, no wires at all. One more "repair" I'm gonna have to think about (along with my busted recirc damper). This one seems a little more relevant and a useful feature in this climate, but still... Not a cheap fix.

 

[TonyP]

Go into yard.
Pick up rock.
Toss rock at windshield.
Call insurance company.
Get new windshield.

 

[brasskey]

Thanks @Markuson, that photo is very helpful. Just checked mine again, no wires at all. One more "repair" I'm gonna have to think about (along with my busted recirc damper). This one seems a little more relevant and a useful feature in this climate, but still... Not a cheap fix.

Does yours have a black bar across the bottom (no visible wire lines). That’s how’s my Pilkington replacement glass was set up. If you pop the plastic piece in front of hood, you can also see some wires coming from the bottom of the glass (if it’s there). Or, you could have a glass without it as @Markuson mentioned. I had a defective Pilkington windshield and I noticed the heat didn’t work properly after installed. They replaced with another manufacturer after we confirmed heat wasn’t going to glass.

 

[40Man]

Thanks @Markuson, that photo is very helpful. Just checked mine again, no wires at all. One more "repair" I'm gonna have to think about (along with my busted recirc damper). This one seems a little more relevant and a useful feature in this climate, but still... Not a cheap fix.

Just noticed that my wipers sit much higher than the wiper heating strips. I have an OEM windshield. Wondering if perhaps the wipers are larger than spec making them sit too high. Odd. I can clearly see from the picture from @Markuson that the wiper should rest on the element wires...

 

[gaijin]

Just noticed that my wipers sit much higher than the wiper heating strips. I have an OEM windshield. Wondering if perhaps the wipers are larger than spec making them sit too high. Odd. I can clearly see from the picture from @Markuson that the wiper should rest on the element wires...

I wouldn't worry too much, mine don't look like the @Markuson picture either. I have the original windshield and stock wiper blades (Markuson's blade looks short to me, BTW).

Here is a close-up of my passenger side:

End of wiper blade sits just at the top of the heater array.

In the center of the windshield, where the heater connects to car wiring, this is what mine looks like:

As a comment, I think this heater is designed to prevent the wiper blades from freezing to the windshield, not to clear the windshield.

HTH

 

[40Man]

I wouldn't worry too much, mine don't look like the @Markuson picture either. I have the original windshield and stock wiper blades (Markuson's blade looks short to me, BTW).

Here is a close-up of my passenger side:

End of wiper blade sits just at the top of the heater array.

In the center of the windshield, where the heater connects to car wiring, this is what mine looks like:

As a comment, I think this heater is designed to prevent the wiper blades from freezing to the windshield, not to clear the windshield.

HTH

Thanks. I'll have to take a picture of mine. They are sitting MUCH higher, they don't even get close to the heater elements. I may try a different blade. And I agree that they are not designed to clear the windshield, just unfreeze the blade on startup.

 

[Markuson]

I wouldn't worry too much, mine don't look like the @Markuson picture either. I have the original windshield and stock wiper blades (Markuson's blade looks short to me, BTW).

Here is a close-up of my passenger side:

End of wiper blade sits just at the top of the heater array.

In the center of the windshield, where the heater connects to car wiring, this is what mine looks like:

As a comment, I think this heater is designed to prevent the wiper blades from freezing to the windshield, not to clear the windshield.

HTH

Exactly. All it's doing is de-icing your blade's resting spot so that when you turn your wipers on, it won't be stuck.

 

[kevinfoutch]

Exactly. All it's doing is de-icing your blade's resting spot so that when you turn your wipers on, it won't be stuck.

I believe it also helps melt the accumulated snow that might get trapped inside the wiper blade frame / mechanism during a leisurely drive in a white out.

 

[TonyP]

Who knows the length and diameter (at the largest part) of an OEM CV axle?
I "acquired" a metal box at work that might fit perfectly for a spare axle.

 

[TexAZ]

@TonyP I can measure one tonight...I still have a collection from the Moab trip

 

[Willy beamin]

@TonyP I can measure one tonight...I still have a collection from the Moab trip

Borrow a friends forge and make some knives outta them

 

[40Man]

I wouldn't worry too much, mine don't look like the @Markuson picture either. I have the original windshield and stock wiper blades (Markuson's blade looks short to me, BTW).

Here is a close-up of my passenger side:

End of wiper blade sits just at the top of the heater array.

In the center of the windshield, where the heater connects to car wiring, this is what mine looks like:

As a comment, I think this heater is designed to prevent the wiper blades from freezing to the windshield, not to clear the windshield.

HTH

Looks like my wiper arms needed an adjustment. Just popped the cover off, lifted the arm to remove spring tension, loosened the nut and repositioned the arm so the wipers sit on top of the heat elements. Each wiper is now completely resting on the heat element.

 

[Markuson]

Borrow a friends forge and make some knives outta them

Just don't do what this fan of the show, "Forged in Fire" did...

Man Inspired by TV Show ‘Forged in Fire’ Sets Off Huge Blaze, Officials Say

 

[apachechef]

used smartcard keys need more than techstream to use w/new car?
dealership or 200$ usb code calculator?

 

[TonyP]

Borrow a friends forge and make some knives outta them

They are pretty sharp. I think I still have a chunk of his CV embedded in my left knee. That thing bled for hours...

 

[Atwalz]

They are pretty sharp. I think I still have a chunk of his CV embedded in my left knee. That thing bled for hours...

I think that my hammering skill. My bad.

 

[TexAZ]

I figured the searing hot grease flying everywhere would have cauterized the wound shut.
that stuff was EVERYWHERE.