1st Gen. Lunch Table - General Discussion

Thank you brother

 

As I've said, rear wheel drive doesn't work here when it snows. My eccentric mailman barely made it up our hill. Last year he was rocking some rear chains for a few days.

 

What is that walkie? That's an excellent idea. I'll might get one for my dad and I.

 

$63 BAOFENG BF-F8HP (UV-5R 3rd Gen) 8-Watt Dual Band Two-Way Radio (136-174MHz VHF & 400-520MHz UHF) Includes Full Kit with Large Battery

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00MAULSOK

 

This is a Baofeng, they are portable ham radios. They don't transmit with the amount of power as a dedicated ham radio setup. Technically need a ham license to transmit.

"Walkie-talkies" are generally FRS or GMRS radios and limited to set frequencies/ repeaters. These are the things that are sold in sporting goods stores. FRS doesn't require a license, but GMRS does. GMRS license is much easier to get than ham.

Newer Baofengs can't access FRS/GMRS frequencies from the factory, but older ones can.

 

Here is the table I use when I go camping to find my buddy’s when they are double digit channels

https://wiki.radioreference.com/index.php/FRS/GMRS_combined_channel_chart

 

Those are the FRS and GMRS channels and newer Baofengs are locked out from transmitting over those frequencies. Especially in crowded areas, you're much likely to have other cross traffic and kids messing around on a channel versus a random simplex frequency that can't be accessed by a GMRS/FRS.

 

If you want a legal walkie talkie that only requires a test free license get a pair of GMRS handhelds.

 

I'm a huge fan of Costco in general, but the I've had 2 of their interstate batteries die prematurely (different vehicles). Plus the interstate batteries are $125 and 3 year prorated warranty. I bought a Toyota battery from the dealer for $150 with an 8 year warranty. If you have time to wait for the online parts deal, it's $135.

 

It has begun.

 

Some good news. Citizens caught one of the dipshits starting these fires. https://x.com/financelancelot/status/1877555436322263534?s=46

Woodland Hills is one of 5 or so fires that started after the winds died down.

Buddy who’s a detective in LA told me yesterday police believe the fires are being started intentionally because “there are way too many far apart to happen naturally.”

 

I did my good deed for the day.



She was stuck in a drift after sliding and burned a hole in the snow under the tires. Had to pick my box up and had the boy dig the strap out of my cubby. I ended up using the LCA to pull her out. We celebrated with some waffle house.

I found some "deep" snow.



Whoever did these donuts is an absolute madlad.



Then the boy fell down.



It's about boot deep here.

 

So starter is next idea?

 

I guess if it continues yes, @ 295k I can't be mad at it. But I can still complain, and I will.
It was just 1 hiccup so far, so I'm gonna let it slide. Maybe even until I have to call a tow truck.
Teens and twenties temps really put a damper on my motivation to spend hours in my driveway.

 

literally “bringing home the mail”

 

Sad fail for the once glorious US Mail.
“come rain, sleet, snow or shine”. Probably due to budget cuts. What is that mail minivan mobile anyway?

 

KO3's did great. I went up my hill in 2WD.

 

It’s definitely a job that i would not want to do in the colder temps.

Back when i was swapping the two engines between my 2000 and 2004 tundra, i did a little experimenting to see if there was any other way to remove the starter without removing the plenum. If the rear of the engine can be tilted down a smidge, the starter can slip out the back. You have to remove that cast aluminum crossover coolant bracket though (which is quick and easy to do). It’s a tight fit, but i did manage to squeeze it between the firewall and the plenum. That technique would only work if there’s no transmission (or no transmission mount) installed. Simply because the back of the engine wouldn’t be able to be tilted down with either of those items in place.

If you had a 2” body lift, then the technique might work as well?

Another option that might possibly work (but i wouldn’t want to test this theory in the dead of winter) is to remove both of the engine mounts and lower the engine down (with a cherry picker of course) a couple inches. Then the starter might be able to be squeezed out through the back. The engine mounts on a tundra can be removed and installed pretty darn easily, but the juice may not be worth the squeeze when compared to removing the plenum? These are just some random thoughts that i’ve been having.

 

@des2mtn & @Voss , you guys ok over that way?

 

I'm currently unaffected but ready to go at a moment's notice. Wind has been pretty bad.

 

Yes, I know. Lmk if I can help in any way.

 

BroHon crushed by transmission, dies in driveway. "What was he doing?" Changing the starter
I'm not really intimidated by it, I've had almost everything BUT that disassembled in there.
And maybe it will fix an undiscovered leak and drop my idle below 900rpm.
Mayzle do my valve covers while I'm at it and make it a fkn Fel-Pro party.

 

Not a job I'd want to do in the cold. At all. My advice I'd make sure you have every gasket and o-ring necessary. It will make the job go smoother. Some people don't disconnect the coolant crossover at the rear of the block, but I did. It helped facilitate ease of access, and I figured those gaskets needed replaced after 200k anyway. Unless you're @KNABORES and a beast. Lol! I still don't know how he did it with his method.

Edit: and if you don't have the larger, more powerful starter now, get it. It's actually cheaper than the standard one. Toyota refers to it as part of the 'Cold weather package'.

 

Costco battery acquired. Had to pull it and take the wife’s GX to swap it, but at least I got to drive in a little bit. Some kids got their dad’s trucks stuck in a field, but I was hauling ass and having fun so I didn’t stop LOL.

 

Is that a salted road I see you on, @khooiii?

 

I didn't realize all that was involved in replacing the started on the 2UZ. I'm not bragging, but the 5VZ is super simple. I've had it out 3x, changed it once. I don't envy you guys with that job at all.

 

No salt. This road like most of my area got zero treatment. Just a good ol’ dirt road!

 

No, they don't use salt there.

The 2UZ is kind of laborious, but if one has never done it before, the trick is to have all parts on hand. Just do it all while you're there and be done with it. Having done it once now, I can confidently say I could probably do it in half the time as before now that I know what's involved.

 

Let me tell you about the time I put a new starter in when all I had was a loose ground cable. LOL