Topic: What did you do to your non-motorcycle vehicle today?

[Terry in Australia]

Thanks John, yeah we’re lucky that we don’t have snow here, and salt spread on our roads, so the only rust we needed to clean up was where the crappy plywood was bolted to the top rails, and it wasn’t deep. Kelly, that trailer looks great, I like those round fenders, looks much better than the crappy ones on mine, but no biggie, as long as we can haul bikes with it safely we’ll be happy.

[grcamna2]

My favorite way to make a trailer is to use an old travel trailer frame. Our favorite is the 69' travel trailer we made into a 7'x12' flatbed with a 12" high railing. It has a single 4500lb axle and last year we replaced the plywood deck with steel diamond plate.

We have a dual axle travel trailer out back that we'll turn into a 19' deck flatbed. It's an excellent candidate for a flatbed since it's frame is made out of rectangular box section tubing instead of C channel.

That's a good,large heavy duty trailer.

[madmtnmotors]

The only bike I have with ABS is my old BMW K100RS, the first model with ABS, and to be honest I don’t know if it works or not. I’ve never locked the brakes up with it, which I have done on my Triumph Rocket III and my VFR750, but luckily both times because I overshot the driveway into my storage unit and didn’t have anything to run into.

It’ll be interesting if you notice any difference now that you’ve deleted the ABS on your car after driving it for a few years with the ABS functioning. The ABS on my (long gone, sadly) BMW R1100GS was able to be switched off for riding on dirt roads, and the only difference I noticed was that the brakes felt more responsive when the ABS was switched off. ABS on the later GS range was problematic because it was connected to the ECU and if it wasn’t working it would put the bike into “limp mode”. The only fix available then was to replace the ABS module, but someone here in Oz found a way of fixing it that saved around $2K over buying a new module. Let us know if you notice any difference now.

I doubt that I'll notice any difference since I do not drive in a manner that requires me to rely on the ABS feature. I grew up in the snow belt driving old V8 equipped rear wheel drive vehicles. Want to learn how a car handles? Drive an old V8 rear wheel drive sled in blizzard conditions! 

I'll be pressing the Mustang back into commuter duty this week so time will tell. 

[Terry in Australia]

Yep, not something that I’d want to contemplate mate, I hate cold weather enough without snow to add to my misery. There are a lot of awful drivers here in Oz, who unknowingly rely heavily on ABS who would probably kill themselves if they drove an old car without it, but old farts like us rarely need to use it, because we weren’t brought up playing “Grand theft auto”, and don’t drive like we’re playing a computer game.

I got taken out twice last year by young d1ckheads who were driving like idiots, but my only “at fault” insurance claim was when I hit a massive pothole riding back from Hervey Bay last year which wrecked the bike I was riding, but you can’t claim against the various state governments here just because their roads are at fault so I had to take that one, which still pisses me off after riding/driving for the last 50 years without causing a crash. I suppose I should be happy that I walked away unscathed.

[Stev-o]

Nothing exciting done on the Tacoma, but I did have an annoying slow leak on the LR tire. Rather than driving the truck to the tire shop and waiting 1+ hours for the repair, I prefer to pull it, drop it off and pick it up once repaired. [Discount tires repairs flat for free].
Plus I get the pleasure of borrowing my buddies '72 El Camino for the drive to the tire shop!

[70CB750]

Nothing exciting done on the Tacoma, but I did have an annoying slow leak on the LR tire. Rather than driving the truck to the tire shop and waiting 1+ hours for the repair, I prefer to pull it, drop it off and pick it up once repaired. [Discount tires repairs flat for free].
Plus I get the pleasure of borrowing my buddies '72 El Camino for the drive to the tire shop!

My tractor tire had a slow leak forever. I had bad experience with the green slime so I went with TireJect.  The tire is holding pressure now for two month. 

[Gurp]

Had 3 tires getting low. Felt lazy so drove the ole lady's ride to work. she was parked where my air hose would reach and I couldn't have been bothered to shuffle it around

[dave500]

that elcamino looks elterrifico!

[madmtnmotors]

we weren’t brought up playing “Grand theft auto”, and don’t drive like we’re playing a computer game.

Exactly! 

[Stev-o]

that elcamino looks elterrifico!

The elcamino runs elterrifico too [350 V8 Auto] but the brakes are getting scary!
Feels like the master cylinder is on it's last leg, we will be servicing it next week.

https://www.summitracing.com/parts/sum-760100?srsltid=AfmBOor4zsUkW0q8JSmutYy8C76DeZav8CFJIQyYRoaIce6Aa4B4y8_-oRM

[BenelliSEI]

Thanks John, yeah we’re lucky that we don’t have snow here, and salt spread on our roads, so the only rust we needed to clean up was where the crappy plywood was bolted to the top rails, and it wasn’t deep. Kelly, that trailer looks great, I like those round fenders, looks much better than the crappy ones on mine, but no biggie, as long as we can haul bikes with it safely we’ll be happy.

Terry…….. More trailer stuff. My 25 year old, 4’ X 8’ ramp trailer has rotted away. The only thing holding it together is the eight lengths of 2” X 6” pressure treated lumber I bolted in as flooring, 10 years ago!

Finally found a replacement and am headed out to have a look this afternoon. All aluminum, Tor-Flex axle, removable tail gate/ramp. Total weight is 399 lbs. Kept indoors all the time, he only used it “to haul 60 lbs. tanks of propane to his cottage, probably 10 kilometres/ year”. Offered him 1/2 the price of a new one and he accepted. More news later.

[Kelly E]

Thanks John, yeah we’re lucky that we don’t have snow here, and salt spread on our roads, so the only rust we needed to clean up was where the crappy plywood was bolted to the top rails, and it wasn’t deep. Kelly, that trailer looks great, I like those round fenders, looks much better than the crappy ones on mine, but no biggie, as long as we can haul bikes with it safely we’ll be happy.

Terry…….. More trailer stuff. My 25 year old, 4’ X 8’ ramp trailer has rotted away. The only thing holding it together is the eight lengths of 2” X 6” pressure treated lumber I bolted in as flooring, 10 years ago!

Finally found a replacement and am headed out to have a look this afternoon. All aluminum, Tor-Flex axle, removable tail gate/ramp. Total weight is 399 lbs. Kept indoors all the time, he only used it “to haul 60 lbs. tanks of propane to his cottage, probably 10 kilometres/ year”. Offered him 1/2 the price of a new one and he accepted. More news later.

Nice score on that trailer buddy. It looks real good.

[BenelliSEI]

Kelly….. a few paint splats, but otherwise very clean. No damage, tows like it’s not there! Ramp portion can be popped out, separate from tailgate, when not required.  Extremely well built. I’m pleased!

[Terry in Australia]

I love that ramp John, and am thinking of building one for my trailer. It’d be nice to just ride a bike onto the trailer. Good score!

[grcamna2]

Kelly….. a few paint splats, but otherwise very clean. No damage, tows like it’s not there! Ramp portion can be popped out, separate from tailgate, when not required.  Extremely well built. I’m pleased!

Very nice trailer John   

[BenelliSEI]

Thanks guys! The ramp is neat, pull two pins and the top portion is removable when not needed. I’m chuffed!

[Terry in Australia]

Yes I’d like to build a full width ramp for my trailer John, maybe make it so it’ll fold into two or 3 sections so that I can see what’s behind me while I’m towing it.

[dave500]

my mate next door is crazy about  Leyland P76s,he has a few of them,all v8s,one has a #$%*ed borg warner 35 so bought this less motor for its single rail 4 speed,these have an oddball output spline not like ford or chrysler?he has tipper and bob cats and mini excavators etc so easy so to speak to get it out and on a trailer,only 18000 of these were made so a rare animal!he will sell on the body with doors and trunk lid etc once hes taken what he needs,converting an auto to manual on rare birds like these?you need all the obscure clutch pedal under dash box and linkages etc.

[BenelliSEI]

Yes I’d like to build a full width ramp for my trailer John, maybe make it so it’ll fold into two or 3 sections so that I can see what’s behind me while I’m towing it.

Terry….. if you use screen on a frame it doesn’t block the view at all. I towed this one home with the ramp on and never even noticed it.

[ofreen]

The trouble with those tall expanded metal tailgate ramps is that even with the holes, it acts like pulling a drag chute.  The faster you go, the worse it is.  My dad has a trailer like that and we were surprised how much it cut into fuel economy at freeway speeds.  Air doesn't go through those holes like you think it would.  The smaller the engine on the towing vehicle, the bigger the effect. We ended up by ditching the tailgate for bike hauling and got some aluminum ramps.

[Tracksnblades1]

The trouble with those tall expanded metal tailgate ramps is that even with the holes, it acts like pulling a drag chute.  The faster you go, the worse it is.  My dad has a trailer like that and we were surprised how much it cut into fuel economy at freeway speeds.  Air doesn't go through those holes like you think it would.  The smaller the engine on the towing vehicle, the bigger the effect. We ended up by ditching the tailgate for bike hauling and got some aluminum ramps.

Exactly, I have a 15k tandem with heavy duty axles and 12ply tires. It has the long channel iron with 3/16 angle iron welded across the channels. The individual ramps are so heavy they utilize springs that load as you lower the ramps to assist raising them. Even though there probably 6 inch between the angle iron, it’s definitely as you say, a drag chute..
We use a Super Duty Diesels to pull it. My son has tunes in the two we use to pull it so neither the shifter or auto cares. It’s just like you say “more fuel” whether your loaded or empty…

[BenelliSEI]

The trouble with those tall expanded metal tailgate ramps is that even with the holes, it acts like pulling a drag chute.  The faster you go, the worse it is.  My dad has a trailer like that and we were surprised how much it cut into fuel economy at freeway speeds.  Air doesn't go through those holes like you think it would.  The smaller the engine on the towing vehicle, the bigger the effect. We ended up by ditching the tailgate for bike hauling and got some aluminum ramps.

You’re right, good points. This trailer has two “pip pins” you pull and lift the top 2/3 of the ramp out, when not needed. It’s aluminium too, and weights nothing. I’ll make some brackets so it will stand (lengthwise) in a back corner.

[dave500]

mate has an old 1951 F truck,has a 350 chevy though,he rang me broken down,i get out there and find no spark,has one of those coil in cap and module inside dizzys,i checked fuses and power to dissy and said gotta be the module,which it was,but man oh man getting that cap of against the curved forward fire wall,sheezze?i think youd have to move the motor if the dissy ever had to be pulled?anyway i drove and got one so all going again,he filled my tank and got me lunch.

[Don R]

  I changed the oil in my wife's Accord. It seems to have lessened the start-up rattle from the valve timing gadget. I gave it some 5w30 Mobil 1 rather than the energy saving 0W20 this time. I really need to adjust the valve lash, it isn't complaining but it's over the scheduled miles.

[Stev-o]

mate has an old 1951 F truck,has a 350 chevy though...

Hey Dave...very common to have a 350 Chevy in those old classic Fords. I never understood it until I checked prices for crate motors, the Fords are twice the price for some reason.

https://www.summitracing.com/parts/sum-csumepnc001