Ask the Techman

I knew it! One of my buds said it was a "thing-a-mabob", possibly a "do-hickey".
So it's a widget.....but my luck it's metric!

Be careful...don't get off road tires and then drive highway most of the time...the fronts will get odd cupped wear patterns that will make you think your front end is out of alignment...and places will sell you parts for an alignment you don't need.

Nothing wrong with BFGoodrich...but any honest tire guy will tell you a good set of all seasons will do just as well unless you go mud bogging.

If you're putting it in the right tube the right way, the whole thing should be self lubricating.

BFG A/T KOs all the way, baby. They're an all-terrain tire you'll love on wet pavement and snowy roads.

Don't expect them to work like tractor tires in the mud, though.

I have absolutely no fucking idea what those mean. Where are you seeing them?

I'm doing the exact same thing. If it's the same size and you use it only as a spare, and you can enjoy the benefit of only buying four tires and not having to deal with 5-tire rotations with no drawbacks I'm aware of.

Well, that's a good point. I certainly don't go mudding or rock crawling, and spend most of my time on the road, but I do go off road enough for it to be a valid consideration when picking out a tire. I was under the impression that the BFGoodriches weren't, strictly speaking, a dedicated "off road" tire, but more of a compromise.

It falls under the heading, "Service Description". Also, there's about a $6 difference per tire between the the three in that order.

Some do have a more aggressive tread...but with it, you'll get increased road noise.

Just ask UA.

A slight increas in road noise over my old, bald-ass tires. And I have the floppy plastic windows on my doors that aren't the greatest for sound insulation. Someone with glass windows might not notice it at all.

This is the unit. Buy these.

Having priced them both, the Tundra offered more truck for the money. And I routinely haul loads of steel, boats, trailers, seed, etc with my lil '05 Tundra. Just last month I brought home two 4000 gallon fuel tanks with it.

As fast as I was going, I'm pretty sure I passed some Fords.

Well it'll pass mine. I have a 2.3 liter 4 cylinder.

It is, however, the same one Ford stuck in turbo Mustangs...and I did toy briefly with getting some parts to turbo-inter-cool the thing.

Briefly.

Sounds like an interesting story.

I towed about two and a half tons from Memphis to the tippy top of the Ozarks with my parking brake on the whole time...never even noticed.

Well, if anyone else comes up with any further questions, let me know here...I'll be around.

I hate hearing about people getting stung by unethical techs.

Who said Ford made a real truck?

Is it bad that I've never changed the fluid in my tranny, t-case, or differentials but know I've got leaking seals in at least three places?

Not until it goes and takes you with it...

My old '92 Mazda Protoge's parking brakes kept sticking. So I took it to this tech, and he said that all four of the brake cables needed to be replaced, and it would cost some big bucks.

I took it to another place for a second opinion, and told him what the other place said, and the tech said, "He said what?"

Turns out that car only uses two brake cables.

I changed my own transmission fluid once...


...by accident.

Techie, what does MissManners say about Wordforge when we aren't around to hear it?

You know...I've never asked.

Why do I have the feeling MM is just Tech in a wig?

It'd be the greatest troll ever...

Techman, what's your opinion on the 3000 mile oil change? Is it a scam? Is it true that modern engine oils are good to go for much longer than 3000 miles?

My owners manual says every 5000 miles.

I still do it every 3k though.

I've been hearing more and more about how the 3000 mile thing was a myth started by oil companies to see more oil. Manufacturers have (apparently) always said 5000 miles and for most people 7500 miles is going to be just fine.

But I don't really know for sure.

It's a standard...with synthetics, you can go as long as 10,000. Engine oil doesn't wear out, it becomes contaminated...the level depends on the amount of time you drive, climate and a few other factors.

How much can I expect to replace the transmission in my 1989 Chrysler New Yorker?

(the top gear's worn off, and I can't go above 59 mph without the car shaking violently.)

Depends on where you get it...New Yorkers all sport automatics...which gear are you talking about?

Dunno myself, but I was told that the "top gear" wore down and as a result the transmission slips for five seconds or so a little after I start driving, then recatches as well as having the 60mph limit.

I dunno who you talked to, but it wasn't a tech. Automatic transmissions are hydralic...they change gear via a series of clutch packs and transfer the motive energy through planetary gear sets splined into them. Bands around the outsides of the clutch packs stop or release the clutch packs varying the gear ratio and of course one for reverse, which is part of low gear, or first.

Sounds like worn bands. Try a transmission service...if that filter is partially plugged, it will lower the pressure and make the thing slip.