Off-topic thread - talk about anything

[Shazam]

This morning went from "Imma get a lot of work done on my car today" and quickly turned to "Is the snow blower making noises?" and even faster is became "WE GOTTA GROUNDHOG IN THE GARAGE!!!" and then it turned into groundhog trapping and outside-of-garage-relocating. Work done on car? Zero. Lunch break time now.

[J-Rod]

Hmm...what's going on here?



About an hour later the speedometer was under 0 while we were actually doing about 85. Apparently this is a problem plaguing all GM trucks. It's especially annoying since cruise control won't work.

[THEOLDMAN]

Off to the Ann Arbor Summer Festival...Madcat and Kane & Maxwell Street.

[euromobile900]

Hmm...what's going on here?



About an hour later the speedometer was under 0 while we were actually doing about 85. Apparently this is a problem plaguing all GM trucks. It's especially annoying since cruise control won't work.

I just fixed one of these GM truck speedos. The dash is very easy to take off/take apart (easiest vehicle I've ever seen, in fact), and if you can solder well at all, it's a piece of cake. Usually the problem is with the motor that drives the needle. You can buy a new motor online very cheap (~$10 IIRC) OR you can rob the tranny temp gauge of its motor since they're all the same, and then you need to de-solder the old motor and re-solder the new motor's four pins to a circuit board. Might be good to practice de-soldering on an old radio or computer or something if you've never worked with circuit boards. But I swear, it's very easy. Done soldering in 10 minutes, reassembled in another 20. Total job time about an hour.

[J-Rod]

I just fixed one of these GM truck speedos. The dash is very easy to take off/take apart (easiest vehicle I've ever seen, in fact), and if you can solder well at all, it's a piece of cake. Usually the problem is with the motor that drives the needle. You can buy a new motor online very cheap (~$10 IIRC) and then you need to solder its four pins to a circuit board. Done soldering in 10 minutes, reassembled in another 20. Total job time about an hour.

Really?! PM me details on the repair? My friend's dad has the same problem on his '05 Silverado, and was quoted $300 to have it fixed. Hell, if it's that easy, I'll do his too!

[euromobile900]

Really?! PM me details on the repair? My friend's dad has the same problem on his '05 Silverado, and was quoted $300 to have it fixed. Hell, if it's that easy, I'll do his too!

Sure thing, J-rod. I'll PM you later this evening--just got down from hiking Mt. Washington to watch the Climb to the Clouds finish line, and I am rather smelly and dirty.

[J-Rod]

Sure thing, J-rod. I'll PM you later this evening--just got down from hiking Mt. Washington to watch the Climb to the Clouds finish line, and I am rather smelly and dirty.

Thanks man.

And that sounds like a pretty fun day at the rally! I wish I had stuff like that around here.

[nordwulf]

I am thinking of a road trip in the Saab next week. My favorite direction is north. Go to Radisson, QC and see Hudson Bay or circle Lake Superior and perhaps go to Winnipeg? Surprisingly, Winnipeg is closer than Hudson Bay.

I'll be taking camping equipment but not sure how I feel about camping in bear country. I need a Saabo! Actually, a travel trailer (or caravan for Europeans) would be nice but I only have a tent. Motels are usually not that expensive in the north country.

More than 1000 miles. And these roads are not highways.





I have made it to Timmins and beyond and that was a long drive already.
Saab winter road trip in Northern Ontario - Blogs - SaabWorld



The James Bay Road is one of those roads I have to drive at least once in my life. But I haven't circled Lake Superior either and haven't been west that much. Choices, choices..

[Shazam]

I've often longed to go into the far north, but I often dream of Alaska. If you are looking for some good sights, and a decent site, check out Wellesley Island State Park on the St. Lawrence. It's a great camping park (if you can get a water-front site), and there is such a view, but most of it not viewable from a Saab. You have to take a boat to see all the good things, but it's worth a drive through if you are in the "area" (area is dependent on how far you are willing to drive).

My biggest longing is to go to the NorthWest (BC Canada or possibly even Alaska).

If you end up going, have fun and post up those pictures!

[SaabKen]

I am thinking of a road trip in the Saab next week. I'll be taking camping equipment but not sure how I feel about camping in bear country.

Parks Canada rangers are advising hikers to be alert for bears and take extra precautions to avoid an encounter.

They advise park visitors, especially those from Michigan, to wear little bells on their clothes so they make noise when hiking. The bell noise allows bears to hear them coming from a distance and not be startled by a hiker accidentally sneaking up on them. This might cause a bear to charge.

Visitors should also carry a pepper spray can just in case a bear is encountered. Spraying the pepper into the air will irritate the bear's sensitive nose and it will run away.

It is also a good idea to keep an eye out for fresh bear scat so you have an idea if bears are in the area. People should be able to recognize the difference between black bear and grizzly bear scat.

Black bear droppings are smaller and often contain berries, leaves, and possibly bits of fur. Grizzly bear droppings tend to contain small bells and smell of pepper.