Fog Lights

The fog getting too thick for you to see through?

Your rig too high for your Fog Lights to do much good?
Well here's something that will help brighten up those dark foggy nights.

Somewhere I heard that fog lights are useless on a 4x4. Well it's is somewhat true that fog lights work better when they are close to the road. I've run fog lights up to about 28" off the ground and at higher level they do help a little, but are much more efficient low to the road. Now one of the things mentioned about fog lights being bad on a 4x4 is that if you do mount them low then there's a good chance in breaking them in deep snow or when wheeling.

Well I love the snow and Rock Crawling and do have to drive through some heavy fog at times in the winter months. I've always thought about mounting my lights lower, but never got the motivation up to do it. Besides they were doing ok where they were, but after hearing that they were useless on a 4x4…. it was time to make them better.

I started by looking at the front of my truck and thinking about were to mount them at. I came to the conclusion that the axle/spring u-bolt plate looked like the best place for this application. So this is what I came up with.

HOW IT’S DONE:

Take some 1/16" sheet metal and make two 2 3/4" x 3" (3" was the width of the light mounts) extension plates. Clamp them together with a pair of vice grips and round off the lower corners to about a 1/2" radius (you could also do the top corners for a better look if they will be visible). Then drilled two 1/4" holes at 2 1/2" apart and a 1/2" from the bottom of the plates. Check where the nuts are at on the u-bolts. Some aftermarket u-bolts use a larger size nut so you may need to make the hole a little closer. You want to make sure that when it comes to drilling the holes in the u-bolt plate you don't drill into the nuts. You also want to have enough clearance to fit a small mounting nut on the back if needed (I'll explain this later). Also depending on if you have the stock 1/2" diameter or went to a 9/16" diameter u-bolt will make a difference.

Next drill two more 1/4" holes for mounting the light mounts to the extension plates. Put the light mount flush to the top of the extension plate and marked the center of the adjustment slots on the light mount and drill the holes. Separate the plates and clean up all the edges.

Now it's time to drill the holes in the u-bolt plate. I used all 1/4" bolts for mounting, but I drilled these holes at 15/64" and tapped them for the thread size of my bolts. The way to mark these is to hold the plate centered on the u-bolt plate and use a can of spray paint or marker to mark the holes, then drill. Or you could securely clamp the plate onto the center of the u-bolt plate and drill. After the holes were all drilled I painted the extension plates gloss black to match the mounts that came with the lights and the axle. Remember three or four thin coats is always better then one thick coat.

NOTE: I tapped the holes so I don't have to deal with the nuts. You could just drill 1/4" holes and use nuts instead. The nuts could be loose or tack welded. Could even drill the holes big enough for the nut to fit into them and tack weld them in the holes so they’re flush with the front of the u-bolt plate.

Next was putting the mounts together. Bolt the new extension plates onto the u-bolt plate first then the light mounts to them. Lightly tightened so they can sill move a little for adjusting. Measure to the bottom of each side of each light mount and adjusted them to the same height. Remember since the u-bolt mounts are not at the same height the adjustment for the mounts will also be at different levels. I also had to flip one of the light mounts to achieve the same mounting height. And since the ground can some times have its little ups and downs, even on a fairly level area, I also checked the mounts with a level. To do this I used a 3' level on the ground parallel to axle for reference and a small torpedo level on top of the mounts. A longer (4') level across to each mount would be better, but my 3' level was too short and my 6' wouldn't fit between the tire. When adjusted to your likings tighten them up.

Now all that's left is to run the wire and mount and adjust the lights (see the instructions that came with your lights).

Here's a picture of if it all done (almost - read on)

THE WIRING:
Now to keep from having to unplug each wire at each light (total of 4) and then having to tie the wiring up somewhere out of harms way. I got a two-way connecter (red arrow) and spliced it in the middle of the two wires going down to the lights. One simple connection and already out of the way with no wire to tie up. The blue arrow just shows the location of the relay for the lights.

I also shorten the wiring between the lights so I didn't have extra wiring in the way that also needing to be tied up to the axle. I also place the wire in a small diameter wire loom along the axle for added protection. As you can see in the picture the wire is taped to the axle. This was just a quick attachment to test this setup.

then added three quick wire wraps that I welded to the top of the axle. I put one next to the drive side light, one at the bottom of the arch of the pumpkin (pictured), and one on the top of the pumpkin toward to passenger side to hold the wires going to the passenger side light. Just make sure the wire wraps you use are long enough to go all the way around the wire loom.

HOW DOES THIS MAKE IT GOOD FOR WHEELIN’?
Well it doesn’t really, but with this setup it takes less then a minute to remove the lights when you plan to go wheeling. And about a minute to put them back on.

Note: It took me 51 seconds to remove them and a minute and 5 seconds to put them back on without rushing it.

THE REASON FOR THE EXTENTION PLATE:
You could just mount the light mount directly to the u-bolt plate, but every time you need to take them off you'll have too remove the light to get to the bolts for the light mounts. Then when you put them back on you'll need to readjust the mount height and the lights themselves (lots of wasted time). This set-up the bolts are below the light and easy to get to. Putting them back on… Well bolt 'em up and go. NO adjusting needed.

Well that’s it…
To remove them you have four bolts, one connecter, and a few quick wire wraps. Then put them somewhere safe and go have fun.

by: Robert Bickford a.k.a. DEADLYPEACE

DISCLAIMER

world-of-tlc.blogspot.com takes no responsibility for the accuracy of the information above. world-of-tlc.blogspot.com, it's owners, or Toyota Motor Company deny any liability for actions taken based on the information in this article and will not accept responsibility for damage incurred to any vehicle, parts, or person, based on those actions. As always, world-of-tlc.blogspot.com encourages its visitors to seek the advise of a professional before attempting any modification to any vehicle.

Putting The Light Behind You

This was a fairly simple mod and very useful. To start off with I got a piece of 1/16"X1 1/2"X1 1/2" tube steel that I just had laying around. You could use any size tube steel to fit your application. I cut the tube steel to the length from the out outside to outside of the frame. Then measured and drill the holes in the frame and tube steel (I used 3/8" bolts). This can be done at any desired location depending on where or how close to the end of the bed you would like them to be. I put mine at 1 1/2" from the end of the frame. This put them back so that they weren't to close too the end of the bed where they could get hit easier. At first I thought about putting the bar inside the frame, but decided not to cuz it would be in the way of where I need to mount my rear bumper (if I ever get around the making the mounts for it).

Also since I decide to go with mounting the bar on top of the frame I welded a channel steel to the bottom of the bar for bolting the light mounts to and to get the lights under the bottom of the bed. I cut a 4" (the width of the dust boot on the lights) long piece of 1/16"X1 1/2"X1 1/2"channel steel and welded it to tube steel. Your lights may mount differently depending on light size and how far apart you would like them. I put mine so that I had an inch of clearance between the side of the lights and the frame. I then drilled a hole (size of light mount bolt) in the middle of the channel steel all the way through into the square tubing. Then to keep from the wire be exposed and having to tie them up and I cut a small section an inch long above the area where the lights would be mounted at for easy access to the wire connections and would run the wire through the bar. I then panted it, mounted it to the frame, and then the light to it.

NOTE: If you don't have or plain on having a rear bumper you can still mount the bar on the inside of the frame and not need to worry about the channel steel extensions. Or you could also cut the bar about 3/4" shorter to allow for a 1/4" thick bumper mounting bracket and 1/8" clearance on each side. This will make the bolt holes close to the end of the bar and you will also need longer bolts.

by: Robert Bickford a.k.a. DEADLYPEACE

world-of-tlc.blogspot.com takes no responsibility for the accuracy of the information above. world-of-tlc.blogspot.com, it's owners, or Toyota Motor Company deny any liability for actions taken based on the information in this article and will not accept responsibility for damage incurred to any vehicle, parts, or person, based on those actions. As always, world-of-tlc.blogspot.com encourages its visitors to seek the advise of a professional before attempting any modification to any vehicle.

Square Driveline Mod

Does your front driveline keep coming apart cuz of lack of having enough slip?
Don’t feel like spending $120 for a 9” slip joint.

Well here's a trick that will give more then enough slip and a stronger driveline at the same time.

Things needed:

Tools:

1. Set of wrenches (for driveline)
   
2. Metal cutting saw or sawsall (optional)
   
3. Grinder w/ grinding and cut off wheels
   
4. Welder
   

Materials:

1. .25”X2” ID tube steel **
   
2. .25”X1.5” ID tube steel**
   
3. 4 zerk fittings – optional ($5)
   
4. Existing CV and universal joint from front driveline
   

** Use standard hitch and receiver size tubing cuz the seam is not raised. For a single T-case about 12” long ($20), for dual T-case about 18” long ($26). Actual length may vary depending on your preference and amount of suspension lift on your truck.


Reasons for a square driveline:

I decided to make my driveline square for a few good reasons.

1. Slip: With the stock slip joint I had about 2 inches of compression, and 3 inches of extension in the slip joint before the driveline would pull apart. With the square driveline I now have 7 inches of compression and 11 inches of extension.
   
   I do have a dual T-case plus my axle is set 2 inches forward so my driveline is longer. For a single T- case you could get something like 3 inches of compression and 9 inches of extension.
   

2. Strength: The square driveline is very strong and the odds of the tube shearing or the corners being rounded off are very unlikely. The fact that the lower tube extends so far up into the upper tube adds lots of strength to the assembly.
   

3. Cheap: This is a very cheap mod cuz all you need to get is the tubing and some zerk fitting (optional).
   

4. Easy construction:
   

The square driveline is very easy to make and can be done in a few hours.
Ready to go square?

The first thing you need to do is remove your existing driveline and cut the CV and the universal joint off.



(Click either side of the above image to see it larger)

I cut mine so that I had about a 1/2 inch from the weld on the CV side and about 3/4 of an inch from where the slip joint tube goes into the yoke on the other end for where the square tubing is going to slip over.

On the yoke side you could cut the tubing off right where the tubing goes into the yoke and butt the square tubing all the way up to the flange surface of the yoke. This would be a preference thing, either way is good. However you decide to do it you want to give yourself an inch of tube for the square tube to side over.

Now since the yoke and the CV are to big to fit into the square tubing you’ll need to cut and grind them down to fit. This will also make them square so it will make them fit better and also give you more welding area.

To do this I cut a 1/2 inch long scrap piece of the smaller square tubing and centered it on the circular end of the CV and yoke. I use a maker to trace the outside of the square tubing for the CV end and for the yoke end I traced the inside of the square tubing. I then used a cut off wheel (and grinding wheel as needed) to remove the unwanted sections. Remember when cutting, that on the yoke end to leave the line where as on the CV end you want to remove the line. Also try to get a slightly tight fit for more bite between the two pieces. I got mine to fit just tight enough that I needed to lightly tap the tubing on with a hammer.



Notice the notch on the yoke in the area where the square tube will slip over it. This is for the weld on the inside for the tubing to slide in. You could also use a die grinder on the square tubing and just remove the weld as needed. I just found it quicker and easier to make a notch.

After getting them to fit together I then welded them together. If the joints are good and you don’t feel like removing them; what I did was wrapped the joints with a wet towel being careful not to get water in the welding area. Also to help from heating up the joints I welded one side on yoke end then one side of the CV end. Then I welded the opposite side of both ends. I then let them cool down before welding the rest in the same manner.

The next thing is to drill and tread a hole for the zerk fittings on each side of the large tube. The holes should be at about the middle point of the two tube ends of where the tubes will sit at rest on your truck. This can be optional. I still have not yet got around to doing mine yet. The pros and cons of this would be that the zerk fittings would make it easier for re-greasing, yet if you hit your driveline a lot it wouldn’t take much to break them off. Have thought about the idea of after greasing up the driveline removing the zerk fittings and inserting a small (allen wrench) plug to keep dirt out. Just need to make sure the plug doesn’t go in far enough that it hits the inner tube. Also some lock tight might be good to keep them from backing out on the trail.

The last thing to do is to paint it, grease it, install it, and go play.





Miscellaneous notes:

Even though I’ve heard people say that they think that doing a square tube driveline puts to much weight on the joints, I have not had a problem with mine yet in the past five years since doing this mod.

Weight wise my existing driveline was 25 lbs. and the square driveline came to 35 lbs.

The square tubing does have a little slop in it and makes a little noise after a while on trail, but it is nothing to worry about. If you would like to make it tighter then welding a 1/32 inch shim (1 inch by the length of tube over lap) on each side of the smaller tube will work for this. Drill an 1/8-1/4 inch holes in sets of two with the holes near the outer end sides of the shims and about 3-4 inches apart along the length of the shims. Then use the holes to spot-weld the shims to the tube. Then grind any welds down smooth as needed.

The only drawback I see with a square driveline is that if you happen to set it down on something while wheeling it will hop some instead of spin on the shaft. But good wheeling and enough clearance will eliminate this.

As for balancing… Unless you plan on doing some high speed wheeling then I say who cares. There really is no reason for the front driveline to be balanced. I have had mine up to about 45-50 mph with very little vibration coming from it.

Toyota develops world's first rear window curtain shield airbag

Toyota announced today that it has developed the world's first* SRS (Supplemental Restraint System) rear window curtain shield airbag to protect rear passengers' heads in the event of a rear-end collision.

The innovative airbag deploys from the roof lining above the rear window in the form of a curtain-like barrier. Together with the headrests, the airbag minimises impact to the head from a colliding vehicle or parts of the hit vehicle, thus helping to reduce the severity of injuries. Its use in the soon-to-be launched "iQ" ultra-compact four-seater is expected to approximately double the car's rear passenger head protection performance.

Toyota has continued to actively develop and make available its collision safety technologies - resulting in such achievements as the swift market introduction of SRS curtain shield and knee airbags - to enable its vehicles to better respond to a greater range of accidents.

As a part of its efforts to realise sustainable mobility, Toyota intends to strengthen its traffic safety initiatives in the future through: 1) the development of even safer vehicles and technologies; 2) participation in the creation of a safe traffic environment and 3) activities designed to educate people on traffic safety, thereby contributing to the complete elimination of traffic casualties, which can be viewed as the ultimate hope of a society that values mobility.

*According to TMC research, as of September 2008

Toyota Increases Domestic Prices on Hybrids and Trucks

Toyota announced on Monday that it will increase its suggested retail prices for certain commercial and hybrid vehicles sold in Japan from September to offset higher prices of raw materials such as steel, rare metals and crude oil. The retail prices for the Prius and Harrier hybrid vehicles are to increase by an average of 3%, or 76,800 yen and 136,500 yen respectively and by an average of 2% for commercial trucks.

“Recent further price increases in raw materials have been larger than TMC's cost reduction efforts are able to offset, and with prices expected to remain high, TMC has decided to adjust its suggested retail prices for commercial and hybrid vehicles, which use large amounts of either steel or rare metals,” Toyota said in a statement.

Other News

Toyota Beats GM in Global Sales During First Half of the Year

Toyota is well under way to become the world’s undisputed number-one carmaker in global sales as the Japanese company managed to sell 4.82 million vehicles during the first half of 2008, up 2.2% from a year ago. GM on the other hand saw its sales slip by 3% to 4.53 million vehicles in the same period. For the second quarter of 2008, GM reported sales of more than 2.28 million vehicles, down 5% from 2007. While GM’s Q2 sales outside of North America grew 10% (up 116,000 vehicles), in the U.S. sales were down 20% (236,000 vehicles). Toyota’s reported Q2 sales of 2.41 million, up 1.8% from a year ago.

Arabian Nightmare: Modified Toyota SUV

The extremes that some people go to in order to create a vehicle that will stand out from the crowd are in some cases, mind boggling to say the least. Take this owner of what seems to be a previous generation Toyota Land Cruiser (if we're not mistaken, the license plates is from Sharjah, the third largest emirate of the United Arab Emirates) for example. What is there to like about this abomination other than it could have easily won a role for a Mad Max film?

Toyota at The 2008 Goodwood FestivalOf Speed

By Toyota GB

Amid a formidable array of high-powered classic and contemporary racing cars and bikes, a small, three-wheeled Toyota stands out as one of the most remarkable machines at the 2008 Goodwood Festival of Speed. i-REAL is Toyota’s vision for the future of everyday, sustainable personal transport and is making its first appearance in the UK since being unveiled at last year’s Tokyo motor show.

i-REAL is a fully working concept car, a vehicle that neatly adapts to suit the driving environment: upright and slow-moving among pedestrians; lower-angled for stable performance at higher speeds on the road.

It forms a key element in the festival’s showcase for advanced engineering and design, with driving demonstrations on the hillclimb course and in a specially designed arena, close to the Festival of Speed Technology Pavilion.

True to its long-running support of the festival, Toyota is also bringing its stars of Formula 1, World Rally and Le Mans sports car racing out to play, representing its involvement at the highest levels of international motor sport.

This year the Corolla WRC is making its debut at the event, a machine that was hailed as the definitive World Rally car when it made its competition debut in 1997. Across three seasons it posted a string of emphatic performances, culminating in a second manufacturers’ championship title for Toyota in 1999 – a fitting finale to the marque’s two decades of international rallying glory.

The Corolla WRC is driven by Juha Kankkunen, one of rallying’s all time greats with a record of four world championships – the last of these achieved with Toyota in 1993 – and 23 world rally victories.

Toyota has brought a Formula 1 car to the festival every year since it made its Grand Prix debut in 2002. This year it continues the tradition with the Toyota TF107 ready to blaze a trail up the Goodwood sprint course. At the wheel is Kamui Kobayashi, who was recruited as the third driver for Panasonic Toyota Racing for the 2008 Grand Prix season. A member of the Toyota Young Driver Programme, Kobayashi has achieved international success in Formula 3 competition and raced to an excellent series of wins this year in his maiden GP2 competition season.

Completing a trio of world-class Toyota models at the festival is the V10-powered TS010. Created with input from consultant Tony Southgate, the TS010 was a thoroughbred racing machine which claimed World and Japanese sports car championship victories and a podium finish at Le Mans in 1992. At Goodwood it is piloted by Toshio Suzuki, one of Japan’s most accomplished sports car racers and twice a member of the Toyota works team at Le Mans.

High temps + low pressure = potential for disaster

With soaring temperatures likely to afflict much of the nation for a few more weeks, failing to inspect your tires and keep them properly inflated could be a deadly mistake.

When a tire blows or a pet darts into the road, even veteran drivers can be startled, get into trouble and over-correct. The result can be disastrous -- the vehicle often veers off the road, out of control and doesn’t stop until it strikes a tree, bridge pylon or another vehicle.

Summer’s sizzle increases the danger. Nicole Nason, head of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, said that recent NHTSA research showed that hot weather can also affect tire aging, particularly in warmer regions.

"Overloaded vehicles, under-inflated tires, and hot weather can all combine to possibly turn a family vacation into a horrific nightmare,” Nason said. "Properly maintained tires improve the steering, stopping, traction and fuel economy of your vehicle. Under-inflated tires or worn down treads are a major cause of failure."

Show HotTires.wmv at www.nhtsa.dot.gov

A survey by the tire industry this year found that 85 percent of drivers don’t check tire pressure or do it incorrectly. Each year, NHTSA estimates, crashes associated with tire problems claim about 660 lives and injure 33,000 people.

For more info on tire care:

http://www.safercar.gov/Tires/Index.htm
http://www.tiresafety.com/ (you can sign up for monthly email reminders to check your tires’ air pressure)

Hey...It Won't Go!

by Lyndon Conrad Bell.

Lock your car, take your keys, don't give car thieves a chance...

That stern admonition is quite familiar to anyone who grew up watching television in the 1970's. Remarkably, even today, twenty percent of all cars stolen are unlocked, with the keys in them, at the time of the theft. Amazing how the more things change, the more they stay the same. Almost.

If you're on the other side of this transaction and jacking rides is the pill that gives you a thrill, you might want to start choosing your marks a bit more carefully. OnStar now has the ability to practically stop a vehicle at the touch of a button––from Detroit––no matter where the car is located in North America.



This new move––Stolen Vehicle Slowdown––is the latest enhancement to OnStar's stolen vehicle services.

OnStar advisors, working with local law enforcement, can send a signal to a stolen vehicle to reduce engine power, slowing the vehicle to a virtual crawl.

The process works as follows:

* Once a vehicle has been reported stolen to law enforcement, the subscriber can call OnStar and request Stolen Vehicle Location Assistance.
* OnStar will use real-time GPS technology to pinpoint the location of the stolen vehicle and provide this information to law enforcement to help them recover the vehicle.
* When a police officer has established a clear line of sight of the stolen vehicle, they can request OnStar to slow it down remotely.
* OnStar then sends a remote signal to the vehicle that interacts with the powertrain system to reduce engine power and slow the vehicle down gradually.

And, as for the one behind the wheel when all that jumps off…well, we’ve all seen enough Cops-like shows to know the rest of this little adventure plays out on foot; and typically ends up with the perpetrator face-down in a pile of dog poo –– don’t make that be you.

Research has shown that 95 percent of OnStar subscribers want the Stolen Vehicle Slowdown service on their cars and trucks. So, the question becomes which cars have it and which ones don’t?

Well, you’ll just have find that out on your own. We will tell you there is no way to tell just by looking at the vehicle.

And yes, this would probably be a good time to just find another occupation.

Don’t say nobody never told ya!

Why Kids Are at Risk

The popularity of trucks is growing every year, and more parents are using trucks to transport their families. Children are 10 times more likely to die when riding in a cargo bed than while riding in the passenger area. Each year, children account for more than half of the 200 deaths resulting from riding in cargo beds. Ejection during a crash is the most common cause of death and injury. However, even if there is no crash and you are driving at a low speed, sudden swerving, stopping or bumpy roads can cause injury to children in the cargo bed or who fall out of the vehicle. Cargo covers do not provide protection. In fact, they can potentially lead to carbon monoxide poisoning.

Protecting Your Family

* Never allow anyone to ride in the bed of a pickup truck.

* Always use child safety seats and/or safety belts correctly.

* Child safety seats must not be used on side-facing or rear-facing jump seats.

* Be sure at least 80 percent of the child safety seat base is on the truck’s seat.

* Never place a rear-facing infant seat in front of an air bag. Please see your owner’s manual regarding the passenger air bag cut-off switch.

* Restrain children ages 12 and under in the back in a forward-facing seat. If there is no back seat available, forward-facing children (over 1 year of age and at least 20 pounds) should be placed in their appropriate child safety seat with the vehicle seat pushed as far back as possible.

Protecting Communities

The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA) developed the Kids Aren’t Cargo campaign for various businesses, nonprofit agencies and safety advocates to educate families about the dangers of kids riding in cargo beds. Safety advocates are working with their local and state legislators to enact laws making it illegal for children to ride in cargo beds. Twenty-five states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico have laws that restrict certain passengers from riding in pickup truck beds. However, many of these laws still contain huge gaps in coverage -- potentially leaving child passengers at risk.

Tire Pressure Monitors? Can You Rely on Them?

Drivers Must Still Be Vigilant, Even With TPMS
By Mac Demere, Contributor

Here's a quiz: What might it mean when your car's tire-pressure monitoring system (TPMS) warning light is not illuminated?

a) Your tires may have plenty of pressure for all situations;
b) Your tire pressures might be so low that they may overheat and blow out;
c) Your tire pressures might be so low that the tires have little traction for wet roads or accident avoidance;
d) All of the above.

The answer is "d." And "D" is the best grade some tire safety experts, consumer groups and drivers may give tire-pressure monitoring systems. Why? Because TPMS will warn you only when a tire is severely — perhaps dangerously — underinflated.

TPMS: Mandated by the Federal Government

If you're driving a car, truck or SUV built in the past few years, there's a good chance that it has a TPMS. Starting with all 2008 models, in fact, it's a required feature. In response to the rollover incidents involving the Ford Explorer and Firestone tires, Congress enacted the TREAD Act in 2000. Part of this act got the process moving for having a TPMS in every vehicle.

An illuminated tire-pressure warning light symbol looks like the cross-section of a tire with an exclamation point in it. But due to a variety of considerations from tire companies and automakers, a TPMS warning light isn't required to come on until a tire is 25 percent underinflated.

"[This is] well below the pressure required for safe driving," says the American Automobile Association. This is partially because the recommended pressure for some vehicles is barely adequate to carry the vehicle's maximum load, according to the Rubber Manufacturers' Association (RMA). This means if you're driving a minivan full of high school football players or a pickup with a bed full of damp mulch on a slightly underinflated tire, it could overheat and blow out.

Only as Good as the Driver

In theory, a TPMS is just one more feature that helps a driver understand the safety of his or her car. But it's effective only if drivers are still vigilant about checking their car's tire pressures.

People who rely on the TPMS to warn them about low pressure are taking their chances. A worrisome survey conducted by the RMA revealed that 40 percent of motorists say they would never check their tire pressure unless the TPMS light came on.

And once the light does come on, of course, some people might wait days to get around to filling their tires. In addition to being a safety hazard, low tire pressure decreases fuel economy and causes tires to wear out more quickly — all reasons to be vigilant.

Losing Control Before the TPMS Illuminates

From personal experience on the racetrack and test track, I know how poorly a car handles in emergency situations with a tire underinflated by even a small amount.

But everyday drivers are also at risk. During driving demonstrations, I've ridden with hundreds of non-professional drivers in cars with low air pressure. They drove around a wet-handling course in two identical cars: one with proper pressure and the other with rear tire pressure intentionally set 23 percent low.

When the rear tire pressure was low, many drivers lost control and spun out before they had completed a single lap.

If you reversed the situation — properly inflate rear tires but reduce pressure in the front tires — the car won't respond appropriately when you turn the steering wheel. It will just plow straight ahead.

The accompanying photos, taken by Michelin engineers, explain much of what's happening. A vehicle moving at 60 mph passed over a glass plate covered by 5mm of green-colored water. When inflated to the recommended 35 psi, the tire kept much of its tread on the surface. When pressure was lowered to 30 psi, less of the tire stayed in contact with the surface. When pressure was dropped to 25 psi, almost the entire tire literally floated on top of the water.

The accompanying infrared photos show that underinflating a tire just 5 psi can potentially cause a tire failure. An underinflated tire flexes more than a properly inflated tire, and that creates heat. Excessive heat can break down components and chemical bonds inside a tire: It's much like bending a wire coat hanger: Bend it far enough and long enough, and it'll heat up and snap. This is especially important when the weather is hot and speeds are high.

Where Do Automakers and the Government Stand?

So why didn't the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) require that the warning light illuminate sooner, before the pressure dips too far? According to NHTSA spokesman Eric Bolton, "The TPMS regulations were meant to warn drivers that a tire failure is imminent, not to indicate unsafe handling might occur."

From the standpoint of the automakers, having a TPMS that activates at a lower threshold is problematic from a false warning perspective. Changes in temperature can have a dramatic effect on tire pressure. The concern is that frequent tire pressure warnings would cause drivers living in places with extreme temperature fluctuations to ignore the systems entirely.

Indirect Vs. Direct TPMS

Much more useful to drivers are the type of systems that actually display the pressure of each tire. There are two types of TPMS: indirect and direct. The lower-cost, indirect TPMS doesn't actually monitor air pressure. Rather, indirect systems use the antilock braking system's wheel-speed sensors to detect that one tire is rotating faster than its mates. (An underinflated tire has a smaller circumference so it has to roll faster to keep up.) Thus, the margin of error of indirect systems is large.

Meanwhile, direct TPMS measure a tire's actual pressure. Expensive versions are accurate to within 1 psi. Current direct systems use a gauge mounted to the wheel or tire valve. This gauge sends a signal to the car's computer. When you see the warning light from a direct system, trust it and immediately check your tire pressures.

Until recently, if a moderately priced car had TPMS, it was likely an indirect system. Only super-high-performance cars and those equipped with run-flat tires had the more expensive direct systems. In order to meet the full requirements of NHTSA's TPMS standard, however, almost all new cars have direct systems. With direct TPMS, an automaker can also decide whether to display the actual pressures for each tire via a multifunction display or just rely on the warning light.

Rely on Yourself

On new cars, the automaker's recommended pressure is on a placard on the driver's doorjamb. On older cars it can be on the trunk lid, fuel door, glovebox, center console lid, passenger's doorjamb or in your owner's manual. It's not on the tire.

Rely on TPMS to warn you only of a puncture or an active air leak. If you take away only one thing from this article, this is it: It's your responsibility as a driver to check your tire pressures monthly, or at least to have them checked by someone else.

Mac Demere is a vehicle tester and race driver who competed in the NASCAR Southwest Tour and Daytona 24 Hours.

Fifth Gear - [13x02]

One of the best Fifth Gear’s i have seen, this one is certainly not worth missing. Download it here


In this episode

1. Tom drives the new Toyota Landcruiser
2. Johny drives the new Mazda 2(was there a old one) and tests whether the loss in weight has done anything good for the car.
3. Tiff and Jason dog fight in a Mercedes C 63 AMG and BMW M3 resp.
4. Vicky time trials a Renault Clio R197 R27 version vs R180 RT Rage buggy which uses a Honda Fireblade engine, to see which is faster.
5. Behind the scene look into the most dangerous car stunt : The Barrel roll.
6. Its new but is it any good : The Mitubishi Colt CZC1 & Vauxhall Tigra

Good Advice To Help Prevent High Fuel Costs From Making You Do Goofy Things

Before you go crazy about today’s onerous gas prices here are some sane thoughts…

1. Look at your actual transportation NEEDS – as an example if you have a large family you shouldn’t consider a small car no mater how much you think you will save on gas…there’s much more to choosing a car than the MPG.

2. If you already own a car that is working ok and it’s doing the job but gets lousy gas mileage, then ask yourself exactly why you want to buy a new car that gets “better “ MPG – Is it economic or emotional

3. If emotional I can’t offer advice and you won’t take it, but…

4. If economic take a hard look at the cost benefits of trading your present gas guzzler in on a car that will get better mileage…note that the economics of better MPG are determined by the miles you drive…so lets take a look and your transportation NEEDS…

5. Assuming a 50-50 ratio of highway and city driving…and gas is 4 bucks a gallon

- If you drive 10,000 Miles annually and your present vehicle gets 20 mpg combined you will spend around $2000 per year on Gas or $166 per month

- If you drive 15,000 Miles annually and your present vehicle gets 20 mpg combined you will spend around $3000 per year on Gas or $250 per month

- If you drive 20,000 miles annually and your present vehicle gets 20 mpg combined you will spend around $4000 per year on Gas or $333 per month

If you buy a new car that gets 28 MPG combined (and not many do) to replace your old 20 MPG’er here is what you will save on gasoline

-10,000 miles per year – spend $120 per month save $46 for 8 MPG Better

-15,000 miles per year – spend $179 per month save $71 for 8 MPG Better

-20,000 miles per year – spend $238 per month save $95 for 8 MPG Better

So before you go out to look at new cars understand why you are doing it…and expect that cars with better MPG will now cost more than they did a few months ago…use on-line research tools like those on www.theautochannel and www.newcarbuyersguide.com …compare not only MPG but the new vehicle’s practicality, as well as the total costs of the vehicles you are considering for purchase….most of all have fun…buy what you will like for a long time otherwise every time you get into a car you settled for you will hate it…

Ok you have an old gas guzzler you say, so a mid range 17-20 MPG vehicle might be the car for you now that emotion has taken a hold of the new car marketplace, but before you determine your need to buy a new car:

Consider the MPG differences of the best to the worst:

2008 model SUV or crossovers -14 MPG difference;

2008 large 6 passenger sedans – 5 MPG difference;

2008 Minivans 3 MPG difference;

The biggest MPG spread is in 5 passenger sedans and coupes where the difference can be as much as 35 MPG…but that crosses every price and performance segment…from a Toyota Prius to a Bentley Arnarge R a cost spread of $240,000.

So go out and buy the RIGHT new car today, because it will make you feel good and you won’t mind paying the extra 10-15 bucks per tankfull of overpriced gasoline…and you might actually save 100 bucks a month…although the payments on the new car will cost you that many times over…most of all have fun looking and test driving.

Eric Vogt’s Cruiser Obsession

Three pics from Eric Vogt: two from his old, awesome 80 with stickers from TLCA chapters and events, in Moab. And a new photo of his white 100-series, seeing some magnificent snow action.

Toyota Land Cruiser Cars in Actions

From : http://tlca.org/2008/03/14/eric-vogts-cruiser-obsession/

Toyota Land Cruiser Association Hall of Fame

by Tony Twiddy

During TLCA’s 30th Anniversary in 2006, the TLCA Board of Directors initiated the TLCA Hall of Fame to commemorate and forever recognize key individuals and businesses who have played pivotal roles for the association over the course of its history. We are pleased to introduce you to the first six TLCA Hall of Fame members.
Bob Garrett

Bob Garrett kicks off the inaugural TLCA Hall of Fame list with being credited for starting TLCA Ventura County, the first Toyota Land Cruiser Club in 1976. Bob later hatched the idea of an association of clubs which became the Toyota Land Cruiser Association. Many credit Bob with being the founder of the TLCA, although Bob would tell you it was everyone involved at the time who made it successful.

Bob was born in 1946 and grew up in Turlock, California. Bob had a great time in high school and played football for 3 years. Bob’s father, Robert M. Garrett, moved his wife, Helen Marie (Gadker) Garrett, and Bob and his sister Tonia to Fernley, Nevada, where Robert was deputy sheriff for Lyon County Nevada for many years. Bob attended the University of Nevada at Reno for a short time before returning to southern California. He worked at various jobs while completing more college until going to work for Stokely Van Camp in Oxnard, CA, starting out as a fabricator before becoming plant engineer. Bob started his own business in 1993, Garrett’s Sierra Machinery, Inc.

Bob notes that his work has him traveling much of the time, which is rough on relationships. That might account for his “single” status—he has been married several times though. Bob is also a lifetime NRA member and still owns his FJ40, just recently completing a Ford reverse pinion rear end and 205 transfer case in it. Bob sees himself and George Rice returning to Rubithon in 2008! Bob takes great pride in his adult daughter, Christine, who is a mother of two grandsons and office manager for a surgical practice. Bob is blown away when he looks at TLCA and sees so many people continuing to work so hard to keep it alive and growing.

Today, Bob is still running his own business and working on his FJ40, which he says never seems to end. He has also completed a 1966 Nova restoration and spends lots of time riding his Harley Davidson. Bob lives in Yerington, Nevada, and looks forward to taking more to enjoy life and spending more time with his family and friends.

Earl Warden, Jr.
Earl Warden, Jr. was born and raised in Placerville, California. He grew up doing many miscellaneous jobs and crafts—handyman, mechanic, plumber and was a self-proprietor as a young man.

He began working at Stancil’s Toyota in 1954, then “the number one Toyota dealership to sell Land Cruisers in the United States.” This is where Earl developed a passion for the Land Cruiser and four-wheeling with his family. He worked at Stancil’s for 18 years until he opened his own four-wheel drive repair shop in 1972, “across the street from his former employer.” When Earl opened Warden’s Auto Repair in Placerville, he employed and taught his mechanical skills to four of his sons (and now even his grandsons)—and has passed on his work ethics and morals.

Earl has made a difference and influenced every person that he and his family have ever had any contact with. He is a pioneer, a legend in building and modifying Land Cruisers, as well as an avid four-wheeler. He is a very generous and giving man and has taken that love and passion to Montana where he and Vivian (his wife of 50 years) retired in 1988.

Earl is very proud of his children—5 boys and 2 girls. He also has 10 grandchildren and 2 brand new great grandchildren—identical twin girls born to Jason (grandson) and Julie Warden. Land Cruisers and four-wheeling with his family and friends have been Earl’s passion for over 52 years.

George Rice
George Rice’s father, William, was born in Burbank, California, and raised in Oxnard, CA, where he met fellow Oxnard resident Christine, who later became William’s wife. George was born in Oxnard in 1946. George’s 87 year old mother still lives two doors down from where she was raised.

George recalls his first car was a 1957 Chevy—he immediately swapped out the 6 cylinder for an 8 cylinder. This sweet car was stolen from the high school parking lot and not much was left when it was found. His next car was a Corvette, and George again swapped engines. George replaced this street car with a 1965 Jeep just before being drafted to serve in the Army Corp of Engineers.

In 1976, while performing another engine swap, this time on his 1973 FJ40, George recalls Bob Garrett stopping by to talk Land Cruisers and about starting a four wheel drive club for Toyotas only. This idea appealed to George, who previously belonged to the local Jeep club, and that is how George came to be one of the original members of TLCA Ventura County. George recalls being very active in the club for many years and holding many offices including President, Vice President, Safety Officer, CA4WD representative and being voted member of the year in 1976 and 1977.

One accomplishment George is very proud of is having his FJ40 selected for the feature article “Bad to the Bone” in the 25th Anniversary addition of Four Wheeler magazine in February of 1987. The article was about the ground-up restoration he had done on his 73 FJ40 and included many photos, one with a clear shot of his TLCA Ventura County logo. George also notes that his club involvement helped define his personality with regard to public speaking and leadership skills, which he attributes to his success today as a business owner.

George still lives in of all places… Oxnard. He has been married a couple of times but has no children. His current engine swap is a 1967 FJ45 he bought some time ago with Bob’s help. His plans include a full frame-off restoration, spring over, Ford 9”, Turbo 400 to 205 transfer case and, of course, swapping in that Chevy 350 V8. His goal is to have it completed in time to join Bob on the 2008 Rubithon run.

Looking back, George is very proud to have served in the early years of TLCA. Most importantly, he notes that he got to meet so many people and made so many friends, including his very special friend, Bob Garrett.

Jim Sickles
Jim Sickles is the youngest of three Sickles children who grew up in Portland, Oregon. His mother, Miriam Sickles, is alive and well today at 90 years of age. Jim graduated from high school in 1963 and then served in the United States Navy, seeing action in Vietnam aboard the aircraft carrier, USS Bennington, loading rockets and bombs.

After the service, Jim married his sweetheart, Pat, and they soon had a child, Jim Jr., in 1968, and then Cherise in 1971. In 1969, Jim became Parts Manager at Downey Toyota and soon purchased his first Land Cruiser, a 1970 FJ40 with a sticker price of $3,300—which Jim got for $2,800. Jim instantly became a four wheeler, wheeling every trail in California—and selling parts and accessories to enhance the Toyota Land Cruiser’s ability. This led to the rumor that Downey Off Road Manufacturing actually began in the back room of Downey Toyota in 1970.

During the mid-70s, the influence of the first strictly Land Cruiser club in Ventura County began spreading the birth of other Land Cruiser clubs, primarily on the west coast. Jim recalls calling a special meeting of all Land Cruiser owners and clubs during a CA4WD convention, and explaining the advantages of them forming an association. Jim explained that while there would be benefits for him as a businessman, he in turn could offer the association opportunities and assistance, such as providing his company’s Land Cruiser logo for their use. Jim recalls the new association working so well, he had to soothe some CA4WD ruffled feathers. There were those who mistakenly thought he might be trying to draw Land Cruiser owners away from CA4WD membership.

Downey Off Road Manufacturing didn’t grow substantially during the 70s due primarily to their small customer base, which was relative to Land Cruiser sales. This all changed in the 80s, when Toyota began producing 4WD pickups and 4Runners. Downey took advantage of the new larger customer base by upgrading its facilities, equipment and sophistication. In 1983, Toyota Motor Sales USA asked Jim if Downey would sponsor the new factory off road racing team. They did—and for the next 10 years, Jim went racing in Baja and the USA deserts.

Jim notes the many accomplishments in his career include inducting James Garner and Parnelli Jones into the Off Road Hall of Fame during his tenure as President of the Off Road Equipment Association (OREA); chewing up an overly arrogant plaintiff’s attorney while winning a lawsuit against Downey; producing the first ever smog-legal header; reaching 100% perfection with his Land Cruiser fuel injection system (considering the aggravation it took to get there); racing and pre-running with Ivan Stewart and his family; and the many enjoyable hours spent with his family and his sweetheart, Pat.

Currently, Jim’s toys include his pride and joy FJ45 and a very radical (and very unassembled) 1927 Ford Lakes Roadster. Four wheeling has taken a back seat to new product development at Downey, Jim’s new golfing hobby, and the 3 gold medals Jim’s choral group has recently taken in international competition! Jim thinks he might be near the age of retirement but he is not ready to exit until he can be assured that the Downey name, reputation and legacy will continue.

Gary Bjork
Gary’s father, Jon Bjork, was originally from Maine, then met his California born bride, Arlene Cumbra, during his tenure in the service. Gary was born at McClellan AFB near Sacramento in 1952 and grew up with two brothers and two sisters. His interests as a young man included cars (he raced a Triumph TR6 in the SCCA races on the east coast) and he began a lifelong fascination with electronics and computers.

Gary’s first job was working at the 7-11 before moving up to that of a busboy for a restaurant which is probably still there at the corner Watt and El Camino in Sacramento. Gary joined the Navy in 1971 at the peak of the Vietnam War. When asked why he would join during those tumultuous times, Gary recounts the Draft was still in effect and his number, based upon birthday, was extremely low. He chose the Navy as opposed to being drafted and a 6 year stint eventually found him aboard one of the world’s first nuclear powered submarines as an operator.

Gary met his first wife, Penny, and married her after his time in the service was over. They parted ways shortly after Gary’s son Christopher was born. A year later, Gary met Barbara and soon they were married. Barbara worked as a nurse at the same plant where Gary worked. Together they raised Christopher, David and Dennis with a love of the outdoors and spent many days on the trails in the Sierra Nevada Mountains of California. Unfortunately, Barbara passed away in 1999. A few years later, Gary met Lucinda and they married in 2004.

When looking back, Gary is happy that he was able to work with the Sacramento Municipal Utility District and get through the operator training program, culminating in his career choice of nuclear operator. This is the origin of his nickname, Nightlight. It was very difficult, and when looking back, Gary is proud of passing the required courses. After the nuclear power plant closed, he continued on with the local power utility in a “dream job” as a Senior Electrician in the Fresh Pond office which services all the hydro powerhouses in and around the Rubicon/Crystal Springs basin.

Gary is also very proud of his efforts related to TLCA. He recalls purchasing his first Land Cruiser, an FJ55, in 1979 and helping form a TLCA Chapter as a charter member of Toys on the Rocks. He later purchased his trail rig FJ40, which saw many TLCA events, and later a classic FJ45. Gary notes it was like jumping in with both feet when asked about volunteering for TLCA. Most TLCA members across the United States and abroad know Gary for his years as Managing Editor for Toyota Trails or later when he founded the Land Cruiser Mailing List. The LCML is credited with thousands of connections between folks around the world that have the Cruiser addiction and is even credited with a few marriages.

Recently, Gary has been courageously battling a serious illness but the outlook for full recovery is good. He just purchased a new FJ Cruiser and is looking forward to retiring within the year so he can get more involved with four wheeling and TLCA activities, the sport he has always loved.

John & Melissa Fulton
John and Melissa each had been married with children prior to their marriage in 1971. John, who was born in Valparaiso, Indiana, in 1941, had been previously married and has a daughter named Donna (who now has a family of her own). Melissa was born in Harvey, Illinois, in 1937 and was married after graduating in 1955, when she had her son Mark and daughter Dianna. Mark Fulton and Dianna Fulton Hendrick also have families of their own. After graduating in 1959, John spent 4 years in the Air Force before being discharged and spending another six years in the Navy Reserve.

John and Melissa bought their first Land Cruiser in 1971, a brand new, green FJ40. John was a mechanic at the time in Northridge, CA, and Melissa was a bookkeeper. They spent their spare time in the desert east of the Mojave where Melissa’s brother Chuck lived, exploring Red Rock Canyon and all points east.

Upon moving to Oregon in 1971, they continued exploring. It seemed they couldn’t get enough of the outdoors! They sold their Cruiser prior to returning to Ventura County in 1974 and in 1976 they bought Soupbone, a 1974 FJ55, cream and tan in color. They installed a full roll cage inside and a hard-charging Chevy 350 under the hood. John knows how to build great engines and Melissa loves to race! The name Soupbone came from a cartoon dog painted on the sides, running to catch a soup bone hanging by a rope from the side view mirrors. There was also a cute chick painted on the hood and no, it wasn’t Melissa—just looked a little like her and when they did club car shows in malls, John would paint a bikini on her.

John and Melissa answered an ad in the local paper from a guy named Bob Garrett, who was looking to start a Toyota Land Cruiser club. They became charter members of the TLCA Ventura County and both John and Melissa held offices within the club. Melissa became the editor of the original Toyota Trails. The first meeting was in January of 1976 and everyone was driving FJ40s and giving the Fulton’s a hard time (in fun) because of their FJ55. TLCA Ventura County joined CA4WDA and became very active, including Melissa serving as Chair of the 1985 CA4WDA annual conference—and she spent 3 years on the Hungary Valley SVRA Advisory Committee. The Fulton’s also wrote articles for and about TLCA and TLCA events for Four Wheeler magazine, had their club rigs on the cover a couple of times and always spread the word about TLCA.

The Fulton’s sold Soupbone in the mid-80s and bought a completely renovated FJ40, which got the obligatory Chevy power plant. By now John had been a commercial sea urchin fisherman out of the Channel Islands, and had later gone into construction. Melissa had gone to work for Raytheon in 1974, which turned into a management career position, allowing her to retire in 1989. Today they live in Lakeport, CA, on the shore of Clear Lake. John is semi-retired from construction and Melissa has been in the Chamber of Commerce business since 1990. Since moving north, they have never returned to the Rubicon and actually got out of four wheeling as a recreation. Although John sold the FJ40 about 4 years ago, he still has two he is planning on rebuilding some day.

Both John and Melissa savor their memories of the great friends and great times they had with TLCA—strangers who later became good friends, and in doing so, launched an association. They recall the many campfires they sat around while talking about their vision of TLCA. John and Melissa want to tell all their old friends, “Thank you to everyone who followed and made those dreams come true.”

Marlin Crawler
Marlin recalls growing up very poor. While his father, John Czajkowski, was an electrical technician, Marlin remembers his dad having many short term jobs because upon hearing the second Polish joke, he would often quit on the spot. John was originally from Holy Oak, Massachusetts, but found himself in California after WWII and met his future wife, Alice, from College Place, Washington, one day at church. John and Alice were married in 1953.

Marlin Czajkowski is one of three sons, his older brother Stanley living in Sonora, CA, and his younger brother Paul, who lives in Challenge, CA. Marlin was born in 1955 in Glendale, CA. When asked to describe himself as a young man, Marlin recalls “a clunky, zit faced child from a poor family.” Marlin specifically remembers wearing his older brother’s clothes during his school years at the Seventh Day Adventists High School in Glendale. He was never good at sports and spent most of his high school years working various jobs at the school to help make money. Marlin notes that growing up poor helped define who he is today—working year round and repairing anything that was broken, as opposed to buying a new one.

After graduating high school, Marlin went to college at Pacific Union College in Angwin, CA, where he studied Industrial Arts with an emphasis on automotive repair. Originally Marlin’s goal was to be a teacher. He graduated in 1975 and just missed the draft. Marlin met his wife, Christine, during high school—she was his best friend’s sister. Marlin married Chris in 1975, shortly after graduation and taking a new job. Their first child, Crystal, was born in 1978, and their second child, Mike, was born in 1980.

After graduating from college and shortly before getting married, Marlin took his first job outside the school as an auto mechanic. Nine years would pass before he opened Marlin’s Automotive and Truck Repair on January 1st, 1985. During this time, Marlin purchased his used 1980 long wheel base Toyota truck in September of 1983, and joined the local Toyota club, Madera TLCA. He loved the little truck but wished it performed more like the Toyota Land Cruiser, which was heavier and crawled better. Burning the clutch through Little Sluice frustrated Marlin and he remembers wanting the little truck to be more respected by the dominant Jeep, Land Cruiser and full size trucks on the trail.

Right around the time Marlin was talking to Danny Warden about an adapter for an SM420 transmission conversion in his little truck, Marlin discovered the Icelandic Crawler, a combination of transfer cases mated together enabling superior low gearing. Paying cash, Marlin purchased the first unit sent to North America in April of 1995. Marlin recalls it was very difficult to assemble the unit and took him quite some time. While many incorrectly believe he created the concept of stacked transfer cases, Marlin notes he simply engineered the adapter and made assembly easy, affordable and effective. Now his little truck had the extreme low gearing to make even the most challenging trails look easy. Marlin’s goal of seeing the little truck respected had been completed.

In 1999, Marlin Crawler went full time and separated Marlin Crawler from the automotive and truck repair business. Marlin Crawler now employees 14 people and is allowing Marlin himself to spend more time on what he feels are the two most important tasks—meeting his customers and working on research and development of new ideas and products.

Today Marlin is as busy working as he was in college. The work ethic installed as a young man is prevalent today, as evidenced by his busy schedule. Striking a balance between work, family, event attendance and new product development is always a challenge, but Marlin remains as dedicated to his goals as ever.

Photos courtesy of Tony Twiddy and the TLCA archives

From : http://tlca.org/trails/2007/0506/halloffame.shtml

Fuel System

TIPS FOR BETTER ENGINE PERFORMANCE AND FUEL MILEAGE:

You've heard this a thousand times, and it's as true today as the first time you heard it. Regular engine maintenance is the most effective way to get optimum performance. Go to your owner's manual and follow the suggested maintenance schedule for your type of driving. Don't skimp, if you're on the border line follow the severe schedule. Over the course of a year the severe schedule makes about $30 difference in your maintenance costs. Be frugal and get the best price for you maintenance, but don't be cheap and skip the maintenance. In the long run maintenance saves you hundreds of dollars in repair and fuel costs.

Dirty engines waste fuel, run poorly, and cause hundreds of dollars in avoidable repair costs. Deposit build-ups in the fuel and air intake systems can cause multiple performance problems. Your mechanic may spend a great deal of time (and money) tracking down the source of the problem, if he can find a source for the problem at all. If your mechanic is extremely good he'll determine deposits in the fuel and air intake system are the cause. If he can't find the trouble, and he's extremely honest, he will tell you he just can't find the source of the trouble. But chances are he'll still expect you to pay for a portion of his diagnostic time. If your mechanic isn't extremly good and honest, you may wind up paying for repairs you don't need that don't fix the problem.

To get the best fuel mileage from your vehicle follow these tested tips.

1. Buy good gasoline. It's true all base petroleum is the same, however the additives make the difference. Better additives allow the fuel to burn more completely and give you better gas mileage. In the case of gasoline you do get what you pay for.

2. Underinflated tires increase friction, which requires more power output to reach and maintain your chosen driving speed. More friction equals more gas burned. Tire inflation should be checked, at a minimum, every 3,000 miles. Ideally, tire inflation should be checked monthly, and every time the outside temperature drops more than ten degrees.

3. Clean fuel delivery and air intake systems use less fuel. Deposits in the fuel and air intake system "fool" the engine management computer. The deposits can cause the computer to see a lean running condition, which causes the computer to push more fuel to the engine. This rich running condition uses more fuel and can cause more expensive internal engine failures if left unattended.

4. Perform recommended maintenance. Poorly maintained engines use more fuel than well maintained engines.

5. When driving, use slower smoother take-offs and longer more gradual stops. Jackrabbit starts use more fuel and are harder on your vehicle, not to mention you and your passengers.

CLEANING THE FUEL DELIVERY SYSTEM:

You may think cleaning the fuel delivery system is an expensive time consuming task. You might envision a trained technician with high-tech equipment spending hours working on your vehicle. And you probably imagine your checking account being hit hard to pay for this service. Fortunately cleaning the fuel system is easy, inexpensive and you can do it while you drive to work each morning! In our professional service shop we add a can of BG44K to our customer's gas tank once a year. BG44K removes deposits in the fuel delivery system and allows your engine to perform at it's peak. From the fuel tank to the fuel injectors, BG44K cleans the system of the deposits that cause poor fuel mileage, hard starting, rough idle, engine stumble, and engine knock.

If you're vehicle is less than 3 yrs old and has less than 30,000 miles you can start adding BG44K once a year to eliminate harmful deposits and improve your engine performance, fuel mileage and engine longevity. If your vehicle is more than 3 yrs old and has more than 30,000 miles you should add a can of BG44K at your next two (2) fill-ups. The first can will soften the deposits, the second can will clean them away.

BG44K FUEL SYSTEM DEPOSIT REMOVER

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Toyota Land Cruiser V8 Wins Security Award

The new Toyota Land Cruiser V8 has been voted number one in the large 4x4 category at the British Insurance Car Awards. Held today at the Motor Insurance Repair Research Centre in Thatcham Berkshire, the awards which have been running since 2004, are designed to raise consumer awareness of what is best in vehicle security.

The Toyota Land Cruiser V8, which went on sale earlier this year, is the eighth generation of this iconic model. Powered by a new 4.5-litre V8 D-4D engine it is Toyota’s first eight-cylinder unit with diesel common rail injection technology.

Based on the New Vehicle Security Rating Scheme (NVSR), participating vehicles are assessed on points awarded under the categories of ‘theft of’ and ‘theft from’ the vehicle, the winner achieving the highest combined points score.

“Manufacturers are continuing to keep ahead of the criminal fraternity – committing resources to the development of highly sophisticated systems to keep cars secure,” said Peter Roberts, Chief Executive of insurer funded research centre - Thatcham.

“Many car thieves are just having to give up – thanks to the industry’s continued quest to drive down car crime.”

Hydrogen For Cars, Make a Hydrogen Generator For Your Car

By: Mick Legg

Did you know that there is a way to cut your gas consumption in half? I’m talking about Hydrogen for cars a method where plain water is used to produce HHO gas to use as a supplement to your regular gasoline.

If you make a Hydrogen Generator for your car you can expect to get gas mileage improvements of up to 50%, this is because HHO gas burns with up to 3 times more power than ordinary gasoline. And when you mix the two together by using a homemade Hydrogen Generator you will get a much more fuel efficient engine and so get more mpg.

Hydrogen for cars is not a new concept, in fact it has been around for a long time, but due to pressure from the big oil companies it has been suppressed and kept out of the public eye. People have been making homemade Hydrogen Generators for their cars and trucks for years with great results. Now because of the latest oil crisis the technology has had resurgence and has come on in leaps and bounds. This technology has come so far in the past few years that it is now possible for anyone to make a Hydrogen Generator cheaply and easily.

The principle behind a homemade Hydrogen Generator is a simple process called electrolysis. This process uses the electricity from your vehicles battery to break a small amount of water down into its two main molecules (Hydrogen and Oxygen). A by-product of this is HHO or Brown’s gas, a gas that is highly flammable which is then mixed with your regular fuel and burned in your engine in the usual way.

You can make a Hydrogen Generator for your car very easily and also very cheaply. All the parts you need can be bought from local auto stores and hardware shops. You can also buy kits to put together a homemade Hydrogen Generator but these tend to be expensive and can work out to be ten times the cost of building one from scratch.

The easiest way to make a Hydrogen Generator is to use one of the downloadable manuals from the internet. These manuals give you full and detailed instructions of exactly what parts you need, and a step by step guide to put them together. They contain detailed diagrams and even videos to show you how to make a homemade Hydrogen Generator for your car or truck.

A homemade Hydrogen Generator will work on any make or model of car, truck, or Suv, and once installed you can expect to get great gas mileage improvements. It can also be removed from your vehicle very easily without causing any damage, so if you sell your car or truck you can keep it to use in your next vehicle.

All in all Hydrogen for cars seems to make a lot of sense, and as it is so easy and cheap to make a Hydrogen Generator for you car I can see it catching on in a big way. If you are interested and would like to make a Hydrogen Generator for your own car check out the top downloadable guides that I have reviewed on my website.

High Gas + New Loan = Bad Idea?

by Valerie Menard

Selling a large vehicle to save money on fuel may be tempting, but there is more to consider than just the price of fuel. The cost of the smaller car could outweigh the savings.

Desperate times require desperate measures. The unruly petroleum market continues to push consumers past their comfort zones and into more fuel-efficient vehicles, regardless of lifestyle or need.

While new truck and SUV buyers continue to disappear, current owners are also considering the ultimate sacrifice-–trading in their truck or SUV for a smaller, more fuel efficient vehicle. The immediate relief at the pump may be tempting, but the long-term cost of a new loan may cost more than you would save on fuel.

According to Kelly Blue Book (KBB), which compiles new and used vehicle information, depreciation rates among trucks and SUVs will garner consumers a weaker trade-in value on any new car purchase. The depreciation rate among large SUVs and trucks has dropped to eight percent. While that rate is common over a 12 to 18 month period, the depreciation was achieved in only six months.

There is a bright side, however. KBB anticipates that depreciation will slow and eventually turn around as winter approaches and advises truck and SUV owners to hold off on a vehicle purchase, if possible, until then.

"While it might be tempting to trade-in your big SUV after spending $100 to fill its gas tank, it is important you take everything into consideration before you decide to change vehicles or you may end up spending thousands of dollars to save hundreds," advises Jack R. Nerad, executive editorial director and executive market analyst for KBB and kbb.com.
"For owners who owe more than the vehicle's worth, selling would not be the best economic move. If you owe $20,000 but the vehicle is now appraised at $15,000, you stand to lose thousands."

Before considering any automotive purchase, it's important to do the research. In the case of a trade-in, it's also important to do the math. For example, with gas prices at $4 per gallon, Ford Expedition owners will pay $112 to fill-up the SUV's 28-gallon tank. With an EPA estimated city fuel economy rating of 12 miles per gallon, the Expedition will get 336 miles on one tank. To trade in the Expedition for the Ford Escape Hybrid, for example, would seemingly net the buyer a gasoline bounty. The cost to fill-up the Escape's 15-gallon tank would be $60 and with a fuel economy of 34 mpg in the city, the hybrid could travel 510 miles on one tank, theoretically. While you may get twice as far on half as much gas, the loss of money in the trade may still not justify the dollars saved at the pump.

For owners who have paid off their vehicle, getting back into debt on a new vehicle may not be cost effective either, even if it means more dollars saved at the pump. Truck and SUV owners who purchased these vehicles because of their utility, seating, hauling, and cargo capacity will also lose these assets when trading in for a smaller vehicle.

Still, the pain at the pump and the gain of cash in hand may be enough incentive to switch. Manufacturers vastly underestimated the appeal to consumers of hybrids, regardless of reports at the time that the premium on hybrids would take years to recoup. For consumers who want to help the environment as well as save gas, newer, lower emission vehicles might be enough to tip the scales.

Bottom line: There's a lot to consider when downsizing vehicles. The most important first step is don't panic. Next, consider costs carefully and if paying more now to lighten gasoline dependence down the road makes sense, switch ahead.

Tips For Shopping For Tyres Online

As I was traveling down the expressway, a person in the next car kept pointing at my tyres. I didn’t pay much attention until I got to my destination which wasn’t very far. What a shock I got when I took a look at my tyres! Although I had noticed that the car seemed to wobble a little bit, I had no idea what poor condition my tyres were actually in. Definitely, it was time to start shopping for tyres.

Since online shopping is so much easier than going from store to store, I decided to take some time and check out the different tyre companies I could find on the internet. Obviously, I wanted to find tyres that would last for years. Therefore, I knew that price could not be the only consideration in my search.

As I traveled around the internet, I discovered that there are many differences in the companies that provide tyres. Some online sites that advertise tyres mainly made claims about offering the lowest price in tyres. Others concentrated on services that they offer along with the tyre purchase.

Some of these services included such things as tyre rotation every few months which is supposed to make the tyres last longer and give a better ride for the passengers. Other services included free mounting, balancing, and even free lug nuts.

Depending on the brand of the tyres, some are guaranteed to last as long as 50,000 miles or more, and/or several years. Many of the different types of tyres will then be replaced free of charge. In most cases, this replacement includes the fees for the mounting and balancing. One in particular, guarantees free replacement even if you run over a nail or blow a tyre because of a rut in the road.

When traveling around the internet looking for tyres, you will find that there are many different ways that tyres are describes. There are performance tyres, passenger tyres, truck tyres and SUV tyres.

Some places offer discounts on front end alignments done when you get a whole new set of tyres at their place of business. Obviously, a front end alignment is essential to make sure your tyres wear evenly and you get the most out of your new tyres. Most businesses agree that it is important to replace at least two tyres at a time so the front tyres and the back tyres are the same and have the same amount of wear.
By: Gabriel Adams

Some sites stress how long the company has been in business in your local area; others just make claims that they are the cheapest company in the area when it comes to the price of tyres. Several that I checked out stressed that they are family-owned and family-run businesses which was more impressive to me than advertising the lowest tyre price.

There are sites online that brag about how many different locations they have around the country where they sell tyres. One advantage to that especially for people who travel a lot is the convenience of being able to replace a damaged tyre no matter where they are.

Depending on what type of vehicle you drive, how many miles you travel a year, and how much you travel outside of your community, there are many choices of places to purchase your tyres. If you prefer a particular brand of tyre, there are many places online where you can find the tyres that will suit your needs.