Recent content by dabbler

I almost always have two spare wheels on board. My setup is predominantly for longer trips and I have the space and weight capacity. Apart from rotations, I've changed three tyres in the last 5+ years and 115k km. About a third of that distance was on unsealed roads in western Qld and NSW. The...

Hmm. It's been "news" for a few weeks now and discussed on and off within Australian car circles for years (yes, years). But perhaps Cardogan is a member and we're doing his base research ...

I saw one victim a few days ago. Only saw the passenger side but the signs of peeling were obvious. Resale on affected models must be crashing. I've read Toyota USA has coughed up some sort of remedial action but Oz and other countries aren't important it seems.

Have a browse of NewTriton.net they might have ideas. My '13 Hilux forgets clock, GPS history and auto-UP/DOWN on driver's window almost immediately but remembers climate settings, Bluetooth and Audio settings for about an hour when you remove power. Those are easily fixed though so I've never...

It's not new because some people see home loans as a cash source. They probably always live on the margin. Idiot ex-BIL came close to bankruptcy by tying all sorts of crap to his home loan 20 years ago after a refinance deal. Most if these toys had no inherent dollar value and couldn't be...

+1 for bars and J racks. I use rhino brand to carry my two yaks.

I use a Wacaco nanopresso and a hand grinder. I typically travel solo and I don't drink milk-based coffees so it suits me. Plus it cost me nothing as I used loyalty points for the purchases.

Regarding burning poo tickets, when I was a kayak camper some decades ago now, the accepted practice was burn the paper used but leave half a sheet of unused paper exposed as signal to others.

I've always found binoculars with the greater field of view easiest to use even if they had lower magnification. Even with hand shaking, my brain can accommodate movement when there are more reference points to view. A mate and I would regularly go to the cricket and he would use the same...

I've encountered many instances of vehicles being used dangerously, inappropriately or incorrectly and simply because the driver didn't know the features or capabilities of that particular vehicle and how they might make the drive safer and easier. No licence endorsement will fully resolve that...

Most auto parts stores stock them and/or can order them as required so I wouldn't call them uncommon at all. As Mick and Hoyks have said, there are more options available so the older plugs and sockets just aren't dominant. Of course, the online sales world we're now in, means items aren't as...

Is this what you mean ? https://www.motoquipe.com.au/buy/trailer-products-trailer-plug-5-pin-plastic-large/5914

Biker BIL (Bob) says "No, not road legal even the models with lights etc". He's seen one in his travels and thinks it was a backdoor rego first imported as a farm bike. Bob still rides a bit but lives vicariously though youtube, a number of different bike mags and a few bike forums so almost...

I once watched a rock bounce along diagonally across the bonnet of my vehicle then hit the windscreen. The chip pattern on the paintwork was like a skipping stone on water, the each strike was closer to the last (about 8 altogether), the windscreen was just pitted. I was only doing 80kmh...

Do you ever get stone chips on your vehicle roof ? I'd wager few people experience this type of damage. There certainly are a large number of vehicles with rack mounted solar panels and a large number are mounted up front and angled at 45 to roofline. Can't be high risk.