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Beta Don

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  1. Cool
    Beta Don got a reaction from RussBarnes in Wax or Sealant   
    Too many variables  -  What you use and why would depend on lots of things.  How you use the vehicle and what you expect from it.  Are you a 'car show' kinda guy who keeps his vehicle freshly washed and all shined up every week?  More importantly, where do you keep it when you're not driving it?
    The best thing you can do with anything you want to last a long time is . . . . . keep it out of the weather, especially out of the sun.  If your TC is garage kept anytime it's not being used, the modern finish on it will likely last a long time without you doing or using much of anything.  It really amazes me how many vehicles which cost $30K or more live their entire lives out in the weather, 24/7.  Before I would even think about spending that much (or more) on something to drive, I would reassess where I lived and why it would need to sit outside.  If I couldn't garage it, I would reassess what I'll drive and how much I would pay for it, but that's just me.  I realize everyone has different priorities  -  Many people living in condos and rental apartments drive $50K (or more) vehicles which sit outside with the sun and the weather beating them up every single day.  Very different priorities
    If your vehicle is garaged, a yearly coat of something like Turtle Wax Ice is probably all it needs  -  Cheap, easy to put on, even easier to remove and keeps it looking very nice *if* you don't have the sun and weather beating it up 24/7.  If you have a nice vehicle and no place to park it out of the weather, something more suitable and expensive probably needs to be used and probably more often than once per year
    Don 
  2. Cool
    Beta Don got a reaction from operating engineer O/O in Transmission fluid change   
    Good to know that my brown 25,000 mile fluid isn't that big a deal, I guess
     
    What blows my mind is that Ford considers this a 'maintenance-free, 100,000 mile transmission' and yet they didn't opt to go with synthetic ATF  -  Doesn't make too much sense, does it?
     
    Don
  3. Confused
    Beta Don got a reaction from budo675 in 2010 XLT Slammed   
    Sorry, but "fun" and "sportier" doesn't describe the "ride" of any lowered vehicle with ultra low profile tires  -  He wants to know if he'll need crutches after a 200 mile trip on less than perfect roads.  Choppy, uncomfortable, maybe even backbreaking would probably better describe how it feels to drive a long distance on anything other than billiard table smooth roads . . . . "Fun" wouldn't be in anyone's vocabulary.  The "ride" in a stock TC isn't "fun" and "sportier" would be a Mazda Miata  ?
  4. Thanks
    Beta Don got a reaction from Bean in How to connect power for amps. inverters and other high current loads   
    Thanks for the offer.  Those are a bit different from the OEM Ford ones because the tie strap can be replaced on those whereas the Ford ones cannot  -  Once you cut them, they're junk
    I'll look around on eBay and see if I can find me a package of them to have on hand  -  Gotta be cheaper than buying them from Ford!!
    Don 
  5. Like
    Beta Don got a reaction from Bean in How to connect power for amps. inverters and other high current loads   
    A couple observations after completing this.  Don mentioned that "You will have to cut some cable ties holding the cable on the front of the BJB."  I cut them too, but I think if I was going to do it again, I would just pry those three ties out and not cut them.  They are special cable ties which mount in a hole and I'll have to source some replacements for them  -  Likely from Ford.  I can't imagine that when a Ford dealer replaces a battery (you would need to remove them for that too) that they're cutting and replacing these . . . . maybe they are, but if you just pull them out of the hole, you can just put them back when you're finished
    I needed a big #4 wire for my inverter install in the rear of the van  -  The cable is more than 15 feet long.  If I was installing amps or radios, especially if they're in the front of the van, I would use a smaller wire.  Certainly a #6 would suffice, but probably a #8 would be large enough to support 30 or 40 amps if the wire was only 6 or 8 feet long.  Getting a #4 wire in the BJB isn't a simple thing and it would be oh so much easier if it was a #6 or a #8
    Don 
  6. Like
    Beta Don got a reaction from Bean in How to connect power for amps. inverters and other high current loads   
    Since I already had the battery out, and since it's already 3+ years old, and since it's so doggone difficult to get at . . . . and since I'm hooking up a high current load which will need to run off the battery when I stop for gas or to eat lunch, it only made sense to replace it with something better.  Ford has chosen to use 'Ford sized' batteries in all their newer vehicles which I suspect was done to try and enhance battery sales at the dealerships.  Our battery is a 'BXT-96R' which doesn't seem to exist anywhere but from Ford  -  Granted, you can buy a few 'equivalent' size replacements elsewhere
    Anyway, I wanted a higher capacity battery and I wanted an AGM, so after a good bit of research I settled on a Duracell Group 48 (H6) AGM from Sam's Club  -  $159.99.  It has a 20 amp hour rate of 70 (3.5 amp draw for 20 hours) and much better specs than the OEM battery and it's made in the USA.  3 year free replacement  and a 5 year pro-rated warranty
    Battery Electrolyte Composition: Glass Mat Battery End Type: Top Post BCI Group Size:48 CA at 32 degrees F:875 CCA at 0 degrees F:760 Polarity: Right Positive Reserve Capacity:120 The BXT-96R has only 500 cold cranking amps
    It's *almost* a drop in replacement for our OEM battery.  It's about 1/2 inch taller, but fits in the battery box OK and you can even use the OEM hold down clamp if you remove the rear battery box spacer so the battery can slide back just a little to center the battery on the hold down studs.  Then the clamp fits OK if you raise (or remove) the lifting handles that come on the battery  -  They fold back down after the clamp is installed, so you don't have to remove them
    If you intend to run high current accessories for even a short time with the engine not running, an upgrade to a better battery is probably a smart move . . . . especially if your current battery is 3 or 4 years old
    Don
     
  7. Thanks
    Beta Don got a reaction from Bean in How to connect power for amps. inverters and other high current loads   
    Yes, on the TC the negative battery cable is only about 6 inches long.  It runs from the battery to the nearest point on the chassis and bonds there.  There is no negative cable from the battery to the engine block, or from the battery to any other high load application.  Every negative in the car is a short cable direct to the unibody chassis . . . . and there are literally hundreds of them  -  Negative connections take up several pages in the car's book of wiring diagrams
    I've already scoped out the place near the jack where I'll bond the negative for my inverter
    Don
  8. Like
    Beta Don got a reaction from Bean in How to connect power for amps. inverters and other high current loads   
    A small note for clarifaction   -  Don's last photo (of the firewall knockout) is taken from inside the car, looking up and to the left of the brake pedal and not from under the hood like the other photos.  If you drill your hole in the plastic knockout in the lower left corner (looking under the dash facing forward) the cable will be routed alongside the battery box when you put it back in.  I cut an 'X' hole in the padding removed from the inside and routed the cable through it so that sound insulation could be put back over the knockout
    I armored my cable under the hood with 3/8ths protective wire wrap, Item # 66987 from Harbor Freight, $2.99  -  It's a perfect fit for a single #4 cable.  I tied the cable doown with cable ties so it can't move and rub against anything
    A note for the not so capable DIY'ers  -  When your Gen 2 battery dies, buy the new battery from someone who offers 'Free Installation' . . . . if you watch them install it, you'll surely thank me after 
    Don
  9. Like
    Beta Don got a reaction from Bean in How to connect power for amps. inverters and other high current loads   
    Yes, as it turns out, there is!    -  And it doesn't take 3 or 4 hours
    I managed to do it without removing anything.  I pulled up the lower portion of the rubber door seal around the drivers side sliding door and looking in the crack, I could see the light above the jack storage compartment  -  I found a straight shot back to the jack compartment without removing any of the panels.  It looked like there would be enough room to tuck the #4 cable under the bottom plastic threshold below the door without removing it, so I gave it a try
    I poked my cable back into the jack compartment and began working my way forward, tucking the cable under the plastic threshold and replacing the rubber door jamb seal as I went.  I removed the lower part of the door jamb seal from the drivers door and pushed a fish wire between the drivers door and the sliding door, taped my #4 to the fish wire and pulled the cable around the door post into the threshold of the drivers door  -  Buttoned up the door seal on the rear door
    Repeated this same procedure, tucking the cable under the threshold of the drivers door and replacing the seal.  Found an easy exit for the cable just above the hood release lever and pulled the cable out there.  It's just above the kick panel, right behind the OBD jack under the dash.  So, I got a #4 power wire from the drivers kick panel area to the rear jack compartment in the back in about 20 minutes.  The cable is tucked in tight everywhere, so there should be no rattles
    It truly was 'quick and simple!'  -  Now all that remains is getting it through the firewall and into the engine compartment where I will hook it to my 80 amp fuse.  I found the fuse and in-line fuse holder on eBay for $7
    Don
  10. Like
    Beta Don got a reaction from Bean in How to connect power for amps. inverters and other high current loads   
    Thanks!  -  Man, that's some expensive conduit.  I bought a 25' coil of super flexible red #4 Stereo power cable on eBay for $15 with free shipping.  Don't you hate it when the plastic tube to protect your expensive cable costs more than the cable itself? 
    Don
  11. Like
    Beta Don got a reaction from Bean in How to connect power for amps. inverters and other high current loads   
    Don,
    Is there a 'quick and easy' way to get a 4 gauge wire from the BJB to the back of the van?  I would like to install an inverter in the opening panel at the rear on the drivers side.  I'm thinking a 750 watt inverter, though I would likely never draw more than 300 to 400 watts from it.  A 4 gauge wire with a 60 amp fuse for the positive should be all I'd need  -  I can ground the negative lead of the inverter to the chassis near the inverter
    Don
  12. Like
    Beta Don got a reaction from Eddy Kilowatt in Solving the 4x8 problem   
    You hardly see pick-ups anywhere except North America . . . . and here, they're used most often just to get the driver to wherever he's going  -  No passengers, no cargo and towing nothing  -  4 doors, an 8 foot bed, weighing 6,000 pounds, nearly impossible to park and only being used for basic transportation.  That's what $2 gas gets you
    Don
  13. Like
    Beta Don got a reaction from operating engineer O/O in Transmission fluid change   
    I *like* the idea of drain plugs in transmission pans  -  A worthwhile mod, IMO
     
    Years ago we had a Mitsu with an automatic which was known to fail, often before 100K was reached.  It came from the factory with a trans drain plug (which I'm sure 90% of owners never made use of) and every other oil change I would drain and refill the trans  -  I was changing engine oil every 3K with conventional oil.  The trans took just shy of  3 quarts to refill after a drain.  This meant (to me at least) that I was doing a complete fluid change every 20K or so, which I'm sure had to be a good idea for a transmission known to have 'problems'.  Our car was totaled by a drunk driver when we had about 90K on it and we never had any trans related problems, so money well spent, IMO
     
    If you have to drop the pan to install the drain plug, why not change the filter too?  In my not so knowledgeable opinion, if you want to switch from conventional ATF to synthetic, I think you should do as close to a 100% change as possible when you make the switch  -  Not by adding 3 or 4 quarts once every year.  I'm sure they'll say the conventional and the synthetic are 'compatible' but running with 3 or 4 quarts of new synthetic mixed with 5 or 6 quarts of old 50,000 mile conventional doesn't sound like a good idea to me.  I just bought 16 quarts of full synthetic to make the switch on my TC, but I recently realized that I'll need about 4 quarts more to get a 95% or better switch over
     
    If you only want to change 3 or 4 quarts regularly with your new drain plug,  I think I'd stay with the factory recommended conventional ATF  -  Just my opinion
     
    Don
  14. Like
    Beta Don got a reaction from PhotoAl in Finally got it! 2018 TC Titanium LWB   
    Loading and unloading in the rain (or hot sun) I wouldn't have anything other than the lift gate
     
    But, the real reason for me was . . . . I drove a cargo van with the cargo doors and never did get used to the restricted visibility from the inside rear view mirror.  I know it doesn't bother everyone, but I would never get used to it
     
    Don
  15. Thanks
    Beta Don got a reaction from Bill in Arizona in Replacement Engine   
    302 and 350 crate engines are popular (and are big sellers) because they fit into so many '50's, '60's and '70's cars which so many Baby Boomers are restoring.  I just don't see Ford or Chevy marketing a small 4 cylinder crate engine which would only fit a handful of modern vehicles like our TC 's   -    They'd be lucky to sell a dozen of them per year
     
    Dave replaced his TC engine with a used $350 low mileage unit  -  I doubt he would have been interested in a brand new $3K engine, even if one was available
     
    Don
  16. Haha
    Beta Don got a reaction from jrm223 in radiator upgrade   
    The stock radiator didn't work well enough when it was new??
     
    Don
  17. Like
    Beta Don got a reaction from Bean in Upgrade instrument cluster 2016   
    You will need a Torx T-15 screwdriver to remove the four screws holding the IPC to the dash.  The top two screws will be obvious when the top cover is removed.  The bottom two are hidden behind a removable cover that clips to the dash and the steering column with a bit of vinyl in between  -  That one can be a bit tricky to get disconnected from the steering column.  Use extreme care not to drop either of the bottom screws into the bowels of the dash, where they might never be found again!
     
    Don
  18. Like
    Beta Don got a reaction from Hanover Fiste in Insurance Issues with personal use   
    We truly live in different worlds.  I've never seen a 'commercial zone' where I couldn't drive my passenger car, nor a street with signage saying 'Commercial Vehicles Only'  -  Quite the opposite, all I ever do see as far as restrictive signage on streets around here is 'No Trucks'
     
    Don
  19. Like
    Beta Don got a reaction from regcruz in Absorbent Glass Mat (AGM) battery   
    Starting batteries don't make good deep cycle batteries, but the reverse isn't necessarily true.  The AGM I installed has 50% more "cold cranking amps" than the stock battery and they wouldn't rate it that way if it wasn't intended to see duty as a starting battery, nor would they be offering a three year free replacement.  As a general rule, AGM's handle higher recharge currents much better than flooded batteries do
     
    I have a 1994 Miata which came with an AGM battery mounted in the trunk  -  AGM's are the stock battery in many more cars these days.  Anyway, I replaced the OEM battery in my Miata with a deep cycle Optima Yellow top  and that lasted me almost exactly 10 years before I had to replace it . . . . with another deep cycle Optima
     
    When the AGM I put in my TC fails, I'll report back here . . . . if this forum is still around then  ;-)
     
    Don
  20. Like
    Beta Don got a reaction from zalienz in Sofa recliner..will it fit in a 2016 xlt lwb cargo?   
    That would depend entirely on the physical dimensions of the sofa/recliner you're looking at  -  They vary all over the place, depending on the style and who made the one you're looking at   -   Kinda like asking "Will my boat on my friends trailer fit under the low clearance bridge near my house??"  ?
     
    Don
  21. Like
    Beta Don got a reaction from jrm223 in 2013/gen1 TPMS issue   
    IMO, $60 would make a $200 improvement in the way they look on your van  -  As it is, they scream "SOMETHING IS MISSING HERE!!"
     
    Don
  22. Like
    Beta Don got a reaction from OLDSCHOOLFOOL in What wheels fit 2010-2013 TransitC USA   
    . . . . .  assuming the offset of both wheels is close to the same
     
    Don
  23. Thanks
    Beta Don got a reaction from jrm223 in Absorbent Glass Mat (AGM) battery   
    Several of us who converted to the Group 48 size and AGM format did so because we are running things off the battery and not just using it to start the engine, so we wanted more power, more reserve capacity and less self discharge
     
    I carry a pair of full sized Segway I2's in the back and I wanted to be able to charge them using an inverter while driving and I didn't want to have to shut down the inverter when I stop for gas , or lunch, or shopping along the way.  I installed a 750 watt inverter in the back of the van fed by a #4 wire and a 70 amp fuse, powered off the battery.  Others are running refrigerators and other things, usually with inverters, so stuffing the most reserve amp hours into the stock battery box was a good idea . . . . and it has worked well for all of us
     
    Don
  24. Like
    Beta Don got a reaction from jrm223 in Locating a Race Red Titanium....   
    It's always best (cheapest) to buy any vehicle from the dealer who has it sitting on his lot and not asking another dealer to have it shipped to you  -  BOTH dealers will expect to make $$$ for their time and trouble.  In your case, since you're looking for the hen's teeth of all TC's, both dealers will know you're desperate and expect to make a bunch of $$$ from you, because all three of you know how rare this particular vehicle is . . . . whereas, if you were to show up at the dealer who has the vehicle, asking about a Titanium TC and they show you the red one you really want, you could say "Red, huh?  Don't you have it in a better color??"  Then, you could probably make a deal on the red one that he's had sitting unsold on his lot for a month or two  -  He was thinking it might be very hard to sell, so he gives you a break, rather than you pointing out that he has the only red one in all the USA and you've got to have a RED one!
     
    Don
  25. Haha
    Beta Don got a reaction from Eddy Kilowatt in Absorbent Glass Mat (AGM) battery   
    Actually, it's a bit more complicated than that.  The front side of the battery box is also a high power fused distribution point and you'll have to cut some cable ties so you can fold that forward far enough to get the old battery out and the new one in.  Getting the larger AGM in there isn't what I would call a simple task  -  I've changed batteries in dozens of cars over the years and this one would rank up there as the most difficult exchange I can ever recall doing . . . . and I'll BET you'll agree after you get yours replaced 
     
    As I said in my post at the beginning of this thread, if you buy a battery from a place that offers free installation, *by all means* take them up on it!  -  They'll probably think twice before they offer to do another TC
     
    Don
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