Edmunds Members - Cars and Conversations (Archived)

jmonroe1

tjc78 said:

Has anyone read up on the GM plastic Jack recall? I mean what were they thinking using a plastic Jack? They should have just scrapped the spare and given an inflator kit.

Once again GM wasn’t thinking. Even if it was trouble free it’s still a BAD idea. These are the things that get the big suits bonuses. Then there successors are left holding the bag. Then they turn around and do it to the next guy. Has to be something that’s taught in MBA classes.

jmonroe

mjfloyd1

Those scissor jacks are not that great even if made of steel (especially on uneven surfaces)

abacomike

@mjfloyd1 said:
Those scissor jacks are not that great even if made of steel (especially on uneven surfaces)

Most jacks are not great on uneven surfaces, mjfloyd1. That’s why you call roadside assistance to change a tire or tow you to the closest service department or tire center. I would never change a tire by myself - even if I was 50 years younger. Dangerous activity, to say it mildly.

snakeweasel

I'm sitting here watching my granddaughter play in the United Futsal Champion's Cup Series.

The only problem is they won't let me keep the foul balls.

imidazol97

Looks pretty sturdy to me. I don't believe it's simple plastic. It's a material tougher than ordinary plastics.

People have alleged that GM beancounters got bonuses for thinking up using plastic jacks.
People have alleged incompetence in design. To my eye, it looks as good as some of the really light, flimsy metal jacks used.

The real purpose in the ABS material is to save weight, which I caught in some report. That makes sense as to why the choice were made. It's to satisfy the green folks and save weight to save gasoline, electricity, nitrogen or whatever they saving.

Someone somewhere mentioned they have ramps that the car drives up on to raise it for service that are made of plastic. Now there's a case where I would be using my metal jack stands as safety supports if I were getting under the car. I actually made wooden ramps, solid wood, from 2 x 10 material I used for my garage door jambs when I replaced them. I didn't even like the looks of the cheaper metal car ramps.

stickguy

Car ramps are made out of plastic now. This set has a 6 ton weight rating.

https://smile.amazon.com/RhinoGear-11909ABMI-RhinoRamps-Vehicle-Ramp/dp/B0117EETEK/ref=sr_1_3?dchild=1&keywords=car+ramps&qid=1627259850&sr=8-3

imidazol97

This is the part that counts. How much material underneath.

mjfloyd1

@abacomike said:

@mjfloyd1 said:
Those scissor jacks are not that great even if made of steel (especially on uneven surfaces)

Most jacks are not great on uneven surfaces, mjfloyd1. That’s why you call roadside assistance to change a tire or tow you to the closest service department or tire center. I would never change a tire by myself - even if I was 50 years younger. Dangerous activity, to say it mildly.

I’d much rather take my chances with one of these

https://www.harborfreight.com/automotive/jacks-jack-stands/floor-jacks/3-ton-professional-rapid-pump-floor-jack-blue-56642.html

stickguy

I would trust ABS ramps a lot more than cheap stamped ones that can (and do) catastrophically fail. Can't see that happening on these!

imidazol97

stickguy said:

I would trust ABS ramps a lot more than cheap stamped ones that can (and do) catastrophically fail. Can't see that happening on these!

roadburner

I have an ‘80s vintage 3 ton Craftsman floor jack as well as a Snap-on aluminum “racing” jack with matching stands that I take to the track. A few years ago I bought a Makita 1/2 inch drive impact wrench. I can now swap out summer tires/wheels for a winter set in less than 45 minutes- and that counts cleaning the take- offs before storing them. Make it 30 minutes or less if my son is helping.

jmonroe1

imidazol97 said:

Looks pretty sturdy to me. I don't believe it's simple plastic. It's a material tougher than ordinary plastics.

People have alleged that GM beancounters got bonuses for thinking up using plastic jacks.
People have alleged incompetence in design. To my eye, it looks as good as some of the really light, flimsy metal jacks used.

The real purpose in the ABS material is to save weight, which I caught in some report. That makes sense as to why the choice were made. It's to satisfy the green folks and save weight to save gasoline, electricity, nitrogen or whatever they saving.

Someone somewhere mentioned they have ramps that the car drives up on to raise it for service that are made of plastic. Now there's a case where I would be using my metal jack stands as safety supports if I were getting under the car. I actually made wooden ramps, solid wood, from 2 x 10 material I used for my garage door jambs when I replaced them. I didn't even like the looks of the cheaper metal car ramps.

I didn’t “allege” it, I said it. There are places where plastic is better than metal. Think drain lines in your house. But I don’t want to use plastic for jacking up my car. I’ll go with metal for doing that all day long. I know plastics are getting stronger all the time but my head can’t get around that yet for car jacks. Maybe some day but not today or even tomorrow.

You mentioned using 2x10’s for making car ramps. I know that would be very solid and years ago I thought of that too. Then the thought occurred to me that I didn’t want to move those beasts and this was back in the days when I was at my fighting weight. You can take things too far and that for me is waaay too far. You don’t need a sledge hammer to kill a mosquito when a newspaper works fine.

jmonroe

cdnpinhead

abacomike said:

That’s why you call roadside assistance to change a tire or tow you to the closest service department or tire center. I would never change a tire by myself - even if I was 50 years younger. Dangerous activity, to say it mildly.

I'll let this statement stand on its own, since any comment I'd make would probably get me in trouble.

Except that my daughter can (and has) installed a spare tire when required. It's much quicker than waiting for someone else to do it.

driver100

GM is once again recalling nearly 70,000 Chevrolet Bolt electric vehicles because of a risk that the battery will catch fire when the car is parked.

The company does not have a fix for the problem that has been tied to at least nine fires nationwide since early 2020. The new fix will likely involve replacing battery modules or perhaps the entire battery pack, said GM spokesperson Dan Flores.
https://www.cnn.com/2021/07/23/business/gm-bolt-recall-fire-threat/index.html

driver100

Metal or Plastic Jack....I don't need either...I have RFTs!

I have changed tires a lot over the years, but haven't changed one in over 30 years...rather call the AAA guy.
Since I haven't changed one it could be a problem, I am out of practice. I did get a flat tire about a month ago, but the RFTs got me to the dealer. I've had RFTs since 2012, but, I'd trust a plastic jack, I am sure some plastics are as strong as or stronger than metal these days.

jmonroe1

imidazol97 said:

stickguy said:

I would trust ABS ramps a lot more than cheap stamped ones that can (and do) catastrophically fail. Can't see that happening on these!

I have a set of those going back to the early 70’s and I’ve never had a problem. Of course being a belt and suspenders kind of guy I cut a piece of 4x4 and put it under the spot where the tires sit. I know a car isn’t going to compress that hunk of wood. I go even further and use jack stands to back that up once the car is on the ramps.

Then when cars got lower and I couldn’t drive up the ramp. I got a couple 2x10’s to extend the ramp. To keep them from slipping off the ramp I used 2 - 5/8 inch carriage bolts on each extension spaced so that they fit into the holes in ramp. Works perfectly every time.

jmonroe

28firefighter

I get not wanting to change a tire. I’m simply impatient…

tjc78

I’m not a GM basher and out of the 5 I’ve owned only one was bad….

BUT… that jack is a hazard. Watch some videos on it.

In theory it was a great idea. Lighter and cheaper, everything a automotive engineer wants.

tjc78

@28firefighter said:
I get not wanting to change a tire. I’m simply impatient…

Me too. I’m not waiting two hours for roadside assistance

ab348

driver100 said:

Metal or Plastic Jack....I don't need either...I have RFTs!

I have changed tires a lot over the years, but haven't changed one in over 30 years...rather call the AAA guy.
Since I haven't changed one it could be a problem, I am out of practice. I did get a flat tire about a month ago, but the RFTs got me to the dealer. I've had RFTs since 2012, but, I'd trust a plastic jack, I am sure some plastics are as strong as or stronger than metal these days.

The last tire I remember changing was in an apartment parking garage where I leased a space near my workplace in 1983. Came out of work one afternoon to find my '77 LeMans with a pancaked tire. Changed it there in the garage using the factory lug wrench and bumper jack.

ab348

I bought a set of steel ramps 20+ years ago. I think I've used them once. Two problems with them: I needed a spotter to tell me if I was going up straight or in the right spot on top. Second was that they always slid forward when the front tires made contact.That meant you were limited in where you could use them and you needed some pieces of equal-length 2x4 wood to backstop them against a solid surface.

abacomike

@mjfloyd1 said:

@abacomike said:

@mjfloyd1 said:
Those scissor jacks are not that great even if made of steel (especially on uneven surfaces)

Most jacks are not great on uneven surfaces, mjfloyd1. That’s why you call roadside assistance to change a tire or tow you to the closest service department or tire center. I would never change a tire by myself - even if I was 50 years younger. Dangerous activity, to say it mildly.

I’d much rather take my chances with one of these

https://www.harborfreight.com/automotive/jacks-jack-stands/floor-jacks/3-ton-professional-rapid-pump-floor-jack-blue-56642.html

I agree - they use that or similar jacks in professional garages or in service departments.

abacomike

@cdnpinhead said:
I'll let this statement stand on its own, since any comment I'd make would probably get me in trouble.

Except that my daughter can (and has) installed a spare tire when required. It's much quicker than waiting for someone else to do it.

In response, cdnpinhead - I’ve changed tires before but the last time I did (maybe 50+ years ago on a 1968 Oldsmobile) the jack slipped and the rear end of the car dropped down missing my arm by inches. I swore I would never change a tire on a car again. 😩

explorerx4

For one thing, that plastic jack concentrates the weight in a small area, while the plastic ramps spread it out along the base.

sda

I remember rotating tires using a bumper jack. It involved using the spare tire which matched the other tires and rims. Sometimes the hardest part was dealing with stubborn wheel covers.

henryn

I have a very good floor jack and jack stands. And I also own 4 of the heavy duty plastic (or whatever that is) ramps. When I'm doing things like servicing the transmission, or running a video cable from the rear bumper to inside the cab, it helps a great deal to put all 4 wheels up in the air securely.

The last flat I had was about 3 years ago (first one in several years). That was on the 2016 Town and Country. I had to read the owner's manual to find all of the parts and pieces, but everything worked satisfactorily.

roadburner

The only injury I have sustained under a car occurred when I was changing the oil on my wife’s E39 5er. I was on my back reinstalling the drain plug when my demonic black cat crawled up and stuck his nose in my ear. I jerked up and hit my forehead on the front subframe.

qbrozen

I sustain minor injuries just about every time I work on a car. Usually cuts and/or scrapes on my hands.

henryn

qbrozen said:

I sustain minor injuries just about every time I work on a car. Usually cuts and/or scrapes on my hands.

I believe that is just a part of the experience. I recently had some rather unusual minor injuries. While changing out the radiator hoses on that F150, I was leaning over the front reaching into the engine compartment, and my stomach was hitting on the hood latch. I didn't think too much of it at the time, but the next day getting out of the shower I noticed light bruising all across my stomach area. Primarily a result of the Eliquis blood thinner I'm sure. But disconcerting, as I couldn't at first figure out what had happened.

It sucks to get old. But it's still better than the alternative!

ab348

henryn said:

qbrozen said:

I sustain minor injuries just about every time I work on a car. Usually cuts and/or scrapes on my hands.

I believe that is just a part of the experience. I recently had some rather unusual minor injuries. While changing out the radiator hoses on that F150, I was leaning over the front reaching into the engine compartment, and my stomach was hitting on the hood latch. I didn't think too much of it at the time, but the next day getting out of the shower I noticed light bruising all across my stomach area. Primarily a result of the Eliquis blood thinner I'm sure. But disconcerting, as I couldn't at first figure out what had happened.

It sucks to get old. But it's still better than the alternative!

Funny you mention that. A couple of weeks ago I was thinning a forsythia bush that had become overgrown. Some of the "trunks" were close to 1" diameter. I have a good set of lopping shears to take them down, but then I realized I need to cut each of them up in shorter pieces to get them into garden bags. I figured it was easy work that I could do sitting on the steps of the deck. A few of the thicker pieces resisted the loppers because I had retracted the extendible handles to use them in a sitting position, so I had less leverage. Rather than do it the right way, I remember on at least one of them using my body to support one of the handles while I used two hands on the other. A day or two later I had a nice baseball-sized bruise in that spot, likely also due to Eliquis.

abacomike

@ab348 said:
Funny you mention that. A couple of weeks ago I was thinning a forsythia bush that had become overgrown. Some of the "trunks" were close to 1" diameter. I have a good set of lopping shears to take them down, but then I realized I need to cut each of them up in shorter pieces to get them into garden bags. I figured it was easy work that I could do sitting on the steps of the deck. A few of the thicker pieces resisted the loppers because I had retracted the extendible handles to use them in a sitting position, so I had less leverage. Rather than do it the right way, I remember on at least one of them using my body to support one of the handles while I used two hands on the other. A day or two later I had a nice baseball-sized bruise in that spot, likely also due to Eliquis.

I take Eliquis also for a DVT in my left femoral vein in my left knee joint area. I get bruises on both my arms whenever I come into contact with an object, wall, car door, etc. I look like I was in combat when bumping into something. Not fun.

stickguy

I had a scare yesterday. Went out to get something from the car and noticed some black lines on the hood. Maybe 1-2’ long, maybe the width of a pen mark. Ran my nail over them and it really felt like a gouge down deep, like getting keyed. Then noticed a bunch more all over the drivers A pillar. I knew they weren’t there earlier when I took the car out, so thought maybe somebody vandalized it while parked at shop rite. And I was going to be spending a lot of money on paintwork!

Eventually decided to try some scratch remover stuff I had in the garage. And got a shock that it took them all right off. Turns out must have been something like sap actually on the paint that caused a ridge. But I was very glad that it was back to like new with just a good wash after that and some spray detailing quick wax.

Also realized I Need a 2nd car, because if it did have to go in for a couple days for something, we have no way to get around! Or a way to easily get home. Basically having only 1 car stinks!

roadburner

I was conferencing a case with a defense attorney who is a friend and also a car nut. He was telling me that he and his father(a retired judge) were looking at cars at a Louisville new car dealer. A salesman approached and they told him they were just looking around to see what was available. The salesman told them that they had to leave because the dealer’s liability insurance didn’t cover anyone who wasn’t a customer.

snakeweasel

@roadburner said:
I was conferencing a case with a defense attorney who is a friend and also a car nut. He was telling me that he and his father(a retired judge) were looking at cars at a Louisville new car dealer. A salesman approached and they told him they were just looking around to see what was available. The salesman told them that they had to leave because the dealer’s liability insurance didn’t cover anyone who wasn’t a customer.

What a great way to make sure you will never be a customer. Kudos for them.

driver100

roadburner said:

I was conferencing a case with a defense attorney who is a friend and also a car nut. He was telling me that he and his father(a retired judge) were looking at cars at a Louisville new car dealer. A salesman approached and they told him they were just looking around to see what was available. The salesman told them that they had to leave because the dealer’s liability insurance didn’t cover anyone who wasn’t a customer.

That would be like a woman who won't go out on a date....unless you promised to marry her! :@

henryn

driver100 said:

roadburner said:

I was conferencing a case with a defense attorney who is a friend and also a car nut. He was telling me that he and his father(a retired judge) were looking at cars at a Louisville new car dealer. A salesman approached and they told him they were just looking around to see what was available. The salesman told them that they had to leave because the dealer’s liability insurance didn’t cover anyone who wasn’t a customer.

That would be like a woman who won't go out on a date....unless you promised to marry her! :@

Not funny. Such women exist.

jmonroe1

roadburner said:

I was conferencing a case with a defense attorney who is a friend and also a car nut. He was telling me that he and his father(a retired judge) were looking at cars at a Louisville new car dealer. A salesman approached and they told him they were just looking around to see what was available. The salesman told them that they had to leave because the dealer’s liability insurance didn’t cover anyone who wasn’t a customer.

That sounds like a place that’s begging to be jerked around by strokes taking long test drives only to return and say, “nah”.

If your friend has time and wants to have some fun suggest that to him.

jmonroe

driver100

jmonroe1 said:

roadburner said:

I was conferencing a case with a defense attorney who is a friend and also a car nut. He was telling me that he and his father(a retired judge) were looking at cars at a Louisville new car dealer. A salesman approached and they told him they were just looking around to see what was available. The salesman told them that they had to leave because the dealer’s liability insurance didn’t cover anyone who wasn’t a customer.

That sounds like a place that’s begging to be jerked around by strokes taking long test drives only to return and say, “nah”.

If your friend has time and wants to have some fun suggest that to him.

jmonroe

I have sold stuff in retail stores, and I have talked to people who have worked in retail stores, and quite often the person who you think would never buy what you are selling, turns out to make a big purchase.

I remember one friend who was selling stereos at one time....Silvertone at Sears. A guy walks in with torn jeans - before they were in, an old striped T-shirt, unshaven, etc., none of the other salesmen would help him...my friend helped him and he bought a very expensive stereo that day....you never know!

snakeweasel

@jmonroe1 said:
That sounds like a place that’s begging to be jerked around by strokes taking long test drives only to return and say, “nah”.

If your friend has time and wants to have some fun suggest that to him.

jmonroe

why stop at one? test drive a few then haggle for a few hours to get a totally unreasonable price then walk when you don't get it.

roadburner

I never pre-qualified customers at BMW; I helped them out whether they drove a new 7 Series or a beat up E36 3er.

tjc78

@driver100 said:
I have sold stuff in retail stores, and I have talked to people who have worked in retail stores, and quite often the person who you think would never buy what you are selling, turns out to make a big purchase.

I remember one friend who was selling stereos at one time....Silvertone at Sears. A guy walks in with torn jeans - before they were in, an old striped T-shirt, unshaven, etc., none of the other salesmen would help him...my friend helped him and he bought a very expensive stereo that day....you never know!

Was the stereo salesman like this guy? some foul language

Bonus points if you know the movie.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=EAyJmIXcyMg

driver100

I got one something like this from my friend, and if I stuck my head inside and closed the hood, I had magnificent sound and true stereo effect....sounded like I was right there.........

jmonroe1

driver100 said:

I got one something like this from my friend, and if I stuck my head inside and closed the hood, I had magnificent sound and true stereo effect....sounded like I was right there.........

The sad part about this is that we believe you.

jmonroe

imidazol97

Can anyone make out the name of the record being played?
This all looks "old."

cdnpinhead

abacomike said:

. . . the jack slipped and the rear end of the car dropped down missing my arm by inches. I swore I would never change a tire on a car again. 😩

Once again, I'll stay quiet.

ab348

imidazol97 said:

Can anyone make out the name of the record being played?
This all looks "old."

The record label is RSO (Robert Stigwood Organisation) so it could be the Bee Gees.

cdnpinhead

This discussion of how several on here haven't changed a tire in decades, if not fractions of a century, highlights the fact that I live in a totally different universe. RFTs, introduced by BMW (I think) clearly address the majority of people, who would sooner be seen in Walmart than changing their own tire.

I (used to) drive all over western North America, including weekends and the middle of the night. Two hundred miles north of Kamloops (in BC) at 3 am, particularly in February, isn't a place that CAA is going to be especially helpful, at least not in the same day the help is needed.

An example I use (usually to do with RFTs) has to do with a flat my Lincoln LS sustained on a Sunday morning between Lakeview, OR, and Winnemucca, NV. I was a couple of hours north of Winnemucca with no traffic (this is a good thing in my world) when my right rear tire went flat. I had a full-size spare (made kind of a big deal of it, in fact) and a jack that I (gasp) knew how to use. Fifteen or twenty minutes later I was on my way with the flat in the trunk. I got it fixed a day or two later in Phoenix, and all was well.

Those of you who are never more than 30 (or 10) miles from help have no concept of this sort of thing apparently. Well, there's our buddy in Fairbanks, but we're an endangered species.

mjfloyd1

@snakeweasel said:

@jmonroe1 said:
That sounds like a place that’s begging to be jerked around by strokes taking long test drives only to return and say, “nah”.

If your friend has time and wants to have some fun suggest that to him.

jmonroe

why stop at one? test drive a few then haggle for a few hours to get a totally unreasonable price then walk when you don't get it.

I like how you think, snake

stickguy

I have changed plenty of tires in the past. Has been quite a while (can't really remember the last one) but I certainly could if I had to. But I would prefer to never have to do it again if possible. Like many other things in life!

car companies certainly don't want you to do it. First donuts that are just limp home options, then run flats, then go flats with a useless can of goo and cheap air compressor. So a fair number of cars don't even give you the option.

mjfloyd1

I needed a 90 pound through wall AC in the pool house taken out so I called “the guy”. Unfortunately he has the same phone number that I do, but it’s out.