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Showing content with the highest reputation on 07/15/2014 in all areas

  1. Just reporting a succesful installation of the PO-40 on my 2006 IS250. Great service from Michael (many thanks!). Hardest part of the job was actually getting the door liner back on - there's a socking great spigot up near the upper left which has to locate into a hole - when the top of the liner is hooked over the top of the door! I chose to crimp all my connections (despite Michael's advice to solder!) You might think that soldering is obviously better than crimping - well, it's controversial. Google 'solder or crimp' and you'll find both sides of the arguments - from a whiole lot of people who all think they're correct! The clincher for me is that I have in the back of my mind that soldered wire-to-wire connections are not allowed in aircraft (although I can't just find it in black and white). Anyone who's been in the game for a while will have come across dry joints on circuit boards or relays caused by the solder cracking. Whichever method you choose, the important thing with all electrical work on cars is to do it properly - if you solder, the wires must be hot enough to be 'wetted' by the solder, but not too hot, and you need to use just the correct amount of solder - not too little, not too much. And no spikes! Joints are best protected by heat shrink, but there's not really enough room to use that in this installation. I hate insulating tape for protecting live wires! If you crimp, you should use a proper ratchet crimp tool (not the plier type things) and proper connectors. (I used the red ones - mostly in line, but bullet and socket for tapping into a line). If you arranged the bullets and sockets carefully, and used them for all the joints, you could quickly and easily remove the PO-40 at a later date. There's a good guide to crimping here: http://www.aviationlearning.net/files/Aircraft%20Wiring%20Practices.pdf Not all of it is relevant to cars, but there are lots of good hints! Now I'll just go and lock and unlock the car again a few times!
    2 points
  2. Don't let some spotty apprentice fit your replacement screen. This is a Lexus not a Ford Ka. There's a lot more involved. When I had mine replaced I had some highly experienced middle-aged bloke do it, resulting in a brilliant fit of an OEM Lexus screen.
    1 point
  3. All done paid by the service contract. Rear pads chamfered as I have had some squeaking . Latest sat nav/phone software installed. Car returned spotlessly clean. Altogether a very pleasant experience.
    1 point
  4. At the risk of stating the bleedin' obvious - jack the car up, undo the nuts (noting the two replies above) and pull the wheel off. Maybe you've done all that and the wheel won't come off? Very common where a wheel hasn't been removed for a while - it's caused by corrosion between the wheel face and the hub. One way (which I must admit has never worked for me) is to put the nuts back and tighten them, then back off one turn. Now lower the car off the jack, shake the car from side to side, then raise it again. The wheel might be free. What does work, but it can be dodgy if you're only using the standard jack - get a long (5' or so) plank of wood (eg 4" x 2"), go behind or in front of the car and swing the wood, holding it by one end, from the centre of the car and bash the lower inside edge of the tyre. It might take a couple of goes, but the wheel will come off. I'd advise you to have someone pushing against the car in the opposite direction to your 'bash', or support it with something more solid than the standard jack. Be very, very, careful! If it still won't come off, tighten the nuts properly and go to a tyre place. They'll do it for you! When you put the wheel back, smear a bit of copper grease on the mating face of the hub. That will help prevent the sticking happening again.
    1 point
  5. You will notice a difference in the GS to a LS... I was always going to get myself a ls460 a couple of years ago A UPGRADE FROM MY LS400 and at last minute changed my mind and went for a minted GS450h ..... Nothing wrong with it comfort was 95% like a LS , speed n acceleration and drive was about the same but what kept going thru my head was this isn't as LS ... So 2yrs later had to return to LS fold ....was happy with the GS but am much much happier in the LS .... Ok so I went straight for the 600 this time but it's a LS and happier than a herd of pigs in (their own muck) lol
    1 point
  6. Welcome to this great club. I've been a member here for a while and I'm on the look out for my second Lexus. I can't afford a GS450 but perhaps a GS430 (might look at one today)! Have fun with yours and you'll get great support here.
    1 point
  7. Welcome aboard ......
    1 point
  8. Hi John and welcome.....................bet Saturday can't come soon enough!
    1 point
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