GPSTI

Recently came back from a Simpson crossing. Compared to a Cape trip, the Simpson is pretty lame IMO. The Simpson is sandy track, sandy hills, flies, and corrugations. Cape York is sandy track, muddy spots, flies, corrugations, beaut rivers, beaut camping spots, lots of interesting fuel/food stations. I loved the Cape and am planning another trip in 2013 or 2014, depending on when travelling companions who aren't retired can get their act together

Mine's the same - TC lockup much delayed in the cold weather. I noticed the same on my VL when I had that (Nissan product too, of course) but don't remember it being an issue on the Jackaroo. Not sure there's any mechanical problem induced in locking up the T/C with cold gearbox fluid. ATF is pretty thin chit even when cold. There's plenty of debate about the location of transmission coolers, whether pre radiator or post radiator is best. In hot conditions, post is best, but in cold conditions the opposite is probably best.

I'm surprised that you expect a set of musings about where Linux fits in to bring a different conclusion. When nothing changes, the conclusions have to be the same, don't they? Linux for PC would have to solve a real problem that none of the alternatives can address before it can prosper. Embedded Linux has the market completely to itself, because it does solve a problem in that "space". It's a multi billion dollar business solution that no-one collects money for. It's worth enough to end world hunger, but the open source community revels in it's freeness.

I don't think Linux has a snowball's chance of invading anyone else's "space" anytime soon. The reason is it's always trying to catch up - mostly with Windows. In the Tablet world it will be trying to catch up with Apple and Google (not sure if Win8 tablet will be a winner, but it will beat the pants off Linux regardless) Apple, Google, and to a lesser extent Windows all have a killer app - the Smartphone, from which the tablet is derived. Hence I predict that Linux will be about as successful in the Tablet world as it has been in the PC world - it will get nowhere. No phone, no cloud to synchronise devices, no user who has multiple devices. There is a great example of what happens to a previously highly profitable company that is being crushed by Apple/Google at the moment - Blackberry. They have a killer business solution - telephone and secure Exchange Mail. But even that won't save them - the Apple/Google/Win8 devices will take all their business. For a while I thought that RIM might be a takeover target for Microsoft, but now I think that they will fold anyway and hand the business to the big 3. Back to open source - open source development is the ultimate example of designing by committee - there is never a consensus, and development and implementation goes in scores of directions trying to meet the objective. But without a killer app, there is no objective to meet, no business case to answer, no problem to solve. Just very busy geeks

All I can say is - you have too much time on your hands, Ray. Windows family is the most successful because it has the most "killer" apps. The family of products is hard working and serves a very large slice of the business world's needs, and pretty much all of home user needs. Apple is the second most successful because it has some killer apps, albeit far fewer than Windows. (Actually it was Microsoft that is responsible for Apple still being in existence: only Office for Mac saved the company, quite a few years ago now). Apple doesn't have enterprise solutions at all, only desktop stuff. A HUGE disadvantage. Linux for PC/Server is the least successful because it has almost no killer apps, so it has only esoteric value for geeks. For a while it served for firewalls, but Embedded Linux put paid to those old boxes. There are now many billions of devices running cut down embedded linux. No cash for anyone here, it's all free to use.....

End of dribble (not drivel, I hope)

The thing is, it's important for roughly half the population to be "right". Check some books (Florence Littauer writes some good ones on personality types) to discover the broadly 4 types that everyone has a varying mix of. The problem with being "right", is that even if one is, one isn't, necessarily. The words "valid viewpoint" should be substituted when analysing things; there would be much more progress, and much less angst and anger. A wise mentor once told me that people will not change for the better, become more learned, or improve their socialising skills if they do not read books and meet new people. (anonymous Forums did not exist back then, so I'm adding this - keyboard dancing does NOT qualify as reading books or meeting people). Note that I'm not saying all the books you read and new people you meet are going to lead you to nirvana. But if you're reading a book on, say, "Photography developments in the 21st century", and someone walks up to you and engages in conversation about photograpy, you might end up with a new customer. Like getting jobs - statistically most jobs in Aus are filled without being advertised, because the job seeker has come in contact face to face with the employer. It's called networking. So in summary, most faceless communications aren't worth a pinch of shit - forums are the same really, until you meet the others in person and see that the spelling nazi is really a nice easy going bloke, for example. So I'm deciding right now that I'm dribbling a bit so .

The intercooler is a turbo bits filter..........thankfully. I think I've seen new turbos on fleabay for around $700, but don't know if they are knockoffs or OEMs.

Are you sure the wire you broke is actually used? There are a lot of plugs and their associated wiring which are not in use - with a bit of luck, you picked one of those.

Are you trying to save money by using short bolts? Those nylocks are not really doing anything the way they are. Is the blue stuff loktite?

When I took delivery of my new Patrol, the useless dealer had popped the grommet so they could run the spotlight switch cable through, leavin a gaping opening. When correcting the situation, I got the impression that the bulk of the large cable harness would easily overpower the rather understrength rubber grommet, and cause leaks down the track. Not to mention potentially harmful engine bay fumes getting in as well. I wouldn't use silicone to seal it since a lot of silicone variants will peel off rubber. Using windscreen Sikaflex is the way to go, as it grab onto rubber and steel like the proverbial, and retains some flexibility.

Clearly you've never had to reverse down a steep hill that you didn't quite get up. The first thing that happens here is you go into 2WD, which may or may not lead to a nasty undoing. You'll need the brakes to hold you and the front's will instantly lock up giving no steering at all. You have no ability to "drive through the brake" when reversing in this scary situation. Better to lock them in when you need low range. High range stuff probably easier and no less safe to rely on auto mechanism.

I fitted a LockRight to my front diff. It was a labour intensive job, but with careful marking of the position of the bearings in the carriers, it all went back together with ease. I converted the auto hubs to manual as well. I've just returned from a Simpson crossing, and the locked front was not a problem at all in the sandy stuff. It does pull a little to the side when the track conditions cause tramlining, but I never wished I didn't have the unit fitted.

The fact that Linux is a failure as a desktop OS just proves that people don't care if something is free - if it won't do the job, free is expensive. Windows is dominant and is not free. People are happy to pay for the facility to get done what they need done. I've been playing with PCs since the Commodore 64 was replaced with the x86 and DOS. Multimate and Lotus 123 were the killer apps. Then Windows 3.0 came on the scene, followed by Word and Excel, and Microsoft was on a huge winner. Then along came Windows NT and WFWG and the end of Netware was secured. I dragged myself into the smartphone world last November (HTC Sensation) when my Nokia died, and I immediately loved the ability to sync my calendar between the phone and desktop, the ability to read emails while out and about, and being able to do money transfers and pay the CCard bill while not at home. I don't love the insecurity of the android devices, so need to beware of saving passwords to banking sites, and some may not like the location services tracking where you go and what you do. But the authorities track everyone's phone calls anyway, even if you run an old dumbphone. I haven't played with Windows 8 yet, but I suspect that the integration between devices will be a major winner once the glitches are ironed out. There will be the usual driver pain when third party vendors of gadgets can't program properly, and the same will apply to 3rd party Vendors of such things as Quickbooks/MYOB which are fundamental apps to many people. The success of Android in phones and tablets is testament to how many people hate the financial bite of buying an Apple. Although Google has no desktop OS, it does have a massive cloud, and there are many businesses using Google Apps. But it's still incomplete without the local desktop/server solution that only Microsoft supplies. So, IMO, Windows 8 will filter out into the business world - the imminent death of Blackberry will leave a large market looking for a unified product. The only one that has the potential to fill it is W8 - they won't move to Apple; they could have bought it already and didn't. At first look the interface is ghastly to my eyes, but if the whole shebang does the job we'll all adapt to it.

Bugger

Seems crazy to wait a couple of weeks to do the caster bushes - this requires a lot of double handling, which is OK for a DIY, but why pay labour twice?

Leaving Melbourne on Saturday 9th for a simpson crossing. Starting to load everything up. Can't wait

Is it just my imagination or is your tie rod bent?

^^ Some people would pay that for a Staffie.

If you're going to play with an nadroid device, make sure it has at least 768mb RAM, at least a 1Ghz processor, Android 4, a GPS built in, ability to run a 3G usb stick, and a leather pouch with keyboard. Grab a 32Gb microSD card as well, and you have a useable device. Bluetooth seems to be missing from most of these devices, but would be a desirable feature to have. A 10" one for around $250-$300 with the above specs would provide the ability to pad around the house, in the bedroom, loungeroom, and back verandah........but when the novelty of all that has died away it can be mounted in the fourby for use as a music streamer (if you got one with bluetooth) or to run OZI (hence the GPS reqirement)

The hungry Nissan Parts man has been defied $35 is a lot better than $219, even if it was black. One coat of paint applied, second coat tomorrow and a week to harden, a light polish and she'll be whole again. The Holt's Polar white is a little less creamy than the real deal, but won't really be noticeable between the black spare and red/amber taillight plastic.

Bunnings have some as well, may have that size.

Removed the remnants of the hinge cover Nissan wants $219 prepaid and it's 3 weeks to get it from Japan. So, the hunt is on.

Make sure you get the smallest one that will heat the area - last one I installed, I ordered one for 18sq, but by the time they delivered they sent the 22sq model because they'd discontinued the other one. Always had to throttle it back so much the glass was never clear, because with a nice burn we had to open all the outside doors....... Might be worth considering the pellet heaters which can burn wheat, olive pips, etc, if you think you might get sick of gathering wood.

I got a Troll Alarm.....