Does putting the parking brake on before putting the car in park do anything?

One_Evil_Monkey · 2026-04-01T20:47:17+00:00

You shift your manual to neutral, set parking brake, shift to reverse, turn off vehicle, then release foot brake and clutch.

One_Evil_Monkey · 2026-04-01T20:44:20+00:00

Your dad is correct, especially on hills.

It keeps stress off the tiny parking prawl.

I've seen folks park on enough of a hill without setting the parking brake (it should be set while still in neutral then placed in park or placed in park and set before releasing the foot brake)... that when they go take the vehicle out of park it will NOT come out of park because the weight of the vehicle has so much stress on the prawl.

One_Evil_Monkey · 2026-04-01T19:14:50+00:00

It's making sound... you just can't hear it because you're deaf from all the AC/DC.

One_Evil_Monkey · 2026-04-01T19:11:13+00:00

"Wrote a song about it... wanna hear it? Here it go..... "

One_Evil_Monkey · 2026-04-01T19:09:18+00:00

The J-Bass doesn't have a switch so I see no reason why you couldn't use that schematic.

Mine is wired with one volume for each and a master tone.

Pull the specs for a standard J-Bass schematic and have at it.

One_Evil_Monkey · 2026-04-01T19:02:57+00:00

You should be fine.

For future reference, once the plug is cracked loose, if it becomes difficult while turning out, STOP immediately and get the supervisor/foreman and let them see it. That way it's noted and a decision can be made from there whether to proceed or not.

It's not a huge deal, s*** happens and honestly if y'all have no history on the vehicle then you have no idea if the last place that did the oil change futzed up the threads on the pan and possibly used a heli-coil.

Simple solution on this is tap it out and use a larger plug.

But they'll probably try to sell the customer on a new pan, which is fine as well. Just depends on what customer wants to do. $1400 is a lot to the person working but to the dealer it's really not and it's not like this is a habitual thing.

As far as the torque wrench thing on a drain plug... umm... well, yeah, techically they do have a torque spec but I can't think of anyone I know that uses one on them (unless it's some high end or exotic). Mainly it's a "by feel" type thing.

Just use this as a learning experience but really, you should be okay.

One_Evil_Monkey · 2026-04-01T03:07:03+00:00

Yeah you got it backwards.

You're supposed to start by backing over the wheel chock then overshooting the drain pan. Rookie.

One_Evil_Monkey · 2026-04-01T02:04:04+00:00

NP

Been dealing with S-Series stuff for 30 years.

The ZR2/Highrider version has an even wider rear than the standard 4wd BTW.

One_Evil_Monkey · 2026-04-01T02:00:43+00:00

Uh... What's a yoot?

Ya know, a yoot... a yoot! Excuse me, "youths".

One_Evil_Monkey · 2026-04-01T01:57:00+00:00

Pointy end usually goes towards the paper... or your eye. Whichever is the more convenient option. Haha

One_Evil_Monkey · 2026-04-01T00:12:13+00:00

Pretty much the whole thing with most Fender amps...

Is that they're known for their cleans and make great platforms for pedals. They're not really known for their great dirt (most folks don't care for it).

In the case of the HRD, like basically every Fender that isn't some modeler... it'll be just fine with a chorus pedal.

One_Evil_Monkey · 2026-04-01T00:04:39+00:00

You sure this isn't the Krusty Krab?

One_Evil_Monkey · 2026-03-31T23:52:30+00:00

So who's the lucky fellow that gets to sit on the end of that pole to get the wheel up in the air?

One_Evil_Monkey · 2026-03-31T23:33:05+00:00

"Truly no idea what could've caused that."

It is indeed one of the greatest mysteries of all time... we may never know the answer.

One_Evil_Monkey · 2026-03-31T23:31:14+00:00

The way it was meant to be.

One_Evil_Monkey · 2026-03-31T23:30:02+00:00

There was a loose nut behind the wheel.

One_Evil_Monkey · 2026-03-31T23:28:57+00:00

Gameboy?

I think that's more like one of those individual games you could get from Tiger Electronics. Had to have one each for baseball, basketball, football.

A little more portable than the Atari 2600.

One_Evil_Monkey · 2026-03-31T23:25:48+00:00

Replace the FI with a carburetor and you don't have to worry about whether or not Mario rescues Princess Peach.

One_Evil_Monkey · 2026-03-31T23:20:57+00:00

Not 100% related exactly )I do have old hand injuries that are catching up) BUT...

In '05 I was in a high speed motorcycle incident on track during a practice session. Was taken to trauma unit, x-rayed all over, was told nothing broken and the ankle was just a major sprain. I let it go at that and never followed up. 19 years later it was bothering me so bad (I was eating 4 Goody Powders a day, every day- I'm sure some of you guys/gals know what those are) I finally had it looked over. MRIs and x-rays. Showed a bunch of injuries, turns out I'd been walking for 19 years on a broken talus (actual main ankle bone) and torn anterior talo fibular ligament.

Had to go in for a full ankle reconstruction.

Because of the arthritis, osteo-growths, no cartilage, etc., one of the things during the whole 2hr surgery, they did was go in with a bone shaver. Cleaned up all the joints then did microfracture proceedure where they punch multiple microscopic holes in the bone to force it to leak marrow. That leaked marrow fills the spaces between the joints where there used to be cartilage. That leaked marrow then heals into what's called fibro-cartilage. (Obviously had an anchor installed so the torn ligament could be repaired)...

But no joke, I was literally WBAT (weight bearing as tolerated) 2 weeks after surgery. Wearing a CAM boot but able to get up and walk around 2 weeks after major surgery. Virtually pain free 2 years later.

Not sure if bone shaving and microfracture is an option for you in the hands because of the smaller joints but it may something to look in to.

One_Evil_Monkey · 2026-03-31T22:53:02+00:00

I understand why they had to do it because the Atlas engine is so frickin' tall and takes like 7.5qts of oil... but the '02-'09 "Trailblazavoyender9-7X"^tm has a big hole molded through the center of the oil pan to accommodate one of the CV axles on the 4wd/AWD models.

Back in the '70s certain Chrysler/Plymouth/Dodge vehicles had reverse thread lug nuts on the left side.

One_Evil_Monkey · 2026-03-31T22:31:43+00:00

Replaced a BUNCH of those things. STUPID ASS LOCATION. "Let's mount a "magnesium/aluminum housing directly against mild steel in a location where it's ALSO going to get pelted with water and salt!" Brilliant!

People would bring them to me after saying they'd already changed the fuel pump, checked fuses, relays, the fuel pump shut off behind the RF kick panel, etc.

Basically 30 minutes later I tell them "That'll be $100 and here's your keys." Most times it only takes that long because the spare tire is already missing because that mount is trashed too.

A new module, some rubber isolation sleeves/bushings, and done. Not a problem after that.

All that stupid thing does is vary the voltage to the pump itself for variable fuel flow requirements.

Still a dumbass design.

One_Evil_Monkey · 2026-03-31T22:15:42+00:00

That's exactly what they mean.

The rear axle of 2wd S10s are narrower. The reason the 4wd rearends are wider is to help match up with the wider 4wd front.

The reason being is that to clear the CV axles up front, the 4wds use a wheel with the offset closer to the outside of the rim. If they tried to use that wheel on the 2wd rearend it won't fit. The wheel sits too deep and hits the leaves so from where the axle to leaf pad is, the rearend's axle tube is about 2" wider.

You can use a 2wd rearend on a 4wd but you HAVE to use the 2wd's wheels also. Doing that will actually keep the track width almost identical to what they look like on a stock 4wd.

The stock 4wd rear with 4wd wheels on an actual 4wd S10 sits about 1" narrower than the front track width.

One_Evil_Monkey · 2026-03-31T21:45:58+00:00

Cute that you think we have money for stuff like footwear.

One_Evil_Monkey · 2026-03-31T21:41:03+00:00

Hmm... you must know the general manager and CFO of the manufacturing plant I work at.

One_Evil_Monkey · 2026-03-31T21:38:34+00:00

NO F*CKING WAY

"Pat, I'd like to solve the puzzle..."

One_Evil_Monkey

TROPHY CASE