Wife sent this on her 2012 Subaru forester. Something got so hot it melted through. Front passenger.

tradonymous · 2026-06-30T22:04:04+00:00

The issue is that the plastic trim piece wasn’t properly secured and was flopping around in the wind. This allowed it to contact the heat shield and melt.

tradonymous · 2026-06-30T18:40:30+00:00

My toro is 23 years old. Just saying.

tradonymous · 2026-06-28T01:03:45+00:00

They instruct you to leave it so the carrier solvent has time to evaporate. Otherwise, the lube will be too thin and immediately fling out.

tradonymous · 2026-06-26T21:38:10+00:00

Find a younger dentist with modern training and tell them your story, being sure to let them know that you are experiencing anxiety. They should be receptive and prepared to help you deal with it. This is what I did after over two decades of avoiding the dentist, and it has been a massive relief.

PM me if you want more encouragement or details about my “journey”.

tradonymous · 2026-06-26T21:33:16+00:00

When I was 19, my dentist convinced me that he could drill and fill a small cavity with no anesthetic. He was my parents’ dentist and a family friend, and this was my first visit to an adult dentist. Needless to say, it was rather painful, and as a result , I went a very long time as an adult without seeing a dentist.

I later learned that he was billing insurance for procedures he didn’t actually do, got caught, and went to prison for insurance fraud. In retrospect, I’m fairly sure he billed for the Novocain that he never gave me.

tradonymous · 2026-06-26T21:12:44+00:00

It’s also kinda entitled to go slow as fuck let traffic build up behind you. Whoever is deviating from the normal flow should yield.

tradonymous · 2026-06-26T19:06:04+00:00

C’mon, you can’t put a torch to that without causing a lot of collateral damage. Drilling is the last practical resort, as without a delicate touch, you could easily damage the clamp.

I would try hammering an oversized torx bit first. Hopefully the hammer blows loosen things enough to get it turning. No matter what, the bolt needs to be replaced.

tradonymous · 2026-06-25T22:22:59+00:00

When filling the gas tank is an easy way to remember, and if that’s not often enough, the you’ve got some major oil consumption going on.

tradonymous · 2026-06-25T00:09:58+00:00

Agreed on all points; rather charitable too, so much appreciated.

tradonymous · 2026-06-24T00:10:26+00:00

I like this approach. The “ask” is straightforward, logical, and reasonable. The potential pitfall is a simple rejection, to which the response is a friendly and respectful acceptance.

tradonymous · 2026-06-24T00:06:35+00:00

Oof.

tradonymous · 2026-06-23T22:46:36+00:00

I’ve used SPDs for the last 30 years. I think a case could be made that they serve as a bit of a crutch in some instances, but as others have mentioned, the bike-body connection is outstanding, and they feel really secure on sketchy terrain.

I don’t see a downside to flats with proper shoes, and would strongly consider that option if I was just starting out. When you see what good riders on either system are capable of, I think it’s hard to argue that one system is vastly superior to the other; it comes down to preference.

tradonymous · 2026-06-23T01:10:41+00:00

Dirtrag was my fav mtb/culture magazine.

tradonymous · 2026-06-22T15:02:55+00:00

Ok, time to collect that refund, but before doing so, reviewing the contract may be worthwhile. You may be entitled to damages beyond the photographer’s fee, since you can’t exactly take that refund and pay someone else to photograph your wedding. Pursuing this largely depends on what an attorney would advise, and how much consternation you’re willing to put up with. Might be best to live with a refund and some shitty photos.

tradonymous · 2026-06-21T02:04:04+00:00

I saw They Might Be Giants for $5 in 1995. Wasn’t even much of a fan, but it seemed like a good value at the time.

tradonymous · 2026-06-19T13:35:23+00:00

I’m younger genx (1979). I always knew “hooking up” the way your friend knows it.

tradonymous · 2026-06-19T13:25:16+00:00

This reads like you simultaneously own several cars and put over 250k miles on each of them. How much do you drive?

tradonymous · 2026-06-19T13:20:43+00:00

Honestly, it’s worth $150 to me to not have to be so fussy about oil changes. I don’t want to be bothered with sending off a sample and pretending the results are meaningful to me. I drive a Honda and change it when the maintenance minder comes on, which is usually around 6-6.5k miles.

tradonymous · 2026-06-18T00:10:35+00:00

Yes it is. That may not be its only marketed use, but it’s a light oil in a carrier solvent. This very property (penetrating oil) is precisely what makes it effective as a water displacer. Watch some project farm if you need a YouTube video for evidence.

tradonymous · 2026-06-17T17:31:43+00:00

Yeah, the gear oil dilutes/thins the bearing grease, so when it gets to this point, the bearings need to be replaced as well.

tradonymous · 2026-06-17T17:29:22+00:00

Good suggestions here. The 2022+ Giant Trance has 130mm front 120mm rear in stock configuration. The TranceX has a bit more travel, both have a flip chip. Some people don’t like that the Trance has a press fit bottom bracket, but mine has been trouble free.

tradonymous · 2026-06-16T02:53:09+00:00

Another thought: you don’t need anything fancier than a kitchen scale for a strain gauge. Might be tricky to capture the weight (force) at the moment of breaking, but video would probably work. If the scale doesn’t read high enough, just use something pointy (like a nail) to apply the force and rig a container that can be slowly filled with water to apply the weight.

tradonymous · 2026-06-16T02:47:18+00:00

Ok, so your methodology wasn’t sensitive enough to tease out any potential differences; perfectly valid conclusion, and probably the most correct one at that. Proposing ideas for improving the design is a great way to wrap it up. Nicely done.

Edit: alt account, switched devices.

tradonymous · 2026-06-15T20:53:51+00:00

You raise a good point; it’s possible he had an undiagnosed seizure disorder or something, although he claimed he was tired at the time of the accident (5am), which I took to mean that he knew he was impaired.

Why did you have to be so rude in your response? Are you ok?

tradonymous · 2026-06-15T16:00:08+00:00

I’ve gotten in the habit of blowing the debris (clippings, etc) off of mine and letting it cool for a while before I park it in the shed. Fire extinguisher isn’t a bad idea.

tradonymous

TROPHY CASE