RE: Snow Tires...Mastercraft Courser MSR
IMO you want tires rated SEVERE WEATHER, look for snowflake on side of tire. There is no legal definition of "snow tire". Also the "new" studless tires are much better on ice than studded tires. Like Yokohama Guardex tires. IMO Bridgestone Blizzacks are no good as only half the tread is for winter.
Nothing is better on ice than studs or chains. There are stacks of studless tires sitting at Les Schwab that no one wants. Nothing wrong with Cooper tires - Mastercrafts, except they will wear out faster on highways than on backroads and gravel. Goodyear Workhorse is another good backcountry snow tire, just like Kelly Safari's.
RE: 10,000 vs 7,000
I purchased a 2006 Chevy 1500 extended cab short bed full size pickup I've found that I don't like driving the long wheelbase at 133.9 inches as a daily driver.
That's not a long wheelbase, it's a short one. The long wheelbase unit are 143.5, 161.5 and 167 inches. The Tundra is a 145.7 which is longer than what you have. The Tacoma is 127.8
RE: Black Ice on roads
We call it slime, but you can call it slick. It's basically built up oil from leaking passing vehicles settles on the roadway. Then it rains and for the first hour or two it's a slimy mess, that takes extra time to wipe off the windshield and sides of your truck.
Black ice is ice, not oil soaked roads. I'd rather not drive on either.
RE: Cdn RV businesses....
Your bison scenerio is not a good one.
What does a bison dress out,fifty or sixty percent?
If you know your biz 60-70%. A beef cow dresses 50% at the most.
How many pounds of tenderloin do you get from a carcass?
30 pounds
Maybe you should get out of farming and get on the gravey train at a retail outlet.
I am out of farming, retired for the 4th time since 1989, the bison has replaced the beef cow and sheep replaced the hogs. But not enough profit in either when imports come into the picture.
RE: Cdn RV businesses....
"Does he deserve a fair profit? Everyone in biz does, so what's your beef?" I guess you consider fifty percent a fair markup?
Heck yes - 50% is nothin! 50% markup is what most auto parts dealers make; 50% markup is what most terminal tackle is sold for at the tackle shop; 50% markup is what most clothing is sold for at Marshalls & TJ Max; 100-200% markup in most of the high end retailers.
Whatta ya think it costs to raise bison these days? Ain't no free lunch on the range anymore. Costs about $2.50/lb to raise them and I get $4/lb at the auction. You pay $13.99/lb for that tenderloin. Ya think that 300% markup is a fair one? How about sheep? $2/lb to raise, $3/lb at auction, you can buy all rack of lamb you want for $9.99/lb, even at Wally World. But, I don't see anyone complaining about it.
You either buy or don't, but someone else will.
RE: Walmart $15 "labor only" oil change: FYI.
Nobody here except (maybe) a dealer has 15W-40 in anything but bottles. The only bulk I see is 5W-20, 5W-30, 10W-30 (not always), sometimes 5W-30 synthetic, and Dexron ATF. Mopar dealers have ATF+4 in bulk (and often NOT Dexron).
Just down to the local shop to check on my statement - I'm right. Everything is bulk now, even the ATF+4. Thought it might be a fluke, so I checked four other "non-diesel" shops and it's the same with them. Could be a regional thing or just cheaper for the shops, than handling all them little bottles.
RE: Dodge Cummins Poll - :)
Have had 11 Dodge/CTD's since 1989 (8 2500's and 3 3500's). Ran them all the death 4 over 230,000; 6 over 300,000; and one I just sold had 425,000 miles on it. Replaced a couple of belts, hoses, rear axle seals & bearings (in all the 2500's), lower ball joints (in the 3500's); lift pumps in the 3500's. Still have the engines from four of them running as gensets producing 85kw. Ya can't beat or completely destroy a Cummins unless it's intentional. Won't have another brand.
RE: Weather Warning - I-40 in Western Oklahoma
I've been watchin' this one for the past day, deciding whether or not to travel. Coming out of Northern Wisconsin - We're not going - not now - maybe the end of next week.
RE: Walmart $15 "labor only" oil change: FYI.
I have never seen a place (other than a diesel truck shop) with 15W-40 in bulk tanks.
Every shop worth a durn has bulk oil, esp 15-40 for trucks. Nearly every Dodge & Ford dealer in Montana and Wyoming has it
RE: auxillary fuel tank
It's not illegal to have gravity flow tanks - DOT regs are mainly for commercial units, not private light trucks. We've had several installed on flatbeds over the years - all done by Pierce in Billings - and if it was illegal, MDOT wouldn't allow it.
RE: Walmart $15 "labor only" oil change: FYI.
But yeah, an oil change is pretty hard to screw up.
You would think. Of the two diesel engine oil changes I watched completed at Wal-Mart; the first, the tech failed to fill the oil filter with oil prior to installing the filter and the second, I watched the tech install and tighten the oil filter with a filter wrench well beyond the normal "hand tighten" torque. I can only imagine how the next guy managed to get that filter off. I'm not bashing Wal-Mart. I shop'em every week. You just get what you pay for and I'm not turning our $50K truck over to some kid for an oil change that was flipping burgers last week just to save a few bucks.
It's easy to do, when you don't put oil into the block or overfill it. Most kids that work at Jiffy, end up at Wally.
RE: Walmart $15 "labor only" oil change: FYI.
around here the price suddenly skyrockets to about $75 for any HD diesel. Total cost after taxes (including disposal of the old oil) was $18.
Let's see now: 3 gal of Rotela-T ($22), a Stratapore oil filter ($15) and Wally labor $18 = $55. Geez, that's more than if I had the local mechanic do it, who charges $7/hr.
RE: Alaska too early?
I went up this past Fall and while we enjoyed the interior, you can have Anchorage. It's just changed so much from when I worked on the haul road.
RE: maine to montana
I would take the Canadian route, if for no other reason than to avoid Chicago. For a different perspective enter the US at Grand Portage, instead of the Soo. The trip, up and over Lake Superior is beautiful.
RE: Cdn RV businesses....
This fall a neighbor and myself were in the market for large (16KW) generators for our farm and ranch. The price from my electrical wholesalers was $5250, from an official, local, Generac dealer $6600! Shopped on the web and found the same one from a US distributer for $3400. At that price I got three other neighbors interested and we ordered 5 units. These were shipped free to our choice of destination near to the border, where we picked them up, paid GST (no duty as these items are made in the USA) and proceeded home. When I asked our local dealer why he was charging $6600 for the identical unit he said he has to pay customs and duty. What a big lie!!! A brokerage fee of lets say $200 per genset doesnt justify doubling the price!
Maybe not - what did it cost you to drive to the border and retrieve your gensets? It's the cost of transportation and customs brokerages.
Does he deserve a fair profit? Everyone in biz does, so what's your beef?
RE: Cdn RV businesses....
Now careful there, Sir Frances Drake is about to shut this down - cuz it might be politicized. The thought police might need to get a real job.....
