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PDCCD

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    Strange Annoyance

    in 96-2004 R50 Pathfinders

    Posted

    Replaced any Ujoints lately? Or been under muddy water? I learned something interesting during my last terribly executed Ujoint rehab (there's always some silver lining lol). I accidentally dropped the drive shaft and dented the little flange around the yoke/transfer case interface. Just a tiny little bit mind you. Now on my transfer case is a bell housing sorta thing and the clearance between the two is small. Put it all back together and noticed this strange little bell noise under different conditions, but mostly when backing up. Came to conclude that when torque or load was applied just enough, the driveshaft angle changed, and the the flange would rub against the bell housing just right. Ding ding ding...

     

    It actually jogged my memory to a day of heavy mudding with the truck where I had this obnoxious and strange noise a few years ago. Ended up being a little sediment/rock had gotten up in there and was making a hell of a noise. Check it out, could be your troll bell.

     

     

    Pete

    • Like 1

    I miss you guys!

    in General Forums

    Posted

    Hello everyone. I haven't been around in way too long, but I wanted to say hello to the best forum on the web and let you know my Pathy is alive and still serving me wonderfully even after all the abuse and miles of mud and asphalt I've put her through. The tranny seems to be getting rough, and I'm considering taking off all of her black panther armor and sahara bar and putting it up for sale, as the new house and job just don't let me have the time to get her dirty anymore. Anyway, hello, hope the old timers are doing well and that the newbs are carrying on the tradition of camaraderie and good heartedness that made this sight great.

     

     

    Pete

    custom exhaust for a VQ35, diameter suggestions?

    in 96-2004 R50 Pathfinders

    Posted · Edited by PDCCD

    I didn't think that they were bent too badly at all...remember I went true dual all the way back as well!

     

    I had this set up installed thinking the same thing that you are---350z bla bla bla. It really comes down to pure HP. The truck doesn't make but 240 BHP and presses 260 ft/lbs...this leads to about the 2" exhaust you are mentioning.

     

    The loss with the larger set up was bad....tons of working climbing a hill right outside the shop--oh yeah and tons of noise! I did feel like there was more HP (through acceleration) in the higher RPM's but it just didn't justify the low end poo that I was left with.

     

    If I had the money to go again, I would probably get 1.75" mandrel to the muffler and then 2" or more after the muffler as the 2 combine into one. The OE pipes are like 1.5 to the muffler and nearly 2" after the muffler, albeit crush-bent.

     

    Now, my VG33E 98 loved the larger exhaust...I ran a Flowmaster SUV muffler with 2.25" to the muffler and 3" after and all was awesome!! I noticed only a slight drop in TQ, then again it wasn't a TQ monster anyway.

     

    You are correct that the 350 is lighter but lacks the great gears we have available, but we lack a 6 spd manual option!! Yes yes I still want that, I just need other things first, like a house and college for my daughter (whom is 7!!).

     

    There you are! :cheetos: Good to see you chime in. makes me want to get going and do the damn exhaust on my truck, but i too am trying to buy a house.

     

    Pete

    My lift is Half Done, And thats all that I can do

    in 96-2004 R50 Pathfinders

    Posted

    As for getting them out, i find that if they're in an area you can get a torch, even a mapp torch, some heat always works miracles. Heat them up good, when you think they're hot enough, heat them a bit more. They'll usually back out then. JUST BE AWARE OF THE AREA SURROUNDING THEM FOR POTENTIAL FLAMMABLES!!! ie. grease, rubber, plastic, fuel etc.,etc.

    Torque wrench no. Heat Yes.

    Pete

    R50 Strut clunk?

    in 96-2004 R50 Pathfinders

    Posted

    I, and a couple of others that I know about, have had similar phantom clunks. Mine was finally traced to a faulty strut bearing. I can't explain the cause exactly, but for about a year i had the funny little clunk. One day i noticed one of my strut bearing was actually torn. I replaced it, and haven't heard the phantom clunk since. Hope this might help. Good luck.

     

    Pete

    Big 3 Bailout

    in Off-Topic

    Posted

    :ohno01: I missed it when they announced it, but I can't believe they actually agreed to suspend that. Maybe UAW is actually in fight or flight mode?

     

    More half information.The job banks were created because to balance mismanagement, the auto manufacturers constantly hire and lay off, hire and lay off. It became a huge burden for state unemployment resources, so they made it less convenient for them to do that using tax payer funds to subsidize their business mistakes. I've known of people who were employees for over 15 years before they eventually had enough seniority to stay employed through the whole year.

    Big 3 Bailout

    in Off-Topic

    Posted

    Not to be mean, but you got yourself in that mess. The thing about PPE is it only works if the end user utilizes it. You knew you needed it, and did the work with out it anyway. Bitch and moan about the employer all you want, but you didn't CYOA. I personally have refused to do a few jobs because the conditions were unsafe, let the employer get busted and fined once or twice for unsafe practices and they will either fold up or straighten up and fly right to avoid fines in the future.

     

    Good for you bud. Glad to hear you've never made a mistake lol. For the record, the majority of my long term medical issues were caused while i was in the infantry. PPE lol, ppe. In a utopia it would work so well. Your ability to make personal judgments and conclusions with such little information is fascinating. And who's fining the employer? Underfunded OSHA? That government agency you think should stay out of industries business?And what if you call DOL or osha and the company gets shut down? All your friends and coworkers are out of work. they're families don't eat. What if your boss has christmas cards with the governors family picture hanging on his wall "thanks for all the support". Haven't you noticed in your vast experience of rarely ever seeing an osha inspector until something really bad happens to someone?Go ahead, refuse to do the work tough guy, in my world, you start looking for more work right then. Things are not black and white bud, not cut and dry. Pragmatists kill me.

    Big 3 Bailout

    in Off-Topic

    Posted · Edited by PDCCD

    I do understand the dynamics, I just don't agree with your point. Laws, and competition have done just as much, if not more, for non-unionized salaries than the union has. If the union didn't exist today, salaries would be almost as high, only, folks would be working for them. I agree that Europeans and Asians typically treat their employeess better, but this is because they get more in return. These folks are well taken care of because they work hard. They work hard because they're treated well, and because if they don't, they will be out on their ass, replaced by someone willing to work hard.

     

    Understood. Different perspective. The jobs i've held, the harder i work, the more they want me to work. The better i do, the @!*%tier the jobs i'm given. When i try to offer a more efficient way to do something, i'm looked at with suspicion, when i request a safety item or training i'm supposed to have under OSHA laws, i'm ostracized. I watched my pay dwindle and prices rise. My taxes increase and my political representation sells me out. when i get hurt trying to do what they ask, they lay me off. I've got a herniated disk in my back and 3 fused discs in my neck. I've got Multiple sclerosis from god only knows what, and my health insurance premiums have doubled, and my benefits cut in half. To top it all off, i have to watch as my peers and brothers fight and bicker amongst themselves while we sell our souls one day at a time for less and less every day while our kids get stupider and our parents get drugged.

     

    I like the sounds of your utopia better, it's just i don't have any faith left. I am living the decay. I am watching the slide. I have supported my perspective with relative information. I can do no more. I don't have the talent or the resources. I'm a man yelling fire in a burning world lol.

    Big 3 Bailout

    in Off-Topic

    Posted

    I'll go back to your story in a minute. To this you are correct, I don't work for any multi-national conglomerate, nor would I. I do contract work(through a third party) to work on places I am sure are owned by foriegn companies, but I don't turn around and spend that money I earn from them on their products, so I (for lack of a better term) actually swim up stream. I am one of the few that actually looks for the "made in" label and don't buy the China, Malaysia, Honduras, etc. I will buy made in Mexico, because if we can keep the Mexicans employeed in their country, hopefully less will sneak here to work under the table.

     

    If you wear clothes or eat, you have purchased foreign produced products. Lots of them. I too hunt labels, but find it impossible to avoid foreign items. That's one reason i'm so angry. We passed an apex and i don't think we can return to it.

     

     

    Did we read the same article?? :blink The one that said

    What I get out of this article is that GM would like to have market share in a couple of years (yeah, I'd like things too) and Toyota has 10 years practical sales and totally dominates the market.

     

    You should read this one. http://www.jdpower.com/autos/articles/Hybr...her-Record-Year

    100%-78%toyota=22%-10%honda=12%-7%ford=5% so 5% is split between Nissan and GM. GM has 2.5% of the market!! Now...

     

    So their hybrid sales have to be lower than 10% of the market. I would guess 5 to 8% MAX. Why don't they state numbers, not just rate against an unimportant competitor. Because they are putting a slant on the information, and this is why I don't believe much in that article... Does that make sense Pete (and everyone else)?

    I'll have to get back to you about some of the other stuff and the response I missed. :beer:

     

    B

     

    We're fighting over a parachute on a sinking submarine. I agree with you that their poor management has failed to interpret inevitable market conditions. But they have been selling allot of what they make. Oddly, in China and Malaysia, a GM product is a status symbol, not the prius, which in time, will become Toyotas downfall like the gas guzzlers are GMs' currently (serious environmental problems ie. lead, acid,plastics). You can have the parachute, i'm done with this argument, your right :friday:

     

     

    I haven't because I don't have the time to read, digest and reply to everything in this thread alone in a timely manner. I work full time, cook dinner, help run this site, respond to questions and have my own research/planning/work to do on my 5 vehicles. Maybe this weekend?

    Just for perspective, I am a machinist with 15 years experience (CNC and manual), have supervised crews, owned my own shop and currently do diamond turning (machining optical masters with diamonds). I don't make very much more than that, they probably have better benefits and live in cheaper areas. I'll bet my savings I far surpass the vast majority of their skill sets and could do many of their jobs with minimal training. General assembly line work is pushing the definition of 'skilled worker'.

     

    $28/hr is over paid. :shrug:

     

    B

     

    I totally understand B. No worries. I understand the time constraints. Thank you for your contributions regardless.

    I don't care if they are "overpaid". As I illustrated in previous posts, that money finds it's way back into their communities. They buy @!*%, employee other people with that money, educate, feed, shelter others with that money. They pay taxes on that money. Their corporate masters money isn't finding it's way back into the communities. Healthy cycle crap i already argued.

     

    Pete, your quote about Toyota and Honda etc not paying their employees much less than the "Big 3" further proves my (and Ryan's) point about the union being obsolete. There are far fewer union workers in these plants, yet they still get paid a decent wage. The difference is that they have to work for it.

    But somehow you fail to understand the dynamics. They pay those wages ONLY because the UAW exists. They don't want their employees to unionize. As soon as the UAW is eliminated, those wages/benefits will plummet. And they aren't "working" any harder, probably less so, because Europeans and Asians seem to care more for their employees health (ergonomics, safety) and i'll get to why later. I don't mean to sound harsh here, but i feel like i've done everything but come to Canada and read it to you eh.LOL. :beer:

     

     

    Not to mention, they DO have heathcare and other benefits available to them through their employers. (Mentioning because I got the distinct impression that some think they did not, being non-union.)

    LOL, in regards to auto workers, the health care costs i'm referring to are "legacy" costs. In as, Asian auto manufacturers don't have to bear the brunt of providing money for healthcare for their workers. Their countries provide national health care. This takes a HUUUUUUUGE overhead cost off of their shoulders, and enables them to re-invest this extra money that americans companies do not have. I can't overstate the importance of this one detail alone to how they do business, or are able to do business.By nationalizing healthcare, another cost gets paid by the slave, er, worker through taxes. Now in regards to domestic foreign auto employees, those companies have only been here since the 80's, and don't YET have the number of retirees that the big 3 (who've been here since the beginning) have. Yet another component of "legacy" costs that the big 3 simply can't control. And it has nothing to do with their business model, but more to do with National politics.I've illustrated this in the my previous posts, but you've read them already supposedly. This is simply a matter of trying to compare apples to oranges. Yes, we eat them both, but their two different things. Yes, they both make cars, but there is ALLOT more to consider. I didn't even get into how geography and international politics have dictated what cars foreign auto manufactures have traditionally produced. It's not so much they've changed anything their doing, or doing it soooo much better, but we as a nation are changing under similar economic/geographical pressures finally, and they're already there, but going the other way. Strangers in the night.Get it?

    The other Health insurance issue i've been referring to (costs being put on taxpayers) is occurring in every other industry where unions have been eliminated (retail/service industries). And it will also eventually occur in the auto industry when unions are eliminated. It's happened over and over.

     

    Hey, i wanted to thank you guys for this conversation. I appreciate being able to share thoughts and feelings with others that have different perspectives and experiences than i do without it degrading into a ego fest of attitudes that i see happen on other forums. I think mutual respect and communication are going to be the primary tools we'll need if we're going to find our way to something better. :beer:

    Big 3 Bailout

    in Off-Topic

    Posted · Edited by PDCCD

    You guys are killing me. You won't click the link, so i'll post it and highlight parts relevant to our immediate discussion:

     

     

     

    The New Republic

    Assembly Line by Jonathan Cohn

    Debunking the myth of the $70-per-hour autoworker.

    Post Date Friday, November 21, 2008

    DISCUSS ARTICLE [107] | PRINT | EMAIL ARTICLE

     

    If you've been following the auto industry's crisis, then you've probably read or heard a lot about overpaid American autoworkers--in particular, the fact that the average hourly employee of the Big Three makes $70 per hour.

     

    That's an awful lot of money. Seventy dollars an hour in wages works out to almost $150,000 a year in gross income, if you assume a forty-hour work week. Is it any wonder the Big Three are in trouble? And with auto workers making so much, why should taxpayers--many of whom make far less--finance a plan to bail them out?

     

    Well, here's one reason: The figure is wildly misleading.

     

    Let's start with the fact that it's not $70 per hour in wages. According to Kristin Dziczek of the Center for Automative Research--who was my primary source for the figures you are about to read--average wages for workers at Chrysler, Ford, and General Motors were just $28 per hour as of 2007. That works out to a little less than $60,000 a year in gross income--hardly outrageous, particularly when you consider the physical demands of automobile assembly work and the skills most workers must acquire over the course of their careers.

     

    More important, and contrary to what you may have heard, the wages aren't that much bigger than what Honda, Toyota, and other foreign manufacturers pay employees in their U.S. factories. While we can't be sure precisely how much those workers make, because the companies don't make the information public, the best estimates suggests the corresponding 2007 figure for these "transplants"--as the foreign-owned factories are known--was somewhere between $20 and $26 per hour, and most likely around $24 or $25. That would put average worker's annual salary at $52,000 a year.

     

    So the "wage gap," per se, has been a lot smaller than you've heard. And this is no accident. If the transplants paid their employees far less than what the Big Three pay their unionized workers, the United Auto Workers would have a much better shot of organizing the transplants' factories. Those factories remain non-unionized and management very much wants to keep it that way.

     

    But then what's the source of that $70 hourly figure? It didn't come out of thin air. Analysts came up with it by including the cost of all employer-provided benefits--namely, health insurance and pensions--and then dividing by the number of workers. The result, they found, was that benefits for Big Three cost about $42 per hour, per employee. Add that to the wages--again, $28 per hour--and you get the $70 figure. Voila.

     

    Except ... notice something weird about this calculation? It's not as if each active worker is getting health benefits and pensions worth $42 per hour. That would come to nearly twice his or her wages. (Talk about gold-plated coverage!) Instead, each active worker is getting benefits equal only to a fraction of that--probably around $10 per hour, according to estimates from the International Motor Vehicle Program. The number only gets to $70 an hour if you include the cost of benefits for retirees--in other words, the cost of benefits for other people. One of the few people to grasp this was Portfolio.com's Felix Salmon. As he noted yesterday, the claim that workers are getting $70 an hour in compensation is just "not true."

     

    Of course, the cost of benefits for those retirees--you may have heard people refer to them as "legacy costs"--do represent an extra cost burden that only the Big Three shoulder. And, yes, it makes it difficult for the Big Three to compete with foreign-owned automakers that don't have to pay the same costs. But don't forget why those costs are so high. While the transplants don't offer the same kind of benefits that the Big Three do, the main reason for their present cost advantage is that they just don't have many retirees.

     

    The first foreign-owned plants didn't start up here until the 1980s; many of the existing ones came well after that. As of a year ago, Toyota's entire U.S. operation had less than 1,000 retirees. Compare that to a company like General Motors, which has been around for more than a century and which supports literally hundreds of thousands of former workers and spouses. As you might expect, many of these have the sorts of advanced medical problems you expect from people to develop in old age. And, it should go without saying, those conditions cost a ton of money to treat.

     

    To be sure, we've known about these demographics for a while. Management and labor in Detroit should have figured out a solution it long ago. But while the Big Three were late in addressing this problem, they did address it eventually.

    Notice how, in this article, I've constantly referred to 2007 figures? There's a good reason. In 2007, the Big Three signed a breakthrough contract with the United Auto Workers (UAW) designed, once and for all, to eliminate the compensation gap between domestic and foreign automakers in the U.S.

     

    The agreement sought to do so, first, by creating a private trust for financing future retiree benefits--effectively removing that burden from the companies' books. The auto companies agreed to deposit start-up money in the fund; after that, however, it would be up to the unions to manage the money. And it was widely understood that, given the realities of investment returns and health care economics, over time retiree health benefits would likely become less generous.

     

    In addition, management and labor agreed to change health benefits for all workers, active or retired, so that the coverage looked more like the policies most people have today, complete with co-payments and deductibles. The new UAW agreement also changed the salary structure, by creating a two-tiered wage system. Under this new arrangement, the salary scale for newly hired workers would be lower than the salary scale for existing workers.

     

    One can debate the propriety and wisdom of these steps; two-tiered wage structures, in particular, raise various ethical concerns. But one thing is certain: It was a radical change that promised to make Detroit far more competitive. If carried out as planned, by 2010--the final year of this existing contract--total compensation for the average UAW worker would actually be less than total compensation for the average non-unionized worker at a transplant factory. The only problem is that it will be several years before these gains show up on the bottom line--years the industry probably won't have if it doesn't get financial assistance from the government.

    Make no mistake: The argument over a proposed rescue package is complicated, in no small part because over the years both management and labor made some truly awful decisions while postponing the inevitable reckoning with economic reality. And even if the government does provide money, it's a tough call whether restructuring should proceed with or without a formal bankruptcy filing. Either way, yet more downsizing is inevitable.

     

    But the next time you hear somebody say the unions have to make serious salary and benefit concessions, keep in mind that they already have--enough to keep the companies competitive, if only they can survive this crisis.

     

    Jonathan Cohn is a senior editor at The New Republic.

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