are you using the flatstoppers now? Do they actually work? I know way up north people love em but thats where it gets super cold.

 

Yep, that pict was taken earlier this month when I set my Z and G into hibernation.

The G's on stock wheels/tires during hibernation so I just turned the tires once a month a quarter of a turn each time.

the aftermarket tires I use on the SSR wheels for the G are the same RE050A's that are on the Z and they run $300+ each.

 

our dining table's nut was kinda loose so i went to the garage and i grabbed my 13mm deep socket and 1/4" wrench... i felt something real werd as i was leaving the garage as if my Z and G were both at me like as if i was going to work on them.

man, putting a wrench in my hand is a bad idea... now i want to buy something for my car and install it.

 

So once again this weekend neither one of us used the FitS's. Last we ran them was Friday and its covered in snow despite me snow bruming it yesterday.

I might pull out my FitS tomorrow...

 

Looks like today we're going to go run some errands on the GE. I'm off until next week, but been working via bb with my team in Japan.

So yesterday was checking out Roland's manufacturing and testing facilities via their online web page. Some amazing test equipment they have dedicated to their products and in-par with the level of state of the art manufacturing processes I am familiar with at work.

When I thought of the garage manufacturing process of the new Rhodes piano's (you can also visit their site for a vid) the first thing that came to mind was that their key stroke durability test is incredibly behind the times (or shall I say tines ) and asking for trouble for long term use especially on the road.

Ill stick to my expansion board in the FantomG8 for now. hahaha

 

after lunch i need to dig my FitS's out from under the snowage... not really looking forward to that. but heck we only had like 6-8" so i shouldn't complain.

 

So all this time (the last few days inside the house) I thought it was still snowy and roads were crappy out. Headed out to the stores and to my surprise the roads were not only plowed, it was dry. Hahaha.

it was only my driveway and the street leading to my house that was still crappy and only partially plowed. Lol.

Need to get out more often...

 

need to go motor my FitS pretty soon. havent driven it since Friday so need to charge up the battery.

i might hit the stores today. want to check out the j-bookstore to see if they got any new car mag's. kinda interested in the progress of the little toyota FR coupe.

 

Hey...Ken...buy me something while you're out. Or you can just give me the G. I like leftovers ;-)

 

Hahaha!


Well wife and I did hit the stores and checked out the j-bookstore. Too bad the store's very limited with car mags and it was missing BestCar magazine. This is the mag I look at most to get the latest on the development and new release cars. They had option and option2 but those are for modders which I'm really not these days.

But did have a nice time. My FitS's interior glass was completely frozen. had to wipe down with a papertowel after defrost since all my other arsenal is inside the garage. Oh wellz.

 

At least I could drive the G year round where I live ;-)

 

haha, so I should rent it out in the winter, huh?

I do need to turn the tires a quarter of a turn still this week. Its not difficult to do but I'm being lazy. I jackup each of the corners one by one and turn the wheels by hand quarter of a turn clockwise and put the car down. This is to prevent flatspotting. The rear is a tad more difficult to do cause I need the car out of gear and the viscous LSD is tough to turn against. Hahaha

Going to take the GE out today to get my haircut this pm. I hear its going to snow so its tires are perfect.

 

Ken, when you get a chance, shoot me a PM, I have a question for you.

 

hey davela- long time no post. just post up your q's here. i dont do PM's and SMS/MMS these days.


started to snow and wife needs to take the GE out. hummm... crap! wish she could get my hair cut for me while she's out and im home. hahaha

 

No problem, didn't want to bore everyone with my questions. I am seriously thinking about swapping out the steering wheel and wanted to hit you up for that DIY you did a while back. I want to do it right so I don't have the airbag light on, I don't like to half ass things!

 

Davela- haha, no problem! I don't have the picts any more but it's pretty easy.

1) First make sure your steering is straight and park your car.

2) Undo ground wire off the battery, step on brake pedal for a good 30sec, then wait 5min. You must do this step to ensure that the airbag does not accidentally deploy.

3) Remove the 2 or 3 screws under your steering column and separate the top and bottom covers.

4) Remove the torx screws one on each side of the steering wheel. There might be a plastic cover on it, I don't remember.

5) Remove airbag and unplug the harness. Unplug the cruise control harness and horn harness as well.

6) Loosen the center nut but don't remove it yet. Then pull the steering wheel towards you. Then remove the nut and steering wheel.

7) Take a little piece of tape and tape down the wire spindle that is now exposed so it does not turn accidentally.

8) Place your new hub onto the steering column.

9) If you have a plug-n-play harness plug the fuse/resistor for the SRS and also fabricate your horn wire (just use standard spade connectors and a wire).

10) Wrap the SRS harness onto the hub, with e-tape and place the hub decorative cover over it. Remove the tape you used to hold the spindle.

11) Torque down your center nut. (I temporarily place the steering wheel onto the hub without the horn button so I can use to hold the hub from spinning while torquing down the nut).

12) Remove the steering wheel if you used on step11...

13) Plug the horn button, place the other end of barewire so it gets sandwiched between the hub and back of your steering wheel. This provides continuity to ground.

12) Tighten down the screws for the steering wheel.

13) Place the factory steering column cover back on and screw it down.

14) Connect the ground wire to battery.

Walla!

 

Btw, if anyone is in the market for a MOMO steering wheel that matches the GD's satin finish, I have a MOMO Fighter in like new condition I can let go for $150 shipped. I use to use it on my G35C. Car's garage kept and rarely out in the sun so you can imagine how new the steering wheel looks. absolutely no fading and no stains. I wear gloves when motoring my hobby cars.

I bought it new over $250 locally.

The one in my albums page is the MOMO Competition and has the similar satin finish if anyone wants to see. Unless I sell the FitS, I don't plan on selling the Competition wheel.

 

So I decided to drive the wife around so we went out in the GE anyway this pm. . Got my hair cut and I'm all set for the new year. Lol.

I have to say the AT is frikken annoying. hahaha. I hate how it shifts all on its own (hahaha, I know I know) and takes a full sec or two before it reacts to my sudden movements. It's fine for driving slow, but I don't like driving slow especially little cars like the FitS.

It was better in manual mode but as soon as I had to turn I lost track where that little butterfly button was going all around in a circle on the steering wheel like trying to catch a fly inside the house...and could not shift. well, it did shift cause I got tired of finding it and just floored the mofo to redline. Hahaha. Terrible design. Honda shouldve just placed the +/- on the shift lever if they couldnt afford real butterfly levers like on the Infiniti's. That button needs to be stationary even while turning the steering wheel.

Anyway, picked up some free lego bricks, did some shopping, and chinese for dinner on the way home. even though the AT sucked, still had a good time in the FitSW.

 

So to wrap up my year, want to summarize the good and bad that happened in 2009... Well, car related, that is.

Let's start with bad:

1) BAD
- Fender bender in FitS in Feb...was hit by a guy in a suv. But he was honest and I got a nice check from insurance so not all "bad." I PDR'ed to a point no one can tell, but there is crack in the paint so I plan on getting it fixed at a body shop in 2010 since it doesn't look like there's a car that I REALLY want as a dd. The FitS is cool.

2) GOOD
- Got the new 370Z and its an awesome ride. I plan on getting smaller side mirrors for it when Craftsquare releases one for the Z34 hopefully in 2010. . The factory mirrors are too big for me and blocks my view out the side windows.

3) Other news in 2009
- sold my beloved R53 MINI Cooper-S. Was a great ride but the little problems it had and non-working A/C which dealer failed to fix 4x was just not acceptable.
Was sad to letgo but needed to move on.

- G35C turned 5yrs this year, got new brake fluid, new brake pads, will be getting new intake filter and HU in 2010. along with the regular checks like oil change and drain/fill coolant, such.

- FitSW its one year old today! Weee~
Lots of interior rattles but otherwise great work horse car.

Hope you guys have a great 2010! Thanx for reading.

 

Happy New Year everyone!

Woke up to heartburn is am. Hahaha
Hope you guys had a great ny's eve.

Nothing crazy for me, spent time with the kids and in-laws at our place had a big dinner (teppan yaki ...by urs truely, the chef-kensan)

As for new years resolution, I'm going to 'make more effort to accept and tolerate.' By that I mean, appreciate what I already have (family and hobbies) and stop getting pissed at work due to lack of brain power of other staff. Hahaha! well, not just at work but in general.