What have you done to your car today?

Not today but recently, I installed my trailer socket. I initially used the quick-splice clips included in the connection.
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I don't have that much confidence in those quick-splice connectors. Besides, the connections are at the edge of the cargo hole where those plastic connections get rubbed all the time.

I removed those connectors and soldered them. I know there's the age-old question, solder vs crimp, but it really depends on the application and location of the connections. Some of those clips are inconsistently made so even when everything is tight and snug, the locks still let go. I used one on my band expander but that location does not get rubbed. I used liquid electrical tape for proper insulation, then used solid electrical just because.
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I made ripe solders that I used to do when I was doing electronics as a hobby. These connections won't go anywhere!
 
I find Narva Solder Splice very useful and convenient for this sort of job.
 
Kevin said:
I find Narva Solder Splice very useful and convenient for this sort of job.
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Yes, those are good. I just soldered because I just stripped the insulation of the cables I was tapping from, just for reversibility :). It would have been easier and neater for me to have used the solder splices after cutting the original cables. For joining just two wires, the solder splices are the bomb. Maybe, if I get tired of looking at the bulkiness, I will just cut the main cable and use solder splice. Cheers.
 
@ABFoz didn't your Foz come with the trailer connection plug already? I know all the AUDM ones had a plug under the floor to the right of where you soldered, ready to plug the OEM Trailer Harness wiring into.
 
SquiresSquire said:
@ABFoz didn't your Foz come with the trailer connection plug already? I know all the AUDM ones had a plug under the floor to the right of where you soldered, ready to plug the OEM Trailer Harness wiring into.
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Mine is JDM and didn't come with it. I checked three times because I couldn't believe my eyes. Anyway, I checked with towbar companies and they also said JDM Foresters and most JDM cars didn't have trailer harness sockets.

I soldered the trailer harness wires directly to the loom but without cutting the main wires as I found them to be top-class. If I get bored, I may add a 6- or 8-pin automotive connector there just for the sake of looking OEM.
 
ratters said:
Wow, what rock have I been living under? Wish i knew about these a few weeks ago when I did that dash conversion!
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Yes, these are good, especially for connecting 2 disconnected wires. The best of both worlds, you have a good enough solder and the plastic shrink for insulation. Although, if you did the Western Union/NASA splice with heat shrink, the connections will still be top-notch. The solder splices just make those types of connections much quicker.
 
ratters said:
Wow, what rock have I been living under? Wish i knew about these a few weeks ago when I did that dash conversion!
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Ditto for when I did my UHF!
 
It was a sunny day so I re-measured the wheel-to-arch and ground-to-arch distances of my SG with the usual things I keep there, like the compressor, full-size spare, etc., and found the following figures from 2 trials on the flattest locations in North Shore, Auckland:

Wheel-to-fender
Front = 430mm; Rear = 430mm to 425mm

Ground-to-fender
Front = 760mm; Rear = 755mm

Note: Tank half-full; Tyre pressures: 36PSI Front and 34PSI Rear

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The springs are still within spec, especially the rears, considering the amount of stuff I have there.

Yesterday, I asked @Kevin questions on his very old King Raised Springs installation thread on subaruforester.org, as I might have had a bad wheel-to-arch height-related dream beforehand. I thought I was about to buy the same springs.

Now I put this thing to rest so I celebrated with the purchase of four Aerofast ratchet tie-downs!
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ABFoz said:
Now I put this thing to rest so I celebrated with the purchase of four Aerofast ratchet tie-downs!
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Any excuse eh? ;)
I do that too. :)
 
ratters said:
And the finished installation, complete with fancy red permanent marker on the dials to give it a slightly more modern feel!
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Soooooo much better than the factory DL three gauge cluster! I love mine and tend to forget about the crappy stock DL cluster until I see one - it’s quite the shock to the system! :p

Keep up the good work on your L Ratters!

Cheers

Bennie
 
Finished up changing out both front axles. (Result of lifting my 2004 Impreza)
 
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@SquiresSquire I really like my CTEK DCDC charger - BTW when using the CTEK to for solar panel control can I assume you know to bypass the solar panels own controller if there is one fitted?
 
It's pretty nifty, a very close friend is a Solar System Designer, so I order my panels through him, they all come with the straight Type M connector, instead of a built in MPPT Charger for 12v Batteries
 
@SquiresSquire

Can you take some pics?

I installed a 160AH 12V AGM battery recently, but im starting to think i should have gone the Lithium route.
 
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