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rad wolfe

Toyota Advanced Member
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Posts posted by rad wolfe

  1. I've used Ikea ledberg strip light Number: 501.920.73 . just cut the electric cord so it doesn't include the transformer(110 to 12v) and hardwire to your outlet. It's about $15. I mounted the 30 inch light on a thin wood strip and can move the whole unit for light to the overhead bed, kitchen or aim towards the back. Can't take a pic cause the toy is all wrapped for winter AND we're sunning in south Mexico for the duration.

  2. after reviewing the 2 different gensets they don't even seem to be the same capacity.

    HFT-2500 Peak/2200 Running Watts, 4.7 HP (125cc) Portable Inverter Generator EPA III

    Costco - Single unit provides 1600 sustained watts and 2000 surge watts

    I read the review of costco's and at least 3 people (aside from Denver) complained :" just purchased this inverter and agree with the other review that says it does not meet the capacity rating of 2000 watts (16.6 amps) peak and 1600 watts (13.3 amps) running."

    It helps to read completely and with comprehension if you're a nitpicker. :)

  3. I've got a spare tire chain hoist problem on my 87 Blue Marlin . I've never used the hoist but finally found a rim (400 mile international round trip - Ontario- Vermont) and so now have a spare rim/tire.The actuating mech, I mean the long shaft wont turn and is bent( I guess by the last person trying to lower/raise the hoist). the lift mech is welded not bolted to the crossmember and is not easily removed for inspection. I can't see any bent or damaged chain links from underneath. Am I missing something real simple like a switch/lever/lock?

  4. Hi there,

    we have driven top to bottom and east to west of mexico since 1991 in an RV. (not always the same one!) from ontario...about 6k kilometers each way(4k miles)

    Currently we are in San Agustinio Oaxaca on the beach enjoying cheap fish & good beer & non-canadian weather.

    A good site re: info about this area is tomzap.com

    camping info is available from 'camping in mexico' (i think thats the title) by the Churches.

    get a copy of Guida Roja 2013 for maps routes and distances.

    I havent driven the Toy down here (yet) but our ford e350 now lives here cause we bought some beachfront property for it!( we flew this year)

    we have never had problems with narco/terrorist/robbers etc. BUT occassionally a bit of trouble with corrupt officials...avoid Tampico (e coast veracruz) if you can as it seems the worse.

    there are fewer MH travelers the past few years as the semi-hysterical press seems bent on scaring everyone.The only real instances of travellers in trouble were 2 cases of theft involving NEW 4WD fords/dodge trucks towing trailers,of course the trailers were ditched immediately.Again we've never had trouble with middle aged MH's (except the gas mileage)

    Bueno Suarte,

    Rad

  5. I don't know if you've seen this site for the Mexican pacific coast including Oaxaca http://www.tomzap.com/index.html

    It covers a lot between P Escondido & Huatulco.. maps,culture, camping. We tend to overwinter in San Agustinillo between Zipolite and Mazunte , about half way between P Escondido & Huatulco . We haven't taken our toyhouse (87 Blue Marlin) down there (yet) but our 88 Ford c class now 'lives' there overlooking the San Agustinillo beach.

    Rad

  6. Enjoy your trip!
    are you planning to go down the w coast/central/e coast?
    we've been driving winters since 1991 about a 12k km round trips from ontario to s mexico . bikes on the back no prob but how heavy is the scooter? The problem with carrying any serious rear weight is that missing just 1 topes,vibradores or rombles can do serious damage to overhanging rear wieght , maybe better to have a small trailer?
    we use the mexican road atlas Roji Guia & a gps w/mexican routes.
    if you're around the Beilizian border (at Chetumal) there is a great but primitive campground in Laguna Bacalar (25k north )called Los Cocolitoes right on the lake itself.Water the colour of the carribean but its fresh so you dont gag on it.

  7. Hi Dennis,

    I agree.

    I joined this group for both the great information available and to enjoy the company of like-minded individuals.

    (Un)provoked attacks,disputed expertise,political posturing tend to reveal more about the sender rather then the receiver.

    I generally enjoy the posts of both JD & KC but I'd be suprised if they've ever met except on-line . Maybe I'm wrong but I think cognitive dissonance may come into play here as it's always a shock when "like-minded" individuals turn out not to be.

    Rad Wolfe

  8. we also found it hard to buy proper 185 14LT in Canada, even though CTC carries Hankook brand tires in other sizes the tire guys eyes would glaze over and they said they wouldn't be able to order anything without a profile number.

    eventually I ordered Hankook RA08's through Walmart.com (not Walmart.ca) and within a week they were delivered to the nearest US Walmart (Ogdensberg,NY). went down, had them installed, went camping!

  9. "Safe" drinking water is a complicated issue. What is safe for many people can be unsafe for another. The idea of sun-powered water purififiers for a third world nation is a great idea -considering the lack of other viable alternatives and the known major issues that are targetted. I assume they are focussing on things like "beaver fever", malaria, dengue fever, cholera, varous bacterisa, etc.

    Just to help keep things clear,dengue and malaria are not water borne diseases, they are carried by mosquitoes (Plasmodium parasites are spread to people through the bites of infected Anopheles mosquitoes and aegypti misquitoes do the same re: dengue) they are not water borne . I speak from experience ...just went through a bad bout of dengue this winter.you can take preventative drugs for malaria but none so far for dengue.Dengue is now becoming an issue in the temperate zone as the asian tiger misquitoe is also a vector for dengue.

    A good portable ceramic filter AND boiling should be enough in north america and most 3rd world travel when clean water isnt available.As in north america you can usually buy safe bottled water cheaply around the world - 20 liters(5 gal) often costs less than a dollar. not much for us but a lot for the worlds poor to afford.

    In the past malaria was a serious issue in the temperate zone. Among other examples are when the Brits built the Rideau Canal (Ottawa to Kingston Ontario) in the 1820s many died of a temperate zone variant of malaria.

  10. I've found a couple of things to do if you're really interested in a vehicle .

    1- ask the owner if you can do a compression test....often the owner reaction is all you need...but carry a compression gauge.

    2- ask/offer to wash the vehicle, this can reveal problems that you may not notice otherwise.

    bueno suerte

  11. I'm not sure when the offical USA "rebrand" took place. My 1979 280ZX says Nissan and Datsun on it. Datsun started as DatSon. Then bought by Tobata and changed to Nissan in 1934. Nissan took over a USA car company in 1936 and used the US designs to incorporate into Nissan trucks. "Datsun" always had Nissan as the name behind it but "Datsun" was often used for cars and "Nissan" for trucks in much of the world. Nissan often chose "special" names for US marketing. The Z series of sports cars in the US were officially named "Fairlady" but that name was a big flop and was quickly dropped in the USA. Nissan now is a French company.

    Nissan made full floaters just as durable if not more so then the Toyota/Dyna FF axles. Nissan used to have a division called Nissan Diesel that got changed to UD and made cab-over trucks and FF rear-ends. It got taken over by Volvo though 3-4 years ago, just like the former US Mack Truck company. Nissan had full-floaters in 1980s era Patrols and I suspect that's what the RVs use - e.g. the H260 rear. May be others. There is also an H230 that's a bit smaller but not sure if it's offered in full-float version or not. Lately, Nissan has been using US rear-ends for HD use. Many Titans come with US Dana rears and some new Nissan RVs and commercial vans have NV2500 rears. I suspect the "NV" stands for the US gear company of New Venture - but I might be wrong on that.

    Any of the Datsun four-bangers used in trucks that I know of in the 60s-80s were rock solid. Can't speak on the V6s. I've seen a lot more Datsun RVs with OEM 5 speed manual transmissions then Toyotas.

    BTW ...I think that the original Datsun Fairlady was the Datsun1600/2000 sports convertibile that preceded the Z series.Looked a bit like an MGB on steroids,ran like a bomb,had a 5 speed, built in roll bar etc. After the Z series came out it became progressively harder to get parts through Datsun dealers....IMHO cause the 2000 was more FUN !

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