Ray!

Here's a link to some recovery points, similar to what I was alluding to earlier: https://www.expeditionexchange.com/backingplates/. Interestingly, this supplier also recommends backing plates, which you rarely, if ever, see offered with anything sold here. The other thing that should be pinted out with recoveries using snatch straps, is that one shouldn't just attach a strap and go hell for leather in an attempt to recover a vehicle. The first and foremost thing one should do is start slowly and see if all that's needed is a simple tow. If that isn't sufficient, then more effort should be applied, but not to wring out everything possible from the tow vehicle, else things can and will likely break, on the tow or towed vehicle. At some point, reason shoud be applied and winching considered, or connect two vehicles for added traction and weight. Unfortunately, some people love going at things like a bull at a gate and then wonder why things went wrong. Cheers Ray

Most of these articles are just a bit of kite flying to see what sort of public response is received; politicians do it it all the time to test the waters with potential legislation. My point was more to do with the failure to understand the real problem for delays and that's all to do with rubbernecking. A car pulled over on the side of the road will not cause traffic delays if idiots don't slow down to rubberneck, which then causes a concertina effects for miles and hours. I've often sat in a long line of stop start traffic thinking there's an accident ahead, only to find that it's nothing more than a guy standing off the road with a broken down car and bugger all traffic past where he's stopped, once the rubberneckers have had their fill. Cheers Ray

Copy the heading in the article and paste it into Google and then click of the link that appears, the one you've already visited, and you'll see the entire article. Cheers Ray

http://www.heraldsun...2-1226354236410 Breakdowns will happen, but nothing pissed me off more in the 30 years of travelling into the city each day than the rubberneckers who had to slow down every time they saw anything different on the freeway. If there was a way to fine rubberneckers, breakdowns wouldn't be an issue. Cheers Ray

So that it can't catch fire. It's actually a safety regulation applicable just about everywhere in the world, even in timber yards where they store cut wood. Cheers Ray

I used connector blocks available from Jaycar that are used by the doof doof crowd to power their amps. You can get these at various sizes that allow you to go from a large cable size down to smaller sizes as you split the power. The best thing is to group the cables, rather than try and bunch them all together. Mind you, I'm not sure that the cable size on your meter is ideal as the main outlet from the battery. I use much thicker cable which is then split down into smaller cable more resembling what your meter has as standard. That's why I think that meter is primarily designed for solar panels. Cheers Ray

Absolutely. In fact, some time back I saw a replacement for that hoop made from what I remember to be a forged unit. The bolt pattern used is almost a universal one and there are many hooks etc that will bolt directly to the mount. Cheers Ray

Don't ever use that for snatching, the weld and material is simply not durable enough for the task. Cheers Ray

http://www.gizmodo.com.au/2012/05/the-biggest-wood-storage-area-in-the-world-is-absolutely-insane/ Cheers Ray

I think the only infection is Patrol4x4 members moving from there to here. Cheers Ray

Don't know how you got that, I checked Google and used Firefox and no warnings. Cheers Ray

If you have a line going out of the battery to plugs etc, then it should be quite safe to use it for both V and A by splicing into the outgoing cable, but it's not safe to install it into the incoming line from the vehicle. Cheers Ray

Patrol4x4 has been going for a long time, so it's established itself and has had a pretty good reputation. Also, I think it was the first purely Patrol based forum, so one didn't have to put up with the usual crap from other brand owners like in the generic forums. So for it to die because the originator lost interest, for whatever reason, would be somewhat sad. I guess it's also been a bit of a victim of its own success and these recent incidents have made things worse. Cheers Ray

It's not just that; I've noticed on a few threads where people are getting quite angry on specific topics (I don't want to point anyone out), whereas, previously they might get excited, but still remain level-headed. I think this forum will need to build its own cred before there's significant movement, unless the Patrol4x4 truly dies. Cheers Ray

From the speedo reading, it does sound like the ratios have changed, or they have changed the speedo gear in the transmission. You may want to check that the ratios back and front are the same. Normally, with factory tyres, the speedo should read about 10% more than what you are actually doing at 100kmh. The odo will read less than what you are actually travelling under the same circumstances, around 5%. Cheers Ray

Best to give a run down on exactly what is going on and what you've done so far. Cheers Ray

I've been keeping in touch with the Patrol4x4 site since things went a bit tits up and it now seems to be back on line, but I notice that there seems to be a lot of really angry people about. I haven't totally given up on Patrol4x4, but I'm enjoying what is analogous to discovering a new beer that tastes pretty good. Cheers Ray

CRD injectors are designed to last a very long time, far longer than conventional injectors, so you'd want to be absolutely certain that they did need changing before spending any money. They also need to be individually calibrated to the ECU, so you can't just change them yourself and have them working correctly. Cheers Ray

It's not so much an issue of who owns the supermarkets, but who owns the products sold in supermarkets. Here's just a snippet (bold indicates ownership): Tip Top Bread – map of Australian on packaging – UK Kirks Soft Drinks – Australian Since 1864 – Coca Cola – USA Billy Tea – features a swagman and says Australian Favourite Tea – Imported from Malaysia by Unilever Owned UK Dairy Farmers – still saying owned and made although taken over in 2008 – Japan Golden Circle – still saying owned and made although taken over in 2009 by Heinz – USA Lactose Cheeses – Australian flag on packaging – France Swan Lager – West Australian emblem – Japan Kangaroo Matches – kangaroo printed – Sweden Koala Matches – koala printed – Indonesia Heinz Products – map of Australia in circle – USA Safcol Tuna – "South Australian born & bred" – Malaysia Uncle Toby’s Since 1893 – Nestle – Switzerland Cheers Ray

I think that the meter is primarily designed for such things as solar panels, where it would be very useful, but with only a max rating of 20A it may not be enough to handle the current typically sent to accessory batteries. My battery charger will deliver 25A to my campervan batteries and alternators will deliver considerably more. Cheers Ray

OK, let's settle this debate about whether a tow bar is suitable for snatching or not. Firstly, some words and images directly from the Nissan service manual (bold is my emphasis): I would never snatch using the loop at the back, as it is not adequately welded to the plate, nor is the plate of any substantial material and the bolts aren't high tensile from what I've noted. This is an image of the chassis of the wagon: I've highlighted using a red rectangle the rearmost stucture of the chassis and you will note that is is substantially braced by a cross member, as well as additional triangular sections fully across the rear to create a very strong three-bar linkage structure. I have also added an overlaying diagram of the Nissan tow bar, showing in black the attachment points to the chassis. You cannot tell me that two tow hooks attached only to the sides of the chassis will be stronger than the central tow point on the tow bar. Cheers Ray

I wouldn't use the two points on either side of the pintle for recovery, they look like safety chain points. BTW, I once bent a pintle hook in the bush, they're a lot less stronger than I thought, but I didn't bend the towbar. Cheers Ray

I've spoken to Slim about it and we both have the same thoughts, but best not to air them until we know exactly what's going to happen to Patrol4x4. Cheers Ray

You are confusing SWLs/WLLs with breaking strains. Cheers Ray

Not a problem. Cheers Ray