KymcoForum.com

My corded Harbor Freight 1/2" impact drive  lasted 15 years before falling apart; a new one cost me $40 this week, on sale from regularly $50.

 I agree with others: the 12 volt stuff just doesn't do the job. The corded one draws 7 amps, which at 120 volts is 840 watts. Your 12 volt tool battery would have to provide 70 amps to equal that power. No way, Jose, unless you hooked it to a car battery.

Praise be to Harbor Freight! This week I bought a 1/2" drive 120volt 7amp impact wrench at HF for $40, regularly $50.  After fifteen years use the old one finally wore out and that was from HF, too. Let's hope Mr. Prez, The Donald, doesn't put huge tariffs on China's exports.

"...higher octane has higher shelf life...." Says who?  A higher octane rating is strictly a measure of the fuel's pre-detonation ability, which high compression engines require or they will knock and possibly self-destruct under acceleration. The fact that 91octane is called "premium" and costs more doesn't make it better, more powerful, cleaner, etc. I wonder if the higher price for 91 is nothing more then Big Oil gouging us, like they did for a while when diesel was more expensive then gasoline. I know people, even mechanics, who believe 91 is better gas then 87.   "Hell, it's got a bigger number and costs more so it must be better, right?" Duh.

The rear view mirror on my GV 250 is held on with two very small diameter screws, one of which stripped the cheesy pot metal bracket attached to the body. I found on ebay a Loctite product called "stripped thread repair kit" that makes new threads by using epoxy in the female and a repellent liquid on the screw so it doesn't become glued to the female when you form new threads.

It worked, but at $22+ it had damn well better.

I bought a $20 electric (12 volt) tire pump (named "Slime) at Pepboys that has a surprisingly accurate pressure gauge on it and when I clamp it on the valve stem I know the pressure then, and as I add air. I power it with my battery charger or plug it into a cig lighter (my GV 250 has a 12 volt socket for cell phone charger) and it makes tire pressure maintenance almost fun. It measures 7"by7" by 3" and weighs about two pounds. It even has a bright spot light on it. The name alone makes it a winner.

I give up: I ordered a new caliper from Leeson's: $106, shipped to my door.

Sorry I wasn't along with you, Mike, but thanks for the visit. Stu