I said I would not do camera stuff on this blog, but...

 

I just heard of some folks and well known photography guru types that pointed out negative features, complaining of materials or debate about the Pentax 17 if it should even exist.   Examples of  complaints are "...It's manual winder...", "...who uses Zone Focus?", "why another half frame..." and much more annoying questions.  I'll be accused of being a Pentax fanboy, but folks are forgetting that it is an all new camera.  

I don't know much of its innards nor have heard many details about any new technology applied to the design, but the Pentax designers said that they were working on an all mechanical new film camera.  Not denied or confirmed, but this seems to be a proof of concept test.  They utilized a manual winder that claims to be any homage to the "Auto110" and other points.

This is a test of the market for the film users enthusiasm more than the introduction of a film camera.  I would hazard that this camera took a fraction of the usual R & D budget to produce compared to a full blown full frame SLR to design.  However, nobody considered that the shutter might be a hint of a new and simple design test. I suspect a new method for efficient shutter design is possible and propelling a half frame version of this is easier than a full.  

I would hope they are tackling the old problems such as spring memory problems and materials wear issues that used to exist.  I do wonder why such a limited top speed range.  If it was an off the shelf electronic shutter, it would top out at 500 or 1000 and more, not the odd 350th.

Cameras like the K1000 and ME-Super or LX and A-series were all unique favorites, but unfortunately none were superior and I am a LX user since the beginning.

If I were Ricoh and Pentax designers, I would distill the Pentax heart of any of these models... the bang for buck factor.  The future Pentax, in my opinion... typical words when you want to not be wrong... is that the first ask is "how hungry are they for a new film camera?"  Fads tend to be poor roadmap for design.  There are technical strengths that make all the above cameras so renown if not financially popular.

K1000 was a perceived success and claimed for its longevity and that is false.  The ME-Super was held in high regard as easy to use and great control, but longevity was not considered.  The LX was technically a high point in technical design, although I do love this camera, had weaknesses in many areas of its design as well.  The A or Super-A would if it could be a technical step forward, however, it too suffers from budget considerations in its design.

Cameras with parts that may well be considered consumable parts are destined to bread down within 4 to 7 years.  This begs the question for the new Pentax, is it important to bring in a new design with more cost cutting considerations or will it be a true leap in the new volatile area of film? 

This camera wets the appetite of the new users of film.  Then next will most likely offer an advanced version for the more skilled and discerning users, maybe a rangefinder version, if anyone noticed the manner the sensor window and odd motorized focus seems to work in.  Then the advanced versions will follow as well a need to answer the question of formats.  

They have a cranked operated point and shoot re-hash as the first offering.  They didn't go the route of off the rack shutters or a typical phase AF focus cameras as a simple update of the old, the PC35AF days.  This is a very strategic release to not step backwards and if the "sold out" signs are right, we are well under way forwards to see what that full frame offering might be.  This is all a good thing.

The back door must go and replace with halves!

 It was long overdue to replace the temporary door.  The original door fell apart a couple of years after we moved in and now we should finally replace it with a proper door.

I've been wanting a half door as it would allow me to exit the door with snow up against it.  The door opening inward was not an option, however, an outward opening is a security weakness.

Now the question is, how complicated I make it?  The door will have to be reinforced with steel sheets or rods for anti-cutting and the hinges that face out will have an anti-pry steel pegs installed.  

I have a good idea of the door, but not much as to the precise designs.  The door jamb and frame or lock configurations are the last bits of details to measure out.

Moog Sucks... When did this happen?

I'll admit that I've been out of the car information streams for a chunk of time and enjoying a vehicle that is was still under warranty.  However, the finer points of the in and out in auto parts is a some time anecdotal trail of facts that lead to more emotional impressions than actual facts.

The sudden practical needs for seeking quality part was necessary and urgent, however, the information was scattered and tainted at past.

With only the advertising praises and indirect popularity statistics to view, I made my choices. One of the choices was a familiar name of Moog.  As soon as the "BUY" button was initiated, was the streaks of doubt about my purchases.

In my research for torque specs, I happen to run across the talk of Moog parts were way down in quality or junk?  These reports were lodged around three-four years ago and the highest concentrations of post speak of ball joint failure.  So that would be a window of 4 to 2 years ago for the down turn in quality reports or other words the quality started to dive around 2016-2018.  

Not to jump on the "from China is junk" talk, even though it is without some truth, I have much concern.  Although it must be said that even OEM parts come from China as much from other places such as Mexico, India, Canada, France, Italy, Spain, Germany and Czech Republic as much as from China and Taiwan.  The real problem is the volume and variety of differing levels of products.  Many companies offer budget to premium parts.  Unscrupulous companies fake the budget parts as premium. 

I've looked around for how long this was going on and why, but it does seem around 2018 and very relaxed trade restrictions and inspections are the catalysts.   No high amounts of continued negative entries or articles newer than around two years ago.  The current biggest bunch I would find is from 2019 to 2022 and about the 2019 Moog launched heavy advertising campaigns promoting security and the promise of new quality standards. 

It would seem that due to the loss in trust in the Moog name had finally caused them to shape up?  I hope this would be the story.  This campaign included changes in packaging and security marks in the form of hologram labels, matched numbering and laser etched marks on parts.  

These changes included an authentication site.

Moog Anti Counterfeit Site

(https://www.moogparts.com/en-sa/support/commercial-vehicles/anti-counterfeit.html)

Why was this a big deal to me?  Well, in the past months I've been installing some Moog parts as well still have some waiting for installation.  If this is a sure down turn in quality, I'll have to do all this all over again soon.

It is true that there are no shortages in poor quality products made in China.  I would hope that the Moog story was more due to counterfeits rather than the systemic poor quality control and high output consumer junk familiar in all the rest of the industry.  Then I may stand a chance of not having a wheel fall off when I least expect it.

I'll have to find the time to take a closer look at the boxes soon.  However, even with the box and product checking out as good, the only top quality items are identified as "Problem Solvers" for the top quality brand.  At the cost of this tier of parts, you might simply get an OEM part.

By the way...The specs are... 181 ft./lb. for the axle nut, 77 ft./lb. for the hub bearing.

 

It has been over four years since the tree wiped out the front gate

 Finally might get to a non-auto related task.  The hope is to install posts before the ground freezes.  Ultimately, the hope is to rebuild the front gate from the bones of the former gate.  The challenge is to find out how deep I can make the post holes to resist the freeze.  City temps might be milder than the suburbs, but the freeze heaves up to two inches if not deeper than 28 inches... or that was the original recommendation.  If I can get 36 inches will be lucky.  Most of the post around the property seem around 20 inches and a blob of cement.  

At about 36.5" wide and an over fancy look, this I call concept 1.  It should be quite strong with the interlocking stiles.  It is part optical illusion as well.

What is going on... Traction and ABS Light are up

It seems every other week that the Jeep Patriot has a problem out of nowhere. Just after doing the transmission fluid swap of 3 quarts and taking a test drive, we get the Traction Control warning light and the ABS warning light.  This occurrence having nothing to do with the transmission, but I'll have to go through the diagnostic procedures with the scanner and who knows... speed sensors, tone rings, bearings?  

And the diagnosis was... Left rear ABS sensor clip rot... that was a little unexpected.  The sensor was so loose that I could flick it out of the mounting slot.  The only fix is to do a bearing replacement.  The tools needed are not all in my collection of course.

Needed are:

• New 32mm impact deep socket
• New 32mm impact shallow/stubby socket
• New cotter pin
• New 17mm impact shallow socket
• 1/2" wobble impact extension
• 1/2" 'Shake and Break' hammer tool
• Air hammer
• Wire wheels
• New fresh jar of Anti-Seize compound
• Ballpeen Hammer
• Two jack stands
• Plenty of penetrating oil
• New Rear hub 4x4 type and ABS clip type bearing

The most important needed is time, because the New England rust that I will have to beat out will make this a 2 hour job if I'm lucky.

So far the word is 77 ft./lb. for the four bolts and 180 ft./lb. for the axle nut.

After installation, I'll give it a thick dose of anti-rust shmoo and hope it last through the winter.

Leaky tire update

It was the valve.

The standard valve is know as a .453" valve for cars and light trucks.

The quality of parts these days are hard to predict these days and even when you try to look at facts and reviews, you will fail somewhere to get the whole truth.

In my case it should have been obvious that it was the valve due to the fact that this batch of TPMS valve stems have had two failures in prior installations.  

I've installed a valve on this same left front tire twice now and should wonder if it is more .449" rather than .453 inches?

On another tire prior, the right rear, I had to reject a leaky valve right away after I had just mounted and then filled the tire.

So it should have been obvious that this tire's leaky valve the issue again.  

I only known for sure that it was the valve while I was trying to top off the pressure.  

As I was screwing on the valve cap, it pissed air at me when I happen to move it off center slightly aggressively than normal.  

I did then wiggle it a little more gently to still hear a faint amount of air escape.  

Any other valve would have no issue with this exercise, but this tire could belched air if I moved the valve stem enough.  

I dismounted the tire and cut this valve off then plucked a new one from my pile of non-functioning TPMS sensor sets.  

The valve was threaded through and pulled into position and I tested the overall feel as snug.

Post air up, I wiggled the valve around again and there was no sign of air escaping.  

13 days of leaks and now five days of checking the pressure post replacement... all seems holding now.

Chevy had a leaky tire... and it was not a puncture

 Symptom: 

GM factor steel wheel.  Pumped to required 30psi and car driven around.  That evening, the car is back on the driveway with a bump in psi to 32 from the day.  The next day after the car sits overnight to cool, the psi drops to between 18.5 to 22.2 psi.

This went on for a week until I had time to pull the tire apart and after I put the manual tire changer back together again.

First sign that something was off when I positioned it to separate the bead from the rim.  Letting the air out first by removing the valve core.  The deflated tire was positioned under the push paddle and with one motion the bead slipped off the rim, that is not normal.

Usually it take a few tries and rotating the tire to adjacent spots will allow the bead to slip off.

Inspecting the wheel rim I found a lot of black smudges and gunk.  This was some of the shed rubber from the previous tire.  My haste to put new tires on, I didn't do the thorough job of cleaning down to the rim's painted surface.

I also found that the rum had two clearly define scratches in the metal.  They ran in the direction of the bead line of the wheel and both were rusted.

Looking at the corresponding positions on the tire along the bead surface, I found rust residue.

That there was the leak.

I checked to see if there were signs of a fine puncture like the previous tire and it all looked good.

So the next steps are fine sanding and painting.

 

Front negative camber problem is now gone

 

In less than two years of use, the "professionally" installed front lower control arms are now junk due to the rubber bushing tearing and causing the misalignment as well as destroying two tires in the process.

I soon purchased a set of Moog brand arms (RK620065 and RK620066) and after installation, the horrible front negative camber was gone.  

Taking a close look at he right side control arm bushing was a very clearly torn line that extended almost completely through the rubber structure that connects the inner to the outer rubber bushing and the left side control arm was showing signs of failure with a discoloration of the rubber.  The Moog arms were far more solid looking out of the box and the ball joint is greaseable with included Zerk fittings.  

The decision to go with Moog was not an exactly practical one, but of all things, thanks to the Moog descriptions of what could be wrong as found in the Amazon product page.  When you scroll down to read more about "how good" Moog is, a summary was included of "signs that a control arm needs replacing" and detailed the exact symptom I had.  It was the that inside tread of the tire was worn.

I Googed the problem "tire shoulder severely worn... negative camber", but didn't locate a definitively detailed answer, although I would find hints and general information about the symptoms.

The steps of removing the ball joint bolt and nut (18mm), the forward single bolt and the rearward bolt and nut (21mm) were not so bad.  I had an impact driver rated to 700ft/lb. and hosed the fasteners with a generous helping of Blaster solvent.  All that helped to make quick work of the removal process.

It was more the challenge of positioning the new control arm and to torque down everything to specs took longer than the removal process.  Ball joint was 60ft/lb., the other two were 135ft/lb. and getting around the tight spaces was a challenge.  Oddly, the Moog included bolt and nut differed from what I removed.  I removed a 18mm bolt and nut, where as Moog supplied a 15mm hex head bolt with a 18mm hex nut.  It looked fine and worked as it should, so, no complaint really.

Looking at it, now with two newly installed control arms, no sign of the negative camber.  Driving it around the block and the wavy braking was gone as well.