Wednesday, December 5, 2007

Land Rover DII washer fluid bottle relocation

After buying a new front bumper for my DII, I faced a new challenge: relocate the washer fluid bottle so that it doesn't hang below my new bumper. I first searched Discoweb.org and found a promising tutorial. I went to work, but then I realized I had extra hardware that wasn't shown in the tutorial. I went back to Discoweb, and found that others had the same problem. I saw that you could potentially use a D90 water bottle in substitution of the stock bottle. There was only one problem: I didn't want to spend the money to buy a D90 bottle that I may hack up anyway. After going back to the drawing board, I came up with a solution that was easy to install, holds lots of fluid, and most important only cost about $35 dollars in parts (You can probably get away with it for less than $15 if you have some parts around or you shop around).

It should be noted that this works with a ROVERTRACKS front bumper, and I would assume it would work with other low profile bumpers like the RoverTyme bumper, but I don't know for sure.

You will need:

Materials:

About 3 feet of poly tube to extend the stock hoses
About 3 feet of wire to extend the wire for the pumps
2 large hose clamps hose clamps
A 3" or 4" length of PVC
2 2" lengths of PVC
2 3" or 4" end caps (same as whatever size you got above)
2 2" 90 degree PVC bends
A 2" cap with screw top
A 3" or 4" coupler with 2" outlet
PVC glue

Tools:

2" hole saw
Saw to cut PVC
Screw driver
Drill and dremel (I used the dremel because I didn't have a bit big enough)
Small bit for vent hole, big bit if you have it for mounting pumps


Directions:

First of all this is what you are trying to make:

What it should look like

This is just pieced together and the up tube isn't cut to length yet.

1. Start by lining up the 3" piece of pipe under the bumper and measuring out how much you need cut off to create a tight fit. Make sure to leave enough space for the end camps and mounting of the pumps on the end of the container.

2. Cut the 3" tube in half a third of the way down the tube on the right side.

3. Put the coupler in between the new cut. (DON'T GLUE ANYTHING YET)

4. Put the new assembly back up to the bumper to make sure you still have room for everything. You'll probably have to cut the long tube again.

5. Now put the end caps on and cut the holes in the right end of the tube. I put the pumps up to the end of the cap and marked where I needed to cut. Try not to cut the holes too big. The tighter the fit the better. Try to put the pumps to as close to the bottom of the tube as possible (this will allow you to pick up more fluid).



Note: this picture has one of the small motors and the big motor (used for old bumper sprayers. You'll use both small motors when you're ready to glue). I was just test fitting.



6. Now assemble the whole thing and test fit it. This will allow you to figure out the length of your up tube and how far over you need to go over with the 2" pipe before you need to start your up tube. I went over far enough so the up tube wasn't in front of my fan. Mark out your hole that you will cut in the fender.

7. Cut your over tube and up tube to the right size. Cut the hole in the fender.

Drill the hole...ouch

8. Put the whole assembly back in place and make sure everything lines up.

9. Now extend your tubes and wires. You should just need to cut a length of tube (about a foot) and it will fit right in to the stock connectors and then connect to the pump. Cut off the plug that plugs into the pumps and splice in about a foot of wire.

Here is a picture:

On the left is the stock length and the right is the new length.

Extend the lines

The tubes will run from the stock connection point through a hole and into the new location:



Here is how they connect:

I actually heated the lines a little to slide them all the way on when I ready to put the lines in place for production use.



10. Once you are sure you have the right fit, glue everything together. Make sure to be liberal with the glue and when connecting two pieces of PVC twist the two peices together (You'll have leaks otherwise). You'll also need to use some silicone when gluing the pumps in place. Make sure you use the stock rubber grommets and let the silicone dry over night.

11. Drill a small hole in the cap on the up tube so that bottle can breath.

Drill a hole so it can breath

12. Now use the bar that runs in front of the radiator to attach the new container:

Attach to this bar


Here's a few pictures of it finished:

The finished bottle:




On the truck from below:



From the front squatting:



The spout:





After I was all done, I zip tied all the lines and had to add a few to the up tube to get it just in place. I also had a small leak, and had to add more silicone. I've been using the new system for a few weeks, and it works great. I used a 3" tube for the main container, and I can hold just under a gallon. If I used 4" tube I'm sure I would have been able to hold over a gallon. You can't even see the bottle unless you squat pretty low and look. Leave a comment if you have any questions, and I can help you with anything you need.

Wednesday, November 21, 2007

My new helmet cam

I recently bought an Oregon Scientific helmet cam. I bought it so that I could get video from my Supermoto. Well, I did get some video...on my first time out, I almost highsided my bike, and I got it all on video. Enjoy:



Look forward to seeing some sweet skiing video this year!!!

----------------
Listening to: Marilyn Manson - This Is the New S**t
via FoxyTunes

Friday, November 16, 2007

Add a seatbelt to your messanger bag

I found this on a blog called Evil (I actually found it through make). This seems like a sweet site and I dig seatbelt stuff (like belts, bags, and whatnot). Here is a quick tutorial on swapping your stock strap on a messenger bag for a seatbelt:

Hack my Bag

I have an old Timbuktu bag that I'll be doing this to...i'll update with pictures soon.

-- Rob


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Crack a padlock in no time flat


HOWTO force a padlock with a tin-can shim - Boing Boing

I've seen this before, but it's worth showing others...Enjoy!

--Rob

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Wednesday, November 14, 2007

Rip Audio from a DVD to MP3



Featured Windows Download: Rip Audio from a DVD to MP3 with Free DVD MP3 Ripper

Another great find from lifehacker. Start ripping your concert dvds!

-- Rob


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Tuesday, November 13, 2007

As many links as I could think of...

Kim mentioned to me the other day that I seem to know a lot of cool places to go on the net. That got me thinking..."How many do I actually know?". Turns out, I don't know too many "cool" websites. I do know a lot of useful websites and programs and a few cool websites, so instead of putting a list of "cool" places together, I decided to put a list of links to sites and software that I use/like/love or just think you might like. I use Ubuntu, so some of the stuff I listed only works on Linux, but I did try to make the links as cross platform as possible. Enjoy:

Audio/Video (12)

Amazonmp3
Anywhere.FM
Last.fm
Pandora
YouTube
Google Video
Yahoo Video
Break
Myspace Video
Metacafe
Yahoo Music Videos
EyeSpot

Photo related(2)

Flickr
Picasa

Social Networking/Community Driven(7)

Digg
StumbleUpon
Myspace
Facebook
Newsvine
Twitter
Slashdot

Podcasting(7)

Twit
Revision3
CNET
This American Life
Hak.5
DL.TV
Maccast
Podrunner

Blogs/Good RSS feeds(17)

--Comics

XKCD
Cracked
Dinosaur Comics
A Softer World
Questionable Content
Copper
Indexed

--Tech

Lifehacker
Make
Engadget
Hack A Day
Instructables

--Other

Boing Boing
Toolmonger
TurnYourselfIn
Blogger
WordPress


Bargain Shopping(7)

Backcountry.com
Woot
Steep and Cheap
Froogle (Google product Search now)
Ebay
Craigslist
FatFingers

Open Source Software(17)

Ubuntu
GIMP
TrueCrypt
Eclipse
Audacity
VLC
Pidgin
gVim
OpenOffice
Mplayer/Mencoder
FireFox
ThunderBird
Sunbird
FreeNas
Cinelerra
Pitivi
Knoppix


Utilities/Apps(10)

IMDB
Putty
Portable Apps
Wikipedia
Google - Search/Gmai/Google Docs/Google Maps
meebo
youconvertit
Security Tools
FileZilla
FeeNX

Questionable Legality(4)

QTFairUse
FairUse4WM
HandBrake
AcidRip


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Monday, September 24, 2007

Check out what I'm listening to

As anyone who works with me knows, I listen to music about 90% of my work day. It's the only way I can get any work done b/c of some...um loud co-workers...

Well I figured why not share with the rest of the world..?...From here on out, you'll be able to see a signature with some of the lame music/podcasts I listen to.

Rob
----------------
Listening to: Molly Wood and Kelly Morrison - Gadgettes 61: The Fall Season Episode
via FoxyTunes

Thursday, September 20, 2007

I'm back, and "For The Record..."

If anyone is still out there, i'm back. I gave it a break for a bit, but I'm going to try to bring new/interesting/wierd things to you on a daily/weekly basis. Speaking of interesting news, have you heard about Barry Bonds' home run record ball? It seems that clothing designer Mark Ecko " was the winning bidder in the auction for Barry Bonds' record-breaking 756th home run ball, paying $752,467 for it."

In what I'm calling The Coolest Move of All Time, Ecko has decided to have a democractic fate for the famed ball. At a website apptley named vote756.com Ecko is letting the public vote on the fate of the ball. The choices include: Sending the ball strait to the baseball hall of fame, branding the ball with an asterisk and then sending the ball to the hall of fame, and lastly, blasting the ball into space so that it is never seen or spoken of again...

All I can say, is I love this guy, and make sure you guys vote...I know I did!

Friday, July 13, 2007

Find music with Google

I found a super cool Google hack by a guy who goes by the name Jimmyr

Wednesday, July 11, 2007

One of my best friends: Damien

Damien is technically my best friend Daniel's little brother, but I've been friends with Dan so long that I just consider Damien my best friend too. He was my little brothers best friend, and he's been with me and my family through thick and thin. He really is a good person, and on top of that he's some one I can really share my stupid sense of humor with.

As we've gotten older, Damien has become somewhat reclusive, and a little less willing to hang out with our group. I've wondered why, and until recently it hadn't hit me. He's heart broken. He's loved one of (maybe the first) girlfriend he ever had since as long as I can remember. The problem was that they were both destined for different journeys in life and when the road split, so did they. She went on to focus on school and college, and Damien focused on work after school.

Even though she left, I think Damien always new they'd get back together. He waited and watched as she dated other guys and did her own thing, and even though I think this hurt him, he never judged her and took every opportunity he had to get close to her. She didn't just abandon him, I mean she'd talk to him on the net and call him and stop by on his b-day and stuff, but all that did was keep her close enough to keep him from letting her go.

I've come back from college only 2 years ago, and I've watched him struggle with anger, and sadness, and at times he seems just down right depressed. I've told Kim how I thought it was b/c he can't have her and I wished I could just find someone who'd love him like he loves her.

Well lately, she's been hanging out with him, and he's been happier than I've seen him in a really long time (only when he's with her though). I've just been hoping that she would want what he does: a relationship. But it's not so. She'll be going back to college soon, and he'll be back to normal.

The thing that caused me to write all this is something he posted to here on the net:

Its been six years and i still think about you every day, i dream about you every night, i thought the love we had would last forever and even though we still love each other i know the love u had for me changed, at times i think i would rather be alone and unhappy then to be without you, i never thought love could be so strong and i learned the hard way. I'm not gonna lie i won't ever be the same, i have changed a lot. i am angry, alone and wish you were here with me. but yet i deal with it every day. to tell the truth i don't know how much more i can take. i want to be with you and make you happy more than anything in the world, but if your not happy with me than i guess i should stop trying. you know who you are and you know how i fill, i just wish i could be happy with the relationship we have. i love you so much
love, Damien


When I read this, I felt a lot of emotions: anger, sadness, and an overall need to help him move on. He's a good guy and he deserves a good girl (not that I dislike her as a person).

I just hope he reads this, b/c this is to him:

Damien,

You're a good guy. You have one of the biggest hearts that any girl could ever want. I know you love her, but don't sell yourself short. There is someone with as much passion for you as you have for her. Someone who would love to spend all their time with you. Someone who'd love to call you and sleep next to you, and do all the things that'd you'd love to do with her. It hurts me and your bro and everyone around you to see you hurt. I know you can't just give her up, but I think you owe it to yourself to move on and find someone who is as good of a person as you are. You're my little broham man, and I just want you to be happy.

Love you man,

Rob