I picked these up some time ago in South East Asia and was told the brand would be available in Australia soon. A mixture of textile and soft leather, with the usual reinforced areas and small portion of carbon fiber. Generally similar in style and construction to many other shorty style summer gloves. Much more comfortable then my Dainese Guanto X-ILE gloves the stitching does not rub your
More about → Spyder premium shorty gloves
Endless Summer
Posted by Unknown
I was starting to think we were having an endless summer this year (albeit a wet one) as today is the first day of April and yet the forecast was for 30 degrees in western suburbs and 28 on the coast. Well time for mother nature to catch me out for 2012, it just reached 26 mid afternoon and all morning was a very Autumn low 20’s. Guess who left home in his summer jacket thinking it was going to
More about → Endless Summer
Advance Auto Parts Still Has Lowest Prices On Auto Parts and Accessories!
Posted by Unknown
Advance Auto Parts
The One Day Sale is over, but, you can still take advantage of Advance Auto Parts low, low prices!
April is National Car Care Month!
To help you find everything you need to get your vehicles ready for Summer, LDJ's Online Store has put everthing you need in one convenient space, to make it easier than ever to do your vehicle parts, maintenance and accessory shopping.
Buy direct from Advance Auto Parts and save big money! As always, LDJ's Online Auto Parts Store offers you "direct to the supplier savings"! No mark-ups, no middle man. You get the great prices you deserve and we put it all right here, so you can shop in the comfort of knowing that LDJ Auto has found the absolute, lowest prices and the very best deals out there, to make sure you get the lowest prices on the Internet.
Click on a link to go directly to the Advance Auto Parts Store, or, we've even listed the entire store inventory right here, so you don't even have to leave the page! Use the promo codes listed and get the most unbelievalbe savings on everything automotive. Use the search box below to find your parts by name, brand, or category! It doesn't get any easier than this! AND, you can order your parts online, and, have them ready for pick-up at your local Advance Auto Parts, so you don't have to wait for them to ship! That's right! Order today! Pick up today! Install today!
Have questions about your parts or accessories? Mobile phone users, simply click on the link here to call and speak directly to one of Advance Auto's friendly AND knowledgeable staff to ensure you get exactly what you need! Then simply have them get it ready for you to pick up at one of Advance Auto's 3,400 convenient local stores!
So, what are you waiting for? Start shopping and start saving NOW!
Advance Auto Parts Still Has Lowest Prices On Auto Parts and Accessories!
Posted by Unknown
Advance Auto Parts
The One Day Sale is over, but, you can still take advantage of Advance Auto Parts low, low prices!
April is National Car Care Month!
To help you find everything you need to get your vehicles ready for Summer, LDJ's Online Store has put everthing you need in one convenient space, to make it easier than ever to do your vehicle parts, maintenance and accessory shopping.
Buy direct from Advance Auto Parts and save big money! As always, LDJ's Online Auto Parts Store offers you "direct to the supplier savings"! No mark-ups, no middle man. You get the great prices you deserve and we put it all right here, so you can shop in the comfort of knowing that LDJ Auto has found the absolute, lowest prices and the very best deals out there, to make sure you get the lowest prices on the Internet.
Click on a link to go directly to the Advance Auto Parts Store, or, we've even listed the entire store inventory right here, so you don't even have to leave the page! Use the promo codes listed and get the most unbelievalbe savings on everything automotive. Use the search box below to find your parts by name, brand, or category! It doesn't get any easier than this! AND, you can order your parts online, and, have them ready for pick-up at your local Advance Auto Parts, so you don't have to wait for them to ship! That's right! Order today! Pick up today! Install today! Have questions about your parts or accessories? Mobile phone users, simply click on the link here to call and speak directly to one of Advance Auto's friendly AND knowledgeable staff to ensure you get exactly what you need! Then simply have them get it ready for you to pick up at one of Advance Auto's 3,400 convenient local stores!
So, what are you waiting for? Start shopping and start saving NOW!
To Fix or Not To Fix - That Is The Question. When to Repair A Severely Damaged Vehicle
Posted by Unknown
Accidents happen. And, they are never pretty. Most of the time, they look much worse than they really are. However, there are those times when you have to take into consideration the cost of the repairs versus the value of the vehicle and determine just when too much is too much!If you are going through your insurance company, you won't have to make that decision. The insurance company will do it for you. When the cost of repairing the vehicle is more that they determine the value of the vehicle to be, the car is considered to be a "total loss". The insurance company will write you a check for the value of the vehicle and send you on your merry way.
When an insurance company is not involved, however, and you get a great deal on a car that you can fix up and make useful, you simply need to find an expert body man that will take on the job.
Now, there are times when even WE can't believe what we can do! This 1999 Acura TL's owner came to us after being told by numerous body shops that this car could not be repaired! Now, one thing Larry can't stand is the word "CAN'T". Tell him he "can't" do something, and well, he's on a mission.....
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| There is definitely "frame" damage to the A and B pillars |
The car had been hit "hard" in the driver's door and the "a-pillar" and "b-pillar" had been severely twisted and pushed in.
Now, for every action, there is an "equal and opposite re-action" and straightening a bent vehicle frame is a perfect example of that rule! It simply requires that the metal come back by undoing the damage the way it happened! A trained eye can see exactly the manner in which the damage was incurred and by undoing each part of the damage, piece by piece, the metal can be straightened. It is a difficult task since there is no margin for error as metal can only be twisted and bent so many times before it either breaks or becomes "work hardened" and impossible to straighten.
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| Photo of the push ram as the A pillar is pushed out. |
It just goes to show you, that, almost any damage can be repaired! Finding the right technician to do the work is key to the success of the repair. Once again, Larry and our crew managed to work their "magic"! But, years of expertise went into fixing this vehicle.
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| The door was carefully hung and aligned. |
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| Notice the body lines and door alignment in this "after" shot. |
The result of careful straightening of the frame allowed for flawless alignment of the door and fender. A test drive showed no air leakage in the cabin area or window seals. This is the kind of work we're proud of here at LDJ. Check back soon for the "finished" project when this car returns for painting!
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| Another great job by Larry and the boys! |
Here at LDJ Auto Body, we like "happy endings". These are just a few of our success stories. There are hundreds more. Check back often as, like I said, we like to brag a little every now and then......
Drive safely!
The Team at LDJ Auto Body and Mechanical
South East Asia
Posted by Unknown
Been thinking for some time if I should write up this ride or not… you see it was on a scooter… I seem to be visiting or passing by parts of Asia every year however with the exception of Japan have not got around to doing much riding. There are 3 rides I have been thinking of in the region. The highly rated riding in the Genting and Cameron Highlands of Malaysia. The Mae Hong Son loop in
More about → South East Asia
Time To Maintain Your Brake System
Posted by Unknown
Timing is everything in determining when to replace your brake pads. The wrong time is after you have attempted to stop, but were aided by whatever it was that actually brought the vehicle to a complete stop!
The first thing you will notice is an extremely high pitched squeal when you are coming to a stop. The manufacturers of brake pads include an indicator, which is a little piece of metal on the pad. When the pad wears down to less than 1/4” of material, the indicator touches the vehicle's rotor, making a noise that will make your teeth ache, much like when the class bully would run his fingernails on the chalkboard on his way out of the room with the teacher as she took him to the principle's office. What this is telling you is that you need to get the brakes serviced, preferably within the month, depending on your driving schedule. But regardless of how much you drive, the sooner, the safer.
Now, some bad news, sometimes many aftermarket and lower priced pads don't come with a wear indicator. But, an informed person can be watchful of other signs that it is time to replace those pads. One way, if it takes you longer than normal to stop, or if the brake pedal has more travel in it than before, it's a good bet that you need to inspect your pads. This can be achieved by removing the wheel and knowing what to look for.
Rotors can be a little harder, as they will last through two or three sets of brake pads. A wiggly steering when stopping is a good indication that the rotors are probably warped and it is time to replace.
Another option is 'turning' your rotors, which is an option in some cases. This is done at your mechanics, where they will shave off enough of the metal from the rotors to make them smooth. Most newer vehicles are equipped with thinner, lighter rotors to save on costs and increase fuel economy. If you find that you are replacing the rotors often, you might consider switching to a slotted version. While more expensive, the slots disperse heat better than the standard stock rotors. For most drivers, this added expense isn't necessary.
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| For you convenience, Advance Auto Parts lets you order your parts on line at home, and then pick them up in your local store an hour later, how cool is that! |
To paraphrase my father (and whoever he stole it from) “An ounce of preventive maintenance, is worth a pound of towing bills!”
April is “National Car Care Month”, so regardless if you are going to do it yourself, or take it to your trusted local mechanic, take a weekend in April to checkout your ride. Check those fluids, topping off the ones that need it. Don't forget the windshield fluid, radiator coolant (check your vehicle maintenance book to see what type of coolant your radiator uses), brake fluid, power steering fluid. Now is a good time to change your engine oil. Check those brake pads, inspect your tires for tread, wear and weather damage (dry rot). Lube the chassis. And it would not hurt to get inside that car and rub some type of protectant on your dash, console, side panels, etc.... the inside of the vehicle needs maintenance too you know. Take care of your ride, it will take you places that others can only get to in their minds....... (LOL).
Advance Auto Parts stocks everything you need to do your maintenance and repairs. They also offer the convenience of shopping on line and picking up an hour later at your local store, so you are in and out and on your way to completing your project that much faster, and by clicking below, and use the promotion code, you get a great discount to boot!!
Save $20 Off Purchases of $75 or more at AdvanceAutoParts.com with code BIG20!Advance Auto Parts stocks everything you need to do your maintenance and repairs. They also offer the convenience of shopping on line and picking up an hour later at your local store, so you are in and out and on your way to completing your project that much faster, and by clicking below, and use the promotion code, you get a great discount to boot!!
Remember to check back to our blog often, as Dee, Larry and I will be posting more on vehicle maintenance and repairs. Leave us a comment on our posts, make suggestions for future stories, or tell us about your projects. And like us on Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/LDJAutoBody
Til next time - Betty
