What did you do to your NNBS GMT900 Tahoe/Yukon Today?

[StrkAliteN]

Yup. We actually spent years and hundreds of millions of dollars preparing for a new interstate bridge for I-5, had like 3 different versions of plans, did the environmental studies etc but everybody in Oregon wanted light rail included because half the population of Vancouver WA, right on the other side of the river, commute to Portland to work and shop. No sales tax here, and no state income tax there. So they live over there to skip taxes and clog the freeway to work over here. But WA didn’t want to spend any money for light rail so it all ended up in a stalemate and they took too long so the federal funds went away. So did the bridge plans, it was all a waste of money. Now they’re trying to start things rolling again because traffic on that bridge is so bad plus it’s in terrible shape.

Yea the only good thing about the I-5 bridge connecting Vancouver WA and Portland OR is the Columbia river beneath it !

Caught this beauty a few years ago in the Columbia river. Caught it next to the Ilwaco- Astoria bridge over the river ( closer to the pacific ocean than the I-5 bridge ) about 100 miles west of I-5. You can still catch salmon around the I-5 bridge, they just mass up into larger concentrations nearer the mouth of the river where it dumps into the Pacific.

 

[alpha_omega]

And my first attempt with SS braided AN lines.


I have a single AN wrench, adjustable.
I just ordered a second one, to much of a pita to use a rag for the "holding" side.

Any good quality wrench will do the trick so long as it’s not a flanked or speed wrench. If you have a set of “soft jaws” for your bench vice, I’ve found they actually work better to help hold the hose/fitting than using two wrenches.
As @Rocket Man mentioned below, taping them prior to cutting helps to index a straight cut as well as prevent any fraying prior to the install. I’ve found that a set of ratchet style cutters works best on any braided metal to not deform the round. Either the standard ratchet pipe cutter or ratchet cable cutters will work. The cable cutters almost look like bolt cutters, but work better than a chop saw or die grinder on this kind of project because they don’t throw dust into the hose. Plus depending on the style they can be used to cut braided cable as well (both coated or un-coated).

They make it super easy as long as you tape the braid before you cut it so it doesn’t fray. I have had a few cheap(er) connectors that were tight and the barrels barely fit over the braid but for the most part they’re easy.

I’m wondering if anyone has come out with a shrink tube or “liquid” style line whip-end that would work on braided lines?

 

[StrkAliteN]

Any good quality wrench will do the trick so long as it’s not a flanked or speed wrench. If you have a set of “soft jaws” for your bench vice, I’ve found they actually work better to help hold the hose/fitting than using two wrenches.
As @Rocket Man mentioned below, taping them prior to cutting helps to index a straight cut as well as prevent any fraying prior to the install. I’ve found that a set of ratchet style cutters works best on any braided metal to not deform the round. Either the standard ratchet pipe cutter or ratchet cable cutters will work. The cable cutters almost look like bolt cutters, but work better than a chop saw or die grinder on this kind of project because they don’t throw dust into the hose. Plus depending on the style they can be used to cut braided cable as well (both coated or un-coated).

I’m wondering if anyone has come out with a shrink tube or “liquid” style line whip-end that would work on braided lines?

Ex union electrician here ( I have cut / spliced 1000s of cables and used every type crimp connector and or shrink tube on the market ( 20yrs ago )

Yes ratcheting cable cutters like the Klein pair pictured will cut braided aluminum or copper wire cable much better than anything else ( from very small #6 wire all the way up to 750 MCM cable. The trick to good cuts on small braided cable ( like welding cable ) is to wrap the cable prior to the cut with electrical tape. BUT you have to make the 1st few wraps with the tape inside out so the sticky side IS NOT touching the braided cable, so it can be easily removed to attach / crimp on your terminal point. If the cable already has insulation on it prior to cutting that should suffice, and no tape needed.

They make tons of different kinds and sizes of shrink tube that is water proof and will ooze out a liquid when heated and this seals the end of the cable from weather or water intrusion once the connector or terminal has been crimped on.

Hope this helps someone.

 

[Rocket Man]

Yea the only good thing about the I-5 bridge connecting Vancouver WA and Portland OR is the Columbia river beneath it !

Caught this beauty a few years ago in the Columbia river. Caught it next to the Ilwaco- Astoria bridge over the river ( closer to the pacific ocean than the I-5 bridge ) about 100 miles west of I-5. You can still catch salmon around the I-5 bridge, they just mass up into larger concentrations nearer the mouth of the river where it dumps into the Pacific.

View attachment 361816

Oh yeah. You can still catch salmon in downtown Portland too, but I have always gone to buoy 10 at the mouth of the Columbia the few times I’ve gone. Caught a few sturgeon, a couple 8’ers even that I had to turn loose because that’s too big, up the Columbia near Bonneville dam. I don’t fish much though. My favorite is bottom fish off the coast on a charter. I’ve never been skunked at that.

 

[Malik112099]

Installed a magsafe mount/charger in my 07 yukon today.

 

[gooffeyguy]

My Ridgid impact and batteries/charger delivered today and charged both batteries.

Seems like a decent tool. The batteries also have a push button that shows the charge level when pushed.

Gotta make sure to register them online so they'll get the lifetime warranty!

 

[89Suburban]

Installed a magsafe mount/charger in my 07 yukon today. View attachment 361832View attachment 361833View attachment 361834View attachment 361835View attachment 361836

Nice! Got a link for the one you bought? I like how it clears the AC vent.

 

[Rocket Man]

My Ridgid impact and batteries/charger delivered today and charged both batteries.

Seems like a decent tool. The batteries also have a push button that shows the charge level when pushed.

Gotta make sure to register them online so they'll get the lifetime warranty!

Mine came today too. Supposed to be Monday but they came early. I was glad to see the batteries for my older tools are interchangeable. So now I have plenty of them.

 

[Malik112099]

Nice! Got a link for the one you bought? I like how it clears the AC vent.

I used this charger with a generic sticky dash mount that uses a universal 7mm ball mount.

 

[Doubeleive]

BOOOO

 

[Rocket Man]

BOOOO

View attachment 361863

Damn, you would have got it by now if they shipped it to your home. Good news is, I tried mine on the lug nuts today. They spun them right off. I installed a couple back on and checked with a torque wrench but they weren’t retorqued to 140 by the Ridgid, I’m guessing it was closer to 100. I had it set on Auto. I’ll mess with it some more but it definitely removed the ones I torqued to 140. I wasn’t expecting it to install them at 140. I’m happy.

 

[iamdub]

Mine came today too. Supposed to be Monday but they came early. I was glad to see the batteries for my older tools are interchangeable. So now I have plenty of them.

Good to know in case I get some more tools. I currently have two of the 18V lithium drill and 1/4" impact kits. Kind of a dumb story how I ended up with two kits, but they're convenient. I have one for garage and house use and the other for shop use.

 

[Rocket Man]

Good to know in case I get some more tools. I currently have two of the 18V lithium drill and 1/4" impact kits. Kind of a dumb story how I ended up with two kits, but they're convenient. I have one for garage and house use and the other for shop use.

I just looked at my booklets I got with my original tools and the receipts were in there. I bought a 1/4” impact, 18v drill, skillsaw and it was 2013. I have used the hell out of them for over 8 1/2 years and even all the batteries are still good. Not a single issue with any of their tools. I say that’s pretty damn good for cordless, and the fact those old batteries still fit the new tools ( and still work) is amazing to me.

 

[swathdiver]

I just looked at my booklets I got with my original tools and the receipts were in there. I bought a 1/4” impact, 18v drill, skillsaw and it was 2013. I have used the hell out of them for over 8 1/2 years and even all the batteries are still good. Not a single issue with any of their tools. I say that’s pretty damn good for cordless, and the fact those old batteries still fit the new tools ( and still work) is amazing to me.

Got a Black and Decker household battery powered drill in 2000. We retired it in 2021, replacement batteries were junk and did not want to make my own like I used to. That's what has kept me away from cordless, too many different kinds of batteries and being dependent on them. With my luck they'll always be dead when needed.

 

[gooffeyguy]

Lithium Ion batteries have been game changers for cordless tools

 

[Rocket Man]

Lithium Ion batteries have been game changers for cordless tools

No kidding. I remember the first Makitas everyone was buying when they first came out. Heavy, bulky, weak, didn’t last long and they’d be dead and took 4 hours to charge. Todays lithium ions last surprisingly long and recharge in 20 minutes. All you need is one spare most of the time, waiting in the charger.

 

[alpha_omega]

Ex union electrician here ( I have cut / spliced 1000s of cables and used every type crimp connector and or shrink tube on the market ( 20yrs ago )

Yes ratcheting cable cutters like the Klein pair pictured will cut braided aluminum or copper wire cable much better than anything else ( from very small #6 wire all the way up to 750 MCM cable. The trick to good cuts on small braided cable ( like welding cable ) is to wrap the cable prior to the cut with electrical tape. BUT you have to make the 1st few wraps with the tape inside out so the sticky side IS NOT touching the braided cable, so it can be easily removed to attach / crimp on your terminal point. If the cable already has insulation on it prior to cutting that should suffice, and no tape needed.

They make tons of different kinds and sizes of shrink tube that is water proof and will ooze out a liquid when heated and this seals the end of the cable from weather or water intrusion once the connector or terminal has been crimped on.

Hope this helps someone.

Yep! That’s one of the ratcheting kind I was referring to. The other style are like the picture below. Just a set of ratcheting pvc cutters. I have both Milwaukee and Husky…sadly to say (considering the cost difference) but the Husky’s preform better, especially on smaller stuff. The smaller set I use for cutting PEX and any other soft hose.


I’ll have to try out the upside down tape trick. Usually I just shrink wrap or use silicone tape before cutting any braided cable. I’ve only ever used electrical tape on beaded hose, figuring anything else would be too thick for the connectors to slip over.

 

[gooffeyguy]

No kidding. I remember the first Makitas everyone was buying when they first came out. Heavy, bulky, weak, didn’t last long and they’d be dead and took 4 hours to charge. Todays lithium ions last surprisingly long and recharge in 20 minutes. All you need is one spare most of the time, waiting in the charger.

Yup, and they don't loose their charge when sitting idle for a week.

I used to have a grass trimmer that took a ni-cad battery. I would have to make sure I charged the battery within a day or two before wanting to use it otherwise the battery lost most of its charge.

About a year later they came out with a Lithium Ion model. Battery was half the size and weight and could be charged up and sit for weeks and still be charged

 

[StrkAliteN]

No kidding. I remember the first Makitas everyone was buying when they first came out. Heavy, bulky, weak, didn’t last long and they’d be dead and took 4 hours to charge. Todays lithium ions last surprisingly long and recharge in 20 minutes. All you need is one spare most of the time, waiting in the charger.

I still have a like new Makita original set in the blue plastic case in my garage. They had the real tall skinny batteries ( I think like 9.8v or something ) Then Dewalt came out with the 14v models and the Makita 9v became extinct like dinosaurs. I could never bring myself to put mine for sale 25yrs ago when I could have gotten $25 out of the set. Now its worth zero and just takes up space on a garage shelf

 

[alpha_omega]

I have some Milwaukee’s that have held their charge a year later when I pulled them out of my satchel.