Aug 18 - unpuzzled

First off -- the X5 -- seems that the front aux power socket is shorted at the back.  Great.  Now I have to somehow get that console apart to fix.  This is not urgent ...

Second -- Jim's trailer -- seeing as I was heading into Parry Sound to pick up the 3-wheeler, I pulled the wheel bearing to ensure that I was buying the correct size.  Once back from PS, I knocked out the bearing races from the hub, installed the new ones, greased up the bearings and voila, smooth running. That was the easy part ! 

Now to the wiring.  There were corroded connections on the positive side and the negative ground wasn't working.  I'd originally thought of running a ground wire to each light and rewiring the positives, but found that I could use the existing wiring and attach a new ground wire at the front of the trailer, bolted to the wire mesh, which is brazed to the trailer body all around.  I then used butt connectors, heat shrink tubing and silicone sealant on all the connections.  Surely that will last at least a little while ?  Who knows !  Weather is so un-kind to these things.

As usual with these things, figuring out what is wrong takes half the time; deciding how to fix it takes the second half; fixing is almost insignificant.  That was certainly the case with the trailer light lens.  How to attach ?  The screws that Jim had used weren't working any more. Fashion little brackets ?  Glue the thing in place (a one time fix for sure !) ?  Nope, simply use a cable tie across the face !   That took seconds.

I took the trailer back to Jim's, parking it well out front so that it would be easy for him to test the lights (I'd been using a car battery so I knew that they were working).  He called later and said that a) they worked and b) he put the trailer back in its usual resting place.  Job Well Done !

Next, trailer juggling ... put the large box trailer, whaler boat trailer and small box trailer back in the barn.  At least mine are partly protected from the ravages of weather but it's still damp in there and stuff will ruse, come what may.

Speaking of rust -- the 3-wheeler had been left outside, no room inside for it, the entire time it was in Parry Sound.  It now has a lot of surface rust.  I need to do some cleaning.  It starts right up with the pull start (needs a new battery) and runs like a champ with all its new carburetor parts.  Great !  Now it's worthwhile ordering a new battery.

Sandy was already on her way north while I was in Parry Sound and arrived mid afternoon.  I pulled the sorry looking rim with the huge dent out of her trunk and paired it with one of the snow tires.  I've got to take both to the garage in Arnstein and have him move the spare tire to the snow rim, first cleaning up the snow rim since it's got some corrosion and is leaking. 

All four of her snow tires were flat, likely all leaking along the bead.  Another alternative would be to simply order another tire and rim from Tire Rack and have it waiting for her in Reading ... I'll look at that as an option ... her snow tires look practically new but they are old.  All four rims need cleanup.  Will we ever need snow tires on her car again ?   If I thought that we might, I should do the Tirerack thing and take all four snows to Arnstein to get cleaned up.  If we needed them, it would be in an emergency situation and they wouldn't be useful right now.  Crappy rims.  Next time I buy rims from Tirerack, I'll talk to them about corrosion likelihood beforehand.

Jason and gang came over while I was finishing up.  We sat out on the deck for a little while and then they headed home for dinner and were then leaving for Brantford. 

Sandy had brought up a pre-cooked chicken from Sobey's in Parry Sound.  That, peas and potatoes made an easy dinner.

The sun is out this morning.  Will it be as beautiful a day as yesterday ?  Tune in tomorrow ...

Onward !