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Best first upgrade for just about anything is a fresh set of tires that are appropriate to what you use the vehicle for. Forget about fancy wheels unless you really need something wider or with different offset. If you do need different wheels, there are lots of used sets on CraigsList...

I needed a high quality, high volume 12V pump a couple of years ago and I found the best prices and availability at an online place called We Got Pumps. They actually seem to know what they are doing.

When I got my small Ctek, I read the manual several times and was still confused about some of the apparent inconsistencies in it. When I called Ctek, they agreed that the manual was "incorrect" on a couple of issues. My observation was that it had been written by a failed ESL student. They...

I did see a DieHard Gold Grp 31 AGM in a Sears store last summer, don't remember if it had marine terminals. This was probably in June, and there were no Platinum 31s on the shelves but some 34s. I don't remember the specs on the Gold 31, but noted that they were pretty low for a big AGM. I...

You are starting to irritate me. First, I did not say my batteries were not staying charged. I said my batteries were not being being successfully maintained by the small solar panels I have tried. I have not tried all the panels available and I have not tried large panels. The Noco panels...

They are all hot with the ignition off. No tinted window issues because the Noco panels were on top of the dash, so only whatever factory windshield tint that the vehicles came with. The Solargizer is mounted on the outside cowl of the truck, so always gets direct sunlight. No unusual...

My Ctek is different model, but it's been flawless since I got it six months ago. It gets used about every week on one battery or another. Either mine does not have a temp light or it has just never come on.

A few years ago I tried some small solar panels sold to keep batteries topped off. These were maybe 10"x20", sit on the dash board, and plug into the cigarette lighter. I think they were Noco. Tried three different panels in three different vehicles in Southern California sunlight, and none...

It will hold dirt, and mud will stain it (permanently in my case). Line-X can tint it, and they have a fade resistant product for more money, but it will still fade. Red will fade faster than any other color (it's the nature of the pigments). Professional application will be real expensive...

That DieHard Gold is not nearly the same battery as the PM1. You have time left on your warranty, so have Sears check other stores or their online distribution system to get a direct replacement. Or look around yourself and find a Sears store you can drive to, to do the swap. Or ask for a...

There are lots of opinions on that issue, including the one that says you should never solder small ga wire. Success depends on how and where you do it. I prefer solder with a secure mounting scheme and strain relief at the terminal to minimize flex.

That might work but you are limited to whatever length the cables are. Your ground cable can be really short, just long enough to reach from the battery neg terminal to a clean bolt on the frame. Smarter to just buy some big copper ring terminals at the electronics store. You can buy a...

Makes sense. Enables you to go places you probably shouldn't. Been there, done that.

Are you still thinking about using jumper cables with spring clamps to charge the house battery? Not advisable, wastes a lot of time and you can only charge at idle which is not very efficient. If you are talking about hard wiring the charge cables, then you might just cut the clamps off a set...

Never too long if your cable is fat enough.

Would be helpful to know what the truck is. Some winch manufacturers (Ramsey?) also sell hidden winch mounts for certain vehicles (my '98 GMC, for example). Even if you don't have that manufacturer's winch, you might be able to mount the SmittyBilt to it, or you may decide to get something...

Check with Woodworkers' Supply. They should have it or know where to get it. If you want real HD, put two HD glides on each side. If WS can't help, call Ainley Kennels in Iowa. They built my aluminum/stainless drawer with a long HD glide and it works like a champ.

I have a 5.7 PW and it is the best truck I have ever owned. Agree about the torque profile and gear ratios, but I found that a $350 programmer from Edge solved that problem quite nicely. Most of the effect from the CARB-legal version of Edge Insight is in managing the shift points and the...

I have had good luck jacking up the truck to take weight off the tire and let it be round again. Another trick is to wrap a big ratcheting strap around the circumference of the tire and tighten it to help seat the bead. Just got a bigger strap on Sunday. Then there is always ether and a...

One of the Toyota forums had a group buy on MaxTrax and I got in at the very end. Price was pretty good, more than $20 or $30 off, but I don't remember the exact price. I bought two pair for my main truck and can confirm that they do work. I like them enough that I'd buy another pair for the...