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Post by Admin on May 31, 2024 13:56:06 GMT 10
This sticky thread is intended for those little hints, tips and shortcuts we learn over the years, they can be about anything technical from GPS receivers to wheel bearings to plumbing.
Please don't provide a lengthy set of instructions for doing procedures most of us probably know but rather a few lines of text describing some sneaky little trick you have discovered.
I will edit this thread if I think something is off-topic, plain dull or rabbits on for hours.
Please make the first line in your post a header eg:
Measuring water tank level
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Post by Mike Harding on May 31, 2024 14:07:37 GMT 10
Android phones/tablets - screen size
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It's taken me almost three years to discover the screen size/resolution may be changed on Android phones.
Go to "Settings" / "Developer options"
Find "Smallest width" setting
Note the current setting then change it by, say, 20% and see what happens.
Finding and/or enabling "Developer options" is awkward - best to Google how to.
My 10.5" high resolution tablet finally has the screen layout I've wanted since I bought it!
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Post by Mike Harding on May 31, 2024 14:22:15 GMT 10
Wheel changing -------------- A telescopic socket wrench is well worth having especially after the gorilla at the type place has done your wheel nuts up to about 300ft-lb! Link
The above is a link to Supercheap but these devices are available on-line for about half that price. Or you could carry an ordinary socket wrench and a 600mm piece of steel tube. |
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Post by arewelost on Jun 4, 2024 12:52:01 GMT 10
Which Bunnings/BCF/Officeworks (and more) store has this item in stock? Sometimes you have found the specific item you want but it's tedious searching store by store to find one that currently has it in stock. This link works on most Wesfarmer owned stores. Others in the chain include Anaconda, Big W, Dan Murphy, Spotlight, Supercheap (not Kmart or Target).
Click the store chain in the heading and then paste the product URL or item number and a map will be produced showing stock levels for every location. Of course the information is only as good as what the store records show, which may be wrong.
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Post by Mike Harding on Jul 23, 2024 13:49:08 GMT 10
Car to caravan/trailer electrical connectors.
Yesterday a couple of people kindly let me know the brake lights on my caravan were not working. I discovered it was a fault in the connector between the car and van, further investigation revealed the pin on the caravan plug for brake lights (and RH indicator) was not making good contact with the car socket. My set up uses the standard 12 pin rectangular connector but this tip likely applies to all car/caravan connectors.
The problem is the pins in the plug are partially split in order to allow a degree of "spring-e-ness" and assist the pin with contacting the socket. The trouble is that over time this split/gap closes slightly due to loss of tension in the metal and the pin ceases to make contact thus my brake lights and RH indicator didn't work.
The, short term, cure is to use a very fine flat blade screwdriver or small knife blade inserted into the pin slit in order to spread it open a little more - *do not overdo this process* otherwise half the pin will break off and you'll have to fit a new plug. Indeed, once the pins need this "repair" it's only a matter of time before a new plug becomes necessary but, in most, cases this fix will get you out of trouble.
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