What did you do to your other vehicle today?

IAmMadRobot · Aug 11, 2026

Put a Gobi rack on the wife's Honda Element. The rack is solid but I would not deal with Gobi ever again. Wildly unprofessional as a company and the instructions read like an Aramaic curse.

Which is hilarious because the install was easy.

sab · Aug 11, 2026

IAmMadRobot said:
...and the instructions read like an Aramaic curse.

Upon oneself, or upon one's enemies? Asking for a friend...

Zorba · Aug 11, 2026

speeding_infraction said:
Impressive.

Damn junk.

Last year or so, my mechanic told me the car needed new shocks. "Whaddaya mean, it needs new shocks?!? I just changed them 20 years ago! Damn junk.."

IAmMadRobot · Aug 11, 2026

sab said:
Upon oneself, or upon one's enemies? Asking for a friend...

Apparently upon one’s enemies. Gobi considers customers that expect a product in return for the money they paid them to be enemies.

We only waited a month past the months they told us the wait would be after they sent an automated email to tell us the wait was a month longer than the two month wait they claimed on the product page.

Speaking to a real human that knows and does things is a challenge. If you call you get someone going “ Uhm, like… wuh, like , iz gunna ship.”

Jesus.

sab · Aug 11, 2026

IAmMadRobot said:
Apparently upon one’s enemies. Gobi considers customers that expect a product in return for the money they paid them to be enemies.

We only waited a month past the months they told us the wait would be after they sent an automated email to tell us the wait was a month longer than the two month wait they claimed on the product page.

Speaking to a real human that knows and does things is a challenge. If you call you get someone going “ Uhm, like… wuh, like , iz gunna ship.”

Jesus.

Sadly, lack of communication is the standard these days. Most of the companies less than a decade old just don't answer phone calls anymore. It's nuts. I realize that your experience has been bad in more ways than poor communication, though. You're not the first to complain about Gobi on the forum, and I'm sure you won't be the last (unless the camel's back has finally broken from your straw, and they're going out of business)...

IAmMadRobot · Aug 11, 2026

sab said:
Sadly, lack of communication is the standard these days. Most of the companies less than a decade old just don't answer phone calls anymore. It's nuts. I realize that your experience has been bad in more ways than poor communication, though. You're not the first to complain about Gobi on the forum, and I'm sure you won't be the last (unless the camel's back has finally broken from your straw, and they're going out of business)...

Honestly I’m not sure how IN business they are in the first place. They claimed they already had the rack finished and in the box. My wife paid and it took them 14 weeks to ship it.

So either they lied about existing stock and made it to order, or they just took the order and stared at it for months.

And if it WAS made to order, telling your customer that will set expectations.

Instead they ghosted her and ignored many emails once they got paid, it was not until I called and spoke to “Um… like, mumble-mumble, I miss muh Tik-tok go uh-way mumble mumble” with audible anger in my voice that anything happened. And that person admitted that it was just sitting there in a box. And it still took two weeks after that.

Head Lice · Aug 11, 2026

'02 Dodge/Cummins RC 4x4 5speed, tweaked just a little bit . . . getting ready for another moose hunt up the Alaska Highway. Rear pinion seal/Spicer u-joint, and check/grease everything. Elk are also open when we get there, and yes, Model 70 in .300 Win.

Rickyd · Aug 12, 2026

NashvilleTJ said:
Shave it, shave it, shave it...

I did just see a shave kit on marketplace for half off..... but, at least for now the plan is 2" lift,all terrains and street duty. I was a little bummed the 06 axle didn't have a factory limited slip or locker though.

Got the new axle in and everything hooked up!06 brake hose used standard thread at the frame.so that was easy.two short side silverado ebrake cables and creative placement of mounting tabs got the ebrake set up. Spring pads and shock mounts were easy. @ColoJeep This is the 30 gal blazer tank. Squarebody blazer crossmembers and blazer fuel door

bbaldwin237 · Aug 13, 2026

Cleaned up the truck and loaded the camper. Have a small trip next weekend after a work trip.

Also needed to move both so we can start prepping for the carport. The frame is supposed to be delivered today. We're going to mark out the layout so we can dig for the footing wall. Then we will get gravel hauled in to level the ground and start building the frame. Sheet metal is set to be delivered on the 21st. We've got a lot of work ahead of us and a crazy work/life schedule too. Just need to get it done before winter rains roll in.

ColoJeep · Aug 14, 2026

Rickyd said:
I did just see a shave kit on marketplace for half off..... but, at least for now the plan is 2" lift,all terrains and street duty. I was a little bummed the 06 axle didn't have a factory limited slip or locker though.

Got the new axle in and everything hooked up!06 brake hose used standard thread at the frame.so that was easy.two short side silverado ebrake cables and creative placement of mounting tabs got the ebrake set up. Spring pads and shock mounts were easy. @ColoJeep This is the 30 gal blazer tank. Squarebody blazer crossmembers and blazer fuel door
View attachment 704179
View attachment 704180
View attachment 704181

Looks great , real clean Job Rickyd !

Zorba · Aug 15, 2026

Zorba said:
The old MBZ has been pulling to the left a bit on moderate (and above) braking. The other day, the brakes momentarily didn't want to work very well. WAAAAY too hot to deal with right now, so I took it to the local shop. New calipers, pads and rotors for the front are on order, it goes back tomorrow. Not cheap, but the calipers have 353K miles on them, they don't owe me anything. The pads on the front have plenty of meat left on them - I can't remember when I changed them last - the rears have about 50K on them, the fronts a lot more.

Well, crapola. All the above was done, and it didn't fix a damn thing as the real problem is the ABS pump/controller/module/hydraulic thing-a-ma-bob. Of course, nobody has one, but once I found the "superseded by" part number, the world lit up - to an extent. A couple of places clean/rebuild them, and one of them has an NOS "superseded by" version, but of course this is has to happen on a Friday, so the email conversation with the outfit in Texas is now on hold until Monday. I just wanna get the damn thing ordered.

chili_pepper · Aug 16, 2026

Picked up some Cerakote materials a few years back and grabbed a headlamp restoration kit to fill out the order. Finally got around to trying it out on the chili pepper over the past week, with mixed results.

An after and before shot:

Basically, the kit is comprised of two sets of chemical wipe packets, a 3" round sanding pad and four discs of 3" sandpaper (two each 2000, 3000 grit). The idea behind the kit is sound, not 100% sure about the execution. The oxidation remover chemical seemed to do the job pretty well. The sanding pad itself worked really well though the paper included would seem to be one time/short time use, as it will self-disassemble if wet and in-use. It is wet sanding paper...

Given the state of the self-destructing sanding media, I felt it prudent to order an assortments of 3" wet sanding discs off Amz for next day delivery...and hoped they'd actually show. The assortment I got runs up to 10000 grit, so I said, "Feck it, why stop at 3000?" After the 2k and 3k, I continued on with 5k, 7k and 10k. Then I got really froggy, busted out the buffer and the Meguiars dipping sauces, swapped in a 3" backing pad and went to work. At this point I'd like to state for the record that Ryobi application pads universally suck, mostly the interface, not the pad, but I digress... Since I now found myself fresh out of pads,

I ordered some Griots replacements as well as a hand pad (just arrived), we'll see how these work out. As an aside, nice to see the machine pads are US made, 3 for 5 ain't bad...

I can't speak to Cerakote's ceramic finishing material (the second set of chem wipes) as I haven't used it, yet. I'm under no illusion here, these fresh lenses are NOT protected at the moment. I want to verify adhesion but will probably give the ceramic finish a go over what I've done. Just didn't make sense stopping the prep at 3000 to me.

Zorba · Aug 16, 2026

chili_pepper said:
Picked up some Cerakote materials a few years back and grabbed a headlamp restoration kit to fill out the order. Finally got around to trying it out on the chili pepper over the past week, with mixed results.

An after and before shot:
View attachment 704859

Basically, the kit is comprised of two sets of chemical wipe packets, a 3" round sanding pad and four discs of 3" sandpaper (two each 2000, 3000 grit). The idea behind the kit is sound, not 100% sure about the execution. The oxidation remover chemical seemed to do the job pretty well. The sanding pad itself worked really well though the paper included would seem to be one time/short time use, as it will self-disassemble if wet and in-use. It is wet sanding paper...

View attachment 704858

Given the state of the self-destructing sanding media, I felt it prudent to order an assortments of 3" wet sanding discs off Amz for next day delivery...and hoped they'd actually show. The assortment I got runs up to 10000 grit, so I said, "Feck it, why stop at 3000?" After the 2k and 3k, I continued on with 5k, 7k and 10k. Then I got really froggy, busted out the buffer and the Meguiars dipping sauces, swapped in a 3" backing pad and went to work. At this point I'd like to state for the record that Ryobi application pads universally suck, mostly the interface, not the pad, but I digress... Since I now found myself fresh out of pads, I ordered some Griots replacements as well as a hand pad (just arrived), we'll see how these work out. As an aside, nice to see the machine pads are US made, 3 for 5 ain't bad...

View attachment 704860

I can't speak to Cerakote's ceramic finishing material (the second set of chem wipes) as I haven't used it, yet. I'm under no illusion here, these fresh lenses are NOT protected at the moment. I want to verify adhesion but will probably give the ceramic finish a go over what I've done. Just didn't make sense stopping the prep at 3000 to me.

I think that's the same kit I used on my wife's Fiat. Seemed Ok, time will tell.

chili_pepper · Aug 16, 2026

Zorba said:
I think that's the same kit I used on my wife's Fiat. Seemed Ok, time will tell.

My kit wasn't fresh off the rack, so maybe the sandpaper thing has been addressed since. I don't have any experience with ceramic coatings as of yet, but they seem to be a thing. I don't expect it to last another 22 years, regardless.

I still don't quite get stopping at 3000 grit, this is essentially an optical thing. My thinking was to continue to reduce the scale of imperfection mechanically, and that it might have some benefit in the focus/casting of light (thinking glasses lens grinding/polishing here).

Zorba · Aug 16, 2026

chili_pepper said:
My kit wasn't fresh off the rack, so maybe the sandpaper thing has been addressed since. I don't have any experience with ceramic coatings as of yet, but they seem to be a thing. I don't expect it to last another 22 years, regardless.

I still don't quite get stopping at 3000 grit, this is essentially an optical thing. My thinking was to continue to reduce the scale of imperfection mechanically, and that it might have some benefit in the focus/casting of light (thinking glasses lens grinding/polishing here).

Makes sense to me, but what I know on this subject could be expanded 10 fold and still rattle around in a gnat's ass! {Insert rant about plastic vs glass headlights here}

WVJeep304 · Aug 16, 2026

chili_pepper said:
My kit wasn't fresh off the rack, so maybe the sandpaper thing has been addressed since. I don't have any experience with ceramic coatings as of yet, but they seem to be a thing. I don't expect it to last another 22 years, regardless.

I still don't quite get stopping at 3000 grit, this is essentially an optical thing. My thinking was to continue to reduce the scale of imperfection mechanically, and that it might have some benefit in the focus/casting of light (thinking glasses lens grinding/polishing here).

The way I've always done it, and how I know professional detailers and restorers (i.e. Dent Wizard) do it is wet sand ( I usually go to 3k or 5k) and then finish off with a plastic polish.

Once they are nice and clear, hit them with a UV stable clear coat. This is the only way to have long lasting results. I've heard the ceramic coatings work well, but don't last as long as a high quality UV stable clear.

chili_pepper · Aug 16, 2026

WVJeep304 said:
hit them with a UV stable clear coat. This is the only way to have long lasting results. I've heard the ceramic coatings work well, but don't last as long as a high quality UV stable clear.

I have the option for both on hand. I know catalyzed sprayable products well, not so much ceramics. Might just spray mine and use the ceramic wipes on my 87+ year old neighbor's Subaru wagon. Her son went cheap and tried using toothpaste, baking soda, or some other internet shit concoction...and didn't even bother cleaning off the residue when "done". The Cerakote kit is like $18, FFS.

I actually need to rework the driver side, I noticed earlier it's got a slight yellowness to it when compared to the passenger side (which I did first). More sanding is needed.

ColoJeep · Aug 18, 2026

Zorba said:
Makes sense to me, but what I know on this subject could be expanded 10 fold and still rattle around in a gnat's ass! {Insert rant about plastic vs glass headlights here}

We own 2 with poly headlights and 4 with glass. I made the poly much better by soaking a rag in lacquer thinner and giving it ONE wipe across the lens. Don,t try 2 wipes , it will smudge . Ask me how I know . Glass is the superior product , which is likely why we don’t , have poly windshields ! I replaced both poly vehicle
Headlights . I wasn’t happy with screwing around with something that should need to be worked on .

chili_pepper · Aug 18, 2026

ColoJeep said:
Glass is the superior product

My only issue with the Retrobrights I put in Tess. But my aging eyes like the improved illumination at night.

chili_pepper · Aug 21, 2026

chili_pepper said:
I ordered some Griots replacements as well as a hand pad (just arrived), we'll see how these work out.

So far so good. The polisher might have taken a shit on me, but I managed to use two of the three Griot pad types. Not only did they both perform and wear well, they washed out easily afterward for reuse, just like it says on the label. While I may well be in the market for a new polisher, the pads look like winners.

What did you do to your other vehicle today?

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