Monday Night Live – Reviewing Motor Week & More | Shimon’s Voice Live

[sighs] Hello. Hello. Mo week. Huh? I wondered this. I wondered this. Wow. For motor week This is it. H. Hing the difference. Very good. It is. Sorry, you can't hear anything. Let's see. Give me a minute. I second. Should work. >> Here we go. Sorry about that. >> Topnotch professionals behind the scenes. We've never had a big Hollywood budget or a cast of hundreds, but that never slowed us down. >> [music] >> Thank you, by the way, from the >> Hey, Greg. What's up, JD? >> Dave, Kyle, boy, looks like you guys are hard at work cranking out another road test. I sure hope the weather doesn't turn on you. >> Honestly, even if it does, you know, we'll still be out here. >> I don't think our fans have any idea the enormous amount of effort that goes into producing one of these. >> Well, why don't we just show them? >> Sorry about that. Sounds something like a headache. >> Just about every MotorW week episode starts and ends with a road test. Each one a 5 to 6 minute culmination of 2 weeks worth of driving, shooting, writing, and editing. And it all starts with a simple walkound. Here, our road test writer, Brian, takes meticulous notes about every feature and option on the car to reference later when he writes the script. From there, it's time to roll tape digitally. That is since we stopped using analog media around season 30. First up, interiors. For these, we use Maryland Public Television's state-of-the-art production studio. Well, the wall of the studio anyway. In the morning, it provides plenty of shade for nice even lighting. Care has exploded in recent years. And with so many new features to cover, interiors easily takes us the longest to shoot. Sometimes we'll be out here three, maybe 4 hours to get all the shots we need. For performance cars like this 911 GTS, we'll sometimes add a road course component to our test. Less than 2 hours from our Maryland studios, making the drive to Summit Point Motorsports Park in West >> the road in upstate Virginia is a three for one deal. We get on-road driving impressions, track impressions, and exterior shots all in one day. Like we always say, the cars are the stars, but it never hurts to have a picturesque background. And with that in mind, we try to pick a setting that suits each [music] car. Would you mind get out of the way? Oh, sorry. The first rule of television is you can never have too much footage. While that may or may not be technically true, the point is it's better to have too much footage than too little. That means we get every angle of every car. And word to the wise, shoot the exteriors before the hot laps. Rubber and road tar do not clean off easy. Safety is always first, especially at the racetrack. And with two, sometimes three cars out on the track at one time, it takes coordination. So, we stay in contact with our videographers using radios and drivers with these flags. All right, track is going hot. As we speed around the track, we formulate impressions for our writers to use in the script. But the beauty of being a TV [music] show is we get to use visuals to convey some things that just can't be put into words. That's where GoPros come in. Images from these cameras attached to the cars and even our helmets can provide as much insight as our words. Of course, it wouldn't be a Motorweek road test without a trip to the drag strip for some instrumented testing. We bring just about every >> One second. Give me a second. >> Every vehicle we test out here to Mason Dixon Dragway, but regardless of what it is, our day always starts the same. >> Sorry about that. Um motor week I'm video kicking. this one. Um I think this one >> motor is made possible by auto value and bumperto-bumper entire.com. This Achieva Coupe definitely doesn't qualify as your father's Oldsmobile. That's because it's one of the sportiest and least conservative vehicles that the Olds division has released in recent years. And with this newfound youth in their line, the engineers at Oldsmobile are getting even more adventurous. They wanted to see just how far they could push the Achieve Street Performance Envelope. The result is called the SCX. Turning a basic compact car into a pseudo hot rod is hardly a new idea in the American auto industry. But with rumors swirling about Oldmobile's future, a successful performance car could be a real boost. The SCX is actually the Achiea Sport Coupe equipped with a W41 performance option package. But Olds gave the SCX full lower body cladding with a silver accent stripe to make sure it stood out from the crowd. A deep front bumper with an aggressive chin spoiler adds to the performance image, as does a prominent rear deck spoiler. And these attractive 14-in aluminum wheels wearing the rear deck spoiler. >> This deck spoiler, by the way, not sure. >> And these attractive 14-in aluminum wheels wearing V-rated 60 series tires. Powering the front drive SCX is a more potent version of Oldsmobile's flexible 2.3 L quad 4 engine with four valves per cylinder and dual overhead cam shafts. This high output motor delivers 185 horsepower and 160 lb feet of torque. >> Not bad. 185 horsepower 1993. Not bad. A 5-speed manual with a typical GM long throw shifter is the only transmission available. Producing good bottom-end torque that propelled the 2700lb coupe from 0 to 60 in 7.8 seconds, a half second quicker than the standard Achiea SC. The 1/4 mile ended in 16 seconds at 90 mph, but power is strongest between 3,300 and the 7,000 RPM red line. We expected reasonably impressive power from the SCX, but were pleasantly surprised by just how well it handled. A tuned suspension, wider rear axle, and a pair of rear stabilizer bars gave the SCX remarkably little under steer and very smooth transitions during our handling test. And our drivers rated it superior and high-speed maneuvers to other GM cars like the Buick Skyllock GS and Pontiac Grand Am GT. Like most small GM cars, the Acha SCX comes standard with four-wheel anti-lock brakes. They stopped it in an average distance of 115 feet. Quite good. >> There was slight fade due to new brake pads, but stability was above average and pedal pulse minimal. Out on the open road, the SCX felt even more the pseudo hot rod with a firm ride and slightly high 70 dB interior noise level. >> 70 dB. Interior layout, however, is very effective with a driver oriented dash placing everything within easy reach, while large comprehensive analog gauges provide plenty of important information. >> The cloth covering on these standard buckets is a bit more utilitarian than we're used to from olds. Support and comfort, however, are up to par, as is the design of the efficient ventilation and radio controls. The rear seat room is what one expects in the small twodoor. Fine for around town but skip the cross country trips. >> Let's maybe sway the the seats n the camera. >> The small twodoor fine for around town but skip the crosscountry trips. Even though there's certainly enough cargo space for serious traveling. But when olds told us the price we wondered if they were serious. Oh, W41 package adds $2,475 to the standard SC model's $13,49 price. That adds up to a lot of performance for only 15 day tunnel is probably Spring Valley marketplace, 524. The Acha SCX is definitely not your father's Oldsmobile, but it is the most potent compact coupe to wear the Oldsmobile badge in a long, long time. Motor. So, um, I got a video not sure specific. Um, what is that? 1998 Subaru. Let's get it. 1990s Land Rovers UK Training Center. Let's see. Let's see this one. Motor Week is made possible by Autovalue and Bumperto Bumper and Tyerrack.com. >> If you've been faithful for the past two weeks, you know it's time for part three of Motor Week's annual Detroit Big Three preview. We've already covered Ford and Chrysler, and now it's time for America's biggest domestic automaker and the biggest car company in the world, General Motors. And for GM and 97, last is certainly not least. >> So, one second. This is the 97 97. So, uh, for 1997, General Motors is almost an auto models being introduced over the next 9 months. That includes a trio of fresh front-wheel drive minivans, the Chevrolet Venture, Pontiac Transport, [music] and Osmobile Silhouette. These steelbodied vans boast conservative styling, European feel, handling, and features [music] that their competitors can't match. Airbag. Wow. The interior thinks they seats. You were living >> and anti-lock brakes are standard. And yes, there is an available left side sliding door. [music] But the >> left side sliding door, right? Right slider retains GM's exclusive power assist. >> Power assist. >> Engine power is from a 3.4 [music] L 190 horsepower V6. The most standard power among small vans. As you might expect, Chevrolet will gain GM's most affordable new family sedan. The legendary Malibu name plate has been reactivated for this Corsica [music] replacement that is styled much like popular imports. The same goes for the comfortable, nononsense midsize interior that includes a split folding rear seat. The front drive chassis uses two engines, a 150 horsepower 16 valve inline 4 [music] and a 3.1 L push rod V6 rated at 155 horses. The suspension is upto-date, all independent with struts at each corner, and anti-lock brakes are a lowcost option. While the 97 O's mobile Cutless shares its body structure and engines with the Malibu, its styling is different enough not to be easily confused. You won't confuse this car with the Sierra it replaces either. The interior is clean and modern. The very stiff body gives Cutless [music] an expensive feel and a much improved ride and handling quote. By the way, the current Cutless Supreme [music] will be superseded by an allnew Olds Intrigue next spring. It doesn't just look [music] like a smaller Aurora, it drives like one, too. Saturn is doing to its coupe [music] what it did to the sedan and wagon last year. That means new steel and plastic panels, a quieter engine, and a roomier interior, [music] delivering more practical driving excitement for the money than competitors should make Saturn coups even more popular. Meanwhile, the excitement folks at Pontiac have already rolled out their new midsize Grand Prix sedan and coupe, and they [music] certainly look the part. No other GM cars come close to their extremely aggressive showc car styling inside and out. The Wbody chassis has been completely updated with stiffer construction, more wheelbase, [music] a genuine wide track, and a new strut independent rear suspension. Top engine choice is GM supercharged 3.8 8 L V6 rated at 240 horsepower under the hood of a GTP coupe. It delivers a 0 to 60 sprint of under 7 seconds. Now, you may not believe it, but this ultraconservative Buick Century shares many of its major mechanical bits with the Grand Prix, including a 3.1 L V6. However, it has been handsomely tailored for centuries much older buyers. That includes a split bench front seat with stretch out legroom, [music] but an equally spacious rear seat with available intergated child seat [music] may also attract more younger families too. Wow. The Buick Regal gets a bit sportier [music] and more luxurious renovation next spring. But it's the allnew Park Avenue and Park Avenue [music] Ultra that really say Buick luxury. Looking very much like America's answer to an autobond cruiser. Buick's new flagship shares its basic tight structure with Riviera. Seat [music] belts are integrated. the buttons down and forward backward >> in our lumber support. >> Comfort and the expansive dash should make orphaned [music] Roadmaster owners feel right at home, but they'll also find impressive road holding along with the Boulevard ride. Both normally aspirated and supercharged 3.8 L V6 [music] engines remain the ample source of power. GM's other premium division, Cadillac, [music] will be introducing their first V6-powered sedan in almost a decade, the German-made Catera. [music] This rear drive executive sedan is aimed at the younger buyer who otherwise would be visiting an Audi BMW or Mercedes franchise. While it began life as Opel's flagship Omega MV6, [music] it's been successfully massaged for American taste without losing any of its [music] Tutonic abilities. That includes power 3 liter 200 horsepower 24 valve. So basically the same car um let's see >> also found in this vein Uh the Ford uh here we go. Hello and welcome again to Motor Week and to our latest compare a car road test. And what gets the going over this time? It's a new group of vehicles that may someday make the family station wagon obsolete. Minivans. You know, those now familiar people haulers that are revolutionizing the way families, little league teams, and van poolers are getting from here to there. We have four contestants at the starting line. from the Chrysler Corporation, the Plymouth Voyager. From our number one importer, the Toyota van, from General Motors, the Chevrolet Astro, and a just introduced Ford entry, the Aerostar. >> Base prices for our group range from a low of around $8,500 for the Astro to just under $10,000 for the Toyota van. I should add though that when typically outfitted, minivans come in with moderately high retail stickers of between 14 and 15,000. The motor staff has given each of these vehicles a good family >> going over and we'll be ranking our choices in each of four categories. The overall winner will be decided by how well each van stacks up in those individual categories. >> First category is for overall design. How attractive is each vehicle's shape given its utilitarian purpose? After all, styling is still a big factor in any family's buying decision. We'll look at each van's special features, see how each one is engineered, and find out what makes them all unique. We'll also check under the hoods and engine covers to see how the shade tree mechanics will do with routine maintenance. Our second category, vanability. How easy is it to get in and out of them? How versatile are they at seating arrangements? Cargo hauling abilities and are they easy to load also include capacities and trailer towing limitations. Next, we'll cover >> one second. limit 8500 5,000 7,000 lb. So, let's see. Normal passenger vehicle performance, acceleration, braking, and emergency handling. Now, we don't expect these vans to be closet sports cars, but they shouldn't be a disgrace to the four-wheel drive race either. The final category is routine everyday driving. When all is said and done, are these vans really as comfortable to drive as the cars they're replacing? Are they noisy? Are they fuel efficient? And >> noisy dec. >> Can they get into your garage easily and around tight parking lots? >> Okay, so it's time now to see what each of these suburban mass transit models has to offer. In design and execution, our four minivans have little in common, except they're all small and shaped more aerodynamically than their full-size cousins. The first minivan unleashed on the US market was the legend in its own time Chrysler T- van, the Dodge Caravan, and our Plymouth Voyager. It's the only front drive model in our test. There are two available four-cylinders, Chrysler's carbureted 101 horse 2.2 L and Mitsubishi's carbureted 104 horsepower 2.6 6 and maintain access is the best of the bunch. Routine service is a snap except for changing fan belts. The Toyota van was the first real competition for the Voyager. >> I don't know. Toyota. Perfect. I don't I don't know. I don't It's a sharply raked front end. The driver and front passenger sit over the front wheels. While great for visibility, consumers might wonder how vulnerable they might be in an accident. But Toyota's unique frame system transfers crash energy towards the rear away from the passengers, and the van did well in government sponsored crash testing. Engine access is from under the driver's seat, and even simple adjustments are fairly difficult, but recommended service for the Toyota van is minimal. The overhead cam 90 horsepower 2 L unit in this 85 van will be bored out to 2.2 L and 105 horsepower for 86 models. >> General Motors test candidate, the Chevrolet Astro and the identical GMC Safari is more like a traditional van. It's blunt and upright. Looks very suitable for heavy cargo use. Its rear drive power comes from either a 92 horse 2.5 L 4-cylinder or Chevy's newest 4.3 L V6. We chose that 145 horse carbureted model for our test. It's the most powerful engine in any small van. It'll get a 5% power improvement in 1986 when throttle body injection is added. Serviceability is van-like tight, though you can easily get to belts and dipsticks. Some service requires removal of the bulkhead panel below the dash. Our last contestant, Ford's Aerostar, is van-like, too, though it has a super slick Um the color design and.37 drag coefficient, lowest of the lot. That progressive profile hides a rather conventional rearwheel drive layout. An 88 horse 2.3 L overhead cam 4 is standard and a 115 horse 2.8 L carbureted V6 is optional. All normal fluid, belt, and hose checks are a snap, but other service looks timeconuming. The inside service panel was easier to remove than the Astro. >> So, the last to the trough Aerostar has a good overall design for the minivan calling. It seems a bit better than either the Astro or Toyota, but it may not be the best when you consider the progressive front-wheel drive engineering of the Voyager. When it comes to van ability, all four are very versatile. The Plymouth Voyager seats up to eight passengers, and there's plenty of head and leg room, even in the rear. Bucket seats are standard in the front cabin. >> Plenty of head and leg room, even in the rear. Bucket seats are the seat back, forward, back and forth. standard in the front cabin, but this threeperson split bench is an option. Besides storage nooks, there's a lockable underseat drawer, and you can also get this nifty front console with cup holder. Being front drive, the Voyager has the lowest floor. And in general, we found the Voyager the easiest to move in, out, and around in. wards for the seat. Memory seats instead of going backwards, forwards against seat removal is a heavy job for two people. With one option, this fold down bed. >> At the rear, there's a lightweight single section hatch. Too bad a liftoff lip prevents simple slide in loading. And the Voyager is not long enough to take a 4x8 sheet of plywood with a hatch closed. Cargo ratings are a maximum of 1,700 lb with a trailer towing limit of 2,000 lb. >> 1700 lb. The unusual Toyota van was hit for being tough to get in and out of. with a side door that seemed a bit low for its high floor. Stepping up through the front door is also awkward and clothes can be soiled easily by the front tires. On the other hand, our seven passenger Toyota van has great head and legroom in the rear. Its optional twin sunroof package makes for an airy drive. There's a dual air conditioning system, too, one front and one rear. And it includes a tiny refrigerator and ice maker. Imagine 1985, a fridge and a ice maker. Again, a rear hatch is used, and there's also a lip at the floor. Seats in the Toyota were the easiest to remove, and it's the only one in the group that will hold a sheet of plywood with a hatch closed. It has more interior volume than all but the Chevy Astro. The van has a one-ton trailer towing capacity and a 1500 lb cargo capacity. the lowest of the group. The rear drive Astro has the highest floor of all, but getting in and out at the side is easy. >> They step they step on whatever >> thanks to this wide step and very tall door. Interior seating is for up to eight. That is if you order both optional three passenger rear bench seats. They can be removed. Again, a twoman job. And we clean the car >> and can be positioned to face each other. The front cabin is nice and wide, but they forgot to design in any foot room. The Astro is the only small van with dual opening rear doors, a big plus for some buyers. It has the simplest loading, but again, plywood won't fit unless the doors are left open. Despite a 1700 pound cargo >> capacity trailer towing limit is 5,000. Good for a small van. >> Yeah. >> Even though the Ford Aerostar is our newest arrival, we've had experience with a variety of prototype and production units. The Aerostar has the highest cargo weight limit, 2,000 pounds, but it does decrease as options are added. The Aerostar's trailer towing limit is equal to the Astro's 5,000 lb. The wide side door and handy step makes >> equal to the Astro's 5,000. The wide side door and handy step makes for easy entry, though the standard middle captain's chairs make it hard to get to the rear. There's optional bench seating for up to seven passengers, and a second optional allbench layout will fold down into a bed. The Ford looks less like a truck in the front cabin than the Astro with good foot room. And it's the most luxurious with this digital gauge package. >> Oh, they're digital. >> An option. Ford's rear air conditioning system is similar to the Toyotas. And there's this trick rear seat radio panel. The Aerostar also the rear seat. So the backlo has a single hatch and there's no lip for easy loading. Even if a sheet of plywood again doesn't fit completely. The Aerostar seats aren't hard to take out, but it's not helped by the underseat temporary spare tire location. The other small vans have their spares located outside under the chassis and Ford will correct this faux pod during the model year. All our minivans have some compromises in their quest for the ultimate in vanability, but the Voyager and Astro seem to have fewer concessions than the others. You don't want to run any races in a minivan, but acceleration, handling, and braking are still important factors. For one thing, these vehicles are being touted as reasonable alternatives to station wagons. Even with only four cylinders, the light Plymouth Voyager turned in the second best 0 to 60 time, 14.7 seconds. The 2.6 L delivered its 142 lb feet of torque smartly through the 3-speed automatic transaxle. A welcome 3 L V6 is still a year away. A special proportioning valve in the brake system also accounted for very stable unloaded stops from 55 with only modest premature lockup at the left rear and little nose dive. Stops were straight with little fade. Average distance 110 ft better than many cars we test. That also goes for handling. There is a lot of front-wheel drive induced plowing, but the Voyager soft suspension rolls to its stops without any unusual results. Toyota's four-cylinder didn't fare as well. Acceleration times from 0 to 60 were the longest, 18.5 seconds, but the 86 model's larger engine will provide a 20% improvement. Besides that, the 5-speed manual on our test rig was very vague and hard to shift smoothly. Better to go with Toyota's excellent four-speed overdrive automatic. The brakes on this Toyota van performed more to our liking than the ones on a similar vehicle we drove 18 months ago. Hard stops from 55 averaged 131 ft. Not bad. They were straight with only a modest amount of rear lockup and no tail swing. The pedal was very hard though and there was lots of fade. Our biggest complaint with Toyota van performance has always been with its handling. Its short wheelbase makes it duck into a tight curve faster than the soft suspension can handle. And it lifts a rear wheel on almost every turn in our slalom. But that 88 in wheelbase and strong third gear torque gave us slalom times only slightly slower than the Voyager, which had the best times. The larger engine and a new rack and pinion steering unit on 86 Toyota vans may improve things here, too. Now to the Chevrolet Astro. It should come as no surprise that a Hefty V6 and a four-speed auto overdrive transmission makes the GM entry tire chirping fast. The best of the four with a 0 to 60 time of only 11.8 seconds. The Astro has 50% more torque than its only V6 rival, the Aerostar. Brakes on the Astro are at the other end of the scale. They're the group's least impressive. The power disc drum system was very touchy and the left front wheel had a tendency to lock up prematurely when cold. Stops were straight, but the 140 ft average from 55 was slightly longer than we'd like. On our handling course, the Astro matched the Toyota's time. While there was plenty of pickuplike plow and big van-like roll, the lightly loaded rear end never broke loose, and the Astro inspired the most confidence in our 55 mph lane change. The Ford Aerostar was pretty much in the middle of the group in performance. Its V6 acceleration through the very smooth four-speed overdrive automatic was adequate, if only a touch faster than the Voyager's four-cylinder, 14.5 seconds from 0 to 60. Brakes were good for a van. The pedal felt great, and the Aerostar soft suspension did not allow lots of nose dive. >> Felt great. And the Aerostar soft suspension did not allow lots of nose dive. There was no tendency to swing and little fade. An average 55 mph stopping distance of 131 ft was also quite acceptable for a family vehicle. The Aerostar is a cushy vehicle. Soft springs mean lots of body roll, but its ability to hold the pavement on curved surprised us. Although the power steering pump could not keep up with the rapid turns of our slalom, it's important for these minivans to have reassuring performance, especially when you consider their precious family cargo. They all inspire more driver confidence than full-size vans and most larger station wagons. But the Plymouth and Chevy again seem to have the easiest time of it. These minivans get their biggest test on everyday missions to homeschool an office. All four vans seem no more affected by side winds or passing semis than normal station wagons. The Voyager's front drive makes it a treat in the snow and nasty weather. Its ride is good and well controlled. Sound reading is second best, 67 dB at 55 mph. The Voyager also turned in the second best economy, 23 MPGon on our 100mile mixed driving loop. With its front drive and long 112in wheelbase, the Voyager had the widest turning circle of the lot, 41 ft. While the Toyota generally doesn't do as well as its competitors on the performance track, it shines in everyday driving. It's very comfortable for touring with a smooth ride over all but the worst bumps. The sound level at 55 is 69 dB, quiet for a van or car. Mileage placed it first in the group at 24 mp gallon. Its short wheelbase also allowed it to steal all the honors for turning circle only 34 ft. On the highways and byways, the true truck colors of the Chevy Astro came through. While the ride is moderately smooth, that cramped front leg room we mentioned made the Astro tiresome. Noise, however, was no problem since we rate 68 dB at 55 as quiet. Unfortunately, mileage >> maxim was only modest at 21 on our test loop. With rear drive and a 111in wheelbase, the Astro's 39 ft turning circle was just acceptable. The late incoming Ford Aerostar did even better on the open road. With the longest wheelbase of the group, 119 in, it soaked up jolts with ease. The soft suspension translated into a luxury car ride. It also had the best sound level reading, 66 dB at 55. Mileage equaled the Astros at 21 m per. The Aerostar's turning circle was wider than all but the Voyagers at 40 ft. Hill climbing power, important for full load vacations, also was adequate in all vehicles, though the Astro V6 had the definite edge. And our last test, well, all four of these vans are of the so-called garageable variety. The definition can vary, so we picked an especially small 6' tall by 8t wide garage for this hurdle. The Voyager made it in and out in a breeze. It has the lowest height of the group at 64.2 in. >> The Toyota van was next best at 66.3 in. Things were much tighter with the Astro. Its 71.7 inch height just squeakaked through. And being the widest of the lot at 77 in, it left little side room to spare. The Aerostar is about the same, 71.5 in high, so it didn't have an easy time either, but it made it with less trauma since it's 8 in narrower than the Astro. Obviously, height and width can be important if you're switching from a station wagon to a minivan. Indeed, what with the compact size of the Voyager, the excellent highway manners of the Aerostar, and fine economy of the Toyota van, picking a top minivan for everyday use turns out to be a maxi chore, but not everything works. Anyways, um interesting to the motor week. So, so interesting for me is interesting. He's still alive. Wow. That's interesting. That's interesting. Anything else? Zen old guy. had a view for you. Huh? [music] Welcome to the This Old House. Get on view clips. and KJ I video and that's it. Wow, it is updated. Is updated in a second. Um, I advised camera this. Uh, this one. >> Like a good neighbor, State Farm is there. Love that tune. >> State Farm. Behind all the holiday magic is you. [music] >> Oh, Pops. Look at you. You are in your happy place, aren't you? >> I love towing trailers. >> You are trailering something all the time. Every time I see you, you're dragging something behind you. >> So, trailers are so great. You can take everything you want. Even if you don't need it, you got it with you. >> All right. So, I'm not much of a trailer guy. Uh I suspect a lot of people maybe try. Don't really know. walk us through what I need to know to trailer something. >> Well, if you're going to trailer something, let's say you're going to rent a trailer and you want to, you know, carry some stuff, move some furniture, whatever. >> Yeah. >> First thing you have to know is what size the trailer is and what its capabilities are. And on the trailer, you'll see one of these. And this is what hooks to the vehicle. >> Okay. >> All right. So, basically, this one is rated right here. The ball size is 1 and 7/8. And it has a capacity of 2,000 lb. And is that 2,000 lb the weight of the trailer or is it the weight of the trailer when you put all your stuff in it? It's the weight of the trailer. Everything that you put in it >> total. >> Okay. So, when you've got something like this, it says here tongue. Is this called a tongue? >> Yeah. >> So, when you got a tongue, the tongue will tell you because it's on the trailer. Yeah. >> And what do you need? And it's going to tell you this ball size. >> It's going to tell you the ball size. >> So, one and 78. Right. >> One and 78. So, now we take this will be on your truck. You put that down and you lock it in. >> All right. Now the trailer is connected to the vehicle. Okay. >> So now pull that off. >> How's that? >> I got a little crosssection right there. Show you what it's like. >> Does Richard know you made a cutaway? >> Yeah. [laughter] No. All right. So >> So this one here says 2 in. >> This is 2 in. So this is the inch and 7/8 ball. So when I put this in there and lock it down. >> Oops. Hang on. Yeah. >> Sloppy. Believe it or not, you'll hear it and feel it when you're towing the vehicle. >> Small ball problem. >> Yep. So, take it out. Put the this right size in. >> Lock it in. Now, that's in there. Good. Right. Rotates, turns when you're going to turn the trailer, >> but it doesn't come out. >> Very nice. >> So, now pick that up. And obviously, >> yes, >> you know, >> big ball problem >> that you can't use that. >> Not going to work. Okay. >> So, it's it's a no-brainer. Once you get a trailer that you're going to either rent or buy, you establish the fact that it needs a two and 516. >> Two and 516, right? Very nice. Okay. And then so the balls, these are threaded uh with nuts and washers >> and a lock washer. Very important that you have a lock washer. >> They come and go off of this thing. Now, this one here has got balls and they're welded to it. I presume the idea here is that one what's this called? >> Shaft. >> Shaft. So, one shaft gets you three balls and just spin it >> and a hook to do whatever you want to do with it. >> So, shaft goes into what's the thing on the >> receiver. >> The receiver. >> Yep. Yep. Different dimensions. >> Yeah. Different dimensions. There's different dimensions that you want to make sure you match that up with whatever vehicle you have. And then basically, again, you want to match the ball size just by rotating it and lock it in place with a pin. >> So, in this case, the ball is sitting in line or right flat on the shaft. Yep. >> And you want to know that size, but you really want to know how high the trailer is off the ground. And when I say the trailer, you want to know how high the trailer is when you set it at the place that it wants to be. You don't want the trailer to be level. You want it to be up just a little bit. >> Why? >> Then once it's set, you lower or raise the trailer. Lay it, roll it down to get it where you want it to be. Then you take and you measure from under here to the ground. That's the height that you have to match with your receiver and your shaft. >> And do I do I want them to be aligned? Is this is this a no? No. >> That's a no. No. And this is a no. No. This and no. Yeah. Wave to each other. Basically, if it's up and straight, the trailer is going to pull better. >> Right. >> If it's down, it's going to really roll when you go over 50. So something like this, you could have a trailer that could be properly in line but higher than you have for your truck. That's what these are for. >> So what you have to do is get a drop like this or a lift. >> Oh. >> So these little curves right here get you what? To raise it up or lower it down. >> Another one right here goes down. All right. So if that was the height from the ground to the truck or so on down the line or this was the height that you needed from the ground and they have a lot of lot of different variables in between all of these higher or lower or closer. >> You flipped yours over. Can I flip this over as well? >> Absolutely. >> So this could be used as a drop or a rise. >> Exactly. >> Very nice. Okay. Wow. That's clever. Have to know. >> Now th this one right here is got the three balls. It's adjustable, so you can spin it to the one that you want. >> Oh, >> okay. So, you don't have to worry about changing the ball. Okay. Now, the other thing is is it's also adjustable up and down. >> I'll hold it for you. >> Oh, so if I pull this pin >> now, watch your fingers there cuz we do you normally want to do this on the vehicle, >> right? >> Okay. So now you can raise that up >> or you can bring it down or I can flip it over over >> and get it up higher >> up here >> or lower >> down here. >> And so that you don't walk into it, we got to flip it back down. Right down right down. It will flip right under and it will hide right under your vehicle and you won't run into it with your leg. >> Oh, have you ever Oh yeah, many times. Many times. And it hurts. Oh, so this is the Mac Daddy right here. >> One thing could get eliminate six or seven of these things, >> right? And if you tow a lot, then you want something like this because you don't want to take the time to basically change the ball to fit a different trailer. Beautiful. Now, the other thing you have to start like this are line can based about is how you going to activate the lights on the trailer. So the lights that I want on the trailer, I presume they're running lights and brakes so that the guy behind you >> Yeah, you definitely need to have running lights, but you definitely want brake lights because you don't want anybody running into and directional. >> So you have to look about what kind of plug is comes with the trailer. >> Sometime it might be simply like this four pins or you might get one like this which is seven pins. >> All right. Now, the four pins are going to give you the basics, your right, left, lights, and uh brake lights. >> And the seven pins, >> the seven pins are going to give you right, left, ground. It's going to give you braking capabilities because the trailer requires brakes. You're going to need power to go back to power the brakes. >> So, brakes on the trailer wheels in addition to brakes on the pickup wheels. >> Yeah. And the trailer could have brakes on all four wheels or just on the front two wheels. >> Tap the brake pedal, it's going to activate. Right. And you you adjust the brake controller in the truck in relationship to the weight of the trailer. So if the trailer is empty, it's light. Then your brake controller is way off. But if you load it up and you got 5,000 lbs pushing the truck when you want to stop or the car, you want to make sure that you get help. >> Why did Amazon send me 20? >> Uhhuh. >> I got it. Welcome to the this >> [music] >> I look at the finished floor and I see the direction that that's going and below that finished floor there should be a subfloor. Below the subfloor there should be a joist system that runs perpendicular to the finished floor. That system is all nailed together. What happens over time? The wood expands and contracts. And as it expands and contracts, the nails become loose. Some of the nails become loose, not all of them. When they do, they squeak. Sometimes the nails squeak going in and out of the hole. Sometimes the boards themselves squeak against each other. Now, I noticed when you put your foot down on the floor over here. Can you step on that a little more? I noticed a little more deflection in that floor that I Yeah, it seems to be going up and down. deflection. >> Yeah. I'm wondering if this floor system was built on a sleeper system. >> What is a sleeper system? >> Well, let me see. Let's use this table here as your subfloor. And this clicker will be the joist. Now, a sleeper system would be thinner pieces of wood nailed on top of the subfloor over the joist, spaced across the room. Your finished floor would thus go on top of that, creating an air space, >> helping the sound or making this room more sound deadening for the room below. >> I see. So, I have a an idea of trying to stop this uh >> squeak >> and I think whether it's a sweeper system or not, I think it'll work. >> Great. >> I've drilled down about 3/4 of an inch, which is the thickness of the finished floor. To test that, I'm going to take this nail and put it in the hole and see if it goes down further than threequarters of an inch, which it does. So, that tells me that there is a space there. So, this is a sleeper floor system. >> Exactly. Exactly. But it doesn't matter whether it's a sleeper floor or two floors together. In other words, the subfloor and the finished floor touch. The principle is the same. We need to tie them together to stop the squeak. >> What's the best way to do that? Well, I was going to use a screw like this, but I'm I'm not sure how I feel about having screw heads visible all over the floor. This is a unique screw. If you notice, right above the threads, there's a slot that goes all the way around the screw that's designed in the screw as a weak point. If I take this screw and put it in this accessory, >> when the screw goes in through the floor and this touches the top of the floor, a resistance is formed and the screw head breaks off just below the surface. Yeah, >> but I'm really concerned about the space here with this system. I think these flooring screws are going to be a little bit too short, but this uh company makes a longer screw for decking. Let me show you. It's longer. It has the same breakaway feature, and it should allow me to tie the finish floor to the subfloor. What do you think? >> Anything that'll stop these floor sweeps from happening would be much appreciated. I >> know what you mean. All right, let's give it a try. Okay. >> Nice. >> One right there. >> You want to give it a try? >> Sure. >> There you go. >> Nice and clean. >> Well, what do you think? >> The floor is definitely a lot quieter. I agree it is. I'm concerned about all the little holes that the screws have left though. Ah, I've got a wax. >> Hey, I'm concerned about >> crayon that you can fill the holes with. It'll match the floor. You buff off the excess with a rag and you're in business. >> Wonderful. What else? I video crew and then we'll go. Here we go. This one. Okay. We are gardeners. >> We are farmers. >> What's up everybody? Welcome back to the channel. Today we are starting our day at Hop Pen once again. If you saw my video when I was putting batteries in the 926, you know that we ran into a little bit of an issue. There was a bit of a miscommunication. My dad texted me to pick up two batteries for that machine, not realizing that there was four in it. Rodrigo told him that the machine was dead. So, he just kind of assumed there was two batteries in it. Texted me to pick up two. I went inside, grabbed two. When I went to put them in it, realized there was four batteries in it. So, I need to run inside, grab two more. There's already a ticket on the counter. waiting for me. Grab those and then we got to head to our Duchess yard. I have forks for one of the tool cats in the bed of my truck that we need to unload. Heat. Heat. Zen is local. Ro director 10 piffs. Oh, we got to be careful. There's a fridge coming down the parking lot. New York. It's a New York. We're going to unlock this lock. Okay. What's that? Anthony. What was that? Is the the battery? I don't know. Okay. He's the best of man. >> Batteries are done. Let's get my truck out of here. We'll get the 950 parked back in this spot. somewhere they saying 50 speed right speed. before. >> This mirror needs to be adjusted. I can't see anything out of that. Follow Awesome. Look at this. [music] All right. It was nice to see you guys. Thank you for watching. We'll be live more with more content and more interviews with people and more. Thank you for watching and um that's it. Good night.