What did you do today for your bug out vehicle?

[NT2C]

5 tire rotation for the Jeep. I changed the oil last week, but didn't have the time or inclination to do the tires at the same time.

Come to think of it, I should probably change my rear diff fluid sooner rather than later.

How many miles do you have on it now?

Little under 32k, so due for rear diff fluid change.

The maint schedule I'm looking at says inspect the fluid level/condition @ 30K.  It calls for replacement @ 120k. 

Edit: Dug further and I'm seeing that for the 2019 models, they call for changing the diff fluid @40k if using your vehicle for police, taxi, fleet, off-road or frequent trailer towing.

[Beowolf]

5 tire rotation for the Jeep. I changed the oil last week, but didn't have the time or inclination to do the tires at the same time.

Come to think of it, I should probably change my rear diff fluid sooner rather than later.

How many miles do you have on it now?

Little under 32k, so due for rear diff fluid change.

The maint schedule I'm looking at says inspect the fluid level/condition @ 30K.  It calls for replacement @ 120k. 

Edit: Dug further and I'm seeing that for the 2019 models, they call for changing the diff fluid @40k if using your vehicle for police, taxi, fleet, off-road or frequent trailer towing.

A lot in the Wrangler crew change the rear between 15-30k normally, closer to 15k if towing regularly. Front is more on the 40-60k schedule. Maybe it's just habit versus need, but it's simple, basic maintenance that doesn't take much to do.

[Rednex]

So get a text when I'm leaving work, the miss is home Xterra won't start so she called out of work. I get home clean cables,and post. Jump it and it started. So let it sit for 5 minutes, then 2 laps around the block. Park it , shut it off, restart and nothing. Pull the battery ,head to AutoZone to grab another one. The one I had was the cheap end of there duralast brand. Had a 9/21 sticker on it so almost 2 years old. I don't have the time to mess around tonight so grabbed a new one, got warranty on old one. Got home put battery in and started right up. Miss can go to work tomorrow.

I need to change diff fluids in both rigs myself.I'm slacking I know.

[NT2C]

Ordered a new set of floor mats for the Jeep.  I somehow managed to tear the original one on the driver's side, something the guy at the dealer's parts counter swore was almost impossible to do.  Instead of OEM this time I went with a set from Husky.

Ordered parts and supplies to add reverse lights to my trailer STT lights, as well as supplies for installing a set of amber strobes on the rear of it. I have an amber light bar I keep in the Jeep for when I'm doing ham radio stuff but the trailer (which is a mobile ham shack) blocks it from the rear.  This will correct that.

[NT2C]

Got the new fob programmed for the Jeep and the key cut.  The dealer wanted $150 and someone suggested trying the local Tru-Value hardware store.  Yeah... umm, they wanted $225.  So I went with the one I figured would be the highest, but turned out to be lowest... the local locksmith.  $100 for the programming and $10 to cut the key, and the guy who did the work was loving the Jeep, called it a "tough little beast", so I got out the pictures from the trip.  He says if I do it again he wants to come along as co-driver.

[NT2C]

Took off the mounting brackets for my ditch lights that mounted to the hood lip and installed the heavy-duty, black powder-coated stainless steel ones I got from Valkyrie Off-Road in Utah.  This allowed me to move the GMRS antenna to the passenger side and hook up an all-black powder-coated dual-band antenna on the driver's side light bracket.  That left the glass mount antenna on the cargo area side window unconnected so I ran it to the GMRS rig as a receive-only antenna until I can route the cable from the new mount through the firewall. Now I wish that GMRS antenna was black too.  I may swap it for a "can" style.

[Rednex]

Ok so the new battery worked for Tuesday and Wednesday, Thursday it was dead. I suspect a parasitic draw some place. I hate auto electrical. So today I put battery on charger, full charge and reinstall. I didn't use the key fob to lock it just now, I think that's the cause of the issue.

[Zimmy]

I dragged everything in the 'Buru out and looked at it.

I removed about 50 pounds of ammo and gear even my paranoid ass can't justify carrying around. 

Improved gas mileage,  check!

[Brekar]

Ok so the new battery worked for Tuesday and Wednesday, Thursday it was dead. I suspect a parasitic draw some place. I hate auto electrical. So today I put battery on charger, full charge and reinstall. I didn't use the key fob to lock it just now, I think that's the cause of the issue.

My wife's Escalade has the same problem. If it's parked for a few days, the battery will be drained. It's something we've never found the reason for, so I installed a battery cutoff switch. If we park it for more than 2 days I flip the switch to off. It's fixed the problem so far.

[echo83]

Got the battery replaced on my 2019 GMC Terrain.

83 k miles on the original battery. I had a few rough starts, but just waited 10 minutes and it would turn over, no problem. Voltage reading on the dash display was reading fine.

It died while we were on vacation in NH. I was pretty foul. Tried to jump it with no luck. AAA tried to jump it with no luck, and it didn't appear to be a battery problem. There was just enough power to tell me error messages, but not enough to even give me a click when "turning" the push button ignition.

A tow to the dealership and a replacement battery did the trick, so now I'm the proud owner of a new battery.

...and a new pair of jumper cables. (Which I can't tell you how embarrassed I am to to admit.)

[flybynight]

Got the battery replaced on my 2019 GMC Terrain.

83 k miles on the original battery. I had a few rough starts, but just waited 10 minutes and it would turn over, no problem. Voltage reading on the dash display was reading fine.

It died while we were on vacation in NH. I was pretty foul. Tried to jump it with no luck. AAA tried to jump it with no luck, and it didn't appear to be a battery problem. There was just enough power to tell me error messages, but not enough to even give me a click when "turning" the push button ignition.

A tow to the dealership and a replacement battery did the trick, so now I'm the proud owner of a new battery.

...and a new pair of jumper cables. (Which I can't tell you how embarrassed I am to to admit.)

One is none ,two is something, something

[EBuff75]

Got the battery replaced on my 2019 GMC Terrain.

83 k miles on the original battery. I had a few rough starts, but just waited 10 minutes and it would turn over, no problem. Voltage reading on the dash display was reading fine.

It died while we were on vacation in NH. I was pretty foul. Tried to jump it with no luck. AAA tried to jump it with no luck, and it didn't appear to be a battery problem. There was just enough power to tell me error messages, but not enough to even give me a click when "turning" the push button ignition.

A tow to the dealership and a replacement battery did the trick, so now I'm the proud owner of a new battery.

...and a new pair of jumper cables. (Which I can't tell you how embarrassed I am to to admit.)

One is none ,two is something, something

I'm a big fan of those battery jump packs, since they allow you to self-rescue without needing another vehicle.  Yes, I also carry jumper cables (which I've used to add charge back into a drained battery in a vehicle with a bad alternator), so I guess that between those it would count as two!

[majorhavoc]

Got the battery replaced on my 2019 GMC Terrain.

83 k miles on the original battery. I had a few rough starts, but just waited 10 minutes and it would turn over, no problem. Voltage reading on the dash display was reading fine.

It died while we were on vacation in NH. I was pretty foul. Tried to jump it with no luck. AAA tried to jump it with no luck, and it didn't appear to be a battery problem. There was just enough power to tell me error messages, but not enough to even give me a click when "turning" the push button ignition.

A tow to the dealership and a replacement battery did the trick, so now I'm the proud owner of a new battery.

...and a new pair of jumper cables. (Which I can't tell you how embarrassed I am to to admit.)

One is none ,two is something, something

I'm a big fan of those battery jump packs, since they allow you to self-rescue without needing another vehicle.  Yes, I also carry jumper cables (which I've used to add charge back into a drained battery in a vehicle with a bad alternator), so I guess that between those it would count as two!

I have a battery jump pack and a set of traditional jumper cables.  

Have I checked lately that the jump pack still has a full charge? ....  

[Rednex]

I have a jumper pack And jumper cables in each truck. The ones I got are a heavy duty  I think they are  0 gauge by 20 or 30 foot jumper cables.

[echo83]

Got the battery replaced on my 2019 GMC Terrain.

83 k miles on the original battery. I had a few rough starts, but just waited 10 minutes and it would turn over, no problem. Voltage reading on the dash display was reading fine.

It died while we were on vacation in NH. I was pretty foul. Tried to jump it with no luck. AAA tried to jump it with no luck, and it didn't appear to be a battery problem. There was just enough power to tell me error messages, but not enough to even give me a click when "turning" the push button ignition.

A tow to the dealership and a replacement battery did the trick, so now I'm the proud owner of a new battery.

...and a new pair of jumper cables. (Which I can't tell you how embarrassed I am to to admit.)

One is none ,two is something, something

I'm a big fan of those battery jump packs, since they allow you to self-rescue without needing another vehicle.  Yes, I also carry jumper cables (which I've used to add charge back into a drained battery in a vehicle with a bad alternator), so I guess that between those it would count as two!

I have a battery jump pack and a set of traditional jumper cables. 

Have I checked lately that the jump pack still has a full charge? .... 

And that's what was driving me crazy! Prior to failure, the battery was around 12 volts or so. The new one is around 13, maybe 14 volts. I connected the jumpers to my wife's Jeep, then to my GMC...and nothing.

When AAA hooked up the jumper pack, the driver was shaking his head, because my battery was reading full charge, wouldn't take any further charge, and I should have cranked and turned over immediately. 

We both thought it might have been a faulty starter, but the dealership I towed it to (I know, I know, grumble grumble dealerships, I hate them too) just replaced the battery, and I was all set. It's been a month now, and no problems. 

Unrelated good news? I used a Gerber and Gorilla Tape to repair a kayak at the lake, and I used some Esbit tabs to start a bonfire for the kids to make s'mores. Fed the fire with some branches cut with a handsaw...all items in my GHB. Maybe this was the Universe's way of saying, "Easy there, buddy. You're not that prepared."

[NT2C]

Maybe have the fire away from the kayak?

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[echo83]

Maybe have the fire away from the kayak?

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Hahaha yikes, looks like someone started the Viking funeral a little too early. 

[12_Gauge_Chimp]

Maybe have the fire away from the kayak?

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Hahaha yikes, looks like someone started the Viking funeral a little too early.

Nah, they just ate Taco Bell for lunch.

[EBuff75]

And the oil-based rustproofing is done on the new truck!  It's a bit unnerving to watch them drill holes in a nice, shiny vehicle, but it's all for a good cause (chant: 'the greater good!').  It took less than an hour for the whole process and should keep the truck looking nice (at least for the next year, after which I'll have to go back for another treatment). 

The shop has been there for about 9 years and the office carpet, sidewalks, and even the parking lot are all slick as ice from the oil that's gotten on everything.  The walls of the bay look like they've been sprayed with tar, there's so much built up in there. 

When I got home I broke out the Dawn dish soap to scrub the pedals, door sills, and side steps to make sure that they were all clear of oil.  Just from standing around at the shop, my shoes had gotten coated, so the pedals were very slick while I was driving home.  I took the first few miles very gingerly too, as the tires and brakes both had oil on them.  It took about 10 mins for the clouds of oil smoke to dissipate from where it had gotten onto the exhaust!

In addition to cleaning the oil off, I finally removed the tint on the front windows, so that I'd be legal here in Michigan (no tint allowed on the front windows without a Dr. prescription).  After that it was a quick window cleaning and wiping up a few areas where the oil was dribbling down the truck.  They've already told me that it'll probably drip for a few days and I've just resigned myself to needing to get some oil-dry for the garage to clean up afterwards.

One good/bad thing was that I finally figured out what the whining noise in the front end is and how to make it go away.  By switching into 2wd from 4auto, the whine disappeared.  The bad news is that I likely have either a wheel hub that's going bad, or possibly the front diff. 

And I'm still waiting on the replacement door panel (because the pull handle is torn off of the current one)!  Maybe they only do a production run of these once a year!

[NT2C]

For the Jeep, adjusted tire pressures.

For the trailer, installed new marker lights on the fenders and started the rewiring job,  I want to rewire the lights on it and have functioning reverse lights.  This means everything from the plug back gets replaced.  Today I installed a junction box and 6' 7-wire lead and plug.  Later today (or tomorrow) I'll run some 7-wire cable from the junction box  back to the rear lights but I'll have to either get a helper to crawl under the trailer and attach the cable to the frame, or drill through the floor and run it inside the trailer.  I'm leaning toward the "inside the trailer" option due to the complete dearth of hireable local teens who can be trusted with tools.