PhilMeUp

Whilst looking for something else that Wurth make, I came across this gadget on a web site. It's got two metal prongs poking out the bottom of it. You dip those prongs into brake fluid, press a little button and it tells you how much water is in the brake fluid. This is VERY useful. Water and brake fluid are a bad combination. Moisture in brake fluid makes it crap... brakes don't work properly and it's time to flush and replace the fluid. I actually do this with my taxi every three to six months, but will be doing it much more regularly once I figure out how to do it quicker than the couple of hours it currently takes me (ie I'm still trying to figure out the best gadget for that). I paid $123.00 for this thing at Wurth in Balcatta yesterday (28 Mumford Place, Balcatta, 9240 9500). Of course, once I got home and searched eBay for "brake fluid tester" I found heaps of others on there for as little as $30. Ah well, this one is a quality gadget and I'll probably have it for many years. For someone who is serious about vehicle maintenance then this is a good gadget to have. The Wurth part number is 071553200. Do a Google search for that number (and Wurth) for more info. For a car, you would remove the reservoir cap, check the fluid and put the cap back on. Whole process would take less than 60 seconds. Link: http://wurth.com.au/catalogueview.asp?pdf=A05_0013.pdf Damn... Whilst looking for that link I just found a heap of other useful stuff I wanna buy...

I own and drive a taxi full-time. Everyone else just puts on the cheapest possible 16" crap but I want my car to be well setup. There are a lot of tyre choices out there that are very good but at a small portion of the cost of the big name stuff. I spent a bunch of time last week hunting through web sites to get an insight into what tyres to start using now that I'm going to 18" rims. I've been using Accelera Alpha 235/45R17 tyres with great success for most of the last 12 months but there isn't one in an 18" size. Here's a bunch of links and some comments that might help a few people get a head start with making their own choices: http://www.tyrereviews.co.uk/Grid/ Sunny SN3800 http://www.tyrereviews.co.uk/Tyre/Sunny/SN3800.htm http://www.tyrereviews.co.uk/Article/2010-European-Summer-Tyre-Test.htm Noisy, crap in both dry and wet. Rated very low on various web sites. Nexen N6000 http://www.tyrereviews.co.uk/Tyre/Nexen/N6000.htm Overall fairly high ratings. Nexen N8000 http://www.tyrereviews.co.uk/Tyre/Nexen/N8000.htm http://www.tyrereviews.co.uk/Article/2011-Auto-Zeitung-Max-Performance-Tyre-Test.htm Very high ratings. High rolling resistance though. Nexen N1000 http://www.tyrereviews.co.uk/Tyre/Nexen/N1000.htm Excellent ratings, last longer than N8000. Accelera Alpha http://www.tyrereviews.co.uk/Tyre/Accelera/Alpha.htm Fairly good reviews. Michelin Pilot Super Sport http://www.tyrereviews.co.uk/Tyre/Michelin/Pilot-Super-Sport.htm Extremely good reviews, does well in various magazine comparisons. Dunlop SP Sport Maxx GT http://www.tyrereviews.co.uk/Tyre/Dunlop/SP-Sport-Maxx-GT.htm Very high ratings. Noisy. The Goodyear Eagle F1 Asymmetric http://www.tyrereviews.co.uk/Tyre/Goodyear/Eagle-F1-Asymmetric.htm Bridgestone Potenza RE050A http://www.tyrereviews.co.uk/Tyre/Bridgestone/Potenza-RE050A.htm Pirelli CINTURATO P7 http://www.tyrereviews.co.uk/Tyre/Pirelli/CINTURATO-P7.htm Winner of various European comparisons. Quietest for noise. Extremely expensive. Accelera PHI http://www.tyrereviews.co.uk/Tyre/Accelera/PHI.htm Pretty crap ratings. Neuton NT5000 http://www.tyrereviews.co.uk/Tyre/Neuton/NT5000.htm Only four reviews, all extremely positive. Falken FK 452 http://www.tyrereviews.co.uk/Tyre/Falken/FK452.htm Very good ratings. Federal SS595 SUPER STEEL http://www.tyrereviews.co.uk/Tyre/Federal/SS595-SUPER-STEEL.htm Fairly good ratings overall, lots of extremely negative ratings though.

Consider: Neutron NT5000 Tech 9 Tyres have them for $160 each in 235/40ZR18, although I normally get tyres from Eurotyres in Star Street, Carlise (9362 1896). They have a 95 load rating (ie 690kg). I drive an XT wagon (taxi) and am going to be putting a set of these on my car hopefully tomorrow. A Falcon wagon has a minimum load rating of 95, which removes a lot of tyre choices for me. There's not a heap of info out on the web about them, but the general consensus seems to be that they are very good. There's only a small handful of reviews on the Tyre Reviews web site but they are very positive. Searching of various car forums shows that people that have tried them are pleased. http://www.tyrereviews.co.uk/Tyre/Neuton/NT5000.htm I was actually at the Perth warehouse that stocks them last week. They also distribute Accelera, Nexen and Achilles. One of the warehouse guys there has Achilles on his Late model camira and was saying that they slide everywhere in the wet. I ran Accelera Alpha tyres on my taxi last year and early this year with 17" rims and was VERY impressed with how well they held up on wet roads. Those things were amazing - it was like being on dry roads. Wagons easily break traction on the back end when cornering (resulting in a spin) and these things held the line superbly. If they were available in a suitable 18" then I'd keep using then. To use Accelera tyres in an 18" size, you have to go to the Phi tyre (different to the Alpha). Web and forum searching has shown that they aren't that good. Bugger. Why am I going to 18" rims? To fit the Brembo 6/4 kit that I've got coming. Yep, that's right, my taxi is gonna have the full Brembo setup. I'm still trying to find a pair of suitable Recaro seats (this ain't no ordinary taxi!). I've just put a set of Nexen N6000s on my girlfriend's taxi (hence being at the YHI warehouse last week). They didn't have NT5000s in stock suitable for her wheels (ie 235/45R17 for her) so that was the next preference. The main problem with YHI International tyres (ie Accelera, Nexen, Neutron and Achilles) is that getting stock in Perth is VERY hit and miss. It's hopelessly inconsistent and unreliable (but not the Perth warehouse's fault). There is a container due in May, so I'll be considering putting a spare set of tyres in the shed then. Note: if anyone doesn't understand what the load rating is about, then learn about it. It is specified by the car manufacturer, and any tyre that you fit must be at least that load rating. On an XT wagon, the specifications are on a sticker on the inside of the glovebox lid; I would assume that it's in the same place for all Falcon variants. If you have a crash and someone notices that your loads are below the required load rating, then you're stuffed. No insurance for your car, and you get the added bonus of having to pay for anything else you've damaged (ie the other person's car). Sure, it's a minor thing now, but crash investigation people (ie cops and insurance assessors) will spot it straight away. Heck, now that I know about it I'll be checking it on every car I own (or drive) from now on. Read this for more info: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tire_code

BA XR8 18" rims fit Brembo calipers. They are fairly easy to find in ugly and scratched condition; you won't pay more than $100 for one.

I change pads on my BFII taxi regularly. I don't use a 15mm socket at all - just get a 15mm ratchet spanner and the job becomes a LOT easier. You'll pay about $40-45 for a good quality one at a tool shop. Bunnings have cheap ones as well.

Been running Accelera Alpha tyres on my taxi since June 2010. Love 'em. Went with them after reading the Wheels comparison article a couple of years ago. Taxis generally run hard compound tyres so that they last longer. But just try and drive them on wet roads. I don't own the car that I drive (ie I lease it) so wheels and tyres are the owner's responsibility. But I wanted good wheels and tyres so bought my own. I have gone with BSA 291 17" rims because I like the look of them and they are the most practical. They are a skimpy five spoke rim so are the easiest to keep clean (ie wide open gaps instead of small, hard to reach corners). These rims also allow better brake cooling and mean that I can see the brake pads (ie replace them before they scratch the rotors). With Accelera Alpha tyres the car is MUCH more predictable in ALL situations. I regularly deal with cats/dogs/foxes/rabbits/drunk dickheads running out in front of the car and can now brake without even requiring the ABS to kick in. I've read good things about the Nexen N6000 tyres on one of the other Falcon forums so am tempted to try a set sometime, solely for the reason that the distributor for Accelera in Perth (YHI Australia) doesn't always have stock of the Acceleras, and when I need tyres I need them the same day (ie blowout/flat tyre replacement). But, basically, I'm hooked on the Accelera. I've been paying $125 per tyre, fitted (ie $250/pair, $500/set). Heck, that's the same cost as standard 16" rubbish. I don't know yet how many km a set will last because I'm having front camber problems and am wearing out the tyre insides prematurely. I'll be looking into a camber kit in the near future and negotiating the cost with the owner. I've just had the alignment done at WA Suspensions after learning that tyre shops don't know what they are doing with alignments on BF Falcons so will see how they wear before pursuing a camber kit. But, for a cost vs grip/performance ratio, I am extremely pleased with these tyres. I paid for them out of my own pocket but the benefits mean that I have no regret doing so.