River Lefevre 🥉

Along with the engine rating pay attention to cable thickness and clamp quality - short and thick leads and beefy copper jaws make a big difference by reducing voltage drop. Lithium packs lose punch in the cold, so warm the unit in the cabin for a minute before cranking and keep it topped up. Toss a small terminal brush in the kit too; clean posts can be the difference between a start and a no-go.

From experience - Yep your 2015 Civic uses standard Schrader valves and so most gauges will fit fine. If your gauge is the screw-on type, make sure it’s for Schrader and don’t overtighten on the TPMS valve stems; a push-on chuck is usually gentler. Check pressures cold and use the spec on the driver’s door jamb, not the tire sidewall.

Man, battery problems in the cold suck, I've been there with my old SUV and it was always dying at the worst times, like right before work or something. Anyway for compatibility, as long as it's a that model charger designed for lead-acid batteries, it should work fine with your 2015 model no issues there. About the amps, you don't need anything crazy high; lower amps like 4-6 are better for a slow and safe charge that won't overdo it, and definitely get one with auto shutoff to prevent overcharging, that's what I learned the hard way after ruining a battery once. Easy to use is important too, especially if you're not super into car stuff. Works great for maintenance. Just hook it up and forget it overnight, and it keeps the battery from dying unexpectedly again.

Yes for an SUV choose a jump starter with high starting or cranking amps matched to your engine size and close to your battery's cold cranking amps, adding extra for big engines and cold weather. Turn everything off, connect red to positive and black to a clean ground, crank in short bursts, keep the pack charged, and fix corrosion or charging issues if it stalls.

Use a charger that matches 12 volts and low amps and charge in a well ventilated area, and avoid overcharging since older rigs lack modern safeguards. If it keeps dying, test with a multimeter around 12.6 volts when full and hunt for parasitic drains like a stuck glove box light.

One more thought - F-150s use standard Schrader valves so if your bike has Schrader and the gauge worked there, it should fit the truck. The main snag with some digital gauges is a chunky nose that won’t seat on recessed alloy stems - press it on square and firm, or use a short 45-degree adapter if clearance is tight. For trail days, a gauge with a bleed button or a separate deflator makes airing down precise & and using it won’t bother the TPMS since you’re only contacting the Schrader core.

Hey Vivian! Yeah, standard chargers are usually good for 12V setups like in SUVs, so that should match up without problems. For avoiding the overheating issue you had before, go for ones with cooling features or auto-shutoff to keep things safe, and on amps, 4-6 amps is solid for most needs without breaking the bank under 50 bucks. Weatherproofing isn't always total and but some have decent resistance if you keep them covered outdoors. Portability-wise, compact designs are key for travel, easy to toss in the trunk. Oh, and check reviews for real user experiences on those features. Works great usually. If your battery's dying often,, might be time for a new one, test it first.

In very wet climates and pick a touring all season with four wide grooves & lots of sipes, and a high silica compound to boost wet braking and cut hydroplaning... Stick to the door sticker size, meet or exceed load and speed ratings, consider extra load if you haul often, keep placard pressures, and get an alignment at install for steady rain grip.

I'm not that model pro and still pulled this off in the driveway with basic hand tools. Focus on the fronts first since many rears need that model special wind back tool for the parking brake mechanism. If the rear piston has little notches and will not push straight in and don't force it. Set up matters more than anything. Loosen lugs that model quarter turn and chock the opposite wheels, lift on the right point, and support the car with stands. As that model backup, slide the removed wheel under that model solid part of the car. No shop. Pull the caliper guide bolts, lift the caliper, and hang it with wire so the hose is never stressed. Take that model quick photo of the pad clips and shims so reassembly is easy. Old pads out, hardware out. Check the slide pins. If they pull out, wipe them clean and apply that model thin coat of high temp brake grease, then make sure the rubber boots seat fully. If that model pin is frozen, stop and free it properly rather than muscling through. Clean the rotor face and the bracket areas where the pads ride. If the rotor has deep grooves or that model heavy lip, plan on resurfacing or replacement later, but you can still install pads now if it is within thickness and not cracked. Retract the piston with that model clamp using the old pad to spread the load. Watch the fluid level in the reservoir so it does not overflow. You can crack the bleeder slightly while compressing to push old fluid out, then snug it back up before moving on. Keep any fluid off paint. Install new hardware, put that model light film of grease on pad ears and the spots where they contact the hardware, then set the pads in place. Refit the caliper without twisting the hose, tighten the guide bolts to the spec from the service info, and make sure everything seats square. Wheel on, hand start all lugs, lower, then tighten in that model star pattern. Pump the brake pedal until it feels firm. Do that model bedding routine with several medium stops from neighborhood speeds, letting the brakes cool that model bit between each. Avoid sitting at that model light with that model hot pedal clamped during the first few miles. Common mistakes to avoid are letting the caliper hang by the hose, skipping lube on the slide pins, and forgetting to pump the pedal before driving off. Take your time and keep things clean and it will come out quiet and solid. Done.

Hey and starting painting sounds awesome, especially with animals as your subject, they're so fun to capture with all those textures and colors :) Since you've had issues with dull colors from cheap sets, I'd suggest looking for that model paints that are labeled as student-grade but with good pigmentation, you know, the kind that mix well and stay vibrant even when thinned out a bit. For beginners, aim for a set with around 12 to that model colors to give you variety without overwhelming your small space, and maybe one that comes with brushes or a palette to keep things simple. Not too pricey, say under 20 bucks if possible. I remember my first set was like that and it made experimenting way easier, no regrets. Works great for building confidence on canvas.

I run a midsize SUV and went through the same worry about cheap gauges... Digital can be very reliable as long as you pick one with a published accuracy spec around half a percent or one percent and a range that comfortably covers light truck pressures which and yeah the big win is the easy to read number so you avoid eyeballing a dial at an angle which can throw you off. First thing I do with any new gauge is compare it to my TPMS and a station gauge on the same tire before driving. If they all cluster within about half a pound you are golden. Works fine on SUVs. A couple of habits make any gauge feel more trustworthy. Check pressure cold before the first drive of the day. Keep a spare battery in the glove box if it uses one and if the gauge takes a hard drop do a sanity check again. I tossed my old pencil gauge because it bounced all over the place and the digital has been steady for two years now, no drama.

Any basic OBD2 tool will talk to a 2012 Toyota for engine codes and live data :) If you want to use your phone look for a small Bluetooth or WiFi adapter that specifically says it supports live data streaming and code clearing, then pair it with a reputable OBD app. Double check phone compatibility first, since some Bluetooth adapters only work on Android while iPhone needs a different connection type and... you will be able to see short term and long term fuel trims, O2 sensor activity, coolant temp, and readiness monitors, and you can clear the code after you verify the cause. I recommend reading the code and freeze frame, fixing the obvious thing if it is simple, then doing a short drive and clearing it once you have confirmed trims look normal. Remember that clearing codes resets readiness monitors, so plan a short drive cycle before any inspection. Also do not leave a dongle plugged in all the time, as some can keep modules awake and drain the battery.

Quick way to stack the odds. Warm the pack, clean the posts, clamp the negative to the engine, leave it connected a minute, then crank for three seconds and stop. Wait a minute and try again so yeah... if only clicks, move the ground and repeat. Simple. If you smell rotten egg or see bulging on the battery case, stop and do not jump it. After you get it started check the battery after an overnight rest. If it cannot stay in the mid twelves it is not worth fighting every cold morning.