Asberry.org

Author: aron

  • Xterra Issues

    For the first time in recent memory, I have a vehicle that’s out of inspection. This doesn’t make me happy. It started out with the horn not working. Now honestly, I don’t really need a horn because I only use it out of anger but it appears that it’s required to pass inspection. Grrr, ok, I checked the fuses and everything is in order. A troubleshooting article said to turn the steering wheel and hold the horn and if at some point it honks, it’s the clockspring.

    Long story short, replaced the clockspring and still had the airbag light along with the SLIP & VDC Off light. Really? I figured the latter was because the battery was unhooked but I drove it 70 miles and it didn’t reset. So it turns out both issues are related to replacing the clockspring.

    The airbag light has to be reset which is done by this video.

    The other lights are done by one of these, I had success with the last one:

    • You can also find straight road and, while moving, throw it neutral, turn the key off, wait a few seconds, start the truck back up, and put in gear. Lights should then be off. I believe you’re resetting the steering angle sensor by doing this.
    • That’s in the “Starting and Driving” section of your owner manual. Page 5-32 in mine.
      Drive above 10 mph for at least 10 minutes.
      If it doesn’t help, you can do double figure eights. 2 turns at full steering lock, on each side. That one according to the dealer.
    • Take Xterra to a semi straight road. Straighten steering wheel and turn off the car. Start the car back up go straight. Should take about 10 feet and lights will turn off and vdc is reset.
    • find an empty lot. Turn the truck off. Restart and drive in reverse in a straight line for 50 feet or so.

    So tomorrow I’ll go to Discount Tire to have them fix the TPMS and then over to get inspected and we’re good to go for another year!!!

  • Progress on Pavers

    Although no bricks were laid, I did make some progress with the excavation of the dirt and relocated it to the ramp to the shed which was never to my liking. There’s a lot of dirt that needs to be removed. Well, it’s not a lot but with the tools I have (shovel and wheelbarrow), it’s a lot. A skid steer would have had it done in about 20 minutes. I should look into that.

    We picked up a pork loin and carved 1-inch pork steaks out of it. Tenderized and friend and that’s good eats. Tomorrow is a carbon copy of today so we’ll be, hopefully, finishing up the brickwork.

    Also, we got the part from Lectric so Sandy’s bike is operational once again. Damn mailman finally delivered it at 5:27 pm. Lazy bastard. I had already pulled the old display so it only took 10 minutes to put the new one on and we were off and riding.

    Finally, the garage fridge one has been decommissioned. While it still works great, there’s no need to have that many refrigerators for two people.

  • Crate Finished

    The crate is put together. As far as crates go, it seems like a very nice one. Although now that it’s been built, the damn thing looks huge. Admittedly, if turned on its end, you can put the bike in with relative ease. But the extra weight of the crate, means that once the bike has been placed in the crate, it’s going to take two people to get that crate onto the truck. I’ll have to do some measuring and checking but I think it’s something we can work with. It doesn’t look like there will be much room for anything else. Once the bikes are crated and in the bed. Although if the generator is moved to the back of the RV, the only thing that will carry in the bed is gas and the bikes and a cooler. It should work.

  • Brrr, It’s still Winter

    I paused the outdoor activities today because it didn’t get over 50 and it was gale-like winds. I didn’t get a bunch done today but I did get some cuts done for the crate to transport/store the eBikes. Naturally, I didn’t take any pictures but I’ll get some tomorrow when I get the prototype put together.

  • More Bricks Laid

    The home improvement project is moving along, slowly but surely. Today I started moving dirt and decided to clean up and brick the west side of the barn. That area has always been a no man’s land because there isn’t enough room to do anything and it just kind of grows over. I put 4 X 16 + 3 and it looks nice.

    Unfortunately, I caught the smell of death when I was cleaning out the alley and managed to pull the carcass of a possum and a cat from under the barn. I think that does it for me and I’m going to close off access to the underside of the barn. As much as I don’t care if an animal makes a home under there, I don’t want it to turn into a mortuary, dead animals smell…

  • 42 More Square Feet

    It’s been a couple of years since I rented the skid steer and cut out the hill between Kent’s place and mine and paved in a parking spot for the RV. I had aspirations to finish paving the alley on the west side of the house and then onto the backyard. With the time off, I finally pulled out the tiller and set out to get the alley done.

    But the tiller wouldn’t start, and I’m super excited to say I finally have figured out how the small engine carburetor works and managed to fix the tiller. In this case, the input from the bowl was clogged. I had to use the wire from a cat 5 cable to clean it and voila, it worked.

    So tomorrow I should be able to make good progress but here are some pictures of the work today.

  • Pre-emergent Applied

    I never did get the hang of Sundays but it always helps to get some yardwork done. So I got it applied to both the front and back yard. Another thing that happened today is that we broke a record high for temperature. We hit 82 and the previous high was 80. And some people say there’s no global warming.

  • Pudding Kind of Day

    With all the excitement over the past couple of days, it’s time for a little downtime and comfort snacks. I went to Harbor Freight and picked up a rolling stool because I’m old and need help getting up and down from the ground, this means I can just sit and scoot. Now that I say that there may have been a toddler toy like that…

    But onto the pudding, it’s just standard Jello chocolate and vanilla pudding but they’re mixed. Also, I add a couple of ounces of heavy cream to the whole milk and then put them together. It’s a yummy snack that’s perfect if you have the containers for it and luckily, I do.

  • Dinosaur Valley State Park

    This is where my sister, mom, and I scattered my dad’s ashes on Father’s Day in 2014 (I think) so I’ve actually been here before. Prior to that, I had been to Glen Rose. It was a place where Dad took us and I believe a place he lived in his childhood. I remember swimming around the river next to the rocks. It all looks somehow vaguely familiar but I’m not sure, and there’s no one to ask aside from my sister who (given our young ages) should remember less than I.

  • Yard Cleanup & Camping Prep

    We started the day at exercise class. We won’t be back for class on Thursday and Friday as we’re going to be heading to Dinosaur Valley State Park for a couple of days. It’ll be great weather so we should have a rocking time. I also picked up a couple of sheets of plywood and 2 2x2x8 for making a crate for the eBikes. Hopefully, that will make it easier to transport and make them rain-resistant. More information on that as the creation and build continue & pictures of the park coming soon.