Any Members in Arkansas?

So, Rich and I did some field testing this weekend on the GMRS. He had a 3db hood mount up against the windshield, driver side, I had the 6 db magnetic roof and we first made contact when I was South of Rotary Ann on 7 and he was between Deer and Nail on 16. Right at 15 miles line of sight distance through mountainous terrain in Ozarks...pretty impressive. We did notice his cab shadowed RX and TX when he was leading and garbled some, but all in all very impressed with them. We maintained communication clearly about 3-4 miles apart while running trails once when we got separated. I ran scan function leaving LR and on interstate and picked up all kinds of transmissions. I had intended to take the 3 db and swap it out once we got on trails, but forgot it. We ran some really tight trails and the magnetic mount gets a C for holding power with the 32" antenna. Would've worked fine with the 3 db though, but tight trails knocked it loose 3 times.

 

Awesome, thanks for the report!

 

Also...a man and his dog

 

Got some work done at our Okemah Cabin....

 

Nice, as I sit in our deer cabin.

 

Harbor Freight jack stand recall

https://www.nhtsa.gov/press-releases/consumer-advisory-harbor-freight-jack-stands

 

Just a little FYI...
The current Midland lineup doesn't allow for tone in/tone out on different repeater frequencies. So if you are wanting to use repeaters, this may be a factor to consider.
Later this year they're supposed to come out with some new models which will rectify this issue. You can also buy inexpensive used Kenwood radios and have the GMRS frequencies programmed.

If you are interested in GMRS, I recommend looking through the "myGMRS" forums, there's some good info there.

Cheers

 

Are any of you guys going to Rendezvous in the Ozarks - Oct 16 - 18?

 

I plan on going. We went last year and had a blast.

 

Way too many people, and way too many rigs for me. Pass.

 

I have been before and also had fun but we will miss this year. Wife will be 8 months pregnant at that point.

 

Wow, thats awesome, congrats! A new little overlander joining the fam

 

Quick question everybody, does anyone have a recommendation of an alignment shop that would understand how to get a lifted tacoma in spec. I took my truck to a shop local to Jonesboro, and it came out....fine. Good enough to drive around, but it's out of spec enough for me to notice it doesn't return to center the way I'd like. Anyone got a line on someone that knows how the SPC UCAs work and wouldn't have to be taught how they work? Haha, I'm hesitant to try every place in Jonesboro and them maybe not understand the specs I want. Doesn't have to be too local, obviously. I'd drive for someone who knows what they're doing.

 

Thank you. It's going to be a crazy ~18 months. Baby is due this Nov, wife should be wrapping up her master's this Dec, hoping to sell house next spring, start building a house next summer, and I'm scheduled complete a professional cert next Sep.

 

@CRASHMAN50 I realize it may be too late at this point but when I installed mine I did a LOT of reading online to see where everyone else was winding up after alignment, then installed my SPC UCAs with the ball joint in that orientation before taking it in for alignment. I know a couple of okay alignment shops in central AR but it seems like most of the people who really understand the process of doing a proper alignment have gotten old and retired.

 

Yeah, that's kinda what I'm afraid of. I put it at the orientation the instructions recommended, but I've been reading where people on TW say you need more than the +2 caster. More like +3.75 I was told. Somehow, I walked out of the alignment shop with mixmatched +/- camber when it was both the same when I went in. -___- But I didn't really know what the specs meant at the time, either. I don't think I'll go back there anything. It's too custom for them.

 

Congratulations! I might as well register. It sure looks like a lot of fun. Lots of OR events in October.

I'm planning to make the Cottonland Cruiser Crawl in Hot Springs a couple of weeks before Rendezvous.

 

I have heard and have had some close friends have great luck with Hearn’s alignment in Little Rock. I don’t know about the SPC control arms specifically but still the “old school” shop that knows what they’re doing without the normal red light green light computer crap.

 

Sounds almost like my family. We had two kids in two years while my wife went to grad school. Then packed up and moved to FL just after graduation and the 2nd was born. We had a lot more energy in those days.

 

The Firestone in Conway said he doesn't have a problem with with SPC uppers. I buy lifetime alignment packages from them. So far so good on conventional suspensions. Seems like the guy on duty in the mornings knows what he is doing. I hear there is a shop on Cantrell named All About Tires and Brakes that knows what they doing. I know one of the guys that works there. He is from Conway. I may get them to check on my SPCs after I get everything installed. No personal experience in Little Rock though. I need to find a good shop for SPC alignments very soon.