Posts by Gadgeteer

  • Stretched / WIDENING your rear wheel

    Quote from sideseatdriver

    Hey, so probably the wrong thread, but it is at least dealing with tires. Looking for a rim for K2 for Christmas that won't break the bank and found these... Can you super smart people tell me if they'd fit the sling? Yes, they are the same with different spacing and stuff...


    Bravado Tribute Rims | Wheels | Wheel Deals Direct


    Bravado Tribute Rims | Wheels | Wheel Deals Direct

    Spacer is not needed as +/- 5mm won't make a difference, but the bolt patterns are a problem. It has to be 5x114.3 but these are 5x4.5 and 5x120, respectively, so they won't fit the existing lugs. X/


    EDIT - I just found these from TSW. They are the same size you are looking for, with the correct bolt pattern, but only come in Matte Gunmetal or Matte Titanium Silver. If it helps, I did a Google search on "5x114.3 10 spoke 20x11" then filtered for images. Click on the images to drill down to the source website.


  • Not Going To Riding For A While

    Quote from Bigdog

    @Gadgeteer, I don’t necesssrily agree with giving it more gas because the traction control system will govern the rear wheel speed. So the more gas you try to give it the more it’s going to try to govern the speed lower. You’re trying to make the rear wheel spin faster and it’s trying to slow it down. Because it’s already lost traction. Making it spin faster won’t help that.


    True, if the rear is loose and the system is cutting power, there's nothing you can do to override. But if you're in a turn with the rear planted and your front is not, you can goose the throttle which creates body roll to push the outside wheel down, hopefully increasing traction. The sway bar and/or the outer shock (already under compression) will transmit some of that force back to the frame which pushes the inside wheel down, also increasing traction. It doesn't work for every oversteer situation, but it does work.

  • Not Going To Riding For A While

    Cool! You ARE a fellow (two-wheeled) motorcyclist! That makes things sooooo much easier to explain. :thumbup:


    The rear end acts like a car when you have traction and it acts like a bike when you don't. Hopefully that is self explanatory, otherwise I need to fall back on the lengthy explanation I was working on. ;)


    As for motorcycles not having a brain, ABS is already showing up and I expect Traction Control will be coming along soon. If you've ever seen one of the experimental self-balancing bikes, then you already know Stability Control isn't that far off either.


    These systems aren't your adversaries, they are designed to prevent drivers from making a bad situation worse. The only time you would have to fight against them is if you were trying to intentionally make things worse. If the system senses you're pushing too hard on the brakes, it intervenes because locking the brakes is the wrong thing to do. If your front tire is lifting off the ground, the system slows the other front tire and/or increases power to the rear to push the lifting tire down. If the vehicle is skidding out of a turn, it reduces power to keep you in the turn. In any of these scenarios the vehicle is already in a precarious state. The systems only intervene to prevent the driver from mashing the pedals and making it worse. The wheel is still all yours and you can do with it as you like. You can whip it around and force the skid to get worse or even cause the vehicle to flip. You just can't add power when the system is actively reducing power. You can still use the brakes, but if any of them lock up, the ABS kicks in. They don't take control from you, they just try to prevent you from making more mistakes than you already have and even then, they are limited in how they can do it.

  • Not Going To Riding For A While

    Yes, you cannot turn off ABS, but if ABS fails, you still have power brakes. If the power fails, you still have hydraulics, but they take more effort to engage. All electronic control systems in the SS assist a mechanical/hydraulic connection so you always have that to fall back on, unless the connection fails (broken linkage, hydraulic leak, etc.) None of the electronic systems take control away from the driver.


    These days, I think the accelerator is not really governed, the fuel is. That's one of the advantages of electronic fuel injection. Automated systems can regulate the fuel being pumped into the cylinders to control acceleration and deceleration. You may feel feedback in the pedals, but I'm pretty sure the regulation happens further down the line. The hydraulic modulator is a good example. It doesn't modulate the pedal, it modulates the pressure being applied to the brakes. In the case of ABS, it doesn't apply any pressure, it only reduces the pressure you apply to keep the wheels from locking up.


    If a sensor fails, any system(s) that rely on that sensor throw an error and shut down. That doesn't mean you are out of control or that the primary control linkage (mechanical, hydraulic, etc.) has failed, it just means your little safety helper has clocked out and gone home. If you mash your foot on the gas and rely on the system to regulate the fuel for you, you are doing things very wrong.


    Driving a vehicle takes skill and no safety control system built so far can replace those skills. They can help someone with poor skills (not enough to make a bad driver perform like a good one) or the occasional over-/under-reaction, but each system has limits in its ability to sense and respond to specific conditions. If you rely on these systems to make up for a lack of driving skills, you're setting yourself up for a major disappointment some day.

  • Not Going To Riding For A While

    @wjfyfe makes a valid point about fearing the SS, or any other vehicle, but I don't think that is the issue here.


    A1: The hydraulic modulator is a device that does what the name implies, allowing other systems to control brake pressure. It is not the ABS, but a separate device that is used by the ABS, Traction, and Stability systems to interface with the hydraulic brake system.


    A2: Well, sensors don't control anything, they just send signals. Those signals are translated into usable data by a processor which uses the data to perform calculations that may trigger a command be sent out to a controller. Yes, the SS has a system that can apply power to the rear wheel and it is commonly referred to as "Cruise Control." ;) When engaged, the system increases or decreases power as needed to maintain a set speed. However, Cruise Control does not usually interface with the brakes, just the accelerator. Therefore, wheel speed and braking are independant systems and utilize different inputs.


    A3: You don't really take over or fight against the safety systems because don't really take control of the vehicle. The systems are are only designed to perform a specific function to help you. Once they accomplish their task they check out. Anti-lock brakes keep the wheels from locking for an extended period of time. As long as your foot is on the pedal and you leg is locked in rigid terror, the system checks inertia and wheel speed. If wheel speed is zero and inertia is not, it pulses the hydraulic modulator until either both are zero or the wheel speed is not zero. If both inertia and wheel speed are not zero, then the brakes aren't locked and the ABS does nothing. Traction and stability controls work in a similar fashion. Once traction or stability is regained (the nose is pointed in the same direction the vehicle is moving, all three wheels are on the ground and spinning at the same speed) the system stops assisting. If the vehicle is not moving in the direction you want to go, that's all on you. You still have to do the critical thinking and heavy lifting bits yourself.


    A4: No, you are not screwing up the traction control reactions because it reacts faster you. However, if your actions are counterproductive to the goal of the system, it will have to work harder and/or more often. And remember, with enough velocity and raw determination (or willful ignorance), any of these safety systems can be overwhelmed to the point that they are ineffective. :D


    Answer to Initial question about which direction to steer the SS: Assuming you are trying to recover from a skid... If the rear is skidding (oversteer, fishtail) always steer into the skid, get off the brakes, and give it a little gas. If you steer away from the skid you will initiate a full spin (doin' donuts). If the front is skidding (understeer) then ease up on the brakes and get off the gas, straighten the wheel a bit to get the tires rolling and gain some traction then gently (small movements) turn in the direction you want to go. Keep doing this until you are successful, you come to a stop, or something bigger stops you.


    In ANY loss-of-control situation, ALWAYS LOOK IN THE DIRECTION YOU WANT TO GO. When driving, the more you visually fixate on something, the more likely your reflexes will react to make it happen. This is a natural phenomenon know as Target Fixation and it takes a conscience effort to avoid it.

  • Not Going To Riding For A While


    @Bigdog - you are correct. The SS handles differently and if not for the Traction and Stability control systems, many drivers would be in a world of hurt.


    Remember crashing a tricycle when you were a kid? Remember why? Yep, that one wheel in the front worked great until you turned too fast, then it was all pain and misery. What happened? That's complicated, but the short answer is you rolled it and that is how the Slingshot rolls too. The further you get to sideways, the easier it rolls. I started writing a lengthy, detailed response to your inquiry (if you know me, this response is a brief one ;) ) so here's the super-condensed version.


    Short answer: In most situations, the SS handles like low-riding RWD pickup truck. Don't worry about interference from or interfering with the automated safety systems. You can ignore them, unless they are faulty or disabled. If they are faulty or disabled, you can continue to drive, just be smart about it and avoid putting yourself in situations where those systems might be needed (no hotdogging).


    Sent from my Nexus 6P using Tapatalk

  • Lets see those dogs!!! And cats or whatever pets you have

    Quote from rabtech

    That is the nearest idea I have heard of for keeping the snow off the grass..

    I cleared it late at night, so many of my neighbors had no idea what I had done. They were quite mystified when they woke up the next morning and found my yard, and the deck above it, conspicuously devoid of any snow. Since I used a power broom (electric snow thrower on a stick) it threw the powder pretty far out and blowing wind helped disperse it so there were no shoveled piles around the perimeter, just smooth snow right to the edge of the walls. In the daylight, the shovel marks on the wall were nearly invisible, so I posted pictures on Facebook and told folks I forgot to pay my water bill. A couple of folks actually believed it until I let them in on the joke.


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  • Wrecking Crew / DMV owners roll call

    Quote from V-SHOT

    @Gadgeteer, Velma and I will be trailering up to La Porte, Indiana after work on Wednesday after work. Don't think my wife could take chill of the "open ride" of the Sling for the trip up and back. Are you going to be trailering your Sling, or braving the low temps and Slingin' up to La Porte? Either way, it's sure to be a grand time!!! There are a BUNCH of Slingshot owners in and around La Porte. Hopefully, we can get a bunch of them to join in on the fun!!!!! @Jdin Chicken Run was amazing!!! Sure hope La Porte and the 30 Degree temps are just as amazing!!!! :thumbsup: See ya' there!!!!!

    Nah, I'll be toughing it out in the cockpit. No worries; it all about the journey and I've managed worse. Heated gloves make all the difference. :)


    Look forward to seeing you there and meeting some of the locals. I've never had a very good reason to visit Indiana, so this is as good any and better than others.


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  • Wrecking Crew / DMV owners roll call

    Quote from EjFord

    Georgia and I were in Branson, MO for a little vacation time last week...I stopped and picked up a case of Milkyway Carmel Apple minis at the day after 1/2 price sale and thought I bought a bunch...we are going to need a whole lots of guys and gals passing out candy this year... (I like the Milkyway candy so I thought if there was some left over that would be OK)


    Well, if it helps, I got clearance from Mission Control (the Mrs.) to make the trip and help with the escort! I'll be riding solo, so I may have to enlist a local to ride shotgun and pelt those little boogers with candy to keep them from getting grubby fingerprints all over my Madelyn. :D


    @V-SHOT, you're based out of VA Beach, yes? If you're heading out from that area on Friday morning and you're route will be taking you through Frederick or Hagerstown (MD), we could meet up out there and I can draft behind you to save on gas! Or vice versa. :thumbup:

  • Not Going To Riding For A While

    Quote from rnj12


    I've never said I was smart. I just have enough common sense that I would and have never called a manufacturer of an item to ask how to drive it. Please tell me you don't own guns.


    RNJ12


    You're being an asshat, again. It was a valid question and one that Polaris should have been able to answer. I understand the liability problem, but if anyone would know the definitive answer, it would be the manufacturer.


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  • Lets see those dogs!!! And cats or whatever pets you have

    Quote from Gadgeteer

    Yep. She's got about as much ground clearance as the SS. :D


    Sent from my Nexus 6P


    Here's how we deal with heavy snow...



    I lay a 20x20 tarp on the grass, before the snow starts. When the snow stops, I shovel it clear and pull the tarp. It's work, but the ground stays mostly dry (less muddy paws), Puka doesn't have to worry about getting buried alive, and I don't have to rescue any one because their paws got too cold to make it back to the door. :thumbsup:

  • Muffler failure catastrophic

    Quote from deaf1

    I think this would all go away if Henry would just communicate

    Perhaps, but what could he say that would be helpful? If he pokes his head up he'll be bombarded with questions and comments that he can't respond to with anything helpful or reassuring. Every warranty exchange Alpha does on these mufflers is a big loss for them and it sounds like they've replaced quite a few. If they're losing money on these faster than they're making it, or they have no more stock and no reliable supplier, there is very little they can do. I suspect Henry is probably laying low until he has something more to offer than just an apology.

  • Muffler failure catastrophic

    Quote from Gadgeteer

    Definitely Austenitic stainless steel (300 series) because the Martensitic and Ferritic grades (400 series) are magnetic. Most likely, they used type 304, which is the most common. Type 321 (having a touch of titanium in the mix) can withstand frequent heat spikes above 800°F so that's not likely considering how it's cracking.


    Sent from my Nexus 6P


    Clarification: Type 409 was developed for automotive applications, particularly exhaust systems. However, as noted above, 400 series types are supposed to be magnetic. If the Alpha muffler is not magnetic, then it is more likely a 300 series type as suggested above.


    Sent from my Nexus 6P