Textiles Applications in Automotive Industry

With the rising level of automobile production and its corresponding worldwide stocks based on the rapid industrialisation in Asia, Africa and Latin America plus the rising demand in Eastern Europe, the proportion of textiles in a motor car is increasing in response to more stringent comfort and safety needs in industrialised countries like the USA, Japan and Western Europe.

Automobile textiles, which are non apparel textiles, are widely used in vehicles like cars, trains, buses, aircrafts and marine vehicles. Hence, the term automobile textile means all type of textile components e.g. fibers, filaments, yarns and the fabric used in automobiles.

Nearly two third of the automobile textiles are for interior trim, i.e. seat cover, carpets and roof and door liners. The rest is utilized to reinforce tyres, hoses, safety belts, air bags, etc.

It is projected that nearly 45 square meters of textile material is utilized in a car for interior trim (seating area, headlines, side panel, carpet and trunk). According to a survey, the percentage of textile in a motor car amounts to 2 per cent of the overall weight of a car. Apart from this, visible textile components, eliminating hidden components such as in tyres and composites, hoses and filters; amount to 10-11 kg per vehicle in absolute terms. Industrial textiles are largely utilized in vehicles and systems including cars, buses, trains, air crafts and marine vehicles. In automobile textile industry, four types of fabrics are used, namely:

. Air bag fabrics
. Fabric used as a basis for reduction in weight of body parts
. Tyre cord fabrics
. Automotive upholstery and other textile fabrics used inside the vehicle

The airbag and seat belts used as safety measures are one of the latest types of textiles in automobiles and have a potential market for technical textiles that has a considerable scope for growth and development. Because of government legislation and consumer interest, the applications have been extremely successful over the last ten to fifteen years.

In the last decade, airbags or inflatable restraints have received noteworthy significance as a safeguard for the driver and the passengers in case of an accident. Initially, the bags were made for head-on collision, but now, there are many other safety devices like side impact bags, knee bolsters, side curtain, etc, available for safety in any type of crash. Because frontal collisions are a main reason of accidental deaths, airbags are being presented as a standard product in vehicles by legislation, which has given the quick increment of airbags business in the last decade. NHTSA and HHS report that airbag systems have played an important role in saving thousands of lives since 1985. In 2002 alone, due to the airbag system a 20 per cent reduction in fatalities resulting from fatal collisions has been observed.

In 1999, there were 55 million vehicles with 81 million airbags. In 2004, the number of frontal airbag units was nearly 100 million and the number of side-impact airbags nearly 65 million. In the same year, nearly 23 per cent of the new vehicles in North America had side airbags for chest protection and 17 per cent had side airbags for head protection. By 2005, this has increased to 180 million airbags and 65 million vehicles.

Fabric application demand has increased to 325 million square meters in 2005, and 83 tons of fibre, mostly nylon has been used.

The world airbag market is estimated to rise from 66 million units in 1996 to over 200 million units in 2006, a compound annual growth rate of 12 per cent. Over this decade, Europe will put in 60 million units, Asia-Pacific 30 million units and North America 24 million units.

While North American and Western European markets are growing, considerable development is also seen in the international market. As new applications are developing for airbags, including rear seat bags, inflatable seat belts and an outside airbag system for pedestrians, new fabrics and combinations are being applied. The front and passenger bags have different requirements because of the distance from the occupant, but they both have rapid increment and deflation in a very short time span.

Rollover bags must remain inflated for five seconds. In addition to new uses, expected trends include lighter fabric for use with newer "cold inflators," blended with materials like fabric and film, new coating polymers (Silicone now dominates having replaced neoprene).

Growth of safety devices in the car interior

Increasing electronics and safety devices require more space in the interior together with new concepts for arrangement.

Worldwide market for PA airbag yarns

The fibre manufacturer Accordis Industrial Fibres BV, Arnhem/ Netherlands reported that the global market for PA airbag was 84,000 tons in 2005.

Airbags

Airbags were first introduced in the late 1960s, but it is only in the 1990s that their use increased amazingly and it is set to grow further. This validates the research and development still being made on design, deployment and base fabric material.

The prospects for the textile and making-up industries are huge in the area of airbag production. This is due to its large requirement particularly in view of the legislation, which is already imposed by many countries.

Around 1.42 meter2 of fabric is required to produce driver side airbags on light trucks. This estimation gives the idea that the airbag market is of great importance for the use of technical textiles. Airbags are normally made by coated or uncoated fabrics of PA 6.6 yarns with lesser air permeability.

A fabric cushion is included as a part of textile ingredient for an airbag, which is folded into the center of the steering wheel (for the driver) or in the glove compartment (for the front seat passenger). Generally, the bag is woven by nylon 6, 6 filament yarns, which are in demand in huge quantities because of their high strength-to-weight ratio, favorable elongation, adequate thermal properties and relatively low cost of production. Other properties required are high tear strength, high anti-seam slippage, controlled air permeability and be capable for being folded into confined places for over ten years without deterioration.

Function

A triggering device sets-off explosive chemicals when it senses an accident above 35 km/h is about to occur. These chemicals hold back and cushion the car occupant from collision with harder objects. The fabric from which the bag is made must be competent for withstanding the strength of the propellant chemicals. More over, the hot gases must not penetrate the fabric and burn the skin of the car occupant.

For airbags to perform their protective function, each function in the system must work with reliability and predictability. In frontal airbag initiation, the cushion begins to deploy within 20 ms after collision and is fully set up in 50 ms. Within this period of time, the bag has to spread through the plastic cover, blown up and fill the space between the dashboard and occupant.

Material applications

Airbags are generally made from high tenacity multifilament nylon 6, 6 in yarn quality fineness from 210, 420 to 840 denier, although some polyester and even some nylon 6 is utilized. As Nylon 6 is softer, it is used to lessen skin abrasion. Airbag fabric is not dyed, but has to be scoured to eliminate impure substances, which could encourage mildew or other problems. Airbags are created in compact size, plain woven fabrics.

The amount of fabric required to make an airbag depends on its location in the car and the market it serves. The fabrics utilized to produce a driver's and a passenger's airbag are quiet different. Most drivers' side airbags are coated by using lower denier yarns that give strong and light-weight fabrics. The looser weave has been permitted by stronger nylon 6, 6 yarns that create fabrics with lighter weight, less stiffness and better packagabiIity.

The fabric which is used to produce passenger airbags is generally uncoated. These kinds of passenger bags are larger so they create lower gas pressures, have longer inflation times, and possess gas which is cooler. The constituent yarns are of relatively heavy denier. Normally, airbag fabrics are made by rapier weaving machines or air jet looms with electronic dobbies.

Airbag fabrics varieties

The earliest airbags were Neoprene coated and woven Nylon 6, 6, but later lighter and thinner silicone coated versions followed. Afterwards, though, uncoated fabrics have emerged. The majority of these fabrics are coated with an elastomeric material such as neoprene or silicone. The long lasting popularity of coated materials for airbags has been seen because of its capability to work as a heat shield and the comparative ease that design engineers can expect wider performance in their use.

Though, there are some intrinsic problems with coated airbags, which cover their large thickness, incapability to be folded into small spaces and inclination of decay over time. Coated fabrics are simple to cut and sew and the air porosity can be well managed.

The drawbacks linked with coated airbags and their subsequent substitution with uncoated materials has warranted significant developments from two sectors of the industry. The uncoated airbags can be recycled in a simple manner. The first development has come from the yarn and fabric producers, who have concurrently developed the performance of the fabrics. Their gas permeability has fallen under specific scrutiny since the way an uncoated fabric discharges gas and establishes the capability of an airbag to resist impact. The second development has gained from the inflator producers, who have started to substitute the original inflators, which release air, with devices that emit air like argon and helium. This is greatly helpful because these gases are equally as effective at lower temperatures and discharge less hot particles.

Finishing procedure of airbag fabrics

After weaving, the airbag fabric is scouring to reduce size. To gain accurate air permeability, the airbag fabric can be calendered. Apart from influencing the air permeability by weaving and finishing, accurate permeability control can be achieved by coating. When the airbag material has been finished, it is sewn together; the best practice is by using it with a laser.

Airbags are sewn with Nylon 6, 6, polyester, and Kevlar aramid yarns, the sewing patterns and densities being selected to maximize performance. When a bag is sewn it is folded inside its cover. Packing should permit for tethers connected to the bag to manage operation. Finally, a cover can be set up over the bag to safeguard it from abrasion.

Airbag sizes

Airbags are available in various sizes and configurations depending on the type of car and steering. Moreover, the driver's side airbag is smaller than the front passengers by about 65 liters capacity upwards.

Suppliers

In airbag systems, there are mainly five suppliers of the airbag module itself, representing 32 per cent of the value of the airbag system. The key airbag control unit has four suppliers representing 24 per cent of the value, and the seat belt portion of the system has two suppliers with a 31 per cent contribution. Yet, the remaining part with only 13 per cent of the value of the airbag system has over 40 suppliers.

Two years back INVISTA, formerly DuPont Textiles & Interiors, had expanded nylon 6, 6 fiber production capacity, totaling 7.5 kilotons (kt.) at two facilities; one in Qing Dao, China, and the second in Gloucester, UK.

A wide range of highly specialized polyamide 6.6 airbag yarns, Enka Nylon, are made by Polymide High Performance at its Obernburg (Germany) and Scottsboro (Alabama/USA) plants.

Zapata Corporation in December, 2005 announced that it completed the sale of all of its 4,162,394 shares of Safety Components International, Inc. to private equity investor Wilbur L. Ross, Jr. for nearly $51.2 million. Zapata's stake stands for nearly 77.3 per cent of Safety Components' total outstanding common stock. Safety Components is an independent producer of air bags and the company's fabrics are largely utilized for automobile safety air bags and in niche industrial and commercial applications. Safety Components headquartered in Greenville, South Carolina, has plants situated in North America, Europe, China and South Africa.

Takata is a manufacturer of automotive seatbelts. Takata started researching seatbelt technologies in 1952. After eight years of research and development Takata became the first safety company to offer seatbelts as standard equipment to the Japan market in 1960. In the early 1970's, Takata worked with NHTSA to satisfy new high speed crash test requirements and supplied the first energy absorbing seat belt system to pass a 30 mph crash test. Irvin Automotive is another company within the Takata Corporation. Irvin makes armrests, cargo covers, molded consoles, seat covers and sun visors.

Narricot Industries, LP, located in Southampton, Pennsylvania, is a producer of woven narrow fabrics in North America. With manufacturing facilities in Boykins and South Hill, Virginia, Narricot is the number one supplier of seatbelt webbing to the North American automotive industry.

Autoliv is a manufacturer of airbag, seatbelts and other automotive safety devices. Autoliv has nearly 80 wholly or partially owned manufacturing facilities in 30 vehicle-producing countries. Autoliv and its joint ventures and licensees make over 80 million seat belt systems annually.

Toray Industries, Inc, that makes nylon 6, 6 fiber and textile for use in automobile air bags, plans to start manufacturing base fabric for automotive airbags at its Czech textile subsidiary in January 2006. The company plans to invest in the necessary equipment to its subsidiary Toray Textiles Central Europe. The production output is projected at 600,000 meters in 2006 and 4 million meters in 2010. At present, Toray makes the fabric in Japan, Thailand and China mainly for airbags used in Japanese cars.

Performance tests and standards

Many individual tests carried out with airbag yarns and fabrics is said to number over 50. The ASTM, the SAE and the Automotive Occupant Restraint Council (AORC) have established various standards that express appropriate tests for airbags.

Seat belts

The seat belt is an energy absorbing device that is designed to keep the load imposed on a victim's body during a crash down to survivable limits. Basically, it is designed to offer non recoverable extension to decrease the deceleration forces that the body comes across in a crash. Non recoverable extension is significant to prevent the occupants from being restrained into their seats and sustaining whiplash injuries right away after a collision. To prevent more webbing from paying out after an accident, the automatic belt has a locking device known as inertia reel. An efficient seat belt will only permit its wearer to move forward a maximum of about 30 cm to avoid contact with any fixed parts of the car.

It is believed that the seat belts were invented concurrently in America as well as Sweden. The only difference was that the American belt was a strap to encircle the waist and the Swedish belt was a diagonal band made to defend the upper body. Now, a blend of the two designs is a most prevalent arrangement and is called the 3-point belt, which is secured by two fittings on the floor and a third on the sidewall or pillar. Racing drivers wear other patterns, particularly two shoulder straps and a lap belt. The earliest automotive seat belts were set up and were adjustable so that they could fit the wearer manually. The automatic belt superseded this pattern by providing the wearer more space to move.

Seat belts are available in multiple layers and are woven in narrow fabrics in twill or satin fabrication from high tenacity polyester yarns, generally 320 ends of 1100 dtex or 260 ends of 1670 dtex yarn. These structures permit highest yarn packing within a given area for highest strength and the trend is to utilize coarser yarns for good abrasion resistance. For ease they require to be softer and more flexible along the length, but rigidity is needed along the width to facilitate them to slide easily between buckles and retract smoothly into housings. Edges require being scuff resistant, but not disagreeably rigid and the fabric must be resistant to microorganisms. Nylon was utilized in some early seat belts, but due to of its higher UV degradation resistance; polyester is now widely used worldwide.

Performance standards

Normally, the performance standards require a seat belt to restrain a passenger weighing 90 kg involved in a collision at 50 km/h (about 30 mph) into a fixed object. Straight pull tensile strength should be at least 30 KN/50 mm. Other tests include accelerated ageing and in the made-up form, resistance to fastening and unfastening 10,000 times. The seat belt must be long lasting without any significant deterioration. In many cars, after ensuring the inclusion of the airbag, efforts have been made to link the function of the two devices (seat belt and airbag).

Conclusion

No doubt that the airbags help to save lives, but at times they can also be a source of serious injury. The search for a uniform smart airbag, which can perceive the size of the passenger or whether the seat is empty and react in that manner, is in progress. Such a 'smart' airbag will incorporate sensors to judge the weight, size and location of the car passengers and hence deploy more appropriately.

In addition, incorporated safety devices associated with the seat belt along with other safety items, particularly for child passengers, are under development. The trend towards uncoated fabrics is anticipated to continue and so is the improved trend towards more airbags per car and fuII-size bags. There is also a technical challenge of producing the bag by using more rational techniques and related specifications made by the automotive industry.

Fibre2fashion.com - Leading B2B Portal and Marketplace of Global Textile, Apparel and Fashion Industry offers Free Industry Articles, Textile Articles, Fashion Articles, Industry Reports, Technology Article, Case Studies, Textile Industry News Articles, Latest Fashion Trends, Textile Market Trends Reports and Global Industry Analysis.

To read more articles on Textile, Fashion, Apparel, Technology, Retail and General please visit http://www.fibre2fashion.com/industry-article

Copyright 2006

4
4 4wd 4x4
Fender
J 4wd
Rcd Nascar
Fen 4wd
Jeep
Nissan 4wd
Fender
Fender

In Less Than One Hour - Eliminate Shower Leaks by Installing a Solid Surface Shower Pan

INSTALLING A COMPOSITE SHOWER PAN IS FAST AND EASY. Before discussing the simple steps to install a composite shower pan, I felt that some clarification and definitions are necessary because not all shower pans are alike.

WHAT IS IN A NAME? A roof is a roof, although there are many different roofing systems and roofing materials. Not true with shower pans. They are often interchangeably called a shower pan, shower pan liner, shower pan membrane liner, waterproof barrier, shower base, shower tray, or shower receptor. Yet, each has a different meaning depending on context and each are available in a variety of materials.

Bob Vilas web site defines a SHOWER PAN as The base, containing a water drain, of the shower enclosure. And a SHOWER RECEPTOR as A one-piece base (floor) unit used as a shower, for example, to catch water and direct it to a center drain.

For the sake of clarity, I offer the following definitions.

SHOWER PAN & SHOWER BASE A finished area that is capable of retaining and directing water to the drain plus it doesnt require tiling once installed. The shower pan or base has a drain hole, sloped floor to properly direct water to the drain hole, sidewalls, and a threshold (entrance to the shower that forms a curb to keep water from running out onto the bathroom floor). A shower pan is synonymous with a shower base.

SHOWER PAN LINER, MEMBRANE LINER, & WATERPROOF BARRIER A barrier, usually a plastic sheet or membrane, that is intended to trap water that penetrates the shower floor tile, grout, and mortar under the tile and force the water to flow to the drain. As long as it doesnt leak, it prevents water from reaching the sub-floor and surrounding wall enclosure. The liner is a component within a constructed shower pan. A shower pan liner is synonymous with a shower pan membrane liner and a waterproof barrier.

SHOWER TRAY & SHOWER RECEPTOR A shower tray is synonymous with a shower receptor. Both are used in place of a liner. They serve the same function as the liner, but are pre-formed to eliminate some of the installation steps necessary when using a liner.

Shower pan liners, shower trays, and shower receptors are all used in conjunction with the construction of a shower pan that has a tiled floor as well as a tiled wall enclosure.

Commercially available shower pans are complete, ready-to-install units. They eliminate the need to create a mud sloped floor, a shower liner or tray, and tiling of the shower floor.

COMPOSITE SHOWER PANS. As composite shower pans are made from a number of different materials and constructed differently. I wanted to touch on each of the most common types. Composite shower pans fall into several material groups; cultured marble, fiberglass, acrylic, and solid surface. Generally all are made by fabrication of flat sheets, thermal-formed from a single piece of material, or molded or cast to form a one piece unit. The one-piece construction eliminates seams, which in turn eliminates potential leaks. Each has their pluses and minuses. Because beauty is in the eye of the beholder, I will not comment on appearance. All composite shower pans install on a flat, level floor and do not require the creation of a sloped mud base. Also, the cast or molded pans generally do not require the use of a plastic membrane.

Cultured marble and dressier versions, like cultured onyx and granite, tend to be the least costly. Cultured marble is made by spraying a gel-coat onto a mold. This coating is about 1/64 or less in thickness. The gel-coat is covered with pigmentation and then backed with calcium carbonate. The calcium carbonate gives the finished part its strength. Also, in the casting process it is infused with air pockets to lower its density and weight.

The cultured marble floor is cast separately from the sidewalls. Thus, the incorporation of a shower pan liner is essential to insure a watertight, leak free installation. Although widely used, the down side of cultured marble is that other than the gel-coat layer, the calcium carbonate is highly porous. Any crack or scratch through the gel-coat will allow water penetration. Other gel-coat characteristics include; yellowing, even without UV exposure; clouding from hot tap water; staining; crazing (fine hairline cracks); and it is not reparable when cracked or chipped.

Fiberglass is widely used as well. Fiberglass is strong, light weight and inexpensive. Many fiberglass manufacturers make one-piece shower pans and enclosures and one-piece combination tubs and showers with the wall enclosures. Similar to cultured marble, fiberglass is made with a gel-coat, then backed with pigment and chopped strands of fiberglass in a resin mixture. Generally the finished product is about 1/8 to 1/4 in thickness. The underside of the shower pan floor has webbing added to provide support to the floor. As the floor is not solid, the unsupported space between the webbing can flex. This flexing is especially noticeable with heavy loading or where one is standing between to the webbing. Over time, the flexing can cause material fatigue and cracking. Once a crack develops, the pan has failed.

Acrylic sheets are used to vacuum form shower pans, bathtubs, spas and many other items. The vacuum forming process begins with a 1/4 sheet of pigmented acrylic that is heated to a temperature that makes the acrylic ductile. The sheet is placed on a mold and stretched over the form to create the finished shape. The heating and stretching of the sheet causes a reduction in wall thickness. The reduction is directly proportional to the amount of stretching that occurs. With shower pans there is far less material reduction than with creating a tub or spa. The heating, stretching, and cooling of the material could also introduce stresses to the finished pan.

Like fiberglass pans, acrylic pans need support elements under the pan floor. A commonly used support element is polyurethane foam. The foam fills the void and eliminated the flexing of the pan floor. Acrylic sheet material is susceptible to crazing, minute surface cracking, and cracking when cleaned with many common cleaning chemicals. Should crazing occur, over time these cracks can lead to a pan failure.

Acrylic sheets have very different physical and chemical properties than acrylic solid surface materials. In addition to the acrylic resin used in solid surface, the solid surface material receives additional physical and chemical characteristics from the addition of alumina-tri-hydrate, or ATH. The ATH causes cleaners that adversely affect acrylic to have no affect on solid surface.

Solid surface shower pans are the top-of-the-line in physical and chemical characteristics as well as performance, reparability and a myriad of other features and benefits. The primary features of solid surface are it is non-porous, will not support the growth of mold, mildew, or bacteria, is available in a large variety of looks (some like natural granite) and colors, and is 100% repairable should chipping, scratching, or even cracking occur. Health departments throughout the country have approved solid surface materials for use in hospitals and food preparation areas for its resistance to bacterial growth, ease of cleaning and maintenance, and resistance to staining and contamination.

Some solid surface shower pan manufacturers fabricate their pans from sheet goods in a similar fashion as the acrylic shower pans. That is, they thermal form the pan floors by heating and stretching the material and then bond sidewalls and a threshold to the floor.

The Royal Stone brand of solid surface shower pans are the pans that I manufacture and will use to illustrate the simplicity and ease of installation that can be had when installing a composite shower pan. Unlike fabricated solid surface shower pans, the Royal Stone shower pans are a cast one-piece solid surface product. By casting the pan as a one-piece unit, there are no stresses introduced in the pan, and there are many other features engineered and designed into this pan.

The most obvious features are the large radius transition between the pan floor and its sidewalls. Secondly, the flange (also called a weep edge) is 1-1/2 tall. I have seen pans that do not incorporate an integral flange or have flanges 1/2 to 1 tall. The added height is designed to minimize, if not eliminate, any water being drawn up behind the wall surround panels that could cause water damage to the shower sub-structure.

Royal Stones pans have a minimum wall thickness of 1/2 and the webbing elements have a wide foot with large stress relieving radius corners between the pan floor and the webbing. All shower pans are engineered to support the weight of 3/4 thick (2 cm) granite slabs as well as all other commonly used wall materials like tile, fiberglass, acrylic, and solid surface panels. Finally, regardless of floor loading, the Royal Stone pan floor is so solid that it feels like one is standing on a rigid concrete floor. There is no perceptible flexing or oil-canning of the pan floor. Thus, there is no possibility of floor fatigue and cracking over time and the potential for pan failure is eliminated.

INSTALLATION IS FAST AND EASY. As I have already stated, composite pans install on a flat sub-floor. The following installation information may not apply to all types of composite shower pans. Specifically, I have direct knowledge of installing the cast one-piece solid surface shower pans that Royal Stone manufactures. Thus, the following directly applies to Royal Stones standard and custom shower pans. The same steps should also apply to other types of composite pans and other materials, however, follow the manufacturers recommended installation instructions.

As a manufacturer, I do not install pans. The photos included within this article were provided by a local installer. They were supplemented by photos of a different pan, for clarity of the installation process. Thus the different pan color and shape. Further, most of the photos were from a unique plumbing situation. The home had all of the plumbing above ground. Thus, a particleboard platform was built above the plumbing for the shower. The following installation information applies to concrete, plywood, particleboard, wood, etc. sub-floors at, above, or below grade.

Step #1 SUB-FLOOR PREPARATION: Using the template provided with the shower pan, place template on the floor and verify that the drain is in the correct location. If the drain is NOT properly located, relocate the drain. NOTE: Relocating the drain is usually far less expensive than having a custom pan cast to accommodate your existing drain location.

The hole in the sub-floor needs to be larger than the drain pipe. About a 6 round or square hole (about the size of a coffee can) is recommended. This larger opening allows room for the drain assembly that extends below the bottom of the pan. Most drain pipes are 2 PVC. The PVC pipe allows for some flexing within the 6 opening in the sub-floor. This flexing is desired and makes the pan installation easier. The PVC pipe should extend above the finished sub-floor by a minimum of 1/2 to about 3 to 4.

The sub-floor can be wood, plywood, concrete or any other rigid or well supported surface. The sub-floor must be level and free from debris. To assure a level floor, check the floor with a long level as shown in Fig. 1. The longer the level, the more likely that the sub-floor will be level at its greatest dimensions. Check front to back at the left and right sides and at the center. Do the same from side to side. Finally, check the diagonals. Fig. 2 indicates the location of the 8 readings that should be taken.

Depending on the results of the level measurements, some additional prep may be necessary. If the sub-floor is relatively flat, shims may be used to make the shower pan level. If the floor is uneven and out of level, pouring self leveling thin-set material may be necessary.

Once the sub-floor is level and the opening for the drain is correct, the setting of the shower pan is next.

Step #2 ATTACH DRAIN ASSEMBLY TO PAN: A standard 2 part Brass Drain Assembly is recommended, as shown in Fig. 3. This type of assembly should be readily available at any plumbing supply store or home improvement store. Royal Stone also sells this drain assembly. Disassemble the drain assembly. Keeping the components in order makes reassembly faster and easier.

Place the pan on saw horses or any raised platform that allows access to the top and bottom of the pan. Spray the drain opening with rubbing alcohol, Fig. 4. With a clean rag, wipe the surface and interior edge of the pre-cut drain opening, to remove any dust or other contaminants from the pans drain area. Around the drain opening apply a generous bead of 100% silicone, Fig. 5.

Insert Brass Drain Body, Part #5 of the Brass Drain Assembly into the drain hole, Fig. 6, and press firmly into place, Fig. 7.

Step #3 REMOVE EXCESS SILICONE: Remove the excess silicone from the Drain Body, Part #5. Spray an alcohol mist over the drain area and the silicone, Fig. 8. With a Dap-Cap, scoop away the excess silicone, Fig. 9. This step may have to be repeated several times to completely remove the silicone. Last, spray a mist of alcohol and wipe remaining film away from the Drain Body, Part #5, with a soft cloth.

Step #4 MOUNT DRAIN LOCKING RING: Attach the Drain Strainer, Part #1, to assure that the Drain Body, Part #5, is centered within the drain hole, Fig. 10. From the bottom side of the shower pan, attach Parts #6, 7, & 8 to Part #5. Tighten the Locking Ring, Part #8 until snug. DO NOT OVER TIGHTEN. Over tightening may crack the shower pan. Remove the Drain Strainer, Part #1, and set aside.

If any additional silicone has been squeezed out from between the shower pan drain and the Drain Body, Part #5, repeat Step #3 until all excess silicone has been removed.

HANDLING TIP: Using a set of glazers grips allows for easier handling and moving the pan into the proper location. If these are not available, brute force also works.

Step #5 DRY FIT THE SHOWER PAN: Lower the shower pan into place. Make sure that about 1/8 space exists between the shower pan flange and the studs. With the level, confirm that the pan is sitting flat on the floor as shown in Fig. 11 & 12. If additional shimming is required, lift pan and place shimming material where required. Lower the pan into place and check for level. Repeat until the pan is level.

CAUTION: When leaning and handling the shower pan, handle carefully to prevent damage to the shower pans flange.
A LEVEL PAN IS ESSENTIAL FOR PROPER DRAINAGE.

Step #6 SILICONE THE BOTTOM OF THE PAN: Lift pan and lean against one of the studded walls. Apply 100% silicone caulking to the webbing, Fig. 13, on the underside of the shower pan . Also, apply a thick silicone ring around the drain opening in the sub-floor, Fig. 14. If shims were used, silicone all shims into position on sub floor as required.

Step #7 SET SHOWER PAN: Lower shower pan into place. Check the pan for level. Press down as necessary to re-level the shower pan. Apply a silicone bead along the front edge of the threshold to seal the threshold of the pan to the sub-floor.

Step #8 CONNECT DRAIN PIPE TO DRAIN ASSEMBLY: Inject silicone completely around and between the drain pipe and the Brass Drain Body, Part #5, as shown in Fig. 15. Place the Rubber Gasket, Part #4 of the Drain Assembly, over the PVC pipe and slide down until the top of the Rubber Gasket, Part #4, is completely seated and is below the top of the Drain Assemble, Fig. 16. Screw the Locking Ring, Part #3 of the Drain Assembly onto the Drain Body, Part #5. Tighten the Locking Ring, Part #3, with the Tightening Tool, Part #2 until the Rubber Gasket, Part #4, is seated and tightly in place.

Step #9 TRIMMING THE PVC: The top of the PVC drain pipe MUST NOT extend above the Brass Drain Body, Part #5. If it is at the top of the Brass Drain Body, Part #5, or extends above the top, trim the PVC so that it is about 1/4 lower than the top of the Brass Drain Body, Part #5 but is taller than the top of the Rubber Gasket, Part #4. Cut the PVC pipe with a Dremel and a cut-off wheel.

If the Tightening Tool, Part #2 has not already been removed, remove it and press the Drain Strainer, Part #1, into place. The installation is complete. Excluding any sub-floor preparation, the installation should take about one hour or less.

Step #10 CURING: Let the shower pan set for 24 to 48 hours to allow the silicone to properly cure. Once cured, the wallboard and wall panels can be installed.

CAUTION: When attaching solid surface shower pans and wall panels, ONLY use 100% SILICONE. Other adhesives or caulks may harden. The loss of the elastic bond between the solid surface and other materials can cause stresses in the solid surface. In turn, these stresses may cause fractures of the part and void the manufacturers warranty.

Milton Lemberg is President and Marketing & Sales Manager of Royal Stone Industries. He holds a degree in mechanical engineering and is the engineer and designer of the shower pans Royal Stone offers. Any questions should be directed to Mr. Lemberg at milt@royalstoneind.com or to Royal Stone Industries, Inc., 2949 N. 31st Ave., Phoenix, AZ 85017. For further information on Royal Stones 22 standard shower pans, custom shaped shower pans, wall surround kits and accessories, and 48 standard colors, visit Royal stones web site at http://royalstoneind.com/products_Shower.asp

4wd
Fender
Jeep
Nissan 4wd
4wd
Fender
4 4wd 4x4
4wd
Fender
4wd

5 Tips on Choosing a Trustworthy Hyundai Car Dealer in Maryland

Purchasing a new hyundai car is a major investment. Aside from buying a new house, it may be the biggest purchase you will ever make in your entire life. For this reason, you should be certain that you are dealing with a trustworthy maryland hyundai car dealer before deciding to part with your hard-earned cash.

We have all heard the horror stories about those shady car dealers who talk fast and separate a sucker from his money even faster. The good news is that they are the minority and that most car dealers are dependable and honest. Here are a few tips to help you find a trustworthy hyundai car dealership in maryland.

(1) Do your homework Before you start talking to car dealers, try to find out what they are all about. Research online and check their track record, the quality of their after-sales service and other information that will shed light on their reputation and trustworthiness.

At the same time, try to get a firm grasp of the kinds of hyundai that you may want given your particular tastes and budget. This way, when you start speaking to maryland hyundai car dealers, you can tell if their sales pitch about the car you want is accurate or just a lot of hogwash. Bear in mind, though, that just because a salesperson quotes you a price that is higher than what youve seen online, it doesnt mean hes a crook. Trying to make a decent profit is just part of their job.

(2) Trust Your Instincts Sometimes you will come across a salesperson that you simply dont trust or are not comfortable with for no apparent reason. Those bad vibes mean something. Perhaps your subconscious has spotted something out of place about this person and is sending you a signal. In this instance, it would be better to ask for someone else.

(3) Use your head, not your heart Oftentimes, the biggest reason why consumers fall for fast-talking, sleazy salespersons is that they make their purchasing decisions based on feelings and emotions rather than rational thought.

There is a lot of psychology that goes into buying a car. We may be enamored with the way it looks, the feel of the steering wheel in our hands, the way the seats press against our body or the feeling that a certain car is perfect for our personality. It just feels right. When you feel this way about a new car, think hard. Otherwise, it will be easy for a smart car dealer to persuade you into making that purchase.

(4) Be careful during negotiations Once you enter the negotiation phase, be very careful since this is where most of the dirty tricks begin. For instance, keep your wits about you when a salesman offers you a car that is, say, $1,000 cheaper than their competitors because there may be some additional hidden charges that you will have to pay such as a documentation fee or handling charge or when your salesman forgets to charge you for sports rims. This is an old ploy. Sometimes you just have to stand up, say no thanks and look for another maryland hyundai car dealer.

(5) Do a full inspection Finally, dont forget to make a full inspection of your new hyundai before leaving the lot. Check for scratches, flaws or other imperfections. The repair of these items should be covered in your deal with the car dealership. It pays to make sure.

Ourisman Hyundai offers the best price and service in Maryland, Virginia and DC, something you'd expect from a family doing business in the car industry for 80 years. Visit Ourisman Maryland Hyundai Car Dealership to acccess their online inventory of new and used Hyundais and get a free no hassle quote. Visit http://www.ourismanhyundai.com today!

Jeep
Fender
Rcd Nascar
4wd
4wd
J 4wd
Dunlop Pro
De 4wd
Corv 4wd
All C 4wd

Should You Change The Exhaust On Your New Tundra?

Toyota made a fast truck when they redesigned the new Tundra. The 5.7L V8 has 381 hp, making it a good truck for hauling and towing. But a lot of people will tell you that you should modify the factory exhaust system. You should only consider it after you've learned the facts.

Fortunately, the factory exhaust system is efficient and doesn't require much modification. The new Tundra comes with a 4 into 2 into 1 exhaust manifold, which has been found to be most efficient for moving exhaust gases quickly. The exhaust manifold is also made out of stainless steel, which is light and resistant to rust. And, the exhaust manifold has equal length exhaust tubes making it as good as most products available after-market. In short, the exhaust manifolds on your new Tundra dont require any modification.

Next we have the catalytic converters. These legally required emissions control devices are often accused of restricting a vehicle's exhaust, but in the new Tundra that's not the case. They are efficient and they benefit the environment, so they're definitely off limits.

After the catalytic converters, the exhaust gases from each side of the motor cool somewhat and meet-up at the muffler. Again, the factory system is pretty good. You wont see a significant hp and torque gain by replacing the factory muffler (3-5hp, 5-10ft-lbs at the most), but you will HEAR the truck better. The rumble that you'll hear if you do this is intoxicating, but there are about a hundred different mufflers to choose from to help you get the rumble you want. TRD, Borla, Flowmaster, Gibson, Edelbrock, Magnaflow, etc all offer quality products. While brand is important, its more important to know what you want.

First of all, find out if the muffler you like is going to have any "exhaust drone". Exhaust drone refers to the sound of the engine running while your driving at constant speed, like on the highway. Many people prefer not to have any drone, but others are willing to deal with some drone if it gets them a little more power. Finding out if the muffler you like is going to drone is easy, ask the people at the local muffler shops as well as the websites www.tundraheadquarters.com and www.tundrasolutions.com.

Second, do you want something that people can slightly hear when you drive by, or do you want something so loud that the neighbors know exactly what time you leave for work every morning? I hope that its the former, but if you decide for the latter, look for words like racing or glasspack.

Another important choice when considering a new muffler is single or dual exhaust. Remember, the factory system is pretty good. The single exhaust that the truck is setup with will work just fine and give good performance, but you might want to go with a dual exhaust to get the better look and sound. That's my suggestion, just make sure that your installer works around your trailer hitch or leaves room for one in case you want it added on later.

Stainless steel or aluminized steel -- that's what you'll be asked when you're choosing your new muffler. While stainless looks cooler, that's not really a good reason to buy it. After all, how often is anyone going to be looking under your vehicle? The best reason to choose stainless is resistance to rust. If your local geography has salt water or high humidity, stainless steel is a good idea. Otherwise, save some coin and go with the less expensive galavanized or aluminized steel.

About the author: Jason Lancaster has been working in the auto industry and with the Toyota Tundra for the better part of a decade.

Get more Tundra Info at his website, http://www.tundraheadquarters.com

4wd
4wd
Fender
Nissan 4wd
4 Dunlop
Jeep Jeep
Fender
Rcd Nascar
J 4wd
4wd

Piano Playing Secrets Of The Pros

It's no secret that professional piano players use techniques that amateur piano players don't. So what else is new? Professional golfers use techniques that amateur golfers don't use (at least not very well), and pro ball players use techniques that sandlot and weekend athletes don't use -- or again, not very well.

So it's not surprising that professional piano players have some tricks up their sleeves that the rest of us mortals don't have. But that doesn't mean we can't try to emulate the great pianists. We may not pull it off as well as them, but we sure can have a lot of fun trying, and who knows? Maybe a few of us can actually learn these techniques well enough to win some admiration from our friends, join a group, play for our own enjoyment, or whatever.

Here is a list of just a few of the technique the pros use when they play piano. There are more, of course, but this is a pretty good estimate of the most important skills:
Pro Secret 1: Straddles. Leaving one of more notes out of a chord to create an open feeling.
Pro Secret 2: 2/1 & 3/1 Breakups. Breaking a chord up by playing part of the chord & then the rest of the chord.
Pro Secret 3: Waterfall Chords. Broken chords cascading down from the top of the keyboard similar to a waterfall.
Pro Secret 4: Tremolo-Fired Runs. Rapid-fire runs made of chords, but starting with a tremolo.
Pro Secret 5: Half-Step Slides. Approaching the next chord from 1/2 step above or below.
Pro Secret 6: Suspensions. Using the 4th as a "hangover" instead of the 3rd.
Pro Secret 7: Chord Substitutions. Harmonizing songs using different chords than the traditional ones.
Pro Secret 8: Voicing in 4ths. Stacking chords in intervals of 4ths instead of 3rds.
Pro Secret 9: Turn-Arounds. A chord progression that turns you around, like a cul-de-sac.
Pro Secret 10: Introductions. Creating a front door for the song.
Pro Secret 11: Endings. Creating a back door for the song.
Pro Secret 12: Transposing. Playing a song in a key different than it was written in.
Pro Secret 13: Modulating. Getting from key to key smoothly.
Pro Secret 14: Altering a Melody to Create a New Melody. Using neighboring tones to craft a new tune.
Pro Secret 15: Inversions. Instead of always playing chords in root position, using a variety of "upside down" chords.
Pro Secret 16: Creating Original Chord Progressions. Linking chords together creatively.
Pro Secret 17: Echoes - Rhythmic, Melodic, Harmonic. The easiest way to begin the arranging process.
Pro Secret 18: Touch. The difference between a sledge hammer and a pillow.
Pro Secret 19: II7 to V7 Progression. One of the most common chord progressions.
Pro Secret 20: Latin-American Rhythms. Using various rhythm patterns such as Samba, Bossa Nova, Cha Cha, etc.
Pro Secret 21: Locked Hands Style. Playing the melody in both hands with a chord under the right hand melody.
Pro Secret 22: Jazz Styles. Lush, offset beats, comping, color tones, etc.
Pro Secret 23: Two-Handed Arps. The Flowing River Of Sound. Using broken chords in both hands at the same time.
Pro Secret 24: Parallelisms. Parts moving the same direction (such as 10ths, octaves, etc.)
Pro Secret 25: Ragtime Techniques. Barrel-house and early jazz styles.
Pro Secret 26: Polytonality & Superimposition. Playing in two keys at the same time, and playing two different chords at the same time.
Pro Secret 27: Delay-Catch-Up Technique. Falling behind the beat, then catching up.
Pro Secret 28: Slash Chords. Chords over a left-hand counter melody.
Pro Secret 29: Counter-Melodies. Creating a sub-tune that is complimentary to the main tune.
Pro Secret 30: Western Sounds. Wagon-wheel bass styles, etc.
Pro Secret 31: Gospel Sounds. "Get on that church" and "shouting" styles.
Pro Secret 32: 12 Bar Blues. The basis for thousands of songs in all styles.
Pro Secret 33: Passing Tones. Tones that "pass through" the current chord.
Pro Secret 34: Question-Answer Techniques. Repeating a previous musical phrase but in a new way.
Pro Secret 35: Far-Out Harmonies. Extended chords, altered chords.
Pro Secret 36: Syncopation. Playing between the beats.

There are other techniques the pros use, and new techniques are always being invented. But for a list of worthy goals for an aspiring piano player, this list will keep us busy for a long time.

For more info on piano playing secrets of the pros, please go to "Piano Playing Secrets Of The Pros!" In addition, a series of 101 free email lessons on piano playing is available at "Exciting Piano Lessons On Musical Chords & Sizzling Chord Progressions!"

Jeep
4wd
Jeep
Fe 4wd
4wd
Jeep 4wd
Metzler Fender
Jeep
Fender
4 4wd 4x4