Rubber keychain

[carlsson]

Last year, I bought a second-hand Skoda car. It comes with a car alarm and a remote control to switch the alarm on/off (and lock/unlock car).

http://www.anders.sfks.se/pics/skodakeys.jpg

The remote control connects to a key chain through a piece of black rubber, as you can see above. I don't know how former owners have managed to keep it for six years, but only after a few weeks, the rubber split and the keychain fell off. A part of the rubber tip even broke off completely, so I had to punch a new hole in the rubber. This hole has broken a number of times, and I've used super glue to close it. Now, I'm glad if the glue holds for a week, and for every application, I fear the bond is weaker.

Here is the worst part: the piece of rubber is not exchangeable, or at least it would cost as much money as a new remote control. Against better knowing, I have carefully removed the screw on the back side, and found that this rubber tip extends into a rubber frame that holds the whole circuit board inside. A replacement rubber frame perhaps is not possible to get, and if it is, I'm sure Skoda would charge a lot.

I don't know if there are solutions to this. To be bold, open the control and remove the frame may be a bad move. Ideally, the tip that connects to a key chain should have been metal or at least hard plastic. One day, the super glue won't work anymore, so then I'm forced to see what my dealer can do, although I've asked before and got a negative answer.

[Jorg]

Last year, I bought a second-hand Skoda car. It comes with a car alarm and a remote control to switch the alarm on/off (and lock/unlock car).

http://www.anders.sfks.se/pics/skodakeys.jpg

The remote control connects to a key chain through a piece of black rubber, as you can see above. I don't know how former owners have managed to keep it for six years, but only after a few weeks, the rubber split and the keychain fell off. A part of the rubber tip even broke off completely, so I had to punch a new hole in the rubber. This hole has broken a number of times, and I've used super glue to close it. Now, I'm glad if the glue holds for a week, and for every application, I fear the bond is weaker.


It might not be the best glue. Why don't you try a shoe-sole repair kit?

[vic user]

what about not using the remote and just using the car like in the old days ;)

chris

[NathanAllan]

Can you find a new control at an aftermarket place (we have things like Alamo auto supply and lots of stereo shops and alarm shops that do that kind of thing), then transfer the innards to a tougher case? Or get an aftermarket replacement that uses the same frequencies?

[Terry Yager]

Can you just bore a small hole through the hard plastic outer shell?

--T

[carlsson]

A shoe-sole repair kit? Hmm. I'll have to figure out exactly what you're referring to. I considered solution used to glue a patch onto a bicyle hose, but I don't know if it would work better.

Of course, I can give a damn about the alarm (which is not linked to a guard company anyway) and lock the car with the key. Sometimes the alarm seems to activate without reason, so either I would have to disable it completely or bring the remote to prevent an accidental siren going off.

I don't know about aftermarket, if they are compatible. Preferrably I would want a second spare remote, which the car initally also was fitted with but one control has disappeared since 1999. Whether I can get one programmed with the same code from 3rd party or not, I'll have to look up.

To bore a hole sounds a little drastic, but the day the rubber tip completely has evaporated, it might be either that or buy a replacement.

[DimensionDude]

A shoe-sole repair kit? Hmm. I'll have to figure out exactly what you're referring to.

In the US, there's a shoe repair glue called "Shoo Goo" that's pretty effective. Stays pliant after curing and it seems to stick to almost anything. We use it a lot on RC (radio-control) race cars for mounting radio receivers, speed controllers, air dams etc.

You might be able to find something similar where you are.

Just curious, are Skodas generally reliable? The only time I've seen them is on the World Rally Championships. Of course, I know that those cars bear only a resemblance to the road cars, rather like NASCAR here.

[NathanAllan]

When I was living in Germany, my friend's then wife had a Skoda. I don't remember it being broken down a lot, and I remember them telling me that next to the Ford Fiesta it was the most inexpensive car to own in Germany. It was a neat little car. I had a Fiesta. Both cars were agile as anything and could navigate the little streets with ease.

[Terry Yager]

To bore a hole sounds a little drastic, but the day the rubber tip completely has evaporated, it might be either that or buy a replacement.

Not so drastic. Looks like you should be able to punch an 1/8" hole through the little "ear" where the rubber part comes out, there's probably nothing electronic in that area. Take ya less than a couple of minutes.

--T

[Terry Yager]

I don't know too much about Swedish carz, but I love thier chainsawz.

--T

[vic user]

I don't know too much about Swedish carz, but I love thier chainsawz.

they also seem to have a pretty imaginative air force IIRC.

they built their own fighter jet that has rectractible wings and was designed to be able to take off and land using only short strips of roads, etc..

also great in cold weather.

sounds like the canadian air force should buy a few.

chris

[carlsson]

Volkswagen bought Skoda in the mid-90s. After a few years of tidying up, they launched the brand as their budget choice (VW, Audi, Seat, Skoda). Lately the price difference between the brands is evening out, and the Czechs get serious competition from e.g. Korean and soon Chinese brands in being among the cheapest cars.

Our own fighter jet? That'd be SAAB JAS-39 Gripen (curses thrice). SAAB has a long history of making aircraft for the Swedish airforce, but I don't know if the former models have been exported like they try with this one. The car part of SAAB is since a few years ago sold to GM, just like the car part of Volvo now is owned by Ford (but Volvo still makes their own trucks etc).

[vic user]

thanks for the name of the jet anders!

yes, i heard that they were trying hard to get other nations to buy this craft.

sure looks good!

chris

[Vlad]

I had a plastic key chain thingy once. I dropped my keys and the hole that attached to the keyring broke. I glued a small metal washer to the remaining part of the ring to make a new loop for the keyring. Maybe you could try something like that?

[carlsson]

Hm, something to enhance the rubber, make it more stiff. Many interesting points here. I can't figure out how the former owners have handled the keys for six years without any damage, but only after a few weeks or months, it broke for me.

Chris, given the amount of tax money it cost to develop the aircraft, we really have to compete with the other manufacturers whenever possible. Military industry however appears dirty in more than one way, a lot of promise this and that and we will make a deal if you buy from us too. If the aircraft is a little too advanced (and/or expensive) for the customer's needs, even more negotiations and bribes are due to sell anything. At least it doesn't appear to crash for no reason anymore (like it did a number of times at the end of the development process), but one can never be sure.

[vic user]

your story sounds so much like canadian political mish mash, that i guess we have more in common than just snow and hockey

chris

[Terry Yager]

your story sounds so much like canadian political mish mash, that i guess we have more in common than just snow and hockey

chris

...And good chainsawz (My last saw was a Poulan)...

--T

[carlsson]

The Swedish chainsaw, is that a Husqvarna? I can't think of any other brands big enough to be recognized internationally.

Or well.. that quote about "do not stop the chain with your hands" was at one place credited to Jonsereds, although I don't know if it is true or belongs to them.

[Terry Yager]

The Swedish chainsaw, is that a Husqvarna? I can't think of any other brands big enough to be recognized internationally.

Or well.. that quote about "do not stop the chain with your hands" was at one place credited to Jonsereds, although I don't know if it is true or belongs to them.

Virtually every professional wood-cutter or logger I've ever met (many, BTW) uses a Swedish saw, either a Husquavarna, Johnsereds, or (No. 1 in America, surprized you overlooked 'em, Sthiel). My own saw, when I was cutting 8 hours a day, 7 days a week, was an .041 "Farm Boss", but I like the .041AV even better (my friend had one). (That steady vibration does make a big difference, in the long haul, as to fatigue, etc.).

--T

[carlsson]

Is Sthiel a Swedish brand? :shock: I would have thought it was German or maybe even Austrian or Swiss or so.

"I'm a lumberjack and I'm okey, I sleep all night and work all day."

[Terry Yager]

Is Sthiel a Swedish brand? :shock: I would have thought it was German or maybe even Austrian or Swiss or so.

"I'm a lumberjack and I'm okey, I sleep all night and work all day."

I think you're right. I just googled "Stihl" (finally got the spelling right) and they are manufactured in Germany, Switzerland, Brazil, and USA, but sold in over 30 other countries. My bad.

--T

[Jorg]

Is Sthiel a Swedish brand? :shock: I would have thought it was German or maybe even Austrian or Swiss or so.

"I'm a lumberjack and I'm okey, I sleep all night and work all day."

It is probably Stihl, from Switzerland. I think I drove by their factory in Sankt Gallen last week,

[CP/M User]

"carlsson" displayed:

http://www.anders.sfks.se/pics/skodakeys.jpg

Maybe it's telling you I need to be thrown away (but just make sure it's
smashed or something).

Okay, personally I hate those Key-chains. IMO nothing beats the old key.
A turn of the wrist guarantees the car is locked - my folks have one & it's
hopeless, press a button car flashes it's lights - need to check that it's
actually locked - which mean's more walking back to the car (if you're not
there already! ;-)

And then there's this other thing which you can unlock your car when
your approaching it - like you're not going to get to your car already? And
if someone is ahead of you & gets to the car first you can unlock it for
them - this is actually moving towards a generation of people who have
low tollerance for simply waiting. The prize for getting to your destination
should be to wait for everybody else to get over the line - which I see a
being a very bad thing - it simply moves into new dimensions such as
Road Rage (cause people can't wait). Throw it away!

CP/M User.

[carlsson]

If it was only a remote, with no audial semi-protection, I might as well use the car key like I did with my old car. Central locking works either way.

[carlsson]

A couple of weeks ago, the remote stopped functioning when I was to disalarm the car, so I had to break into the hood and turn it off while the alarm went off loudly. Nobody came to inspect what was going on at least. Since then I have used the key to lock and unlock.

Today I opened the remote again to see which parts it consists of:

http://www.anders.sfks.se/pics/remote-parts.jpg

The battery is a LRV08 a.k.a. V23GA, a 12V cell. However, the LED on the remote still works, so I'm not sure if it is a battery problem or something more severe. I was planning to go outside today to test it, but I didn't get to it. Maybe tomorrow, parking somewhere where there is few people. At least it is easier to open the hood, turn on the alarm, try to silence it and if it doesn't work, turn off the alarm again.

As one can see from the picture, the rubber part is separate from the circuit board, unlike what I first thought. Maybe after all I should ask my dealer if they can get a replacement, or some junkyard has a remote, although they probably want to sell it complete with alarm system.

[NathanAllan]

If the part that's broken is plastic that's seperate from the rest of it, can you break that pat off, drill a couple of holes and use a piece of coat hanger wire? Just re-make the loop from somethign else?

[carlsson]

Yeah, Terry suggested something similar a few months ago. Some day I'll investigate what is most doable. Maybe there exists a rubber part with a hard plastic or even metal enforced end, so the keychain hole in the rubber would not open.

[carlsson]

At least it is easier to open the hood, turn on the alarm, try to silence it and if it doesn't work, turn off the alarm again.
Ok, so I activated it tonight, and incredibly enough, it works like it used to. The alarm didn't even set off with the hood open, but the remote lock/unlock is functional. I wonder why it didn't register a few weeks ago - the temperature etc is about the same. At least I'm not getting a new battery ($2) until the old one is finally used up.

[Half-Saint]

A bit off topic:
Years ago I read about SAAB Gripen, mostly good things. Also read about the problems they had with the americans and NATO since Sweden wanted to have their own fighters and not F-16. Supposedly americans decided not to sell AMRAAM missiles to Sweden because of that.

Cheers
SainT

[carlsson]

I have no insight in how the Swedish airforce works, or which types of missiles they need to buy, in particular since we've not been involved in a war for 200 years.