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GuyOwen
Cruiser Expert
Posted: Jan 25, 2004, 5:46 PM
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Kleen Wheels for 2004 Dream Series 3?
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Does anyone know if Kleen Wheels are available for the 2004 Dream Cruiser Series 3?
Thanx!
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Favorite Quote: "The older a man gets, the more clearly he remembers things that never really happened."
Favorite Beer: Killian's Red in a warm glass.
Favorite Country: USA.
Next-Favorite Country: Ireland -- where else?!
Favorite Bad Joke: Bill Clinton.
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Posts: 280 | From: N/A
| Registered: Nov 21, 2002, 12:00 AM
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PTCCmike
Cruiser Veteran
/ Moderator
PT Cruiser Club Member
Posted: Jan 27, 2004, 7:24 PM
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Re: [GuyOwen] Kleen Wheels for 2004 Dream Series 3?
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I called the factory and they said "not at this time".
When they are available we will have them in the club store.
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Mike Challis - PT Cruiser Club Founder
PT Cruiser Club is built around a community of people with the same interest (the Chrysler PT Cruiser), nowhere else will you find so much PT Cruiser information and as many enthusiasts.
 Join the Club Today!
Join the Club and get Member Discounts at PT Cruiser Club Store on PT Cruiser Accessories.
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Posts: 4943 | From: Long Beach, WA
| Registered: Sep 1, 1999, 12:00 AM
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nehope
Cruiser Expert
Posted: Jan 27, 2004, 11:41 PM
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Re: [GuyOwen] Kleen Wheels for 2004 Dream Series 3?
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Pardon my ingorance, but what are Kleen Wheels? Thanks.
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Posts: 209 | From: Kernersville, NC
| Registered: Mar 28, 2003, 7:12 PM
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GuyOwen
Cruiser Expert
Posted: Jan 28, 2004, 1:42 AM
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Re: [nehope] Kleen Wheels for 2004 Dream Series 3?
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Shields that fit inside the wheels to keep brake dust from mucking up the look of your PT.
See here...
http://stopbrakedust.com/about_kleenwheels.htm
Guy
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Favorite Quote: "The older a man gets, the more clearly he remembers things that never really happened."
Favorite Beer: Killian's Red in a warm glass.
Favorite Country: USA.
Next-Favorite Country: Ireland -- where else?!
Favorite Bad Joke: Bill Clinton.
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Posts: 280 | From: N/A
| Registered: Nov 21, 2002, 12:00 AM
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PTCCmike
Cruiser Veteran
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PT Cruiser Club Member
Posted: Jan 29, 2004, 10:52 AM
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Re: [nehope] Kleen Wheels for 2004 Dream Series 3?
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You can purchase Kleen Wheels here:
http://www.ptcruiserclubstore.com/cgi-local/sk_store.cgi?P=access_wheels/kleen_whee ls.htm
WHAT ARE KLEEN WHEELS?
Kleen Wheels is the well recognized trade name for a patented brake dust shield. A dust shield is nothing more than an INSIDE HUBCAP which fits into the inside of the wheel preventing the unsightly black brake dust from flowing outward onto the outside surface of an alloy or steel wheel. Installation is simple, no special tools needed.
Kleen Wheels are not to be confused with another type of product, since discontinued, a dust cover which completely covered the rotor and caliper. It was kind of a half a rubber football type of affair which really did a good job of keeping in the dust...and also the heat. Kleen Wheels are not to be confused with this earlier type of product! Kleen Wheels are not in any way to be considered a brake product, but merely a wheel accessory because it fits inside the wheel.
ARE DUST SHIELDS STANDARD OE EQUIPMENT ON NEW CARS?
Yes, dust shields are standard factory OE Equipment on certain models. Kleen Wheels has been on the market for over fifteen years - in excess of three million pair on the road.
DO THEY EFFECT THE BRAKES?
Customers often question whether Kleen Wheels have an effect upon the braking system.
Consider a Mercedes-Benz as factory delivered in Germany, usually delivered with a steel wheel and a stainless steel hubcap as standard equipment. Does this wheel/hubcap design allow for any passage of air through the wheel? If an American customer were to buy the same vehicle in the United States, where we usually find the vehicles come standard loaded with alloy wheels, and the customer installs a pair of Kleen Wheels (an inside hubcap) into the alloy wheels - would there be any more or less air circulating through the wheels than the vehicle was originally designed for with a steel wheel and an outside hubcap? The same amount, of course.
HOW DO KLEEN WHEELS FIT?
Kleen Wheels are designed to fit easily into the inside of a wheel, just like an inside hubcap. It is a common misconception that Kleen Wheels fit onto the car. Kleen Wheels are designed to fit the wheel (as opposed to the car). We must always ask "what WHEEL we are fitting", and not "what CAR we are fitting"
To make this point perfectly clear - the Kleen Wheels fit into the wheel like an inside hubcap and therefore the first question we must ask when reading our Application List is WHAT WHEEL ARE WE TRYING TO FIT? Is it a factory original wheel or is it an aftermarket wheel? When ordering, be sure to state whether you are fitting a factory wheel, or which specific after market wheel.
DO KLEEN WHEELS FIT ON THE FRONT WHEELS AND REAR WHEELS?
Kleen Wheels fit both on the front and on the rear of the vehicle. Because the front wheels do 70% of the braking, the front wheels get dirtier far quicker and more easily than do the rear wheels. For this reason customers think that they only need a single pair of Kleen Wheels for the front. Most upscale current model vehicles have disc brakes front and rear.
It is recommended that two pair be installed on a vehicle in order to achieve permanent protection front and rear. Also, when the wheels are rotated, the necessity for removing and replacing the Kleen Wheels is eliminated.
WHAT MATERIAL IS KLEEN WHEELS MADE OUT OF?
Kleen Wheels are manufactured of single-piece construction aircraft grade aluminum, coated with a life-time matte black finish.
HAVE KLEEN WHEELS BEEN OFFICIALLY TESTED?
The world's leading safety standards testing laboratory is in Germany, where the standards are set for safety throughout the world. In Germany this testing is provided by TUV, a government agency created by law to test and evaluate OE equipment as well all aftermarket accessories. Kleen Wheels have been certified and approved by TUV. Keep in mind that we are talking about Germany - where the vehicles are driven on the Autobahn and in the Alps!
IS THERE A GUARANTEE?
Kleen Wheels are guaranteed for the lifetime of the product in the hands of the original purchaser in the original vehicle for which they were purchased. This written guarantee is enclosed with every pair of Kleen Wheels.
IS THERE TOLL FREE APPLICATION ASSISTANCE AND UPDATED INFO?
Yes, Kleen Wheels maintains toll-free telephone customer service to give you assistance with any questions you may have. The toll free telephone number is 1-800-327-6548. Applications are continuously updated on the Internet at Check Link.
DO KLEEN WHEELS EFFECT THE BALANCE OF THE WHEEL?
No. Kleen Wheels are extremely light-weight and by their engineering design become self-centering upon installation thereby eliminating balance problems. For those wheels which have been high speed balanced on the vehicle, it is recommended to index the wheel studs on the wheel by a pencil mark or by tape before removing the wheel in order to ensure that the wheel is returned onto the hub in the same hub location.
WHAT IS THE MOST COMMON QUESTION?
The most common question is why certain Kleen Wheels parts don't fit on the car. These questions can come about because of rushed and careless reading of the Application List. The common misconception is that the Kleen Wheels fit on the hub of the car. Kleen Wheels are not made to fit the car - but moreover they are made to fit the wheel as though it were an inside hubcap for the wheel! The first question one must ask is - What kind of a wheel are we fitting... A factory wheel or an aftermarket wheel? Once you have identified the exact wheel you are dealing with, consult the Application Guide
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Mike Challis - PT Cruiser Club Founder
PT Cruiser Club is built around a community of people with the same interest (the Chrysler PT Cruiser), nowhere else will you find so much PT Cruiser information and as many enthusiasts.
Join the Club Today!
Join the Club and get Member Discounts at PT Cruiser Club Store on PT Cruiser Accessories.
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Posts: 4943 | From: Long Beach, WA
| Registered: Sep 1, 1999, 12:00 AM
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GuyOwen
Cruiser Expert
Posted: Jan 31, 2004, 9:26 AM
Post #6 of 11
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Re: [PTCCmike] Kleen Wheels for 2004 Dream Series 3?
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In case anyone is following this thread, I received the following response from info@stopbrakedust.com. They are stating that the correct Part Number for Kleen Wheels to fit the 17" Chrome Factory OEM Empire wheel which comes on the 2004 Dream Series 3 model is: 1958.
I asked two additional times for confirmation of that information, and received affirmatives both times. One of the responses came from the Senior Vice-President of the manufacturer of Kleen Wheels, which I'm quoting here...
"Mr. Owen,
The only issue may be that the manufacturer, Chrysler, has started installing additional balancing weights on the inside of the rims, which could cause an interference problem. As long as you order the stock matte-black shields, they are returnable for full credit. If you wish to order the custom colored shields, please order the stock shields and try them first. You may then contact us at info@stopbrakedust.com to make arrangements to have them custom powder-coated in one of our 12 color options. Thanks again for your inquiry!
Best Regards,
James Chamberlain
Sr. Vice President"
I have not yet purchased my set of Kleen Wheels to confirm this, but I do plan to do so. I will post the results as soon as I know FOR CERTAIN that these fit.
Guy
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Favorite Quote: "The older a man gets, the more clearly he remembers things that never really happened."
Favorite Beer: Killian's Red in a warm glass.
Favorite Country: USA.
Next-Favorite Country: Ireland -- where else?!
Favorite Bad Joke: Bill Clinton.
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Posts: 280 | From: N/A
| Registered: Nov 21, 2002, 12:00 AM
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GuyOwen
Cruiser Expert
Posted: Feb 10, 2004, 5:12 PM
Post #7 of 11
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Re: [GuyOwen] Kleen Wheels for 2004 Dream Series 3?
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Latest Update on the Kleen Wheels question...
Yes! They DO fit!
But there are some insights I want to share in case you are thinking about adding these.
Here I go, getting "wordy", again!!
I finished my test-fitting of the Kleen Wheels today on my PT Dream Cruiser Series 3, since it was the first day I've had where the weather would allow me the opportunity. I bought these through the PT Cruisers Club Store, and Mike was kind enough to offer to take them back if they would not fit. They do, indeed, fit, so you can go ahead and order them if you were waiting. These are Model #1958.
Please Note, however...
1) My wheels were balanced by Chrysler or the Dealership using two different types of weights. The traditional clip-on style was found on the inside edge of each wheel, along the very edge touching the tire -- and those did not affect the fitting of the Kleen Wheels at all. These are not easily visible from the outside -- only after removing the wheel.
The stick-on flat lead weights were found just behind the chrome "spokes" of each wheel, with one or two apparently being needed on each wheel. If you look closely enough from the outside while the wheels are still mounted on the car you can see most of them. Especially if you know what you are looking for. And especially the larger ones. Or you can feel for them with your fingers behind each of the five spokes. One or two are bound to have them on each wheel.
The only wheels I've pulled off, so far, are the two Front Wheels because they have a larger Disk Brake Caliper than the Rear Wheels. My reasoning was two-fold -- a) the Front Wheels will gather more brake dust, so I wanted to cover these first, and b) if the Kleen Wheels will clear the Calipers, they will definitely clear the ones on the Rear which are much further away from the Chrome Spokes, themselves.
The stick-on weights I encountered were two sizes. 1/2" x 1/2" and 3/4" x 2". The reason I'm mentioning the size has to do with my next observation.
2) The points at which the Kleen Wheels would not fit "perfectly" were two-fold. a) The interior shape of the center hub of the Wheel, itself, has a rolled fall-away shoulder which the Kleen Wheels contacted just outside the Bolt Holes. This might be by design, but the Kleen Wheels do not lay perfectly flat against the flat part of the Wheel Hub because of this. The best analogy I can use is rather like a hat not quite fitting flat against a bald head if the perimeter of that head is ever so slightly bulged out at the exact point of contact with the inside brim of the hat. b) Where my Stick-On Weights were placed is within 1" of the ridge that runs along the chromed exterior portion of the wheel, separating the Chrome Spoke and exterior areas from the interior Satin Aluminum Wheel Interior. They are hidden behind the Spokes, but the Kleen Wheels hit those Weights ever so slightly.
One way to "fix" this is to remove the Weights -- which I did for my Test-Fit, to be sure I gave the Kleen Wheels the best chance of fitting. However, I do believe that if those Weights were slightly smaller -- say, 1/2" Wide instead of 3/4" -- the Kleen Wheels would not hit them at all, so long as the weights were snug up against that ridge.
3) On the Driver's Side, I experienced no rubbing of any kind. On the Passenger's Side, I experienced rubbing immediately -- but ever so slight. By examining the Caliper mechanism, my belief is a person could take a hand-held grinder and ever-so-lightly grind down just the very small 1/16" of raised casting marks that appear on the outside surface of that Caliper.
However, purely by Trial-and-Error, I was able to stop the rubbing with a simple trick. I pulled the Wheel off, intending to return the Kleen Wheels as non-usable because any rubbing noise was a concern for me. Upon examining the inside of the Kleen Wheel, I noticed the rubbing occurred only at the leading edge of the cut slits that are part of the design of the Kleen Wheels. And only at two points. I gently pressed out on all of the slits (only the interior part of the slit, not the part closest to traffic) just to give them a rather soft curvature away from the Caliper -- refit them into the Wheel, reinstalled it, and - voila! -- no Rubbing.
I took the car out for a complete Test Drive and never experienced any rubbing. Slow. Fast. Over smooth road and rough. Into driveways, up and down hills, and sharp turning maneuvers. Nothing. Nice and quiet!
I kept the Weights that I removed and have borrowed some 3M Very-High-Bond tape at work to reattach them. I test-fitted the weights back into the area immediately behind the spokes with the Kleen Wheels in place, and I can see, now, that these flat weights will fit perfectly into that area and not contact the Kleen Wheels if I move them just a bit. Hopefully, it won't affect the balancing too much.
The look of the Kleen Wheels is something I'm getting used to. I wasn't sure how I felt about them, at first, but several people at work responded very favorably, telling me they've never liked the "exposed rusty brake look", anyway.
I thought the fit was supposed to be very snug (like a Tupperware lid), but they are slightly loose, with as much as a 1/8" gap in one or two areas. The Vice President of the company wrote me back to tell me that fit is not completely uncommon.
He also reassured me that the Kleen Wheels, themselves, do not require balancing -- something which someone mentioned to me, earlier. So, all in all, I think the answer is...
Model 1958 DOES fit the Dream Series 3 standard OEM Chrome Wheel.
Design Notes you might consider...
Kleen Wheels are thin aluminum. They are not heavy-weight anything. Not rubber-coated, only painted. I judge them to be about half the weight of a License Plate. Very malleable -- which can be good or bad. You need to handle them gently, but the softness allows them to conform to the inside of your wheel with gentle pressure. I do not know how well they will hold up against day-to-day use, yet. Nor when I am cleaning or washing the car.
There are slits cut into the exterior face area -- presumably to facilitate airflow directed toward the brakes. These are not unsightly.
I chose the color Black, which is standard. A person could easily use a spray paint can of good quality to change the color, if you wish. Unless you must match the PT exterior exactly, I can't honestly say the offered Powder Coat Option for an extra $100 is worth it. It might be, but the Black paint is not perfectly applied, with bits and pieces of dust (or whatever) clearly evident under this coating on the ones I received, so I don't know how to judge an additional paint job costing $100 more.
My car has only 200 miles on it and the rusting of various brake-area components started almost immediately, as it did on my 2001 PT. If this type of look bothers you, Kleen Wheels might be the easiest solution. But your wheel will appear to have a Black hubcap (some say pie plate) immediately behind the spoke areas. At this point, I prefer that look over the rust.
The hardest part of this entire procedure is fiddling with that God-awful jack that Chrysler designed. Be careful! As you rotate the handle, it can slap up against the side of your car and dent or scratch it.
Thanks,
Guy
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Favorite Quote: "The older a man gets, the more clearly he remembers things that never really happened."
Favorite Beer: Killian's Red in a warm glass.
Favorite Country: USA.
Next-Favorite Country: Ireland -- where else?!
Favorite Bad Joke: Bill Clinton.
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Posts: 280 | From: N/A
| Registered: Nov 21, 2002, 12:00 AM
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Dream3
Cruiser Addict
PT Cruiser Club Member
Posted: Mar 12, 2005, 11:52 PM
Post #8 of 11
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Re: [GuyOwen] Kleen Wheels for 2004 Dream Series 3?
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 Until there are some available for our DCS#3, what in the world can you use? I recently went to Okla.(cushing) & when I came home I had to spend 1 1/2 hrs to get the brake dust off & then there was still some left, any suggestions? ~ Thanks, Crystal
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Crystal~ Life is like road trip & really sweet in a PT Cruiser! #1276
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Posts: 546 | From: Kansas
| Registered: Sep 6, 2004, 9:06 PM
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GuyOwen
Cruiser Expert
Posted: Mar 13, 2005, 2:09 PM
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Re: [Dream3] Kleen Wheels for 2004 Dream Series 3?
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I'm not certain that I understand your question. The model mentioned in the last Posting does, indeed, fit the DC3. I have been using them for nearly a year and I never worry about brake dust because I don't see it and it doesn't reach the outer wheel area.
If you need further help, let me know.
Guy
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Favorite Quote: "The older a man gets, the more clearly he remembers things that never really happened."
Favorite Beer: Killian's Red in a warm glass.
Favorite Country: USA.
Next-Favorite Country: Ireland -- where else?!
Favorite Bad Joke: Bill Clinton.
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Posts: 280 | From: N/A
| Registered: Nov 21, 2002, 12:00 AM
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Dream3
Cruiser Addict
PT Cruiser Club Member
Posted: Mar 13, 2005, 4:40 PM
Post #10 of 11
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Re: [GuyOwen] Kleen Wheels for 2004 Dream Series 3?
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 Forgive me I am really not Blonde , but I did not read past Mike's posting stating that he had called the Chrysler co & that the Kleen wheels would not fit on a DCS#3, good news. I have now read your very indepth letter including the item# to use to order. Thanks~ Crystal
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Crystal~ Life is like road trip & really sweet in a PT Cruiser! #1276
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Posts: 546 | From: Kansas
| Registered: Sep 6, 2004, 9:06 PM
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GuyOwen
Cruiser Expert
Posted: Mar 13, 2005, 8:03 PM
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Re: [Dream3] Kleen Wheels for 2004 Dream Series 3?
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Good luck with those. Mine work fine. I found out I did not have to remove the existing weights inside the wjeels, themselves. Just leave them on and carefully position the Kleen Wheels inside. A friend may need to do this for you. Once these are in place, you simply clean them still on the car when you wash it.
It is important that the slits face the correct direction so air flows properly to the inside of the wheels. Also, I have noticed a slight rattling sound at speed on bumpy roads. I have not decided what to do to fix this. I'm going to try buying some piping that goes around exposed metal edges (called Edge Molding). I'll place this around the outside edge of each Kleen Wheel and hope it is not thrown off as the car goes down the highway, but it's something I will have to experiment with in the Spring when it's warm. I don't always hear the rattling. It seems to be caused by the fact that the Kleen Wheels do not fit completely snug against the inside of the wheel perimeter. But not seeing the brake dust is worth it, so far.
Guy
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Favorite Quote: "The older a man gets, the more clearly he remembers things that never really happened."
Favorite Beer: Killian's Red in a warm glass.
Favorite Country: USA.
Next-Favorite Country: Ireland -- where else?!
Favorite Bad Joke: Bill Clinton.
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Posts: 280 | From: N/A
| Registered: Nov 21, 2002, 12:00 AM
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