Little mods/upgrades/additions that make a big difference
- Thread starter AFBronco235
- Start date
Buddha.
Finally in expo white.
My LLC was less than 500$ to have someone else set it up.
Back on topic for this thread. I added a couple self adhesive led strips to the bottom of my back lift window. They light up the cargo area like theres a 60w incandescent back there. When I pop the window open it becomes a nice overhead light. It's wired off of the rear cargo light wiring which ive switched out for an led. Should come in handy for camping. It really lights up the tailgate.
rayra
Expedition Leader
Did something quite similar to that last year with those <$10 LED strips on Amazon, lit up my whole liftgate. I tapped the line to the rear PowerPort connector in my Sub's cargo area, added a switch and ran the wires up to the hinge of the lift gate.
Total project cost was under $20
http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/threads/148118-LED-Strip-lighting-on-the-vehicle
Total project cost was under $20
http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/threads/148118-LED-Strip-lighting-on-the-vehicle
Ospho rust conversion treatment and a couple cans of rustoelum.
Harbor Freight paint gun used to paint my front bumper = $14.99(works incredibly well)
Bottle of starbright deck cleaner with PTEF(Marine supply) used to wash undercarriage and most importantly mud just falls off after.
Solder/soldering iron. Brake wear indicators are obnoxious so I simply cut, spliced wires together, soldered and heatshrinked.
Seafoam in the gas tank.
The LR3 has a super extended mode that gives you a massive amount of lift for free.. The problem? The truck decides when you need it(like when you're already stuck). You can trick it by raising it and placing something between the frame and ground then lower. I cut a piece of 3x3 steel, painted it and keep it in the door pocket. When I need I simply reach out and tuck it under the truck. Was free and I used it almost every time I head off road.
Stock height
Super extended
Harbor Freight paint gun used to paint my front bumper = $14.99(works incredibly well)
Bottle of starbright deck cleaner with PTEF(Marine supply) used to wash undercarriage and most importantly mud just falls off after.
Solder/soldering iron. Brake wear indicators are obnoxious so I simply cut, spliced wires together, soldered and heatshrinked.
Seafoam in the gas tank.
The LR3 has a super extended mode that gives you a massive amount of lift for free.. The problem? The truck decides when you need it(like when you're already stuck). You can trick it by raising it and placing something between the frame and ground then lower. I cut a piece of 3x3 steel, painted it and keep it in the door pocket. When I need I simply reach out and tuck it under the truck. Was free and I used it almost every time I head off road.
Stock height
Super extended
Clawhammer
Adventurer
This is a jumper I made that goes in the under-hood fuse box on my Tacoma. It makes the power outlets in the cab "hot" even when the ignition is off. That lets me charge phones or tablets or whatever while camping without needing to start the engine.
My brother made it out of some stuff he had lying around, so it cost nothing!
Buddha.
Finally in expo white.
Did something quite similar to that last year with those <$10 LED strips on Amazon, lit up my whole liftgate. I tapped the line to the rear PowerPort connector in my Sub's cargo area, added a switch and ran the wires up to the hinge of the lift gate.
Total project cost was under $20
http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/threads/148118-LED-Strip-lighting-on-the-vehicle
I think that was my motivation. I went with warm white.
They come on automaticly with the interior lights which I like.
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rayra
Expedition Leader
I went with red for my astronomy hobby. White light wrecks your night vision. It would be nice to have white too. Maybe I could line the left half of the hatch with white and the right with red and put switches on each side's D-pillar. Get both. in fact I'll think I will do that.
Go all the way around again with warm white, and use a SPDT switch for a selector.
This one is in progress, but I have an oddball phone with minimal after market for cases, mounts, etc. The universal mounts are all either too small, to bulky, or so flimsy, a pothole will send the phone sailing down to the floor. Then I came across this $10 "selfie stick"...
Hmm, that looks like a pretty decent clamp at the end for the phone. After all, people use these things to dangle their phone as off cliffs, roller coasters, and what have you. I brought it home and stuck my phone in it. Shook it around quite a bit, and it stayed put. Cool beans.
*yoink*
It took quite a bit of coaxing to get the phone clamp part off the telescoping stick, but it came off nicely. Now to sort out a cheap but sturdy base for it.
Hmm, that looks like a pretty decent clamp at the end for the phone. After all, people use these things to dangle their phone as off cliffs, roller coasters, and what have you. I brought it home and stuck my phone in it. Shook it around quite a bit, and it stayed put. Cool beans.
*yoink*
It took quite a bit of coaxing to get the phone clamp part off the telescoping stick, but it came off nicely. Now to sort out a cheap but sturdy base for it.
rayra
Expedition Leader
not enough room / mounting surface. I'm on the metal outside the plastic interior panel, basically already impinging on the hatch gasket space.
I had originally put in a pair of battery powered puck lights, 1 red 1 white, but they're a little anemic, so I 'upgraded' to the LED strip.
rayra
Expedition Leader
Boy I like that selfie stick sacrifice idea. I'm using a suction cup mount high on my windshield next to my rearview. I would like a sturdier mount and that idea is a good start. Saw a large selling display of those at Home Depot last weekend, I noted they were inexpensive but had no use for it as a 'selfie stick'.
... a sturdy tube extension out the side of my upper console, maybe even clamped in place by that console or thru it.... ... some bolt hardware thru the tube to replace the 'stick' portion...
Been working towards cracking that open anyway, to wire a power outlet where my OnStar microphone was on that upper console, and to provide a short power run to my phone and to a planned dashcam. instead of having a long USB cable trailing up from the middle of my dash.
hmm...
... a sturdy tube extension out the side of my upper console, maybe even clamped in place by that console or thru it.... ... some bolt hardware thru the tube to replace the 'stick' portion...
Been working towards cracking that open anyway, to wire a power outlet where my OnStar microphone was on that upper console, and to provide a short power run to my phone and to a planned dashcam. instead of having a long USB cable trailing up from the middle of my dash.
hmm...
Kevin108
Explorer
I have several suggestions!
$9.16 for 4 plus a few dabs of solder. http://www.ebay.com/itm/371251531398
I replaced the interior lights with 2 of these LED cards in each fixture.
$9.57 for 3 additional charging options. http://www.ebay.com/itm/131773260951
$6.59 for two 6" led panels plus $3.49 for a hood switch.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00C1YI2XA
http://www.ebay.com/itm/131216295388
$9.16 for 4 plus a few dabs of solder. http://www.ebay.com/itm/371251531398
I replaced the interior lights with 2 of these LED cards in each fixture.
$9.57 for 3 additional charging options. http://www.ebay.com/itm/131773260951
$6.59 for two 6" led panels plus $3.49 for a hood switch.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00C1YI2XA
http://www.ebay.com/itm/131216295388
Love this project, Very Cool!! I get the whole red, night vision thing and why you might want white as well. This might work for you, search Ebay for "44 key remote RGB LED" its a nice kit that is wireless remote which allows you to choose ANY color and dim it if you like. I used this setup in the back of my camper and love it and for 21 bucks is super cool!
