Best Mods under $50...

[HeadacheManNYC]

cruiser home improvement

For those of you searching for a means of holding your pens and miscellaneous crap in rustic style, the answer lies in your rusted out hub surrounds!

 

[Heartworm]

Rest for your gopher rifle

In regard to Franklin's ground squirrels, our area is a "target rich environment". They are here by the thousands, actually millions, and the ranchers hate them. I bought a 5 foot length of foam tubing used for pipe insulation for under $2 put a piece on the top edge of the driver's side window. The stuff was already split! Now I can rest my 17HMR and even adjust elevation with the window crank. Don't know how it would hold up to a rifle with a high recoil.

 

[Cruisified]

In regard to Franklin's ground squirrels, our area is a "target rich environment". They are here by the thousands, actually millions, and the ranchers hate them. I bought a 5 foot length of foam tubing used for pipe insulation for under $2 put a piece on the top edge of the driver's side window. The stuff was already split! Now I can rest my 17HMR and even adjust elevation with the window crank. Don't know how it would hold up to a rifle with a high recoil.

Odds are if you are shootin anything bigger than a .17 or a .223 you shouldn't be shooting from inside your rig anyways, so you're probably fine.

 

[ntsqd]

My .223 would probably crack my windshield with ejected cases.
Doesn't stop me from being jealous of that kind of shooting area.....

 

[ginsudan]

I could not find the nutcerts at my local Ace Hardware. So i went to a body shop close by and they gave me a hand full of panel push pins. I gothe the sheet rubber from Delta Rubber 1.5' x 3' $18. Great fix and i really like the way it looks better than new.

 

[kdonn]

Boat roller body lift

I got this idea from others here on Mud and figured it should be in the <$50 mod thread.

I was considering a slight body lift 1 to 1.5 inches and this looked like an easy DIY project. I bought boat rollers from a boating supply store $25 and grade 8 hardware from Ace $25. Total $50.
Ended up cutting the rollers into 1.25 in. spacers with a chop saw. About a half day to install. Very please with the results.

 

[julstirn]

awesome body lift idea

 

[CMD82]

Any before and after pics?

 

[kdonn]

Any before and after pics?

Here's some before and after pics. Not sure how it'll show in the photos but there is an obvious different in person. I wanted to avoid too much of a gap between the body and the bumpers cause I want to stick with stock bumpers. Stock toyota bodies seem to sit low on the frame compared to say nissans and chevys. To me the 1.25 in. body lift looks better than stock.

Tires = 265/75 16 BFG MT. Rig has AAl's and extended shackles.

First shot is Before. Additonal shots are after.

 

[IrollwithTojo]

I got this idea from others here on Mud and figured it should be in the <$50 mod thread.

I was considering a slight body lift 1 to 1.5 inches and this looked like an easy DIY project. I bought boat rollers from a boating supply store $25 and grade 8 hardware from Ace $25. Total $50.
Ended up cutting the rollers into 1.25 in. spacers with a chop saw. About a half day to install. Very please with the results.

What all did you have to do to install the body lift? I've heard its a huge pain. I've been thinking about doing one because I want a tad more lift

-Carl

 

[kdonn]

What all did you have to do to install the body lift? I've heard its a huge pain. I've been thinking about doing one because I want a tad more lift

-Carl

The only mod of significance was the fan shroud. I cut out a portion of the bottom section of the fan shroud as the fan was hitting it. Would have been easier if the radiatior was removed but managable (though not pretty) with it still installed using a pair of tin snips. Others reported that a BL of 1.5+ inches would require several mods such as lengthening fuel lines etc. The rest was as simple as locating the top side of the body bolts. If you've got a fully carpeted interior (like me) you'll need to remove the front seats and pull back the carpet in areas to locate the bolts. I also removed the battery and tray to access the front body mount bolt. Big help to have an air ratchet. I did everything by myself moving slow as a one man operation.

 

[Spook50]

Here's some before and after pics. Not sure how it'll show in the photos but there is an obvious different in person. I wanted to avoid too much of a gap between the body and the bumpers cause I want to stick with stock bumpers. Stock toyota bodies seem to sit low on the frame compared to say nissans and chevys. To me the 1.25 in. body lift looks better than stock.

Tires = 265/75 16 BFG MT. Rig has AAl's and extended shackles.

First shot is Before. Additonal shots are after.

Do you still have the rubber bushings in place, or did you replace them with the roller slices? If you replaced them completely did you notice a harsher ride?

Also what wheels are those? Are you using spacers?

 

[Spook50]

My turn to post a couple recent ones of my own. The first is a custom cell phone & iPod dash mount similar to what you see alot of newer vehicles with. I went a bit extra and made it big enough to fit two cradles though (one for my cell, another for my iPod).

I used 16ga sheet steel that I picked up at the local hardware store, and after slaughtering about a dozen cardboard templates to get it right, this is what I ended up with for the overall shape.

Here's the cradle I used. I used two at $10 each. Cheap but they work pretty well. A bit of white lithium grease inside keeps them from rattling from road vibrations.

The bracket after being bent to the correct angles and powdercoated. The coating is a bit lighter shade than the rest of my dash, so once I find a more accurate match, I'm going to have it done again along with my Tuffy.

Installed in my dash before attaching the cradles.

A straight-on shot so you can see where I massaged the plastic a bit to make it fit. Just a few strokes with a rough file did the trick nicely.

Cradles installed.

And a couple shots with my cell and iPod in place. You can see my Clarion's iPod interface here too. Works great, though my only complaint is that it doesn't show album art. Hopefully in the near future they'll release a firmware upgrade that'll allow for it.

On a final note, this thing is SOLID. The tabs let me mount it to the vertical dash support that the radio side brackets bolt to, and it doesn't shake, vibrate, or anything. The 16ga steel I think is the perfect material to use for this project.

 

[Spook50]

And another one. This isn't really a mod per se, but it has come in more handy than probably any other tool I've used when it comes to electrical troubleshooting. It's a simple, portable 12V accessory tester. I got an eight-AA batter holder from Radio Shack, along with a pack of 9V style pigtails. Used some 16ga wire, some 1/4" female spade terminals, and a push-button momentary switch.

In the pic it's wired with my multitester to ops check my charge light relay.

Eight new alkaline AAs put out 12.5v, making it perfect for testing anything that uses male spade terminals on its connection. I've used it for relays, motors, and I even used another pigtail to make a combination dash light (LED in my case) and dimmer switch tester.

 

[IrollwithTojo]

Wait...is that...a radar detector in a cruiser?

-Carl

 

[Butt Ugly Chuck]

My turn to post a couple recent ones of my own. The first is a custom cell phone & iPod dash mount similar to what you see alot of newer vehicles with....

And a couple shots with my cell and iPod in place....

On a final note, this thing is SOLID. The tabs let me mount it to the vertical dash support that the radio side brackets bolt to, and it doesn't shake, vibrate, or anything. The 16ga steel I think is the perfect material to use for this project.

That turned out great Spook!

Butt

 

[alaska60]

Wait...is that...a radar detector in a cruiser?

-Carl

I have one! I'm rolling at 95 MPH on the hiway. I have been to 115 mph....too...it was a bit scetchy though.

 

[IrollwithTojo]

I have one! I'm rolling at 95 MPH on the hiway. I have been to 115 mph....too...it was a bit scetchy though.

95...115?!?! Im pushing mine 70-75.....33's with stocker gears

-Carl

 

[LandBruiser69]

You must not have a 429 Cobra Jet in yours!!

 

[Tofudebeest]

my turn to post a couple recent ones of my own. The first is a custom cell phone & ipod dash mount similar to what you see alot of newer vehicles with. I went a bit extra and made it big enough to fit two cradles though (one for my cell, another for my ipod).

on a final note, this thing is solid. The tabs let me mount it to the vertical dash support that the radio side brackets bolt to, and it doesn't shake, vibrate, or anything. The 16ga steel i think is the perfect material to use for this project.

nicely done!!!