Builds DMC Build Thread (2 Viewers)

[dmc]

yeah why not post a few glamour shots. I usually post these in the 200 Series pic thread but maybe I'll add them here. I tend to wander solo so I don't have many action shots. Just a bunch of static pics

 

[CruiserReady]

Not the best photos but they'll illustrate the point. I have SPC UCAs and suspension description is in the first post of this thread. I am currently waiting on backordered BP51s but this something I'm going to have to address with bump stops, some sort of plated reinforcement, or maturity. Not sure that last one will happen. My UCAs, at full compression, are impacting the inner fender and punched holes through both sides. This is the driver's side below the brake lines. I did a quick forum search between conference calls a few months ago and didn't find many results for this same issue but perhaps others have had similar issues.

View attachment 2729633View attachment 2729634

Dammit. After seeing this, I feel like I need to take the springs off my coilovers and cycle the suspension to see if this might happen with my setup. With how I drive, this could certainly be a concern for me.

 

[dmc]

A couple of updates to the truck. Some I'm quite happy with. Others not so much (see next post). Installed some Wheelers Offroad Bumpstops after reading through @kreiten's thread on his truck. Should have done it right away. Huge difference. So much so we ran them in a local off-road race with Canguro racing and even though Monica won't comply with some racing Org rules but those that do we'll run them all day long. Well worth the money. Installed happened to coincide with my BP51 install. Ran into a bit of snag there. Too many washers come on rear shocks and after way too much fighting them to fit right (and then confirming with other posts on MUD) that two collar washers ship but only one is required. Love the performance. Took a bit to get them dialed. Compression is 2 front and rear and rebound is 8 front and 9 rear.

 

[dmc]

I'll have to figure out how to attach a video because it explains it so much better than my words. I had to replace my PS headlight. The vibration from all the off road driving (I just passed 150k miles) wore down the internal bracketry for the projectors. You can see all the plastic powder in the second pic. The design is not great. up/down and fore/aft vibration is essentially dampened by plastic tabs. At some point the internal projector wiring shorted out so that after a big bump the light would shut off and not refire unless I restarted the car. I don't know if it was a safety thing or just a flat out short. It reached the point that only small bumps would cause the light to shut off. I had a friend split the lenses open to try and fix them. He has a business putting projector lights into old halogen lenses. He thought he would have to bake it to get it open, that's his normal process, but the 200 light doesn't fit into a standard oven. He was able to get it apart with a heat gun and some gasoline to melt the adhesive. My highbeam projector had cracked in half and he was hesitant to open the actual projector. I'll see if I can get a pic. He use a 1/2" piece of angled aluminum to support the up/down vibration. Fix worked on the DS lens. Any noticeable vibration is gone. Sadly the PS lens lasted about 6 hours then hit a rough seam on the interstate and my PS light died again.

The first indication I had my lights were failing was I would notice flickering on freeway signs when driving late at night and I was the only car on the road. Then after a really rough wheeling weekend I guess the PS decided it had lived enough of a good life. The light PN has been superseded twice so I'm optimistic the internal design has been updated since 2016. I guess I'll find out. I guess after 150,000 hard miles I shouldn't be too upset to have my first part failure but it still sucks to have to drop the coin on a new light.

I just picked up an 85 FJ60 survivor truck. So a week later I also installed new OEM lights in an older truck. About $1400 price difference between the light projects. In a very frustrating way tearing apart my grill and Dissent front bumper was quicker than swapping out two old round lights. Rust and old plastic are the enemy of efficiency.

 

[dmc]

you can see how much play is in the light in this video...

 

[dmc]

Lastly I made a change to my drawer set up to match what I had in my 2013 200. I'm getting too old to have to climb up on the tailgate to access my fridge. So I pulled out a full height ARB drawer and went to a roll top. Also moving from an ARB to National Luna dual zone fridge. I've been using an ARB since 2006 so it's a big change but looking forward to a dual zone set up. The real thing I'm sharing is I bought an Atlas 46 tool roll to fit in the drawer. I started with a cheap version from amazon and the idea work but wanted to go with quality. I'm not going to lie. The price tag on the Atlas 46 was a bit of shock but I'm stoked with the product and the application. Almst all of the crap in the first pic is now in the tool roll.

Oh and some glamour shots too

 

[Artie]

Lastly I made a change to my drawer set up to match what I had in my 2013 200. I'm getting too old to have to climb up on the tailgate to access my fridge. So I pulled out a full height ARB drawer and went to a roll top. Also moving from an ARB to National Luna dual zone fridge. I've been using an ARB since 2006 so it's a big change but looking forward to a dual zone set up. The real thing I'm sharing is I bought an Atlas 46 tool roll to fit in the drawer. I started with a cheap version from amazon and the idea work but wanted to go with quality. I'm not going to lie. The price tag on the Atlas 46 was a bit of shock but I'm stoked with the product and the application. Almst all of the crap in the first pic is now in the tool roll.

Oh and some glamour shots tooView attachment 2798520View attachment 2798521View attachment 2798522View attachment 2798523View attachment 2798524

I’ve been drooling over those bags for a while but have waited on buying until I get drawers. Seeing how nicely that fits might have pushed me over the edge. Which bag is it, they have a few of various widths.

 

[dmc]

I’ve been drooling over those bags for a while but have waited on buying until I get drawers. Seeing how nicely that fits might have pushed me over the edge. Which bag is it, they have a few of various widths.

I got the Yorktown. 16x19x3. it's ever so slightly snug height-wise but I have it on top of a breaker bar, bolt cutters and large set of channel locks to keep down the vibration. Without those underneath it's the perfect fit.

 

[radman]

@dmc, do you have AFS (adaptive front lighting) where there low's auto-level and turn with steering (i can't tell from your video). I thought I had a bad bulb, but I'm still getting some vibration on my DS low beam. Wondering if I have a similar issue going on...

 

[dmc]

@dmc, do you have AFS (adaptive front lighting) where there low's auto-level and turn with steering (i can't tell from your video). I thought I had a bad bulb, but I'm still getting some vibration on my DS low beam. Wondering if I have a similar issue going on...

I do not have lights that turn with steering. Must be a later year feature. What year is your 200? If you're noticing flicker it's probably the same issue I had. If you can catch it early you'll be good. My left light is still working great with the fix and I've done a lot of hard miles since my band-aid repair and it's been fine.

 

[radman]

I do not have lights that turn with steering. Must be a later year feature. What year is your 200? If you're noticing flicker it's probably the same issue I had. If you can catch it early you'll be good. My left light is still working great with the fix and I've done a lot of hard miles since my band-aid repair and it's been fine.

2015 LX570. I believe the new bulbs fixed the flicker, but I'm still seeing a vibration over bumpy roads. Looking at your video again, it's possible that I have movement in the same place as you did (green circle) and that my steering motor/pivots sit in the red areas...

 

[OEMGUY0720]

Do you have a side profile shot on the ARB Intensities and the front grille? And did you drill a new hole to mount them? I am curious to see once I receive my dissent if I can put in the same lights.

 

[dmc]

Do you have a side profile shot on the ARB Intensities and the front grille? And did you drill a new hole to mount them? I am curious to see once I receive my dissent if I can put in the same lights.

Did not have to drill any holes. They fit but just barely

 

[OEMGUY0720]

^^Appreciate you sharing those photos. Gives me a better idea how it will sit on the bumper.

 

[dmc]

^^Appreciate you sharing those photos. Gives me a better idea how it will sit on the bumper.

Happy to help.

 

[dmc]

Haven't posted an update in a while but excited about this mod. Just crossed over 243k miles and as you can see in the first photo the foam was pretty much gone from my seats despite the leather being in great shape. I had a local company redo my seats. New foam, more bolster and new leather. I need to get better pics as the color appears much closer to oem in real life.

Cost for both was slightly more than just one Scheel-Mann seat which seem to be all the rage. They bolt right back in and all the switches work. Very happy with the results. Ignore the cluttered truck. Using it too much like a truck lately trying to move a bunch of stuff between states