- Thread starter
- #221
Man I've been trying to get a feature for a while
Automotive Photography — Patch Agan
www.patchagan.com
Anyone know anyone at TLCA or other orgs?
I might know someone lol @Green Hell Mustang
Builds Sandy the Tan FJ60
- Thread starter Hokie LX
- Start date
This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate
links, including eBay, Amazon, Skimlinks, and others.
I might know someone lol @Green Hell Mustang
Green Hell Mustang
Designer, Hack Photographer
PM sentMan I've been trying to get a feature for a while
Automotive Photography — Patch Agan
Anyone know anyone at TLCA or other orgs?
- Thread starter
- #223
Sandy earned her name with a last minute beach trip to the OBX with my brother.
Stopped for sandwiches for lunch and saw a nice tan beetle too!
Stopped for sandwiches for lunch and saw a nice tan beetle too!
Redwood
Amateur 4Wheeler/Pitmaster
- Thread starter
- #225
- Thread starter
- #226
New radio day!
The old Sony head unit was at least 10 years old and didn't have bluetooth so on road trips I had to decide between music or charging my phone. Finally got the motivation to swap it out.
Bought an Alpine UTE-73 from Crutchfield and got it installed. It looks like one of the POs hacked out the old radio power wiring and there were a bunch of splices and dead ends on the now open wires. I tore it all out and ran new power through my blue sea fuse block and then accessory power off of the cigarette lighter wiring. Added bonus is now I have a clock in the truck!
The speakers that someone had installed previously also had at least 3 splices/connections of wiring on each side which was horrible so I ran new fresh speaker wiring to the door speakers and wrapped the exposed portion in the door jamb with Tesa tape.
While I was at it I decided to put in a 8" JL sub and an amplifier that I had from a previous car. I got lucky and the width was a perfect match to the compartment that I had made when I first built the drawer/platform setup. I used 4awg wire for the main power to the amp and put it through an 80amp ANL fuse up on my wiring bracket with my other wiring/fuse blocks. The sub combined with the additional power to the door speakers that the newer head unit supplies results in much better sound and the bass helps the music stay above the road/engine noise. I put the amp in a stuff pocket I had on the side of my drawer platform setup and I cut the top and hinged it to make it a flip up access pocket.
Stereo:
Amp and new hinged flap
Sub and overall setup. The sub is secured to the sides of the pocket it sits in so it won't bounce around and then I just whipped up some trim pieces for the top gap to prevent stuff from collecting or falling in the extra space.
The old Sony head unit was at least 10 years old and didn't have bluetooth so on road trips I had to decide between music or charging my phone. Finally got the motivation to swap it out.
Bought an Alpine UTE-73 from Crutchfield and got it installed. It looks like one of the POs hacked out the old radio power wiring and there were a bunch of splices and dead ends on the now open wires. I tore it all out and ran new power through my blue sea fuse block and then accessory power off of the cigarette lighter wiring. Added bonus is now I have a clock in the truck!
The speakers that someone had installed previously also had at least 3 splices/connections of wiring on each side which was horrible so I ran new fresh speaker wiring to the door speakers and wrapped the exposed portion in the door jamb with Tesa tape.
While I was at it I decided to put in a 8" JL sub and an amplifier that I had from a previous car. I got lucky and the width was a perfect match to the compartment that I had made when I first built the drawer/platform setup. I used 4awg wire for the main power to the amp and put it through an 80amp ANL fuse up on my wiring bracket with my other wiring/fuse blocks. The sub combined with the additional power to the door speakers that the newer head unit supplies results in much better sound and the bass helps the music stay above the road/engine noise. I put the amp in a stuff pocket I had on the side of my drawer platform setup and I cut the top and hinged it to make it a flip up access pocket.
Stereo:
Amp and new hinged flap
Sub and overall setup. The sub is secured to the sides of the pocket it sits in so it won't bounce around and then I just whipped up some trim pieces for the top gap to prevent stuff from collecting or falling in the extra space.
Redwood
Amateur 4Wheeler/Pitmaster
I was really close to doing this same thing, but the current radio also provides weather station, so I opted to add these two in the truck for Bluetooth audio. Since they pair together we can jam even at 65 mph. The batteries last about 20hrs so long enough and fit in the center console locking portion for security.
Nice work - my stereo needs some work (old head unit and intermittent driver's door speaker), getting by with a bluetooth-FM transmitter for audio from my phone.
- Thread starter
- #229
That's not a bad solution at all and doubles as campsite music as well!
Thanks! It was something I wanted to do since I got the truck but just never got around to doing it until now. I was rocking an aux cord before!
- Thread starter
- #230
Couple updates. I jumped on a deal posted here on mud for an old style ARB front bumper for FREE!
I reached out to the seller and he mentioned that he also had an unadvertised rear bumper as well that I could have if I wanted it. Turned out to be a Kaymar rear! Drove down to GA yesterday to grab them and I'm stoked on the find!
Less exciting but today I changed the fuel filter out for the first time since I swapped it the day I bought the truck. Definitely some debris in there and the outer body of the filter is actually collapsed a little. Good time for a change.
I reached out to the seller and he mentioned that he also had an unadvertised rear bumper as well that I could have if I wanted it. Turned out to be a Kaymar rear! Drove down to GA yesterday to grab them and I'm stoked on the find!
Less exciting but today I changed the fuel filter out for the first time since I swapped it the day I bought the truck. Definitely some debris in there and the outer body of the filter is actually collapsed a little. Good time for a change.
Gretsch
SILVER Star
A Kaymar you could just "have if you wanted it". Um... yes please. Now thats a find. Awesome.
- Thread starter
- #233
Thanks!
It was actually a thread posted on mud. I didn't even know the person giving them away. Just a lucky find from someone in our local club who spotted the ad and shared it in our clubhouse. Then I was the first one to message the guy that I'd come and get them. The rear bumper was really just icing on the cake
SOLD - Atlanta (Buckhead) - ARB Bumper (Free)
Free It’s now off my LC and free to anyone who wants to come get it
forum.ih8mud.com
Dude that’s the score of a lifetime. I’d be interested in buying either if you aren’t using them!
- Thread starter
- #235
The next trip for Sandy is at the end of this month for Logan's Run which is a private event that our local club puts on. I have a laundry list of things to do on the truck before then so I worked on crossing a few of them off this week.
I did a valve adjustment before GSMTR earlier this year but, being my first time doing valves, I think I overcompensated with the screwdriver while I tightened the nut on a few of them and made them loosen up as I just checked them again and 4 valves needed to be tightened up. I also used the trick of bumping the truck back and forth in 4th gear to rotate the engine and that made it extremely easy to turn over.
As you can see, my shiny engine bay is still showing signs of mud from GSMTR.
Next up was finally replacing my brake booster. I did the entire braking system minus hard lines from front to back when I redid my axles but the initial booster I purchased was defective and I just now got around to installing the warranty replacement. I'm shocked at how good the brakes are now with a functioning booster. It'll lock up the tires and the pedal feel is much softer now. I did some fine tuning of the booster rod and I think it needs a smidge more adjustment then it'll be good to go and it'll get locked down with all 4 nuts.
And what came out. Old and nasty
Next up was to repair some of the damage from GSMTR. I ran out of time before the event and didn't get a chance to trim my ubolts after replacing them. As predicted, I caught them on a rock and bent one all to hell and it stretched the bolt a good bit. Had to cut it out and put two new ones in.
Lastly I finally replaced my "break-in" H55 trans fluid. I lubed it up initially with some store fluid for the 500 mile break in. After 1500 miles I finally got around to replacing it with some Mobil Delvac SAE50 goodness
The rest of the to-do list is mainly comfort items like lowering the GMRS radio mount, maybe making a 2nd row extension for my drawer setup, and the stretch goal is to strip and re-paint the Kaymar bumper and mount it.
I did a valve adjustment before GSMTR earlier this year but, being my first time doing valves, I think I overcompensated with the screwdriver while I tightened the nut on a few of them and made them loosen up as I just checked them again and 4 valves needed to be tightened up. I also used the trick of bumping the truck back and forth in 4th gear to rotate the engine and that made it extremely easy to turn over.
As you can see, my shiny engine bay is still showing signs of mud from GSMTR.
Next up was finally replacing my brake booster. I did the entire braking system minus hard lines from front to back when I redid my axles but the initial booster I purchased was defective and I just now got around to installing the warranty replacement. I'm shocked at how good the brakes are now with a functioning booster. It'll lock up the tires and the pedal feel is much softer now. I did some fine tuning of the booster rod and I think it needs a smidge more adjustment then it'll be good to go and it'll get locked down with all 4 nuts.
And what came out. Old and nasty
Next up was to repair some of the damage from GSMTR. I ran out of time before the event and didn't get a chance to trim my ubolts after replacing them. As predicted, I caught them on a rock and bent one all to hell and it stretched the bolt a good bit. Had to cut it out and put two new ones in.
Lastly I finally replaced my "break-in" H55 trans fluid. I lubed it up initially with some store fluid for the 500 mile break in. After 1500 miles I finally got around to replacing it with some Mobil Delvac SAE50 goodness
The rest of the to-do list is mainly comfort items like lowering the GMRS radio mount, maybe making a 2nd row extension for my drawer setup, and the stretch goal is to strip and re-paint the Kaymar bumper and mount it.
cruiserinsanity
SILVER Star
What are your plans for the POs home brew rear bumper?
- Thread starter
- #237
I’m not sure yet but I’ve had at least 6-8 people say they want it.
4runner2FJ60
SILVER Star
Good thread! How are you fine tuning the brake booster? I have the same one as you and sometimes it is so touchy I have to be careful not to hit the pedal too hard when switching between my DD and the cruiser. Is it the pin distance adjustment on the back? THANKS!
- Thread starter
- #240
Yes, so the adjustable rod that goes in the back of the master cylinder needs to be adjusted to the FSM spec. There should be a clearance between the two (I think it's something like 0.001-0.003") and, if improperly adjusted, it can make the brakes not fully engage with the allowable pedal travel or it can be really touchy and potentially not fully release the brakes when you let off the pedal.
It sounds like yours may need to be retracted just a hair. Play with it and see what feels best while still providing max braking. As you can see in my pic above, I only have 2 nuts on the master side while I'm taking it on and off to adjust.
With this new booster on mine, the brakes definitely have a softer pedal feel that I'm not used to until they start to really engage but I wouldn't call them touchy. Just feel more modern with the assist.
