What have you done to your 200 Series this week? (22 Viewers)

[ethernectar]

Looking forward to my first camping trip in the new rig. Headed to Overland West in a couple weeks and won't have a full-size rack on for a bit, so wanted to mount my old Yakima Basketcase up there. Unfortunately, the $30 Yakima adapters don't fit the crossbars and I don't want to buy new crossbar mounts when I would only use them for a few months, so ZIPTIES TO THE RESCUE!

ZipTieBasketcase by Matt Frederick, on Flickr

 

[Markuson]

Looking forward to my first camping trip in the new rig. Headed to Overland West in a couple weeks and won't have a full-size rack on for a bit, so wanted to mount my old Yakima Basketcase up there. Unfortunately, the $30 Yakima adapters don't fit the crossbars and I don't want to buy new crossbar mounts when I would only use them for a few months, so ZIPTIES TO THE RESCUE!

ZipTieBasketcase by Matt Frederick, on Flickr

Hope that's a stout zip tie!!

 

[Canyonero]

Replaced first recovery point with ARB unit. Flush and STOUT... (Thanks Kurt from @cruiseroutfit)

View attachment 1253253

Compare side view for clearance:

Stock:
View attachment 1253240

ARB:
View attachment 1253243

Compare left stock to right:
View attachment 1253245

I supposed you could just remove the lower point piece on the stock unit (two pieces), but the main stock ring has welds holding it together, where the ARB is literally just a single hunk of steel.

Not cheap, at $85+ per side, but wow. Makes the stock point seem rather convoluted and "weldy":

View attachment 1253258

Ordering a second for the right side...

I know a lot of guys replace the factory recovery points. Has anyone seen one fail? They seem plenty stout to me, so just curious why people opt for the expense of replacing them.

 

[Markuson]

I know a lot of guys replace the factory recovery points. Has anyone seen one fail? They seem plenty stout to me, so just curious why people opt for the expense of replacing them.

Well if one DOES fail, it could kill someone...

Totally open to the over-kill viewpoint, but really what convinced me was 2 things.

-Seeing how **hard** a massive diesel had to yank (not just pull, but YANK (snatch) my rig to recover when when I did this on Valentine's Day (that's my front tire)...

It was the nastiest stuff I've ever seen, and required MASSIVE snatching to even budge at all. The stuff was like epoxy & people were ducking for fear something might come flying.

-The other reason was the stock points hang down about two inches lower in front than the ARBs, becoming the lowest point in front of the skids. Seemed like an easy way to avoid pointed grinding. Maybe overkill... I dunno.

 

[gaijin]

ZIPTIES TO THE RESCUE!

That looks like a very, very, very bad idea ...

 

[ethernectar]

That looks like a very, very, very bad idea ...

Actually I'd venture to say that these zip ties will do well. Each has something north of a 200lb breaking strength. They're each 1/2" wide and 1/16" thick, and there's four of them - and I always carry extras - - and I won't be carrying that much heavy gear on the roof.

 

[Willy beamin]

U bolts and nuts might be a safer cheap alternative for your trip.

 

[TexAZ]

@Markuson if you still have the stock front bumper, the stock or even better Tundra recovery points help protect all that plastic.
The tundra rings definitely protrude lower than stock, but have kept my bumper off the rocks/drop offs more than once. I'd rather repaint the rings, than deal with busted plastic. for the guys with aftermarket bumpers, no need to have the giant loops hanging down.

If you've already spent $$$$ on a bumper another 160 on recovery points may just be another drop in the bucket.

 

[Markuson]

@Markuson if you still have the stock front bumper, the stock or even better Tundra recovery points help protect all that plastic.
The tundra rings definitely protrude lower than stock, but have kept my bumper off the rocks/drop offs more than once. I'd rather repaint the rings, than deal with busted plastic. for the guys with aftermarket bumpers, no need to have the giant loops hanging down.

If you've already spent $$$$ on a bumper another 160 on recovery points may just be another drop in the bucket.

Ya...No front bumper yet, but that will be added eventually.
These do protrude under the bumper similar to stock rings...

Shot of extension under bumper. They just don't have a second ring sticking downward.

 

[gaijin]

Can you fit one of these into that recovery point?

 

[Canyonero]

Well if one DOES fail, it could kill someone...

Totally open to the over-kill viewpoint, but really what convinced me was 2 things.

-Seeing how **hard** a massive diesel had to yank (not just pull, but YANK (snatch) my rig to recover when when I did this on Valentine's Day (that's my front tire)...
View attachment 1253277

It was the nastiest stuff I've ever seen, and required MASSIVE snatching to even budge at all. The stuff was like epoxy & people were ducking for fear something might come flying.

-The other reason was the stock points hang down about two inches lower in front than the ARBs, becoming the lowest point in front of the skids. Seemed like an easy way to avoid pointed grinding. Maybe overkill... I dunno.

So when you were stuck and towed out--this was with the stock recovery points, and there was no failure?

I think some of the aftermarket recovery points look great and are no doubt stronger than stock. I know @kevinfoutch has the HD Tundra hooks on his truck and they are beefy for sure.

 

[Markuson]

So when you were stuck and towed out--this was with the stock recovery points, and there was no failure?

I think some of the aftermarket recovery points look great and are no doubt stronger than stock. I know @kevinfoutch has the HD Tundra hooks on his truck and they are beefy for sure.

No. The front points were not used. I recovered out of that mess from the rear. But the level of yank required to get loose of the glue-like mud made me think about a similarly ridiculous recovery from the front. I don't mean to be dramatic here. It just made me think more about those front points, and I thought they just didn't look as stout as they could be.

Others here have switched to Tundra points that are larger/stronger...so in that same thought, these seem even stronger--no welds at all--plus they don't waste clearance like the factory points.

 

[Markuson]

Can you fit one of these into that recovery point?

Yes. The ARB recovery point hole is elongated specifically to accommodate the wider threaded piece.

Here's the hole shape:

Goes right in the elongated hole.
Then just flip it over and fasten:

Here:

You can freely rotate the ring once it's in, and the strap appropriately goes on the screw end.

 

[dukmon]

I broke one off the front of my 80 pulling a privet shrub/tree out of the ground.

I do epic stuff........

 

[gaijin]

Got it! Thanks for the pics - much easier to understand the size now

 

[Markuson]

Got it! Thanks for the pics - much easier to understand the size now

I had the same problem figuring out the size before it arrived. It was bigger than I expected.

 

[BTUMAN]

Ultragauge Blue Install and results- This week I did a few things- one of which was installing the new Ultragauge Blue. This is the new Bluetoooth version of the well accepted wired Ultragauge. I understand it has only been out about 6 months. One of the great features is that you can download Manufacture specific gauges not availible on the wired version- most notably Transmission Temperature!

You must order direct from the factory and it comes rather quickly- but the instructions need to be downloaded from the web site. It is pretty intuitive- got it working without instructions. This thing is very cool in that you can customize any gauge, group them how you want, even set alarms and have the screen scan from one page to another. All the features of the other Ultragauge and more.

It is basically what I I really wanted as I don't have to mount to my dash or steering column- just use my phone on my existing Ram mount. Since I used my iPad for Navigation while over landing- my phone becomes the Ultragauge screen.
Did I mention you can download other people's screens and upload yours too their cloud to share with your friends?

In my book, the Ultragauge Blue is Ultra-cool.

 

[kevinfoutch]

^2 on UltraGauge Blue. All the cool things @BTUMAN and more. The only tricky part was that I had a heck of a time calibrating average mpg, but that was because I wasn't reading the instructions clearly. (Two of the referenced menus are very similar and I used the wrong one - follow the directions *exactly* and you'll be set). Also, I set a rev monitor at 4k rpm so I get an alarm when I drive like a horse's a$$.

edit: I use the iMagnet mount that works with my Galaxy S6, even with my LifeProof case without any interference.

 

[Markuson]

^2 on UltraGauge Blue. All the cool things @BTUMAN and more. The only tricky part was that I had a heck of a time calibrating average mpg, but that was because I wasn't reading the instructions clearly. (Two of the referenced menus are very similar and I used the wrong one - follow the directions *exactly* and you'll be set). Also, I set a rev monitor at 4k rpm so I get an alarm when I drive like a horse's a$$.

edit: I use the iMagnet mount that works with my Galaxy S6, even with my LifeProof case without any interference.

Thanks for posting this. I've been interested in that bluetooth version, so it's good to know you're having success.

I'm thinking of repurposing an old iPhone or iPad to permanently live in my LC for this.

Any additional info you discover is appreciate.

**I think this would make a great thread all its own for follow-up. What do you think?

 

[Tierra Cruiser]

First of many Accessories...

Bought a sun shade for the 200. It is a "Dickies" brand from Wal-Mart. I've tried a few others (Autozone), but this a perfect fit for the 200's windshield. The shade is brown on one side and shiny foil on the other with a plastic buckle to hold it shut while folded. Cost $13.00-$14.00. Measurements 26.8" x 57.9"...

Thanks for sharing this...I had been looking for something that fit the LC's windshield without shelling out $50-$60. I picked one of these up (in black) this week. It turned out to be on clearance for $6, great deal!