Jump to content

Really Good/useful Ideas


Recommended Posts

Just wondering what people had done to their trucks thats really useful to them, or a novel idea that they're proud of?

A few examples I've seen recently are changing the handbrake for a Range Rover item so that you don't hit your leg on the Defender one, fitting a bicycle drinks bottle and holder to the fusebox cover, putting netting on the doors to keep winch gloves in, using metal clips to hold shackles on the rear door and putting one of those bottle openers on the bumper for when you're out camping.

The one I'm most proud of, probably because I thought of it and it's ideal for my vehicle, is moving the towing electrics socket from being cable tied underneath (had to hold onto it somehow after changing the towball and drop plate for a NATO hitch) to mounted on the inside on the rear light cover by the rear seat. Nice and easy to do and only required a few little bolts to mount it and an extension cord to attach it to the trailer when we do tow something as it has to go out through one of the side windows or under the back door.

Perfect for my vehicle because I very rarely tow anything, I can now rely on it when I do need it and it moves another mud trap out of the way. I didn't want to mount it on the bodywork outside, there's no convenient hole in the rear crossmember, and I didn't want it hanging below the NATO hitch.

Socket1.jpg

Socket2.jpg

Another useful tip is that a hi-lift fits in the space behind the front seats where the LR jack is mounted. Nice and secure wedged in there, doesn't get in the way of the rear seats when they're being used and it doesn't get covered in grime outside. Bit of a pain to get out when you do need it, but I only really use it for changing tyres in an emergency. Haven't needed it yet off road, but if I do I can get to it with a little bit of effort.

Disco 2 rear tie down loops (EOZ100000, just under £3 each from LR) are excellent for mounting in the rear tub for securing things to, and don't get in the way much when not in use. I've got some more to floor now too.

Ring1.jpg

Ring2.jpg

So what have you done to yours, doesn't matter how small - it's always the little things that make you think 'thats a good idea' :D

Richard

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Who needs a bottle opener - my csw came with 4 free ones already fitted !

I have an old(er) 110 which, although it has aircon, the grille doesn't stick out as there are no fans fitted.

I have fitted a TD5 aircon-type brush bar, which is rather like an A-bar with extensions to the sides. It also bolts to the top of the bumper at the sides. The bar is made for the aircon grille, and so I have fitted my hi-lift jack between the bar and the grille. Gets it out of the way, and looks good as well.

Also, I have fitted my GPS bracket to the ash tray. I can remove the ash tray and GPS in seconds as it is just clipped in. I don't smoke, btw ! Also, my GPS gets good reception through the windscreen which would be a problem otherwise as it has no provision for an external aerial.

Another mod (done as standard by AAD when the vehicle was made) is that the rear seat is lower and at least 6" further back, so that non-dwarfs can get a bit comfortable and lean back a bit.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Some knackered spotlights with cracked lenses, a pair of plastic cone 6" speakers. Discard the glass, graft the two together, speakers into the spotlight bowls, bolt onto the truck somewhere and youve got instant outdoor tunes from your truck. Stick the spot covers back on and away you go.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

BMW 3-series "coil condom" worked well:

300_Coil.jpg

Also just visible is a Castrol GTX cap on the washer bottle - a much better fit than the genuine cap, which split and broke up.

Caravan flourescent tube lights instead of the normal interior lights - much brighter and minimal battery drain.

l330.jpg

Hozelock pressurized plant sprayers - the type with the lance - are brilliant for getting EP90 into diffs and other places.

They're also damn handy when full of water for cleaning lights, radiator, and number plates after a day's off-roading.

054371.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Ok, heres one of mine, and I KNOW I'm going to get some stick for it

BBQ003Medium.jpg

Winch hook mount on the top of the wing, as I have the freespool engage / disenege inside the cab Air operated soleniod, then why wiould I or winch bitch wnat to rummage in the dirt etc to find the hook...

nice and easy bit of fabrication, hole drilling loop bent up and welding, passivated for £2

Oh and the stick, er , um, well its 4mm plate :lol: , but their was a weight saving try - theres a screw missing.... :D

Nige

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Rather unexciting but useful:

109750-juicebox.jpg

Three permanent power sockets plus switches plus control LED plus digital voltmeter plus handy ground socket for multimeter, squeezed together in a tiny case mounted to the side of the cubby box.

XPedition_Zubehoer_9.jpg

Heavy (really) duty cargo net spread under roof. Great for damp or bulky stuff - sleeping bag, insulation mat, towels, wet laundry. (Dealer's picture.)

tarpklemme.jpg

Favourite: homemade roof clamps. Indispensible for attaching the homemade canvas awning and other stuff. Simple but really sturdy.

BTW: lovely forum!

Norbert

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Possibly the best idea I have seen for stowing the winch hook during comps, is a spring loaded, telescopic mast on the front bar, but tall enough for the driver to see.

When most of the rope is wound onto the drum, the navi drops the hook onto a hook at the top of the mast and jumps back into the truck while the driver continues to wind in. The driver can tell when the slack is taken up because the top section of the mast starts to move down against the spring.

There is also a safety factor because there are no fingers or hands near pinch points when the slack is taken up.

There should still be some give in the spring, making it easy for the navi to unhook before pulling the rope out for the next pull. If not the winch can be spooled out a little before hand and the spring prevents the hook from coming free.

And it is up out of the mud.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Just wondering what people had done to their trucks

It's been mentioned in an earlier post, but I also fitted my GPS bracket straight onto the ashtray.

Because my GPS (tomtomgo) is a bit heavy, it kept coming down from the window where it used to be mounted.

This setup has turned out to be a very solid base.

asbak.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

A tiny modification that I've found very useful: mine has a ladder on the back, a remnant of a previous owner's roofrack. I attached a steel plate to the top step using U bolts so I'd have somewhere to fix a magmount aerial - but it's turned out to be very convenient if you need to put anything small (e.g. tools) down for a moment whilst hunting for the back door key.

(It's also the ideal place to stand a mug of tea :) )

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 - Two double Defender washer jets fitted in place of the original single jets.

2 - Intermittent wipe and wash/wipe fitted courtesy of a simple harness made up for me by Auto-Sparks.

3 - Spring-assisted clutch pedal off a Tdi.

4 - PAS off a Tdi.

5 - Lots of soundproofing.

6 - Buzzer for indicators.

All easy bolt-on mods that make a 1986 MOD 90 more civilised and easier for my petite wife to use for daily school/shopping/work runs.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

put reconditioned injectors into my 2.5 n/a, for £50 for the set of 4, after refund, from Paddocks; I just drove up the mountain today, the engine kept to a cool ~85degrees on a 30km uphill climb on a hot day! :D :D :D

power is quite reasonable too; I think one of the injector washers wasn't there when I changed them, is possibly an additional reason the engine was struggling quite a bit.

a contender would be the racetech temp sender+gauge [that made it clear that the engine wasn't as critical as it had seemed], I'd even suggest, based on the threads I've read, that everyone who ever suspects unusual readings from their OEM temp sender+gauge should replace them with quality stock such as racetech as a matter of course.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I used the courtesy lights from a BMW with little spot lights for both driver and passenger along with regular inside light. Great for night work as the passenger can have their light on without affecting the driver at all

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Neil, I got the buzzer for a few quid from my local accessory shop. It has an earth and two feeds, one for each output from the flasher relay. I can't remember how I did it now but it's hidden behind the little switch panel on the right so I must have intercepted the wires at the hazard warning switch. I think I copped out and used those blue plastic easy-snap connectors. Oh, and I wrapped the buzzer in bubble wrap as it was far too loud. We never drive with indicators flashing now!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Repalcing the cord in a land rover soft top with bungie cord

Makes it easer to put the roff on and off and stays tight . Unlike the cord, does not lossen down the motorway, and rattle

Go down to a yatch chandlers and get mosture packs cost about £2 each and place in the passenger foot well when leaving you defender for a bit. Means when you get in it no more condensation

Link to comment
Share on other sites

AS with Ben, I fitted on the Eales a buzzer linked to the oil pressure warning light,

A throwback to ny comp safari days, when I ripped a sump off and carried on racing with a icckle red light shinning....in the heat of the event I didn't see it, heard the crank explode shortly afterwrads tho :o

The buzzer gives me peace of mind that alls ok without looking, along with the buzzer I fitted a guage too, and on many engibnes (not just V8s) too steep a climb or descent can remove the oil pick up from the oil, instant zero pressure, some also don'y then reprime !

The only error I made waas to fit a 10 PSI switch to the buzzer, when the eales is hot on tickover it chirps away !......drives passengers tottaly nuts ! :lol:

Nige

Link to comment
Share on other sites

So what's the solution for a better oil pressure alarm? If you put, say, a 15psi pressure switch to activate the alarm it will be too high for the low revs pressure and too low for the high revs pressure to save the engine.

I'd be curious to know what others have done, apart from a bigger dahsboard lamp. Any suggestions?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

So what's the solution for a better oil pressure alarm?

On my old 300Tdi a previous owner had fitted a beepy thing which just activated off the std oil pressure switch so when warning light was on, bleeper was on. It was good if some nosey b&gger looking in your vehicle turned the ignition on, because it made them jump and they usually turned it off again quick :lol:

Mind you having had my oil pressure sender in the new one replaced under warranty earlier this week (10,000 miles) because the light didn't come on with the engine not running, then did come on when you started it, flickered a few times, and went off again, the reliability of 300Tdi oil pressure senders is a bit questionable :unsure:

I think I may get a bleeper or buzzer for mine at some stage as I always thought it was a good idea - if you are driving into a setting sun (particularly the Gas Mark 9 just under the ozone hole southern hemisphere setting sun) it would be very easy to miss an ickle red light on the dash and I'd rather not have an "audible warning" from big end bearings etc :blink:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

So what's the solution for a better oil pressure alarm? If you put, say, a 15psi pressure switch to activate the alarm it will be too high for the low revs pressure and too low for the high revs pressure to save the engine.

I'd be curious to know what others have done, apart from a bigger dahsboard lamp. Any suggestions?

the answer, get in there fit an 8PSI or even a 5 PSI switch.....

Prob won't getting used to it now, at least I know its working, Hot V8s at tickover 5-6 psi is not unusual

Nige

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Brand new RR rear view mirror which incorporates 2 downward facing lamps individually switched. Fitted the NAS bonded windscreen bracket and as the NAS is a soft-top the interior light is above the screen and dead easy to wire up. Bought one new from Gumtree for a fiver! Result! Chris Watts was so impressed he got one also, excellent for map reading. Probably all gone now was 6 years ago.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think I copped out and used those blue plastic easy-snap connectors. Oh, and I wrapped the buzzer in bubble wrap as it was far too loud. We never drive with indicators flashing now!

Cool, I love scotchblocks and the massively increased risk of electrical fires they represent. ;)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

When i first got my TD5 and doing the odd gentle greenlane i was forever either having to rewire the tow pack electrics or at the minimum clean them out after the mud had been forced through them, normally bending the bracket in the process. so i moved them to the convenient hole already in the cross member:

TD5electrics.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

We use cookies to ensure you get the best experience. By using our website you agree to our Cookie Policy