Little things - Creative DIY modifications

[Strahan Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close Strahan]

I thought it might be interesting to hear about the little things that people have done to improve their vehicles.

I'm not talking about diffs, suspension etc. but more like;
I have removed the grab handle above the drivers door because I hit my head on it on big bumps.

I fitted one of those re-openable, sitck-on cable holders inside the center console to hold keys up so you don't have to pull everything out to find them.

My extension speaker is under the console in front of the stubby stick. Can still hear it well and it out of the way.

Anyone have any other great,little ideas that they want to share?

[P1 Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close P1]

Strahan,
Good idea, I'd also like to hear what others have done.

3 items I have planned - when my GXL finally arrives - are:

1. Reading lights in the back for the kids. (My Paj had them as standard.)
I have been looking at making up a bracket that clamps to the bars of the rear head rests on which I'll attach a flexible halogen light. Like this one which costs about $35 and is 5W 12V.


2. Some sort of shield or reflector to block the front map light from shining into the driver's eyes. :roll:

3. An inclinometer. I'm not sure how reliable and accurate these are but it would give me some comfort to know how far I can go. Another $48.- As far as mounting this is concerned, I would prefer not to stick it onto the top of the dash (I might have to) but I was also thinking of using a suction cup of the type that you can get for mobiles and PDA's.


Has anyone done something similar? :shock:

Bye the way - I like your web site. A really professional look and great photos.

[Just*Managing Member Find all posts View Profile Close Just*Managing]

I haven't done any yet but I'd like to create some sort of basket in the centre glove box so that you can separate the stuff. Its an enormous space but its a bit like a womans handbag when you need to find anything.

Not really qualifying in this category but close, I have put my recovery straps etc & my tools ina couple of old laptop bags. They are skinny enough to fit under the last row of seats so they are well out of sight & secured low. Laptop bags are available for next to nothing at most Good Sammy stores .

[Drew Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close Drew]

Great idea for a thread! And some great suggestions too! My centre console looks like a mad woman's breakfast too! :lol:

My little mod was my first ever mod: I work shift work and arrive home after midnight. When you turn the ignition off the interior lights automatically come on. The poor design of the reading lights mean they throw light everywhere, and back into my eyes. I don't need that after 40 mins of country road driving. So I made some black cardboard shields to fit inside the lenses so the lights only shine on the dash and your lap. The lights can now also be used when driving without killing the driver's vision.

I took some photos at the time but forgot to post them. I'll upload them when I get a chance.

Drew.

[Strahan Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close Strahan]

Thanks P1! :lol:

The website is being redone tonight as its a little bit out of date. ops:

Lots has changed since it was last done. The lux has evolved into a 120 series! :shock:

[MickL Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close MickL]

Here's some ideas for those looking for a weekend project:








Mick

[Drew Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close Drew]

Well done Mick.

I've been looking for somewhere better to mount my fire extinguisher and MagLite - they are currently on the back side of the cargo barrier (pain in the arse to get to).

Do you find the MagLite gets in the way if you need to use that particular foot tread?

I use that foot tread when I'm putting my daughter's baby seat in the 120, having the 60mm lift makes it a bit hard to reach sometimes. I guess when I fit my new steps I will be able to use them as they are higher than the OEM ones.

Love your mounting spot for the comms speaker, that's awesome - I might do the same, my HF radio is there so it would be natural for the speaker to be directly behind it.

Keep up the great work,

Drew.

[Just*Managing Member Find all posts View Profile Close Just*Managing]

Fire Extinguisher

Great idea Mick. I notice MALZ in WA have a fathers day special of 2 oneKG Fire Extinguishers with metal bracket for $40- (both). Thats better than their 2KG one for $69-
Mike

[MickL Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close MickL]

Thanks Drew.

I don't use the step (draws and barrier) But you could mount the Maglite higher up, tucked up under the seat as I have with the fire extinguisher maybe?

The speaker is a standard ext speaker that I dismantled out of its casing. There's plenty of room behind that piece of plastic to flush mount it.

Mick.

[P1 Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close P1]

Firstly, Trojan thanks for your insights on the inclinometer.

Great ideas Mick, and the photos are A1 too.
Is the fire extinguisher 1 or 2kg?

[MickL Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close MickL]

P1

1kg, I have two of them. One lives in the cargo draws. I figure by the time I get in the back and get it out things could get nasty. Best to have one close at hand.

Mick

[Jacto Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Jacto]

Great idea for the speaker, I have done a temporary mount by attaching an old Nokia extension speaker to two of the removable dummy plugs so after seeing this I am going to go looking for a suitable flush mounting speaker.

Also been looking for a suitable spot for the fire extinguisher as it currently resides under the driver's seat. Great stuff

[P1 Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close P1]

Thanks Mick.

One small thing I have found particularly useful came from my wife.

On my Paj, the sun visor was not long enough when swung across to the side window. There was a significant gap to the pillar exactly where my head was - end result - annoying sun glare usually late in the arvo.

My wife made up a little curtain - 18cm high - which is threaded onto a piece of elastic. This was tied between the sun visor bracket and the hand-grips next to the B pillar. (Just like the old days with the curtains in the back of the "shagn wagon". :wink: )

:!: 18cm high was perfect for me in the Paj, as I could easily drop my head a couple of cm to see under it. I'll need to see if this is right for the Prado.

What I discovered after installing this arrangement was that it was so so easy to use. :shock:
The mini curtain is normally pushed back out of the way beside the B pillar, but as soon as the sun starts to come in, I can deploy it in a split second. I used it almost every morning going to work - just after dawn. In the city with its E-W, N-S grid road system its invaluable and you can also use it in combination with the normal visor on twisty open roads when the sun is coming in over the drivers corner.

[Guest Close Guest]

Only small thing I can think of is the extra button added next to the 2nd start button (original toyota prado switch out of a wreck).
I have it set to copy a button on a remote keyfob unit that is velcro'd behind the dash near the fuse box.
It sends a Radio (Uhf) command to my Home auto system to tell it to do the following:

Open front electric sliding gate.
Turn on (fade up) driveway ground illuminators to 80% brightness (Kinda like small runway edge marker lights).Open the Carport roller door.
Fade on Carport lights to 50%.

Gate shuts automatically after I have passed it's safety beam and driveway lights fade off one minute later.
I hit a button on the wall to shut the carport door and carport lights fade off 4 mins later.

(You can guess I do this kinda stuff for a living can't you??)!

[Jacto Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Jacto]

Hi MickL

Do you have any specs on that speaker setup? I have been looking around today in electronics and automotive hi-fi shops but nothing looks similar. You said it came out of a dismantled extension speaker, any ideas what the ext speaker came from and is the face cover from the original unit?