Easelman's Black H.D. Machine

[easelman]

Chats, the front windshield isnt protected, so you break out the front. I think the chance that I get caught in my FJ is about 100 million to 1, while getting things stolen meth atics tossing rocks through your side window is much more common.

[easelman]

The Cobra is in the truck.

I did the standard Walcot Bigbillcombo with the bandi mount, ran the wires inside the cab (took 2 minutes with a coat hanger) but wanted to install the CB out of the way. I hate hanging wires and to many things just screwed on.

Pic 1 (from left to right) - The finished product. This is my driver side door with a mounted speaker Trucker Speaker CB980 Most Popular Small Speaker with the cobra 75.

Pic 2 - The detachable hand CB can be taken off with my firestick when not on the trail. Along with the CB handset mount.

Pic 3 - I took off the cubby hole in the drivers side door handle and flush mounted the small speaker. Here you see the speaker on one side, the small detachable door piece with the speaker cover (I took apart the speaker)

Pic 4 - I mounted the connector for the speaker, power, and cb inside the door. Bolted onto a metal panel. I ran the power wire and the antena wire out the door through the long rubber grommet (where all the wires to the door go through)

Pic 5 - Here is the detached cubby area for the door with the CB wire connector mount. The black wire going off the screen on the bottom is attached.

It took about 4 hours (I'm a biginner of wiring) but had no problem cutting the plastics and mounting things. It did take a big of guts to cut apart your perfectly good FJ.

I had to remove a clump of foam padding (its one piece that screws off) I dont know how it will affect the sound inside the FJ (I couldnt tell with lite driving but not sure of Freeway driving). Its possible to cut notches in the foam to fit everything or to put some soft batting type material.

This install may not be for everyone but I felt it was perfect for that clean install that I'm looking for ,and since I drive with my CB handset in my lap and didn't want the sound to come out of my speakers, this was my solution.

The total cost from Walcott was 290 bucks and included everything but added wire connectors to the battery.

[easelman]

extra pics

[VooDude]

If you ever have to take the door panels off, you can pop off the white and green cables by rotating them, instead of disconnecting the door handle from the panel... Saves a few steps...

[easelman]

hehe, I thought about that but was worried about bending a piece of plastic or them coming off. The two screws were quite easy to get off and back on. I thought it was going to be a pain with all the door handles, wires, panels to get back together but its a one man job.

Thanks for the tip.

[easelman]

NEW HI-LIFT JACK MOD

I was looking for a place to replace my bottle jack with the 48" hi-lift jack but I didnt have a roof rack and didnt want to mount it on the bumpers.

I had three options:

1) Take it apart and mount it under the rear seats by the heel of the passengers.

2) Leave it in the garage, keep the bottle jack in the truck and only take the hi-lift when wheelin'. This leads to two things, not always being prepared and having a large loose piece of metal in the back.

3) Do something never before done

So I took the jack apart (its easy, takes 5 seconds to get back together with cotter pins) and mounted it on my rear door and painted everything black.

Pic 1: - Cut off the hi-lift jack to 42" to fit the length of the back door (I know a couple of you cringed)

Pic 2: - Mounted on the back door (Round handle can go in the basket below or mounted next to it.

Pic 3: - Bolts on the inside of the rear panel. I used large washers and a bolt on both sides to secure a tight seal so that it wouldnt damage the plastic. Then I had wingnuts hold the jack and make it easy to get on and off.

Pic 4: - The rest of the jack and tools goes in the old jack area. Take out the metal bracket that holds the bottle jack and you have plenty of room. It fights tight enough not to rattle (I will probably wrap it in a terrycloth towel)

Pic 5: - After you cut off the hi-lift, I painted the end and the red handle with a HAMMERED black paint that is identical to the lift's texture. I tapped off the caution and instructional sticker.

It took about 15 bucks at the local home improvemnt store and about 2 hours total. Very easy mod if you can drill into your plastic

[easelman]

Got my clamps in and finished the hi-lift jack mount.

I could only get one pic from my Camera/phone

The rest of the high lift jack is in the rear driver side cubby. Two cotter-pins put it together.

[frogeye]

Hey that's looking real clean. Nice job.

[DVLDUC]

I like your CB mount. I was trying to think of something just like that...Thank You!

[DoWork]

How did I miss this build!! Love that CB install, hope you dont mind if I borrow the idea!