***UPDATED****
Since my last update, several things have been added/changed to the Recon Unit. Disclaimer: like others on the Forum, I am building an FJ to suit my needs, driving habits, and off-roading environment. I try to select vendors/products that have proven themselves and offer great customer service.
I do not claim to know that one vendor/product is better than another, nor am I advocating for same. I am merely reporting what I selected and how my experience was. Enjoy the update-
BudBuilt Skids. I worked closely with Bud to select and purchase the skids. I evaluated several and they all seemed comparable. In the end, it was Bud's personality and customer service that won me over. I purchased a full set and installed them in a couple hours (in the dark, alone, just me, the tools, and a jack stand- as it should be. Why wait until daylight?) the fit, finish, and mounting instructions were flawless. I'm very satisfied with the product and service.
5 Stars
BudBuilts:
Fab Fours Bumper. Again so many top-quality bumper choices. I think we've been around the block about Road Armor and that crap. They suck, they can go screw. They are liars and cheats, what's more to say. Mark and Natalie, you suck and I hope to meet you one day.
Ok, I selected Fab Fours because of the look, construction, reputation, and customer service. I am sure there are other bumpers as good, better, cheaper, whatever, this is what I chose and I'm very happy with it. Those guys at FF are great, the bumper was here two days after I ordered it; the fit and finish is flawless. Installed easily, holes lined up, winch dropped in. I added a Viking Hawse fairlead and Viking synthetic replacement cable. I chose 80' of 3/8". BTW, you will need the Warn solenoid mounting bracket for this application. I took the measurements from Warn and welded my own. I'm very satisfied with the product and service.
5 Stars
Fab Fours Bumper:
I've been struggling with lights for some time and finally settled on a pair of HIDs for the front. Not wanting to waste the money on the PIAAs, I move the 520 ATPs to the roof. BTW, moving the PIAAs to the WAAG basket eliminated all of the noise associated with the WAAG. I suspect that the lights now disrupt the air flow such that the harmonics have changed. It was a pleasant surprise to be sure. The noise was bad enough that I was contemplating a new rack/light system/air dam, etc.
The
Acro lights are phenomenal; better than any other light I've tested thus far. I think it's fair to say that testing HID against halogen is not apples-to-apples. But as another member commented, once you have HID, you won't go back. I selected the Acro 1935 8" (comes with harness and hard cover). Good shop, good customer service (I contacted Acro directly). Reasonable price and the lights arrived as promised.
Installation note. The FF bumper has a steep angle. Drilling a hole to accommodate most light systems is not a problem. However, the Acro's have an integrated ballast and require about 4" of mounting depth. They needed some "back spacing" so I welded up a couple mounts and put the lights on those (pix coming).
The Acro's don't draw more than 15amps at startup (I used the factory aux light relay (15A fuse) and it works fine.
The lights are very well constructed and thus far water resistant?
I'm very satisfied with the product and service.
5 Stars
Acros (and PIAAs) In Action:
That's the list for now. I have a few more pix to add and of course, the mods never stop. Thanks again to all of you on the Forum for the help and guidance you have provided.
In all her current glory:
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August 2009 Update- Sound Dampening Installed
So I took somewhat of a circuitous route to laying down the sound dampening material (often called by the brand name Dynamat- I used Hushmat). The two products are identical I was able to get Hushmat faster/cheaper. Having seen, used and compared the two products, I see no difference whatsoever and recommend you buy whatever is available and cheaper to fit your application.
Summary:
Overall "mod rating"-
5-stars, drastic improvement inside the cab, enhanced stereo performance, and significant decrease in road noise (et al)
Hushmat product rating-
5-stars, easy to use, performs as advertised, easy to install and work with, and reasonably priced.
Level of difficulty-
Low, no special tools (retainer clip removal tool recommended), parts come off/out easily (use care), reinstallation is a snap (no pun).
Install time-
4-6 hours, if you drop the headliner. Many more if you tear out the entire interior. Oddly enough, my piece-meal approach worked best for me but it wasn't until I finished last night that I could fully appreciate the effort.
You don't have to be an audiophile to appreciate this mod. I can't tell you what a difference it makes to overall sound quality and quietness when on the road!
Please follow this link to
see the entire project with photos, thanks:
Sound Dampening Installed- What a Difference! *PICS*
Updated photo of the Cruiser:
Re: Former Marine's Gung-Ho Build
Linear Mode
