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After this my TJ spent a while at the fabricators getting a few odd jobs done, namely. Welding up my cracked pan hard bracket on the front drivers side chassis, then bracing it across to the opposite chassis rail. Next the drivers side front upper arm diff mount was sleeved to stop the bush floating around. Finally relocated my spare to the centre by extending the swing arm on my rear bar.
While my Jeep was away I started tinkering on eBay which is never a good idea, next thing you know this stuff starts turning up.
http://i1083.photobucket.com/albums/...psrd2fec81.jpg
http://i1083.photobucket.com/albums/...ps2vflpm2m.jpg
http://i1083.photobucket.com/albums/...ps9smf2fdp.jpg
And a STEDI 50" 4K light bar
http://i1083.photobucket.com/albums/...pshr1qd1bv.jpg
After painting up all the fabrication work, rewiring my rear bar and installing a new RFI UHF antenna (my UHF actually works now) I stared working on the wiring in the cab. This began with removing the dash and finding huge amounts of redundant wiring.
http://i1083.photobucket.com/albums/...psw8ewp0zx.jpg
After fixing this up and modifying dash panels to house switches I started the light install. This starts with removing the 8 windscreen torx bolts. Using heat, 7 of the 8 came out no problems, but one pesky bugger gave me grief, eventually I drilled it out and used an Ezyout.
http://i1083.photobucket.com/albums/...psmqxtzvuq.jpg
While I was at it I ran power to the back for a car fridge and installed a camp light on the inside edge of the rear window. Also installed some rock lights under it. They are a good start but need more yet. Lifted the cowl panel and ran some wires, installed the light bar brackets, pod lights and light bar. This is the finished product.
http://i1083.photobucket.com/albums/...psolmlbhkd.jpg
http://i1083.photobucket.com/albums/...psryuomjrr.jpg
Took it for a spin and it lit up the world, but as expected whistled like a bastard. Having prepared for this I installed a couple of lengths of rubber edge protection from Bunnings, took it for another spin and you wouldn't even know it was up there. Super happy with the result.
http://i1083.photobucket.com/albums/...psccgtxc1n.jpg
All this was completed just in time to take it down the coast and get it dirty with a bunch of other cool Jeeps.
http://i1083.photobucket.com/albums/...pspy1otx4v.jpg
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After putting some bigger lights on it became apparent that my eBay Chinese LED headlights were just not cutting it. I was also concerned about pulling up behind cars with them on as there was no cut off in the light beam and it just went everywhere. So an upgrade was in order and after a bit of internet trawling I found the Ignite lights and Greg at Beyond 4x4. A bit of research and a couple of calls later and a set was at my door.
http://i1083.photobucket.com/albums/...pso5lhpewz.jpg
They are an impressive looking light
http://i1083.photobucket.com/albums/...psenag2krt.jpg
Time for the install.
http://i1083.photobucket.com/albums/...psy6rxu8kv.jpg
http://i1083.photobucket.com/albums/...pshc5kglrr.jpg
http://i1083.photobucket.com/albums/...psswbpvrfs.jpg
I think they look ace!!
How do they work, you might ask? Well the work bloody fantastic!! Straight away without adjusting in they were so much better it wasn't funny, a bit of adjustment later and you get this, remember that the photos never do them justice.
Look at that cut off
http://i1083.photobucket.com/albums/...psbv9rnouf.png
I could probably lift them up a tad more, but I'll see how it goes with a bit of weight in the TJ first.
http://i1083.photobucket.com/albums/...pspf0c7zzo.png
if any one is interested in these Greg at Beyond 4x4 has set up significant discount code for Sydney Jeep Club members. Simply shoot him off an inquiry through his website. Tell him I sent you.
https://www.beyond4x4.com.au/ignite-...headlight.html
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wish I saw these before I purchased my Chinese JW knock offs. Still don't know what they're like as my TJ is still off the road lol, but I know the high beams are less than useless
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Still off the road.... I hate researching parts, because you just don't know what you don't know. I've driven a few times at night now with these and they are really good, I'm very impressed with them.
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Rocket's TJ
Well look what Photobucket has gone and done :-( Hopefully they will see sense and reinstate existing photo links and restrict new ones.
Update: Well seeing as though it was starting to get a bit colder I thought I better fix my heater, especially since I'll be going down and doing 6 Stage in a couple of weeks without my hard top. Current situation is nothing works in the middle of the dash. So i bought a new HVAC controller from RockAuto and a new resister off ebay and installed these.
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...5bc6a36d5f.jpg
This got everything working except for the fan. So back to Rockauto and a week later I now have a fan :-)
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...cda6f8f9fb.jpg
Problem is, they obviously differ from left and right hand drive Jeeps. I know a bunch of the yanks access their fans from under the dash, really simple change, and some have to come through the firewall after first removing the battery and computer. This is how we get to them. Bottom line is the fan didn't fit :-(
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...cebaa1215e.jpg
Thinking caps on..... Simply swap the housings over!!
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...e3d7eccbaf.jpg
This sounds good in theory.
Problem 1: the new screws don't fit through the old housing holes. Its only plastic drill it out slightly bigger. Easy fix.
Problem 2: The new fan blade is a couple of mm taller than the old fan blade and now rubs on the housing. Insert a spacer between the fan motor and the housing. A couple of those left over plastic washers you get with new number plate frames worked a treat. Easy fix.
Install the fan, computer and battery. Moment of truth, yes the fan runs, but no air is coming out, WTF!! :-(.
Thinking caps on again..... Inspect closely photos of new and old fan blades. Not only are the housings reversed but so are the blades, meaning my new fan is not blowing but is actually sucking.
Remove fan from Jeep. Test fan on battery, reverse polarity and retest, yep fan now spins the other way as I hoped. Another small and vital win occurred when checking the electrical connection on the fan. Being a universal fan meant that there was no directional blockers in the coupling, meaning I could simply rotate the plug from the Jeep and plug it in backwards. Big win :-)
Install fan, install plug backwards, install computer and battery. Fire it all up and works like a dream!! happy days :-)
Now I can stay warm!
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...0a804962dd.jpg
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Small upgrade to the TJ's sound system today with these parts
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...c265c89aa2.jpg
Started with the ones in the sound bar.
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...658067a894.jpg
All reports are that 6.5" speakers fit easy as, well they do after you pull the sound bar out and chop the hole bigger with a jig saw. Anyway all done now and they look like, well, new speakers...
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...b082bcdb88.jpg
Couldn't wait and tested it out, man what a difference. Must note I am running an aftermarket 4x50w head unit that has a busted screen, hence why I'm replacing the head unit.
Now onto the fronts. Google helped me with an adapter template to change the stock 4x6 speakers with some round 5.25" ones.
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...e2658a4216.jpg
Knocked one up out of a piece of marine ply I had lying around. Bit of a test fit showed up that the template needed a small tweak. Test fit again, all good, trace it out and cut out the second one.
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...57d58bcc0a.jpg
Screw the speakers in and job done!
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...eda826a11f.jpg
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...14408a0d72.jpg
The difference in the sound quality is amazing, very happy with the results. I'll change the head unit in time.
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Wow ... looking great
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk