Show us your best cheap mods!
 

I'm not talking 'bout lifts and lockers an such. Just simple things you've changed, added or removed to make life better. Here's my first example:

Light-duty tie-downs:
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y21...llTieDowns.jpg
I popped off a few of the trim panel fasteners and replaced them with eye-bolts. These get used a lot!

Next is a flourescent light for the rear cargo area:
Attachment 172089
Held to the rear wiper housing with some pipe-hanger straps and velcro (removable!). The wires run to here:
Attachment 172090
You can't see the switch, but it's in the trim panel, about window high. The wires can be disconnected at the gray plug and hooked to the wires in the front of the picture, allowing me to draw power from the cig. lighter or the battery and use the light within cords-reach of either.

Don't like the rack options for the fiberglass tops? Fabricate your own mounts so you don't have to use the factory roof rack or the fiberglass rain gutters above the sliding windows:
Attachment 172091
Sandwiched between two pieces of riser material (fake wood in this case) is an 'artificial rain gutter', available from both Thule and Yakima. The bolts go straight through the fiberglass top and have huge fender washers on the inside.

Finally, next time you're at the junk yard see if you can pick up an extra tow-hook. It never hurts to have a spare / 2nd!
Attachment 172092
You'll probably have some trouble removing the hook from your donor vehicle, so bring the appropriate tools. I got lucky and actually tripped over this one AND got it for FREE if I promissed not to sue over my stubbed toe.

well I dont have any pics right now, but the best cheap mod on my truck was a maglight holder in front of the drivers seat, no more lost or loose flying around flashlight!

I don't have any pics either, but I've put in an in-line kill switch for the antenna, and also integrated my garage door opener so that there is a momentary switch just below my cup holders, also the locker mod, and the mag-lite mod... that's all i can think of right now-

oh yeah, and i modified my TJM mounts for my 2" BL, but that's not a super cheap mod i guess

My best cheap mod was to my ice chest. I bought some stainless steel U bolts, drilled through the chest, attached the U bolt with a plate inside so the nuts will not pull through. Now I can ratchet strap my ice chest in my bed, without tearing the handles off when I am driving the trail to camp at Barnwell Mountain!

:drink:

well i'v got the double tow hook mod and a mod every one should have... a fire extinguisher.

Sure it's not going to fly off in an accident and become a projectile?

mine:

i went to home depot deciding i wanted to get something rectangular and black that would fit in that space, but not be permanent.

the goal was to have a place where i could stick things like the Lev-O-Gage i got from xtremeoff-road.

my solution? i found a 2x6 black 'capea' bathroom tile. the item# on my receipt is 72476443511. i then bought industrial strength velcro...

stuck half onto the pocket...
http://www.kidmoe.com/4runner/din_1.jpg

half on the back of the tile...
http://www.kidmoe.com/4runner/din_2.jpg

and put the two together... then stuck the lev-o-gage on...
http://www.kidmoe.com/4runner/din_3.jpg

not a perfect fit, but it certainly blends in well enough, is useful for something, and doesnt interfere with my head unit's movements at all.

the tile was $.89, velcro (tons of it) was $3.59.

cheap

The maglight is really tight in the holder, and the holder is bolted to the body. Not saying it couldnt happen, but a lot more secure than the seat pocket, or just rolling around. And easy to get to if I need it.

And another great mod, which can be cheap or more expensive, is an auxilary fusebox. Saves a lot of hassle when hooking up extra stuff. The one I got was expensive(painless), but I thought it was well worth it because, $60 vs $13k for a new truck in the event of an electrical fire, pays for itself if my truck doesnt burn to the ground. Its also weatherproof, and came with relay and long quality wires. I also got a Hella relay box, holds 4 relays.

I rewired my windows in my doors; to work without the ignition, to add a quick disconnect for when I pull the doors off, and to replace the crappy window switches that come with the truck.

All it took was some momentary toggle switches at radio shack, some wire, and some connectors. I think it cost like $20 all together.

http://www.bajataco.com/Full-Time-Power.html

Not 100% sure what makes and models this works on. But I did it to a 2001 Taco and 4Rer. I don't find it that helpful, but it was cheap.

adding a longer carb stud.... m6-1 threaded rod ($5) then huge air cleaner

http://www.explorerforum.com/data/3367/4019Pic00016.jpg
http://www.explorerforum.com/data/33...9Pic000141.jpg

At first it didn't start out as a mod but by far one of the bestest-cheapest mods I ever did was upgrading the main power wire on my 3.0

Not only did it fix my original problem, it made everything electrical operate better and honest to goodness the thing seems to run much better.

Best 10 bucks I ever spent on the 4Runner :great:

I have a ton here, to many to list here.
Some are home brewed like the stuff for my cargo rack.
http://pnw4runners.com/tando/modtoc.htm

Romad, I just read your post and am wondering if I can do this mod on my 3rd gen. Think it is the same? I have allready done "the big 3" and am still having a few problems.

bump...




...i need something cheap to do :laugh:

I changed the lights in my tach to red $2
:chicken:

Here is mine: https://www.yotatech.com/forums/f31/installing-rear-tow-hooks-85-93-s10-blazer-71008/

James

removed running boards
removed factory pin stripe
extended rear diff breather
custom cargo box

one of my cheapest mods was LED in my climate control, auto shift knob, cigerette lighter, dome light, and turn signal light.