Sp8Ball’s Mod Thread (Stealing Other Poster’s Ideas Since Mid-2010)

[Johnny Utah]

sp8Ball I like this thread and thanks again for taking the time to write all this stuff out, it makes it much easier to decide on if i want to do it, and then more importantly you say where to get it and how much.

One suggestion. I may be alone on this, but, have you thought about including before and after pics for each mod. Like for the puddle lamps, it would be cool to see the before pics of the lame lights, and after pics of the new LEDs so we could really see a difference.

Just my .02, I think this is a great thread and keep up the great work!

 

[sp8ball]

Sp8ball- so for the bugflector install it was all screws? No double sided adhesive tape? Because the amazon instructions say adhesive tape is how you install it. I want it screwed in not tape. Thanks

Six screws. That's it!

 

[sp8ball]

sp8Ball I like this thread and thanks again for taking the time to write all this stuff out, it makes it much easier to decide on if i want to do it, and then more importantly you say where to get it and how much.

One suggestion. I may be alone on this, but, have you thought about including before and after pics for each mod. Like for the puddle lamps, it would be cool to see the before pics of the lame lights, and after pics of the new LEDs so we could really see a difference.

Just my .02, I think this is a great thread and keep up the great work!

Great thinking, JohnnyUtah! In fact, I already took a nighttime picture of the puddle lamps with incandescent light, and I'll take one tonight with LED light.

While I like to think that I'm a semi-decent photographer, I still have some problems taking pictures at night without a flash. Hopefully it will show a difference, and not just be "overexposed" because I leave the shutter open too long!

 

[Snooperstyle]

:nicethread:

Lookin' good! Thanks for the props! I also HIGHLY recommend the LED puddle lamp mod...really nice especially if you have smart key. Keep 'em coming.

 

[iDRiVaT4R]

Nice Thread sp8ball. Even though quite a few have done write ups already on the LED interior lights mods, it wasn't until I read your post I decided to do anything about mine. I ordered up LED's last Thursday. Thanks :thumb3:

 

[philsey]

Nice Thread sp8ball. Even though quite a few have done write ups already on the LED interior lights mods, it wasn't until I read your post I decided to do anything about mine. I ordered up LED's last Thursday. Thanks :thumb3:

You'll not be sorry ... I especially like the map lights and the puddle lights, I guess because they come on and look cool every time you enter/leave the truck.

 

[sp8ball]

Sp8ball Modification Service Bulletin (SMBS) Number One

In post #4 of this thread, I discussed the installation of interior LED lights. I gave bulb sizes for the map lights, center dome light, and rear tailgate interior cargo lights. This may have implied that I actually installed all of those lights, but you will also notice that I only took pictures of the two "cabin" lights, and not the rear cargo lights.

That's because I didn't do them. I ran out of time, and I figured "they're just like all the rest...no big deal!"

Well, they are not like the rest, as I discovered this weekend when I went to pop the lens cover off, only to discover that...I couldn't get the lens cover off. It felt like the whole assembly was going to come out, and that didn't feel...right.

Fortunately, this forum is awesome. Philsey - in a bit of perfect timing - sent me a PM about my thread just hours after I discovered this problem, and asked if I had any additional questions about the installation of the LED bulbs. I told him my dilemma, and within a few hours he had directed me to this:

http://www.toyota-4runner.org/5th-gen-t4rs/64819-led-replacements-rear-hatch-photos.html

Absolutely spot-on, easy to execute directions. I brought two screwdrivers with me to work, and was able to complete the install in a few minutes in the parking lot at my office. (It's 75 degrees outside today, so I took a few minutes to play outside...big deal!)

Thanks Philsey - you rock!

Note to all who attempt this part of the mod: the spring-loaded bulb holders that you slide the bulbs into suck, and they made me want to jettison a light bulb across the parking lot. It's not hard or terrible, just requires patience.

 

[Johnny Utah]

Great thinking, JohnnyUtah! In fact, I already took a nighttime picture of the puddle lamps with incandescent light, and I'll take one tonight with LED light.

While I like to think that I'm a semi-decent photographer, I still have some problems taking pictures at night without a flash. Hopefully it will show a difference, and not just be "overexposed" because I leave the shutter open too long!

cool. glad i could help!

 

[sp8ball]

cool. glad i could help!

Well, apparently I screwed this up. I'm still getting used to my digital SLR camera...

Here is the the picture I took tonight with the LED puddle lamps. You can see they throw a good bit of light, and I think this picture captures the situation well. It's a very realistic depiction of what it looks like to walk out to LED puddle lamps.



This next picture (below) was taken late last week with the incandescent bulbs. I was hoping to do a before-and-after comparison, but I kept the shutter open too long on this picture, so it looks brighter than the LEDs. Also, the light over my garage door was on in this picture, but not in the LED picture.



So it's a horrible comparison. So to the huddled masses whom I've let down with my crappy photography, I'd say...look at my LED picture, and then look at your stock lights when you unlock your car at night, and compare them that way.

And just trust me when I say it's brighter. And way cooler.

And I'm sorry.:whipping2

 

[Johnny Utah]

hahaha you are funny

 

[philsey]

hahaha you are funny

+1 ..... and anal as he!!

 

[iDRiVaT4R]

Oops, just realized I bought different LED's than you sp8ball. I went with the WLED-WHP for the front map lights, and 3022-CWHP4 for the rear lights. I'm gonna leave the rear ones, but I did just order the WLED-WHP5 to compare the differences for the map lights. I'm also gonna try and put these in the bottom of my doors. Thanks again.

 

[khopem5]

Nice keep up the good work! I have a guy that will vinyl wrap all my chrome. How do you think it will hold up? And was it expensive to do just the trim around the bottom?

 

[sp8ball]

Nice keep up the good work! I have a guy that will vinyl wrap all my chrome. How do you think it will hold up? And was it expensive to do just the trim around the bottom?

It was about $140 to do the four strips along the bottom. A friend of mine found a place on the front trim where a little chrome was peeking through (vinyl cut was 1mm before the edge of the chrome), but I'm not going to be anal about it. LOL

 

[sp8ball]

Anyone have any experience with Gear Alloy brand wheels?

I was looking at these:

Gear Alloy Recoil Black Wheels 17x9 Boltpattern 6x5.5 Offset 10 Hub Bore 108.00 Partnumber 715MB-7908410



But I don't know if anyone else has had good/bad experiences with them. I've seen a lot of XD and MotoMetal wheels on this forum, and they're in contention, too.

Opinions? Let me know!

 

[philsey]

Anyone have any experience with Gear Alloy brand wheels?

I was looking at these:

Gear Alloy Recoil Black Wheels 17x9 Boltpattern 6x5.5 Offset 10 Hub Bore 108.00 Partnumber 715MB-7908410

View attachment 42049

But I don't know if anyone else has had good/bad experiences with them. I've seen a lot of XD and MotoMetal wheels on this forum, and they're in contention, too.

Opinions? Let me know!

Yer wife won't like those...

And they'd be a beotch to clean. And no, I don't like 'em ... too busy.

 

[sp8ball]

Yer wife won't like those...

And they'd be a beotch to clean. And no, I don't like 'em ... too busy.

I have to clean them??? Well that sucks!

What is so anti-wife about them? :boxer:

 

[1engineer]

I have to clean them??? Well that sucks!

What is so anti-wife about them? :boxer:

Because they are black...and cool - except I would never get the mud and crap out of those little pockets unless you used a toothbrush.

 

[sp8ball]

Because they are black...and cool - except I would never get the mud and crap out of those little pockets unless you used a toothbrush.

She's a country girl at heart! Maybe she can be persuaded...

Let's just say I was just going to be a poser and have cool wheels and aggressive tires for the occasional gravel road and winter roads.

You know, as a cerebral exercise. Not that i am really a poser. Or anything like that.:hiding:

 

[tlflow]

Because they are black...and cool - except I would never get the mud and crap out of those little pockets unless you used a toothbrush.

or a power washer