Rockets Wagon

Thought I'd start off a bit of a build thread on my wagon. It's a 2010 CRD auto with 58,000km on it. It came with a few bits, but is pretty stock. Currently its got 33"AT's, Dual batteries, extra power outlets in the cab and wagon, LED driving lights window tint and that's about it.

http://i1083.photobucket.com/albums/...pscd403575.jpg

http://i1083.photobucket.com/albums/...ps70dd351e.jpg

This weekend I started my mods and I fear it's going to be all down hill from here :tongue:

Started off with an earth strap, nothing to difficult and just easing my way into the Patrol pool starting at the shallow end.

http://i1083.photobucket.com/albums/...pssxa67h6c.jpg

All went well with this, made the engine note change, sounds meatier now and changes gear a bit sharper, go figure.

Well with my new found confidence I installed (partially anyway) my DVD headrests into the Patrol. Getting into these seats is a bit more difficult than getting into the Hilux seats, and had me stumped for a bit, but in the end I won out. Once in the seat it's an easy install. Pull the cable through, tidy them up, poke them out the bottom, put the seat back together and your set.

http://i1083.photobucket.com/albums/...ps8ca2c8f9.jpg

http://i1083.photobucket.com/albums/...ps01ad81f1.jpg

http://i1083.photobucket.com/albums/...ps9ba4639c.jpg

http://i1083.photobucket.com/albums/...pse82f606c.jpg

Job for next weekend (or maybe during the week) is to pull the centre console out and wire them up. Basic procedure, there a magic box with the headrests, simply yellow to yellow, black to black and add power and they work. While I'm there I'll run a set of RCA leads up the front to link my head unit into the system when I eventually get around to replacing it.

Threw a set of Supercheap heavy duty black canvas seat covers on while I was going. They look good now, but lets see if I still think that in 6 months time ;)

http://i1083.photobucket.com/albums/...ps6d4cd870.jpg

http://i1083.photobucket.com/albums/...ps5cccf7dd.jpg

http://i1083.photobucket.com/albums/...ps1b66e858.jpg

Hi Everyone,

I caught up with Rod yesterday for a beer at the pub. We had a good gander at his car and it is sooooo clean. Really neat inside and out. He's a top bloke too, we chatted over a couple of beers and he told me he has big plans for his rig. im not sure if it has been mentioned but hes come over from the Dark side having recently owned a Hilux, i told him he made the right decision =P

Cheers again for the catchup Rod looking forward to planning a local trip. Anyone else around the area should jump on in and come along!

Looking good. The problem with this Forum is the number of good ideas and mods that will be deemed "essential", a warning from someone who has done all lot of mods, it never ends :)

Like Rod, I too once owned a Hilux, unbreakable ? BULLDUST, it cost me a fortune fixing all the things that broke on it. I only realised how bad the Hilux really was to drive once I bought the Patrol. If only someone had told me BEFORE I bought the 'lux :(

Welcome along rod and good luck with the bank loan :)

It was great catching up with you Nic, contrary to popular belief, top blokes can and do drive Patrols :smiley_thumbs_up: I was thinking the whole time you look very familiar and I'm sure we've meet before, but I can't for the life of me work out where. Happy to go for a spin when possible.

Yes I have come from the Dark side, although they're not that bad. TimE and Stropp as a moderator on the Hilux forum I know only too well about all the essential mods the forum can provide and my old Hilux was a walking, talking demonstration of this.

It started out like this
http://i1083.photobucket.com/albums/...223-0943_1.jpg

And about $28,000 later ended up twin locked like this ( shocked the crap out of me when I added it up :jawdrop::jawdrop:
http://i1083.photobucket.com/albums/...45115_0006.jpg

http://i1083.photobucket.com/albums/...51810_0001.jpg

Hoping the Patrol turns out Ok as it's got a fair bit to live up to, but I'm quietly confident that with a 3-4" lift, front locker, shimmed LSD, 35's, etc. it should hold it's own. :D

Given that ATM I'm broke, I'm just working on some of the nice things to have like power outlets, LEDs, tidy wiring, (DVD headrests came out of the Hilux), etc. building the platform as they say.

BTW, Ben-e-boy and others, take note, Rod claims he had either 10" or 14" of wheel travel in the above IFS lux. so i cant wait to see what hell try to get out of his new troll.

also, you been involved in any sports in the local area? i think you looked vaguely farmiliar but just like you i cant figure out why but i guesss the truth will come out eventually lol.

14" I wish :biggrin: sway bars and progressive bump stops limited the travel a bit, but made it really nice on the bigger bumps, it's all a trade off. I played soccer and squash in the area for 20+ years. Could have just been up the pub also.

Well, today my new ride had a little upgrade. After running OziExplorer in my Hilux on the little 7" double DIN screen for my mapping, I was determined to do something different this time and make something a bit easier to see and user friendly. The OziExplorer on the Windows CE platform just seemed "hard" to use, well at least for me anyway.

With a bit of inspiration from fellow interwebers I set upon installing my iPad into my truck in a way that worked. This is what I did.

First I bought this stuff $78

http://i1083.photobucket.com/albums/...psf6ed1cae.jpg

http://i1083.photobucket.com/albums/...ps70ffa8b7.jpg

and then put it together for a bit of a dry run. Looks good :D

http://i1083.photobucket.com/albums/...ps8c207e6c.jpg

http://i1083.photobucket.com/albums/...psa278eb0a.jpg

Now where to mount it? I was keen for a stealth mounting solution, the last thing I wanted to do was cannibalise the dash, so I picked on the little cubby house storage pocket at the top of the dash with the flip up lid.

http://i1083.photobucket.com/albums/...pse9416906.jpg

Time now to rip the dash apart. Comes apart pretty easy actually.

http://i1083.photobucket.com/albums/...ps704b021a.jpg

Now to mount the base to the back of the pocket. The RAM units are made out of high quality aluminium and feature a rubber coated ball which grips the arm very well. Luckily for me RAM decided to make the diameter of the base unit about half a millimetre smaller than the height of the back of the pocket, couldn't have designed it any better if you tried. Placed it in there and drilled some holes, then bolted it up with some 6x16 button head bolts and nyloc nuts.

http://i1083.photobucket.com/albums/...ps0f38b7f0.jpg

http://i1083.photobucket.com/albums/...psaabc6ba2.jpg

Then reassembled the dash

http://i1083.photobucket.com/albums/...ps2ac0396b.jpg

http://i1083.photobucket.com/albums/...ps24fcfe1b.jpg

http://i1083.photobucket.com/albums/...psa7abc02c.jpg

Looks like it was meant to be there. Test fitted the arm and iPad holder

http://i1083.photobucket.com/albums/...ps7d252203.jpg

Perfect fit :D :D :first: