Home Grown Solutions

[Adondo]

Here's what I did when I first bought the Jeep.

The 3rd row was wrapped in plastic and hauled out to a shed.

I built a framework from pine. The wedge shaped area holds a floor jack. The lid is plywood with matching (well, a close match) carpet stapled to the lid. I left the original jack storage because other stuff fits there, and it's part of the rear HVAC system. The holes in the 1x6 pine are for the heating vents to flow.

[Adondo]

I mounted a piece of aluminum angle to the front bumper. The light mount is two pieces bolted back to back to form a Z shape of sorts. I added a piece of 1/16" sheeting cut into about a 1x10" piece to add anti-wobble strength to the angle. The piece is pop-riveted to the angle, and bolted behind the grill. The HID lights mount to the angle piece, and they're pretty solid there.

[Adondo]

A buddy has a pile of this stuff laying around. It's surgical stainless steel screen that came from Ice Harbor dam. (It was a fish screen) The stuff is next to impossible to cut or drill.

We used large-head pop-rivets (About 7/8" across) to make it part of the rack. Now, anything can be tossed up onto the rack, nothing can fall past the rack's bars to the roof. The floor works fantastic when used with a Thule roof storage bag.

A major side benefit is the SS material reflects the sun, so no heat makes it to the Jeep's roof itself. Open the sunroof to vent mode, and the Jeep stays barely above ambient inside.



The same idea could be applied by using expanded mesh, either steel or aluminum.

[Adondo]

I bought a cheap interior light from the local-yokal auto parts store. (About $4) I ordered a patch type LED light from eBay, and tossed the original bulb. The light is mounted about in the middle, close to a removable trim piece in the plastic hatch trim. A wire was fished and spliced into the original (and pathetic birthday candle bright) cargo light. The light has its own switch.

[Adondo]

I upgraded my dome lights to LED's. eBay patch type lights work great, and are cheap. The front ones have one patch each, the center light has a pair of lights. The interior lights up like an open 24/7 Wal-Mart.

[Adondo]

I made my own mounts for the Surco roof rack. I used 3" aluminum angle. The original mounts (Supplied by Foxwing) are for other racks, and normally point up the opposite direction.

[Sal-XK]

Installed a outlet




Ok so got the panel off like most the stuff on the XK it pops off with a little force. Next I decided to use the actual outlet from the inverter it self instead of putting another one in and connecting them some how. So I had to take the inverter apart to accomplish this.


Then I figured out the wires were not long enough to reach the panel and mount the outlet so I needed to extend them and of course I'm out of wire so to the store I go.
Extended Wiring, The blue wire you see is the wire I added. Not the best solder job but it will hold anyway.



Next I traced out the outlet on the panel and used my dremel to cut the shape out.


I screwed the outlet into the panel and mounted the inverter with velcro to the panel. This stuff is strong its actually ridiculous to try and pull apart.


Now the finished product



I ran the wires up the side of the center counsel tucking all the wires inside the counsel. I left the wires inside my dash for now it got late so I'll tie them in on the next nice day we have. It will have full time power regardless if the jeep is on or not.

[cico7]

Ok, so I go to Advance Auto and ask for a battery cut off switch. After 2 or 3 minutes typing, the guy says
what are you trying to do? Disconnect the battery so I can shut off power to a terminal.

Oh, you can use a little rocker switch for that......
When I waked into Jegs, the guy said, it is over here...Now i have a power disconnect switch.
Jegg's has the Anderson power disconnects like I used for the connector, $19.99 compared to my ebay price of $8.

[Matt]

I have to admit.... I'm upset with myself for not thinking of a switch earlier. I've installed them in a lot of boats (common failure if cheap ones are used in salt water applications ) but never put one in a vehicle because 30 amps has been enough for any accessories I've installed thus far (haven't designed my winch circuit/harness yet).

[LWM]

Another great idea and helpful discussion, Thanks Guys!