[wheresgeorgenow]

So, I was looking through the cheap and easy mods thread earlier today. I am working on several now. However, I came up with a mod myself that i'd like to share. I think this is TJ specific, so I am posting it here. Forgive me if someone has already done this.

This is NOT my idea completely, as quadratec sells something similar to this, but why pay for it if you can make it.

Anyway this is a mod that blocks out part of the break light above the spare tire revealing lettering, or whatever you want.

This is what it will look like in the end:





You need this to get the break light thing off:


Okay, first go take off the light thing from the spare tire carrier.



You need a torx driver and a knife to pry it out.

Materials:
Thin sheet metal stuff










Trace the shape of the red plastic part on the thin sheet of metal. (i think it is tin, I have no clue though. It just this thin metal stuff my dad had rolled up in the work room.

With tin,wire snips, or box cutter, cut out the shape you traced.
(a straight edge is really helpful if using box cutter)

Sand down the edge, careful not to cut yourself.

line up tin cut out with the break light screw holes. mark the screw holes by poking a nail through the hole.

Get a random block of wood and attach the tin metal to it by driving screws through the metal and into the wood.

Write out whatever you want it to say with a pencil. Then get a hammer and nail and "poke out" the design you drew. (this is part of the reason for having the wood attached, so it is easy to poke and peck out the design)

Take the cut out off of the random block of wood. The wood will look like this when you are done.


Use a drill and drill bit to clean up the hole from all the nail pecks.

Prime



Paint



and screw back into place

[rubidriver]

Originally Posted by spokanistan

And for all you kids with the stupid little LED in the center of your spare, put the 3rd brake light back on and use it like you should!

* It's a cool mod, but it IS a safety issue

Jealous?

[mps925]

How is a LED light in the center of the spare a safety issue??

[spokanistan]

OK, I did not come off how I intended, I was trying to be funny and it didn't work, my apologies.

The OP's mod is very cool looking, and my kudos to him for some neat work.

I'm an older guy and I look at performance before I look at appearance. My humorous intent was to sound like a grumpy Dad, it is how I sound 90% of the time in the real world

No, I am not jealous of a $20 LED.

A 3rd brake light is suppose to be brighter and higher up than the other two lights, thus forming a pyramid. This was designed and tested by a psychologist to assist visual recognition of other distracted drivers, It has been proven to work and proven well enough that laws were passed for it.

So yes, I do consider covering up 75% or so of the visible light as in the OP's mod, or changing the pyramid created by the 3 lights to be a straight line as in the led in the center of the spare to be lowering your safety.

Others may not think it matters, but I was responding as I would to one of my kids, my response was obviously uncalled for, again my apologies.

I'm out.

[A1A-LJ]

Originally Posted by spokanistan

OK, I did not come off how I intended, I was trying to be funny and it didn't work, my apologies.

The OP's mod is very cool looking, and my kudos to him for some neat work.

I'm an older guy and I look at performance before I look at appearance. My humorous intent was to sound like a grumpy Dad, it is how I sound 90% of the time in the real world

No, I am not jealous of a $20 LED.

A 3rd brake light is suppose to be brighter and higher up than the other two lights, thus forming a pyramid. This was designed and tested by a psychologist to assist visual recognition of other distracted drivers, It has been proven to work and proven well enough that laws were passed for it.

So yes, I do consider covering up 75% or so of the visible light as in the OP's mod, or changing the pyramid created by the 3 lights to be a straight line as in the led in the center of the spare to be lowering your safety.

Others may not think it matters, but I was responding as I would to one of my kids, my response was obviously uncalled for, again my apologies.

I'm out.

I thought it was funny....

[TheBoogieman]

Originally Posted by spokanistan

OK, I did not come off how I intended, I was trying to be funny and it didn't work, my apologies.