Lighty's Lux - 2008 Dual Cab

[lighty]

Been hanging around here for quite a while now, and thoughtit was about time I got a bit of a buildup happening.

We bought the Hilux back in October 2009. Its ex NSW Police car, and was pretty much stock when we bought it except for:
-ARB Bullbar
-Warn 9000lb Wich
-Reversing Beeper
-Lightforce 170 Spotties
-Tinted Windos
-Cooper AT/R Tyres on Factory Rims

I cant seem to find any photos of it as we bought it, but we all know what they look like.

It didnt take long before we started looking into the mods we wanted.

And in short time it had a Safari Snorkel, Razorback Steel Canopy, Full set of Black Duck Seat Covers, GME TX3400 courtesy of Opposite Lock in Adelaide (big thanks to Jeff - awesome bloke to deal with and always manages to remember us, even comes up to say hi when you walking past their stand at the 4wd Shows and remembers mine and the missus name).

Shortly after, I had enough of the crappy standard stereo (I was used to a aftermarket syetem in my AU Fairmont with Soundstream Splits, Alpine HU, and a couple of Pioneer Subs), so we put in a Kenwood Full AV System with inbuilt Garmin GPS and 4 Alpine Speakers in the doors. Its no show stopper, but heaps better than the original.



A heap of other mods that came about at the same time:
-Dual Battery System with 115Ah AGM Battery with Redarc Dual Battery Isolator
-Turbo Timer courtesy of Newpro Tech
-2nd 12V Socket in Cab with Constant 12v power from 2nd Battery
-2x 12v Sockets in rear of tray with constant power from 2nd Battery

Once we decided that the Coopers on the car were absolutely shagged, we decided it was time for some new wheels and tyres. The missus was dead set on the thing having legal tyres on it at the time so it scored a set of Cooper ST's (cant remmber exactly what size). And about this time the old girl was looking like this:



All the rest of the mods are a bit of a blur, the old girl has been pretty quiet for a few months now, but it has had the following:
-EGR Flares
-ARB Rooftop Tent and Awning
-Rhino rack roof rails
-3 inch Manta Exhaust
-55ltr Water tank behind back seat
-2inch Ultimate Suspension Lift
-Reverse Camera
-2x38Ltr Engel fridges (one on ARB Fridge Slide)
-Mammoth Weaved ute mat

Below are some photos of her at different stages:

Flex of the old girl on the loading ramp at home before the 2 inch lift. If you look closely you can also see the reversing camera .


Some flex shots of the girl after I finished fitting the new suspension. The guys at Ultimate Suspension were great, and I love the suspension. Handles a hundred times better than the old OEM stuff did!!







One of the recovery points. Took a small amount of modifying of the ARB mounting plates. Nothing too drastic though.


3inch Manta Exhaust. It needs shortening up slightly, as can be seen in the photo it took a couple of knock up the Flinders over easter this year.



Had the Lux on a few trips since we got it. Last easter we did 3000km over the easter break, including Googs Track, Mulgaria Station, Leigh Creek to Innamincaka to Tiboburra to Broken Hill and home again. But probably the toughest wheeling its done was only a couple of weeks ago up at Warraweena Conservation Park on the Mt Gill Track and the Dunbar Loop. And thanks to this rock (and a few other rocks as well)



My side steps are looking a bit like this




I am now due for a new set of Buds Customs side steps (just cant decide whether I want the infill panels or not).

Also on the same trip, we were heading down a section of track known as "Suicide" which is probably a 400m very steep descent I staked a tyre about 50m in and had to complete the rest on only three tyres



Which gave me a good excuse to get these this week just gone (31x10.5R15)



Im sure Ive missed a heap of other things weve done, but I absolutely love my Lux, and cant wait to get into the rest of the growing pile of stuff Ive got to put on it. But before I let you know what else I have planned some random photos of the old girl:








Now we are at present stage, and the Lux is about to go into its next build stage. Whilst I have more plans for it in the future, I have a pile of parts in the shed to go in the Lux and and the New Johnnos Evolution Camper Trailer we ordered a couple of weeks ago.



Things sitting in the shed to be installed are:
-Redarc DC-DC 40 Amp Charger
-Redarc Electronic Brake Controller
-Projecta 240V 15amp Intelligent Battery Charger
-Projecta 600W Pure Sine Wave Inverter

Also on the list to be organised very shortly are:
-Buds Sliders
-Full set of Buds Underbody Guards.

[MarkYounger]

Looking good mate. It definately looks like you need those sliders.

[BEN_SR]

Hey Mate,
Nice bus mate. It's coming along very well. I have the same suspension and I live it.

Notice your in SA. If you want a set of original side steps in the interim between the buds custom set I have a set in country SA if your interested. Flick us a PM if your keen.

Cheers

[D4D luxy]

That's some good flex your getting out of the rear mate! Trucks looking tops keep it up!

[Newi creeper]

Trucks looking good mate good to see it getting put through its passes Love the side steps

[lighty]

Well all the electrics for the camper are in. Just hanging out for delivery of it now!! Hopefully be here in the next couple of weeks.

Am working up in the mines for the next 3 months, so the extra money coming in has put me on a bit of a shopping spree (much to SWMBO's disgust!).

On order courtesy of Monster Rides is Underbody guards and rock sliders, I got a 3 pillar gauge pod (now just need to decide what to put in there, and just this morning I trasferred money to Ultimate Suspension for one of theire Sprint Boosters.

Cant wait to get the new gear on and getting out to test it! Hopefully the camper and everything else will be here and on in time for the June long weekend!!

[Earl-mi]

Hey lighty.

Setup looks good mate

Can you tell me your turbo timer. Was that the plug and play version? Can you lock the car while it is still running? Any other info on it?

Thanks Mitch

[lighty]

Yeah the turbo timer is the plug and play version. Definitely worth the extra dollars, took me about 5 minutes to fit, and can be taken out and put back to factory just as quick. No wires to cut or anything.

As for locking doors, while the timer is running cant lock the doors with teh remote. But central locking will lock all doors (including my rear door on canopy) when activated with key.

Cheers
Brenton

[Earl-mi]

Yeah the turbo timer is the plug and play version. Definitely worth the extra dollars, took me about 5 minutes to fit, and can be taken out and put back to factory just as quick. No wires to cut or anything.

As for locking doors, while the timer is running cant lock the doors with teh remote. But central locking will lock all doors (including my rear door on canopy) when activated with key.

Cheers
Brenton

Ah thanks Brenton.

I wanted if there is a mod that could be done so the car could be locked with the remote while running.

Mmm interesting.

Thanks mate
Mitch

[countrylux]

You have one awesome Hilux. Love all the mods, suits it really well. Doing SA proud!

[lighty]

Been a while since any updates.

All the Electrical is in and done and after a very very long wait the Camper Trailer arrived!! We havent had much of a chance to use it in anger yet, but took it out to my brothers place to see how it went offroad. Got it pretty well crossed up dropping into the old railway line!!





About 5 minutes after this, I wasn't paying attention and got the old girl bogged! The Max Trax got me about 10 feet further, and eventually had to walk the kilomter back to the house to grab my brothers cruiser to use as a winch anchor to get myself out. Boy did the Warn know it was doing some work, dragging best part of 3 tonnes up a sand hill on a single line pull (hadn't planned on doing anyhting silly so all the recovery gear including the snatch block was home in the shed!).

After a bit of a wait Buds Sliders arrived and look awesome!






After getting the old girl bogged at my bros place, I was airing up again and noticed something wrong with the rear springs. The bottom flat leaf was slightly skew to all the rest like so:



The other side was exactly the same. Didn't think this was very good, so when I got home I jacked her up, loosened off the bottom plates and moved the springs back in line, and torqued them up again. Has anyone else seen this before?? Is it something I should be worried about??

[lighty]

Went outside yesterday morning to head to work and saw this





Seems the side window on my Razorback canopy had exploded!

Took it to crash repairer as the insurance company requested and gave them the contact details for Razorback. And within an hour, I had an email direct from Michael at Razorback saying my window would be on its way tomorrow. Awesome customer service. And thanks to my wife taking out windscreen cover, it shouldn't cost us a cent.

[anthony kemp]

hey mate ive just ordered a razorback canopy for my rig and was just wondering if i could put my RTT on the rails that come with the canopy or do you have to upgrade then to the ones i see you use with your tent. oh and how are you liking the canopy do they seal very good? cheers

[lighty]

Love the canopy.

You need the upgraded roof rails. Whilst you couldn't order it with the upgraded rails when I got mine, you can now. Have a chat with the people you ordered it fro and tell them you want it with the rhino rack rails and you will e sweet.

[Jono_seco]

Hey mate nice looking truck! What recovery points are they on the front?

[oldhilux]

Why did the canopy window explode?

[HLUXRY]

Sure someone didn't break into it?

[ChrisD]

That is strange - although not unheard of. I've seen a few ironman canopies do the same thing - people posting them up on Facebook. I reckon the glass gets fractured by the window being slammed shut as it takes the brunt of the vibration not having a frame etc.
Looks a bit more like a break-out than a break in to me, given the amount of glass on the ground outside. Last window I saw smashed in pretty much filled the inside of the cabin.

[lighty]

Definitely not broken into. We live on a farm and the dogs sleep about 10 feet away. Funny thing was about a month later the other one did the same thing on the way to work!!

Can't remember what the brand of tow points are, I got them at Opposite Lock.

[lighty]

Long time no update. Were now preparing to head off to Qld for 7 weeks of Long Service Leave. So time to get to a heap of jobs we have always wanted to do, starting with some drawers and a drop slide...

I considered buying off the shelf, but saved a tonne of money doing it myself and got exactly what we wanted for less than half the price.

Their made from structural ply, that has been sealed and then painted. Haven't quite finished yet, ran out of glue for lining the drawers, and need some more aluminium for protecting some edges, but otherwise pretty happy with how it all turned out.