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So here is my contribution to the <$50 mods. My buddy came over this weekend and while he was here we decided to add some marker lights to my running boards. Nothing much to it, just four lights on each side all wired to a relay that is triggered by the front parking light. Total cost was about $35-40 for the lights, wiring, and hardware.
Fixed my oem bug shield bumpers. All 3 fell off today when I washed the truck. Ford doesn't sell these separately and replacements are 16 bucks plus shipping on Amazon. I used goo gone and rubbing alcohol to remove the adhesive from the grille and some rubbing alcohol and leftover 3m trim tape on the bumpers.
A wider view of the tray. A small piece of gorllia tape hold the cord down at the defroster vent.
The plastic strip is the Proclip mount for my Ham radio.
Route the cord along the edge of the dash and tuck it into the space between the front of the dash and the windshield. This keeps the cord out in the open to allow the traffic receiver antenna built into the cord to not be shielded by the metal in the body.
View into the left side of the area behind the glove box.
The powercord is plugged into the female end and secured with some tape to keep it from working loose. I also jammed a piece of zip tie along side the plug to make it fit a bit tighter.
after you have everything connected and taped, zip tie it to something to keep it from rattling.
Add a circuit fuse tap using fuse #38 on my 2013 XLT. with the add a circuit installed, you won't be able to put the cover back on the fuse panel unless you cut it.
I chose to just not put the cover back and I keep it in the cubby under the jump seat.
View from outside of the tray.
You can notch the dash where the cord will come out if you wish, but I didn't. I don't even notice the tray sticks up slightly from inside.
My contribution to the thread is semi permanent GPS power.
I really hate having the power cord draped across the dash when I use my GPS. It also ties up a power point when someone wants to charge a phone.
In my 97 I had hardwired a power cord for my old Garmin Streetpilot that used a straight 12V power cord.
The old Streetpilot bit the dust a few years ago, and now I have a Garmin Nuvi 2555LMT.
This GPS has a built in traffic receiver, and the antenna for it is built into the power cord, which also has a voltage regulator, so you can't just cut the end off and hardwire it.
Some time ago, I picked up a bunch of 12V power cords at a flea market for $1-2 bucks each. Nice male ends with inline fuse holders and also fused female ends.
Since I also use the GPS for my side gig as a charter bus driver, I picked up an extra suction cup mount and power cord for the Nuvi.
I routed the power cord down to the fuse panel through the tray on the top of the dash, down behind the glove box to the fuse panel.
I used an add a circuit fuse tap to connect at the fuse panel, using a circuit on the switched accessory feed because the power cord with have a small draw even when the GPS is not connected.
I used one of the dashboard mounting bolts on the passenger side for the ground connection.
Use a 3 amp fuse for the added circuit.
All this is easily removable if you ever sell the truck, or if you get a new GPS that uses a different cord.
The extra power cord was under $20, the mount was $8, the female end cost me $1.50, and the add a circuit was $6. The extra wire, butt connectors and zip ties I already had on hand.
Even if you have to buy wire and the little bits and pieces, you should be easily under $40.
A wider view of the tray. A small piece of gorllia tape hold the cord down at the defroster vent.
The plastic strip is the Proclip mount for my Ham radio.
Route the cord along the edge of the dash and tuck it into the space between the front of the dash and the windshield. This keeps the cord out in the open to allow the traffic receiver antenna built into the cord to not be shielded by the metal in the body.
View into the left side of the area behind the glove box.
The powercord is plugged into the female end and secured with some tape to keep it from working loose. I also jammed a piece of zip tie along side the plug to make it fit a bit tighter.
after you have everything connected and taped, zip tie it to something to keep it from rattling.
Add a circuit fuse tap using fuse #38 on my 2013 XLT. with the add a circuit installed, you won't be able to put the cover back on the fuse panel unless you cut it.
I chose to just not put the cover back and I keep it in the cubby under the jump seat.
View from outside of the tray.
You can notch the dash where the cord will come out if you wish, but I didn't. I don't even notice the tray sticks up slightly from inside.
My contribution to the thread is semi permanent GPS power.
I really hate having the power cord draped across the dash when I use my GPS. It also ties up a power point when someone wants to charge a phone.
In my 97 I had hardwired a power cord for my old Garmin Streetpilot that used a straight 12V power cord.
The old Streetpilot bit the dust a few years ago, and now I have a Garmin Nuvi 2555LMT.
This GPS has a built in traffic receiver, and the antenna for it is built into the power cord, which also has a voltage regulator, so you can't just cut the end off and hardwire it.
Some time ago, I picked up a bunch of 12V power cords at a flea market for $1-2 bucks each. Nice male ends with inline fuse holders and also fused female ends.
Since I also use the GPS for my side gig as a charter bus driver, I picked up an extra suction cup mount and power cord for the Nuvi.
I routed the power cord down to the fuse panel through the tray on the top of the dash, down behind the glove box to the fuse panel.
I used an add a circuit fuse tap to connect at the fuse panel, using a circuit on the switched accessory feed because the power cord with have a small draw even when the GPS is not connected.
I used one of the dashboard mounting bolts on the passenger side for the ground connection.
Use a 3 amp fuse for the added circuit.
All this is easily removable if you ever sell the truck, or if you get a new GPS that uses a different cord.
The extra power cord was under $20, the mount was $8, the female end cost me $1.50, and the add a circuit was $6. The extra wire, butt connectors and zip ties I already had on hand.
Even if you have to buy wire and the little bits and pieces, you should be easily under $40.
I'd lose the duct tape on the dash. You'll have a nasty messed up dash if you ever decide to remove it.
I'd lose the duct tape on the dash. You'll have a nasty messed up dash if you ever decide to remove it.
I'll probably pull that off in a couple of weeks when the cord has had a chance to take a set and lay down.
When I put it in it was pretty stiff and would not lay flat.
and just run the cord down the drivers side panel then under the dash to the fusebox. Much cleaner than how you have it.
The traffic receiver antenna is in the cord.
I did not want to reduce the sensitivity by routing completely under the dash.
The majority of the length of the cord is in the window to allow the best reception and is hidden from direct view.
Hey grumpy...could you digress a minute and let me know what brand of headlights those are? What kind of bulbs are in them? Like them, hate them, so so? Thanks!
05-14-2017, 09:47 PM
