On your current vehicle(s) - What was your very first mod?

1L19

Bought an X
Location
Sacramento
I don't care if it was a sunglasses clip on your rear view mirror. I am genuinely interested and will use the information in my own build design. A "why" would be fun as well as knowing if you'd do it again because...

Sunglasses clip

Isn't nearly as interesting as...

My wife gave herself a black eye TWICE hitting her face on the steering wheel when reaching for her sunglasses that had slid off the dash. I would absolutely do it again... people would always give me the hard eye when we went into a store together!

Might seem stupid (maybe because it is) but my first mod will probably be a differential breather. It's only like $50 - $100, seems easy to install and it will let me start to become familiar with the undercarriage of my new baby. Besides it would be just like me to hit the water hot and mess myself up good.
 

Richard

First Fill-Up (of many)
Location
Oregon
I removed the $8 plastic driving lights on all 4 corners of the X. They were mounted underneath and looked ugly AF. Then painted over the bright silver painted frame and leaf spring brackets. Many mods since.
 

Zack.

Has been dubbed Arnold
Supporting Member
Location
Livermore, CA
If I remember correctly, probably adjustable shackles. The why - probably partly because it was a mod I was going to do on my D21 but failed when I tried to install, and it looked like it was going to be easier on the X (it was).
 

1L19

Bought an X
Location
Sacramento
I removed the $8 plastic driving lights on all 4 corners of the X. They were mounted underneath and looked ugly AF. Then painted over the bright silver painted frame and leaf spring brackets. Many mods since.
Never in my life would I have thought to paint the brackets. Aesthetics purposes? I guess you planned on spending a lot of time under there looking at it. Normally I go with the "California House" style in which the front side of the house is a nice, painted wood siding the the other walls are all beige stucco. If I can't see it then it's not really there. :)

Thank you for taking the time to reply. I just added the corner lights to my review sheet.
 

1L19

Bought an X
Location
Sacramento
If I remember correctly, probably adjustable shackles. The why - probably partly because it was a mod I was going to do on my D21 but failed when I tried to install, and it looked like it was going to be easier on the X (it was).
Those hardbodies could be quite good looking. Gotta thank you on this one Zack as I didn't know what a "leaf spring shackle" was until you just mentioned it. Until I googled it imagined was some sort of shackle for the ends of a tow rope. Now I know:


Now I highly question the word "easy" in the phrase "For leaf spring suspension, replacing the shackles is an easy and inexpensive way to lift a jeep or truck. " but at least I'm educated. So when people talking about putting in "a lift" is this normally what their talking about or are there other methods to manage that task?

Thanks again
 

1L19

Bought an X
Location
Sacramento
In the X it was weathertec mats if I recall because ufck dirt and mud on carpet. On the taco it was fog lights because stock sucked.
I had mats on my list but now I have a brand as well. I tried to google it but you see what comes up when you put in "slang truck taco". The only thing I can guess is a Tacoma. Anyway thank you much for the reply. One more valuable piece of information for my book. :)
 

maillet282

If you bleeding, Imma fix you
Moderator
Location
Ontario Canada
First mod I did on the X was 33” tires. Then got some rock slider. after that I went and got a front winch bumper and then all hell broke loose.
on the Silverado the first couple mods where an under cover swing case I’m the bed of the truck, built a trauma kit for under the rear seats as well as got a rear storage bag.
 

Richard

First Fill-Up (of many)
Location
Oregon
Never in my life would I have thought to paint the brackets. Aesthetics purposes? I guess you planned on spending a lot of time under there looking at it. Normally I go with the "California House" style in which the front side of the house is a nice, painted wood siding the the other walls are all beige stucco. If I can't see it then it's not really there. :)

Thank you for taking the time to reply. I just added the corner lights to my review sheet.
The previous owner had them bright chrome like silver. Ughhh....
 

1L19

Bought an X
Location
Sacramento
First mod I did on the X was 33” tires. Then got some rock slider. after that I went and got a front winch bumper and then all hell broke loose.
on the Silverado the first couple mods where an under cover swing case I’m the bed of the truck, built a trauma kit for under the rear seats as well as got a rear storage bag.
Medic! So every time someone speaks around here I learn something. I read your tire comment and I'm like "Hmm, how big are my tires (P265/75-16)? How much bigger are 33" (285/75-16?)? Do they add two inches of lift?". Seems like you were preparing for battle starting with those three mods.
 

maillet282

If you bleeding, Imma fix you
Moderator
Location
Ontario Canada
Medic! So every time someone speaks around here I learn something. I read your tire comment and I'm like "Hmm, how big are my tires (P265/75-16)? How much bigger are 33" (285/75-16?)? Do they add two inches of lift?". Seems like you were preparing for battle starting with those three mods.
They don’t add that much just fills in the wheel wells and makes it like the truck didn’t skip leg day

I’ve had a bunch of unfortunate situations happen that if I didn’t have my mediagenic ( trauma kit) I would of been up shiat’s creak with out a paddle or canoe. At least with this little bag I can give people a fighting chance
 

1L19

Bought an X
Location
Sacramento
They don’t add that much just fills in the wheel wells and makes it like the truck didn’t skip leg day

I’ve had a bunch of unfortunate situations happen that if I didn’t have my mediagenic ( trauma kit) I would of been up shiat’s creak with out a paddle or canoe. At least with this little bag I can give people a fighting chance
I'm not a medic but I'm the same in that I like to help. In fact that's one of the goals of my kit. Be ready to render aid and help where needed. Your kind of help... though... that's the kind that matters.
 

Prime

Shut up Baby, I know it!
Admin
Location
Denver Adjacent
The question though is... did you already have the LED bulb waiting in anticipation or did you drop money on the floor and couldn't find it because the light sucked? :)
Oh I already had them. In stockpile. I knew the deal. My previous 1st Gen had narry a single incandescent bulb.
 

Fromfrontier2Xterra

I bought a Taco
Super Moderator
Supporting Member
Location
All over PA
I had mats on my list but now I have a brand as well. I tried to google it but you see what comes up when you put in "slang truck taco". The only thing I can guess is a Tacoma. Anyway thank you much for the reply. One more valuable piece of information for my book. :)
Correct sir. Mine is a 2018 Toyota Tacoma.
 

Zack.

Has been dubbed Arnold
Supporting Member
Location
Livermore, CA
Those hardbodies could be quite good looking. Gotta thank you on this one Zack as I didn't know what a "leaf spring shackle" was until you just mentioned it. Until I googled it imagined was some sort of shackle for the ends of a tow rope. Now I know:


Now I highly question the word "easy" in the phrase "For leaf spring suspension, replacing the shackles is an easy and inexpensive way to lift a jeep or truck. " but at least I'm educated. So when people talking about putting in "a lift" is this normally what their talking about or are there other methods to manage that task?

Thanks again

Extended shackles are probably the easiest/cheapest suspension lift option for the rear. Folks have said they flatten the leafs however. There are also add-a-leafs to stiffen/put more arch into the leaf pack, or full pack replacement. For other non-X trucks where the axle is under the spring they can also use blocks.

For the front on the 2nd gen, thecheapest usually is a top plate spacer. Then there’s extended length/travel coilovers, and of course the Titan swap - which would be comparable to long travel kits for other trucks like Toyota, but is accomplished with stock/aftermarket Titan parts combined with longer coilovers.


There are also body lifts which involve unbolting the body from the frame, jacking it up, putting spacers in and re-bolting it up. Also bumper relocation brackets believe.
 

1L19

Bought an X
Location
Sacramento
I think my first actual mod was probably the rear diff breather if you don't count pulling the mud flaps. The next was pulling the rear sway bar.
Maaaan. I thought I was being all original with my diff breather "first mod"! Now I'm going to have to pick something else... maybe some curb feelers...

29-Cat-Names-Cat-Whiskers-Curb-Feelers-VWVortex.jpg
 

AlbatrossCafe

First Fill-Up (of many)
Location
Western WA
This is why I like my build thread. I can just go look!

Apparently, (aside from taking off side steps/mudflaps) it was adding hi-lift to the roof. That didn't last long.

A48Jrl9.jpg


In terms of something more permanent, the first real mod was IMS. Maybe not "real" because I'm pretty sure it did absolutely nothing, ha!

8A34kTH.jpg
 

kirk

Butterfly King
Moderator
Supporting Member
Location
Allen, Texas
Since catching up on all over due maintenance isnt a mod, (but its what i do with each one. Fluids, belts, plugs, etc) I'll say remove the rear sway bar and install a set of Bilstien shocks.

No, I lied. It was to install my Bronze Nismos. The sway bar and shocks were second.
 

JeffPro4x

Hot Pipe
Super Moderator
Supporting Member
Location
Glenside, PA
Sliders. Girlfriend couldn't get into a stock Xterra and they're roughly the same cost as oem steps and infinitely better.
 
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