Posted 2007-04-14 4:25 AM (#1828) Subject: Whats your favorite mod to your truck/rig?
Posts: 37
Location: Brighton, Colorado
Just curious what everyones favorite/beneficial mod to their truck/rig was?
I upgraded all of my braking systems on my truck , digital controler, bigger vaccume booster & master cylinder and exhaust brake. Made a HUGE difference in stopping power. At some point I want to upgrade to slotted rotors to disapate heat.
Posted 2007-04-14 7:58 PM (#1831 - in reply to #1828) Subject: RE: Whats your favorite mod to your truck/rig?
Posts: 2621
Air springs on the truck.
Dual purposing the loading light as automatic back-up lights (both trailers).
Rubber "Tractor lights", one on each side at the front of the goosie, to shine back at the trailer wheels when backing - also hooked to the back-up light circuit so they're automatic.
Electric over hydraulic brakes and air ride came stock on the goosie, the Chevvy HAS adequate brakes and I ALWAYS hesitate in the mountains, whether I'm hauling or not - 'cept maybe on the BIKE !
(-:
Posted 2007-04-14 9:16 PM (#1832 - in reply to #1828) Subject: RE: Whats your favorite mod to your truck/rig?
Posts: 37
Location: Brighton, Colorado
Hesitate-meaning driving the speed limit. I have found that on my pick up, I wanted to upgrade the brakes somewhat for piece of mind. Sure your pick up may have pretty good brakes, but the upgrades out there made an amazing difference. I did the same thing on my Jeep Cherokee. Increasing stopping distances, less effort to stop and most of all increasing the safety of my vehicles.
Did you pigtail off of your back up lights to you trailer? Sounds like a good idea.
Posted 2007-04-14 10:00 PM (#1833 - in reply to #1828) Subject: RE: Whats your favorite mod to your truck/rig?
Posts: 2621
Originally written by osue077 on 2007-04-14 9:16 PM
Hesitate-meaning driving the speed limit. I have found that on my pick up, I wanted to upgrade the brakes somewhat for piece of mind. Sure your pick up may have pretty good brakes, but the upgrades out there made an amazing difference. I did the same thing on my Jeep Cherokee. Increasing stopping distances, less effort to stop and most of all increasing the safety of my vehicles.
Did you pigtail off of your back up lights to you trailer? Sounds like a good idea.
Given that my brakes are already better than the friction between the tires and road, I don't need any more. Getting oneself into situations that require repeated HARD braking isn't on my list, so more fade resistance isn't a requirement.
Yes, basically I tapped onto the truck's back-up wire, it is fused at 10 amps, so pulling 105 watts for 3 rubber tractor lights (same as my loading lights) isn't a problem. The loading light is a REAL attention getter when you HAVE TO back-up at night. Most car drivers just aren't used to a back-up light that high.
Posted 2007-04-17 10:22 PM (#1837 - in reply to #1828) Subject: RE: Whats your favorite mod to your truck/rig?
Posts: 39
Location: Northern, CA
Love the exhaust brake, but the truck came with that... Best mod is the camera system husband installed on the back of the trailer. I have back in between multiple obstacles, to park in very tight space in our yard. I find with the camera, I don't have to continually stop, get out, and look to make sure I am clearing a T post, tree, shed, or fence line.
Posted 2007-04-18 9:47 AM (#1839 - in reply to #1828) Subject: RE: Whats your favorite mod to your truck/rig?
Posts: 92
Location: Baldwin City, KS 66006
slickernsnot.....it would work well with ex's too.....Believe me I've offered!!!!!!!!!! I told him to just name the state!He just won't take me up on it!
Posted 2007-04-18 7:27 PM (#1840 - in reply to #1828) Subject: RE: Whats your favorite mod to your truck/rig?
Posts: 2621
Originally written by osue077 on 2007-04-14 10:13 PM
To eaches own I supose. Just not satisfied so why not improve?
As far as the back up lights, did you have to upgrade the fuse in the cab or under the hood to handle the increased wattage?
It is more a matter of not needing any "improvement".
By definition anti lock brakes have the power to lock up on good dry pavement, prudent driving should keep you out of situations where you need repeated HARD braking - this is NECESSARY with horses on board.
Do the arithmetic on the back-up lights.
As I said, 105 watts on a 10 amp fuse at 14 volts - that won't blow.
Another minor but nice improvement I did was on the butterfly latch handles.
I didn't like the metal on metal and relatively loose feeling, so I cut some large diameter heat shrink tubing into about 2 inch lengths and heat shrunk it onto the latch bars.
Posted 2007-04-18 8:12 PM (#1841 - in reply to #1828) Subject: RE: Whats your favorite mod to your truck/rig?
Posts: 615
Location: THE GREAT NORTHWET, OREGON(THE REAL GODS COUNTRY)
Originally written by ISHOM on 2007-04-18 7:47 AM
slickernsnot.....it would work well with ex's too.....Believe me I've offered!!!!!!!!!! I told him to just name the state!He just won't take me up on it!
Posted 2007-04-19 12:21 AM (#1843 - in reply to #1828) Subject: RE: Whats your favorite mod to your truck/rig?
Posts: 201
Location: kirkland, wa 98034
How about chipping your truck? I had not heard of that until recently, but it's supposed to give you lots more power and help improve gas mileage too... I might look into that.
Very similar to what I have, from Lucky's in Royalton VT - your neck o' th' woods ?
re chips: I don't think the hossies like dragstrip starts, any more than nosedive braking.
OTOH if you want/need to impress teens on Main ST - and are willing to spend several hundred dollars to do it... well, your wallet, your tires, your ticket for exhibition driving.
Posted 2007-04-20 12:25 AM (#1846 - in reply to #1828) Subject: RE: Whats your favorite mod to your truck/rig?
Posts: 197
Location: Vermont
Originally written by Reg on 2007-04-19 8:19 AM
Very similar to what I have, from Lucky's in Royalton VT - your neck o' th' woods ? re chips: I don't think the hossies like dragstrip starts, any more than nosedive braking. OTOH if you want/need to impress teens on Main ST - and are willing to spend several hundred dollars to do it... well, your wallet, your tires, your ticket for exhibition driving.
I'm more Northwest...but they are just a trip down I89...and an excellent outfit...
The other thing to consider when changing chips is EXHAUST TEMPERATURES...most people who change their chips are also changing exhaust systems, et cetera...
Posted 2007-04-20 3:39 AM (#1847 - in reply to #1828) Subject: RE: Whats your favorite mod to your truck/rig?
Posts: 37
Location: Brighton, Colorado
Hey Reg,
I guess I don't understand why you are trying to make a inconsiquential point to me regarding the improvements that I have made and plan to make. In my situation, where I live and where I drive, I made the decision to "upgrade" to a higher quality of part / system not only with my truck but also with my Jeep. This mainly because knowing that the equipment on these vehicles are not adequate (IMO) for what I use them for. I pull more than just a horse trailer and much heaver on grades approaching 10%. My decision to "upgrade" was to make better to handle any situation that I encounter. Futhermore, I thought that this thread would be a great way to pass on knowledge on what "improvements" are out there for people to explore, good, bad or otherwise. Not to scrutinize what I have done.
Posted 2007-04-20 5:48 AM (#1848 - in reply to #1828) Subject: RE: Whats your favorite mod to your truck/rig?
Posts: 37
Location: Brighton, Colorado
Originally written by rdm551 on 2007-04-19 8:06 PM
What is the 'exhaust brakes' that some of you are referring to? How expensive is it, and can it be done on any truck?
It is a device that is added to the exhaust on a diesel that restricts the flow of exhaust leaving the engine, slowing the engine down. Most are around 1000 bucks installed and if you haul in the hills, you will love it. It is like down shifting.
Posted 2007-04-20 7:21 PM (#1849 - in reply to #1828) Subject: RE: Whats your favorite mod to your truck/rig?
Posts: 216
Location: Claxton, Ga.
Brakesmart brake controller. No more adjust, adjust, adjust for different driving situations. It stops with the truck period. It take a pressure reading from the brake master cylinder. No more jerky, jerky in slow traffic. The harder you mash on the brake pedal the more brakes the trailer has. Best money I ever spent.
Posted 2007-04-20 7:29 PM (#1850 - in reply to #1828) Subject: RE: Whats your favorite mod to your truck/rig?
Posts: 2621
Originally written by Spooler on 2007-04-20 7:21 PM
Brakesmart brake controller. No more adjust, adjust, adjust for different driving situations. It stops with the truck period. It take a pressure reading from the brake master cylinder. No more jerky, jerky in slow traffic. The harder you mash on the brake pedal the more brakes the trailer has. Best money I ever spent.
Are they (back) in production yet ?
I seem to have just missed them about 3 or 4 years ago, but I see ads every so often and when I contact them they say they'll be getting another batch made "real soon now". There have been other rumors that the design was bought/sold a few times and the new owners would be re-introducing it - new and improved (-:
I'd still like to follow up on it - or put a pressure trandux in my master cylinder and breadboard something of my own - - Like there's still a Radio Shack within 50 miles of here ? NO !
Posted 2007-04-20 9:20 PM (#1851 - in reply to #1828) Subject: RE: Whats your favorite mod to your truck/rig?
Posts: 0
Reference the exhaust brake. This can be put on an automatic?? and do you have the dealer do it or can I find it done someplace cheaper??? I don't drive in mountains much but hills in and out of my home it would be nice.
Whats your favorite mod to your truck/rig?
