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FJ Cruiser stuff |
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Photos and Information, all pictures are "clickable" for larger image.
Air Dam
I wanted to reduce the noise from the roof rack and figured the FJ Air Dam was the right item. However, I did not want to install lights in the Air Dam at this time so I needed to block off the light pockets. I used some 1/8" inch plastic cut to fit the pockets and used industrial strength adhesive backed Velcro© (hook and loop) to hold the plastic in place. I cut a 1/2" inch wide strip of each putting the hook section on the plastic covers and the loop on the Air Dam.
Later I may add some aftermarket lights, probably oval ones instead of the giant round ones in the FJ lighting kit. Now I hope the Velcro© stays put! I'll add more pictures after I mount it. Okay, I got the air dam installed and took it for a road test. The light pocket covers stood up to 65PMH. I couldn't tell much difference in road noise or air turbulence. Later I may install some sound proofing in the roof, then I can drill holes for light wiring and add some lights to the air dam.
FOLLOW UP! The plastic oval cover for the light pockets worked okay but the adhesive on the Velcro got hard after several months of summer heat and the covers were getting loose. I decided to remove the original pocket covers and try another approach. GEEZ, don't follow my original method. Sure, it worked but the adhesive from the Velcro had hardened into such a mess it was a nightmare to remove. I tried Goof Off, alcohol, paint thinner and - DON'T TRY THIS - lacquer thinner!!!
The lacquer thinner discolored the plastic. I tried to keep it on the glue but it spotted the air dam around the light pocket on the passenger side of the air dam. After much scrubbing with a rag soaked in paint thinner I got the glue off. But now that means another project the next time I have to pull the air dam; paint it with plastic trim paint.
What I finally did was make 2 plastic covers using a small plastic trash can and 1/4" inch push lock plastic rivets for grill and headlights. A $2 dollar Wal-Mart trash can and 4$ dollar pack of rivets from Auto Zone provided the supplies. I used six rivets per cover. I may be able to make clear plastic covers and use smaller lights in the air damn pockets so plastic covers would fit over the lights. They'd have to be relatively low wattage to keep from melting the cover. Just a thought for future reference! Anyway, these should work as good or better than the Velcro'd covers.
Here's the leftover trash can -
Here's how it looks from the front of the FJ. All the while I was doing this it dawned on me I could use the same procedure to get rid of the bumper wings and cover the opening with the same kind of trash can plastic! For $ 2 bucks it would be worth it.
Front Nose Deflector One last thing for this page, I bought one of those AVS wind deflectors for the nose to help boost air flow over the flat windscreen. But it ended up too close to the body work and was slamming against the radiator grill thus cracking two of the four tabs. It also marred the silver paint on the top of the grill. Piece of crap as far as I'm concerned. I've had similar deflectors on other vehicles with nary a problem. Save your money and stay away from the AVS unit.
Both the outer tabs cracked. The only thing holding them was the sticky tape which I didn't trust. I know I didn't over tighten the screws because I've done this several times before. If the inner tabs had gone I might have left it on but If one them cracked as well there would only be one tab and some 3M tape holding it on.
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