CLtotheTL32

iTrader: (3)

Wow, you're quite the bargain hunter! I think you're up there with Sharksbreath and I now

Steven Bell

iTrader: (2)

Dude, I've been contemplating spacers for about a year. I'm anxious to see them on.

rockstar143

iTrader: (6)

Thanks Fellas,
Ran into my first major modding snag in a LONG time. I guess I was due but man this is costing me a pretty penny. SO remember I drilled out the work lugs to make them fit on the extended lugs (with no spacer on)? Well, apparently 4 of the 10 that I drilled out (including 1 of the locks) I did not drill deep enough and when I torqued down to 80 ft lb it hit the end of the inside of the lug and stripped the LUGS threads.

Now, I'm sure you can imagine the predicament this put me in...I spent a good 2.5 hours hitting them with impact guns and rocking back and forth and using a pry bar and taking things apart to see if I could get a grinder behind to cut off the head of the stud. No luck...tried drilling out, my drill and bits weren't up to task. Tried chiseling, missed and hit the rim (minor) and the chisel barely dented the lug. I don't understand why WORK made the lugs such a lightweight material. So, in my desperation I called Tire Kingdom to see how much it would cost to get them drilled out. Dude said about an hour per side...at $99/hour. So 200 bucks. I thought FK that...I'll go buy a HUGE hammer drill and drill them out myself...then I started think of me missing or the fact that it was going to take this professional an hour and he was NOT going to mess up my wheel etc...which, if I messed up I'd have to have it refinished etc. Then I thought I'd shop around but how much time would I waste on that and who knows if some other place is well qualified...this older guy was like "yeah, I can get that off no problem".

So my fiancee just picked me up and I signed on the dotted line...fkn defeat. And to think, I just didn't want the spend the extra $100 on the open ended WORKS. I should have just kept my stupid gorilla locks and called it a day.

Stopped and bought 4 oem sized studs to pop in for now. I'll have to order some extended ones now.

J.

swoosh

iTrader: (5)

Thanks J....you actually just saved me some dough LOL....

I dont see any respectable body shops around here and hence didnt get my fenders rolled yet....

I do have a camber kit and hence my tires last long....but i was thinking of keeping a neg 1 camber for some stance LOL....

let the winter pass by and when i put my summer rims back on, will drop her to my liking and get couple measurements....

rockstar143

iTrader: (6)

No problem man...
Sorry, too sad right now. Read above!

rockstar143

iTrader: (6)

Ok...so good story and bad story.

So, basically, it took the guy 3 hours to drill out my lugs and studs. No damage done to the wheels and they charged me $212 with tax for labor (not bad considering he quoted me 2 hours and it took 3. When I got home and put on the oem studs (for temporary safety while I order other extended ones) I realize that the my sideskirt is popped out on passenger side. I am annoyed but figure I'll just pop it back into place...then I realize when he put my car on the lift, he missed jack point and bent the metal under the sideskirt. GDAMMIT! This is why I do my own work...long story short, I called and talked to the guy I originally spoke with. Just told him I felt stupid for paying for a pro to do the job and having to fix something myself. Told me to come on back...I used a 2 by 6 and a sledge to slam the metal back into form...went by and he credited me $115 bucks for the trouble. YAY...so todays fix cost me under 100 bucks. Not bad considering I was on the verge of tears and out of ideas. I will place an order for replacement nuts for my WORKS and I will sell them on ebay. Even though I now KNOW how to make them work, I'm not interested in metal that soft on my lugs.

J.

ebelp

Oh no...now I'm rethinking the Work lugs...I know your situation is a bit isolated, but still. Sorry to hear about your troubles...that's one way to ruin a day.

guitarplayer16

iTrader: (8)

Hey man - don't get freaked out from my misfortune.

I just have bad luck when everything seems PERFECTLY done.

If I were you I would just use a splice connector or T-tap to be safe.

Don't use my "no-splice" method yet lol

rockstar143

iTrader: (6)

Thanks John...yeah, I don't think I'll be using soft metal lugs in any situation ever again. Hadn't felt that helpless in a long time.

GP...thanks, brother...I'll give it a whirl. Tomorrow promises to be a better modding day.

J.

swoosh

iTrader: (5)

^^^ da fawk....

that guy really messed up that bad ? but good thing he refunded the money back....so not bad, $100 for the full thing

rockstar143

iTrader: (6)

Yeah, brother. I was SO frustrated so I would have gladly paid 100 to have those rims off.
Today, made better progress...car is clean...rear rotors on.

guitarplayer16

iTrader: (8)

Woot!

I'm getting those rotors in the spring time =)

Btw use splice connectors and you'll be fine for the Cold Cathodes.

Ghetto wiring works too.

I had mine ghetto wired the whole time and I just used splice connectors right now and they work..

I don't know if I want to play around with the non-splice method even though it's in my DIY lol

Btw my DIY is updated with more pics and info.

rockstar143

iTrader: (6)

Thank you, sir...
Actually just got done doing mine using your thread and some of my own ingenuity. The AC tape I had gotten had reflective sticky underneat so I just stuck it to the lights...
I also used some black bathroom silicone and 2 pieces of the box to keep the water out. I also did a little carbon fiber framing on my license plate. I'll post up tomorrow.

I Ttapped the light wires. Did mine, did my fiancees and my friend Eric's. Came out awesome...thanks for the push and confidence to do it.

Also, after a rough day yesterday, I'm vindicated...

guitarplayer16

iTrader: (8)

Glad to hear!!!

What do you think of the brightness?

One of my tubes is brighter than the other.
Something tells me that the tube that's not as bright is not pointing the right way.
I think I'll try turning that tube to face the bottom.

Are yours equally as bright?

Or am I just crazy and cold cathode tubes are the same brightness 360 degrees all around?

Btw I found out why I blew my fuse and it didn't work when I tried my non splice method.

My connectors that I cut:



Notice the tabs that I didn't cut off...

Well, those tabs were touching.



If only I had cut off the tabs so they wouldn't touch each other and blow my fuse...

STUPID mistake.

I wired mine up with splice connectors (can't find T-Taps), instead of my electric tape ghetto job, so I'm just gonna keep it that way LOL

In all honesty, the "No-splice" method isn't worth the extra time and cutting.
The reason why people would do it is because "it's quick to revert back to OEM", but that's not true because to revert back to OEM you have to still get rid of the tubes and the inveter and stuff lol
Not really saving any time...

rockstar143

iTrader: (6)

I agree, man...it'll work just fine. T-taps...buy them off of amazon!
Thanks for sharing, glad to know it was something easy and no problem that the CCFL's caused. I think the brightness is awesome...it looks so crisp and white when warmed up. I mean, just like with a fluroescent light...when it's on, it emits the same light all the way around. Maybe the intensity on each is not the same. I'm sure it's MUCH bright...if you look at the Lexus' maybe its cause I've gotten used to them but they're not like the brightest either. I think we're good!



PS...been looking to frame out my plate, but hate plate frames...I liked the BWM carbon fiber one, but it's like $80-100. Not thanks. I did this and am very happy.

CLtotheTL32

iTrader: (3)

Veddy nice Jeremy! I like!

rockstar143

iTrader: (6)

Thanks Tyler...
you came up today actually...was helping my buddy with some CCFL's and we were talking about V2 spacers on the front of my girls' car. I was like "Tyler drove down from NC with those type...I'm not worried".

Can't see the rotors too well from this pic, but trust me...looks PRETTY now...nice and shiny and clean.

J.





GP is the man...

guitarplayer16

iTrader: (8)

Looks cleaner if you mounted the lens from the inside lol

Nice job!

Lets see them on!

rockstar143

iTrader: (6)

CCFL's! Mine and fiancee's!
J.








sorry pics are a bit blurry, overexposed etc...but it was too cold to break out the tripod. I was in my socks and skivvy's as this was a last minute shoot since you can't see it during the day.

CLtotheTL32

iTrader: (3)

Awesome! Shit I drove all the way to Kansas City just a few months after putting the spacers on

They have been on my car for 11 months now and besides the soft-metalled nuts, no issues whatsoever.

rockstar143

iTrader: (6)

Yeah, those friggin nuts are a good lesson to torque to spec. Don't ask me how I know, myself! I bought new ichiba ones...but I really should have just bought some friggin REAL lug nuts to go on instead.

J.

guitarplayer16

iTrader: (8)

Looks hella bright!!!

Now that I think about it...
I think my one bulb is broken or a defect...

The reason why I "thought" it looked dimmer than the other was because the reflective tape makes it look like it's on, when it's actually not and the light I see is coming through the one working tube.

I'm gonna unplug the cold cathode tubes one by one on the inverter to see if I'm right (process of elimination FTW)

ebelp

Nice updates! I like the color of the CCFL's.

This made me LOL:

It's about 15 degrees up here and snowing. No complaining!!

Steven Bell

iTrader: (2)

Brother, that looks really nice.

swoosh

iTrader: (5)

HOLY SHIT THAT IS BRIGHT.....

looks like you got a LED bar under the rear bumper.....you ricer !!!

rockstar143

iTrader: (6)

Tyler, you got soft nuts...

I will tell you this, and you should check for it...when I test fit, the plugs plug in, right? but they click into place so when you unplug them you have to tug on the wires...one of the 2 of mine actually came out of the metal end that is in the plug. I had to strip back a little, shove it in there and use a pick to press the connector back down onto it. I bet you at least 1 of the two wires got pulled out on that bulb that isn't working.

Yeah, but you're probably not out in the street in your boxers and socks! I wasn't complaining...I LOVE this 45 degree weather.

Thank you Seven, and for the title update, as well! I love it...not bad for a $10 mod!

It sure does...it's SUPER bright...I love it, man...that was actually how I was able to know for a fact that it was much brighter...looking at the floor!

J.

guitarplayer16

iTrader: (8)

Rockstar you're a genius.
I'll check it out!

veggiemonster

iTrader: (1)

i don't want my plates visible from space...but looks cool.

sorry about your lug nuts man...

swoosh

iTrader: (5)

^^^

how about from HELL LOL....so much light to the floor is waking up the demon dude LOL

J, you got a DIY ? if not

rockstar143

iTrader: (6)

No sir, figured it would be relatively redundant since GP just made his! That's why i added to his.

Thanks Sean, yeah, super disappointed by it. Oh well, I'll either just stick with what I got, or I'll get some open ended ones. The gorilla locks work just fine for me though.

The lighting is classy, man...not as bright as the pictures make them seem.

I'm no such thing, man...just a dumbazz that pulled the wire too hard!

veggiemonster

iTrader: (1)

not the 'ricer' comment from me, i just don't want some cop eying me up from even farther away.

oh hey, i think i may be slammed soon! you're at ~24 in front and another .25" up in the rear, iirc?

rockstar143

iTrader: (6)

Sean, I've been called worse than a ricer before. I know what you mean though, but honestly, it flows with the car...if the cop didn't look at my car before, he ain't going to look much more now. Plus, we are fkd with the new tag cameras now anyway, might as well make my plate pretty for the pic!



Actually, after some tweaking...I'm at
24" FTG (thanks!) Front
24.5" FTG Rear.

CLtotheTL32

iTrader: (3)

Those Ichiba nuts are soft though.

swoosh

iTrader: (5)

hahah come to KS/STL....i promise you will get pulled over EVERYDAY !!!

STL I used to get pulled everyday....same bitching cop....for the same bitching reason....

Flipster23

iTrader: (15)

Nice Jeremy,

I'm waiting for my CCFL's to come in, hopefully this week.

rockstar143

iTrader: (6)

Dude, i stripped and replaced two...if it happens again, I'm going with the regular open ended short nuts. So to speak...

Well, I think they are pretty lenient in Sofla in comparison. You should try not to drive by cops flicking them off, Anil!

I hadn't mentioned it but I love your avatar...ORALE! It's a SUPER easy install...you'll knock it right off.

veggiemonster

iTrader: (1)

open nuts + long studs = sexy track car look

swoosh

iTrader: (5)

^^^ Sean....i told him that....

but he will only get to it after he goes thro a set of short closed end "great deal" work lugs

am in love with these:

rockstar143

iTrader: (6)

If this was Saturday afternoon, I'd be telling y'all to KMA...
I was near tears.
AND PS...I don't want my car to look like a track car! Not specifically,at least. I can fathom paying $60 for some open ended ones...but the color has to be right. Plus, they MUST lock and the problem with extended lugs is even if they lock, you can throw a pair of pliers on them and remove them EASILY!

Well, in hindsight, instead of spending 100 bucks on getting the fkn things drilled out, i could have easily afforded the blue work extended and open lugs. Could have called it a day with that.

veggiemonster

iTrader: (1)

i just like mine shiny. no need for some crazy color. the wheel face is for color in my book

are you really that worried? i mean dude, if someone's gonna steal your wheels, your lock nut won't stop them.

make it too low to jack up (without board 'ramps'), now THAT is wheel theft protection.