All the Modifications/Upgrades/Additions to my leaf

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nerys

Well-known member
Joined
Sep 10, 2014
Messages
726
Got a 2012 SV Loving it. of course have to mod/upgrade/add to it to make it my own :) I will post all my little mods and changes in this one thread to keep it simple for me.

I will have video of this tomorrow if I remember :) first upgrade was to ditch the stock stereo. it is horrible. the engineer/designer in japan who made this should be ashamed of him/her self. horrible. the screen is fine the UI is horrendous.

so screw it. just cover it up with a tablet :) $300 or even $80 tablet so much superior to the "stock" system with just a little bit of data.

I started with a 7" galaxy tab 3 on freedompop $25 a month 1gb lte unlimited throttled after that. fine service but the tab 3 was grating on me. too slow too low res too small and the new version of google maps pukes badly on it.

so I upgraded to a 10.1" Galaxy Note 2014 edition with Tmobile service. (freedom pop maxes at the tab 3 can't get anything newer) $32 a month. only a few more dollars than freedompop.

SO much better a tablet. I predownload all the maps I need so that does not use any data. just messagine and voice nav and instructions. I use it heavily and daily and I don't think I have used a gig yet this month so 3gb LTE is plenty. throttled but unlimited after that.

anyway here are some pictures (sorry for the quality)

Here is the video from my installing the 7" tablet

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z8nCTUBJKOY" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Time to upgrade :)

Galaxy Note 10.1 2014 edition $300 on ebay.

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Get some 3m Extreme tape apply to one side of washers and to magnets. nice clean firm grip so watch for oil ie don't touch with fingers (the magnets and washers)

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scissors to trim tape to circle. apply washers to dash aligning with where they will fit on the tab holder frame

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let magnets snap to the washers peel off tape and then apply the tablet holder frame to the exposed tape. SLIDE off carefully and fully seat the adhesive.

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Mount your tablet and enjoy!

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I installed Nova launcher and designed my own basic UI. much cleaner much faster much more advanced and much more hands free than the car's UI.

asign media bluetooth audio to the tablet and phone bluetooth audio to your phone. they will connect independantly.

I set the auto off to 15seconds and then use an app to keep it awake when "powered"

this way when I get in the car it turns on and stays on but when I turn off the car (no more power) the tab reverts to normal ie screen off in 15 seconds. without me having to touch a thing. no lock screen (disable it)

I also have an app that aggressive interogates and reconnects the bluetooth connections. so when the car stereo boots up the tab will auto connect to the car. again hands free. and most apps will also auto resume playback once it notices bluetooth has reconnected.

so I get in hit the power for the car tab turns on connects and auto plays without me having to even look at it. very nice.

I will shoot a video tomorrow and upload if I remember too :)

Got that video :)

My Dashmat

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My Charge Port motion light.

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My Curtis Cargo Carrier

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I would really like to build something smaller and foldable and made of aluminum. hopefully I will have time to do something about that in time. for now this $80 prime shipped unit is quite nice and light considering it is steel. I am glad I got the S Neck unit. the higher sitting height is really preferred.

I also want to build one with "feet" that come down to contact the ground so I can use it as a bench seat (with cushions) would be really nice for events etc..

Here is the video of the tablet motion light and curtis hits and dash pad.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Apax1b_-8w" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I also have a triplet of dash cam's installed. 2 front one narrow one wide with gps. and a wide rear facing in the back window. will make a separate video on those later once I clean up the installation etc..

Got my jack. Nice half scissor aluminum jack from a later model VW.

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Lifts the car just fine. very please. going to put some epoxy putty in the lit bracket in the right spot to interact with the dimple cutouts on the car itself to reduce chance of it sliding. might also put some rubber in their so it does not scratch the car's finish as well Just because. I got 2 of them. about $25 to $35 a pop on ebay. Just search VW Aluminum Jack.

Got some nice Red Lugnuts. Steel. while the Aluminum ones are more permanently red (the steel ones will wear off with use) I just don't trust soft aluminum for a lug nut.

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interestingly just to clarify the actual GUI is pretty nice. a little cumbersome at times a little annoying but not bad. it is the physical UI that is horrible especially the hands free UI. nearly useless in fact I would go so far as to call it borderline dangerous since you essentially are forced to look at the screen at the last step defeating the point of a hands free ui.

it blows my mind that this is a $2500 "feature" when an $80 tablet blows it to dirt.

now if only leafspy or someone would make a widget that would read the HVAC TEMPERATURE off the canbus network and display it on my android device. that is the only thing I really need from the system. very annoying to have to pull the tab off to adjust the temperature.
 
added pics of my new jack. also have an altima donut coming in. hoping I can rig it somehow to mount underneath with my hitch in place so I can take the full size spare out of the boot. it fills it :) even if it hangs down a little low that is ok as long as it does not touch. or enter the airstream too much where it could take damage.

I might try deflating it and using a ratchet strap to "compress it" since the car also has an airpump. if I can do that without losing the bead that might work out nicely.
 
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