I got a couple of new items from Tough Stuff Products, Inc and thought I would share a couple of them here. As with the other items made by the folks at TSP, this one fills another one of those niches that no one else thought about. As I write this, I’ve not seen the Netz show up on their web site….hopefully they will be there shortly.
The Netz come in various shapes and sizes and provide additional storage space. I’m talking about those things that come with you each time you get into the TJ and leave when you do…..yet, when you are out on the trail and the Jeep is rocking and rolling around (some folks do this more than others), you don’t want those items to leave the Jeep unnoticed. I’ve done some obstacles where my wallet (usually I toss it in the center console depression forward of the shifter) was later found in the rear of the vehicel….oh yeah, there was the time that my cell phone almost took a….anyway, I think you get the idea. For me, Netz provide a pretty secure place to toss these items but yet provides easy access when you need something.
The first one I tried was a the Door Netz. It came packaged with a Console Netz but I was unable to mount that one as I have a power inverter occupying that space on the console (passenger side of the shifter console).
As with the other TSP products I have used, the Netz come packed in a box with instructions and templates. Hand tools for this was pretty simple; phillips screwdriver and a 3/32″ drill bit.
After reading the directions, I trimmed the excess from the supplied template and taped it to the plastic door panel in the position indicated on the template. I grabbed my cordless drill and carefully drill the four holes in the locations marked on the template.
With the holes drilled, the template is removed and the supplied snaps are screwed into place. Note the warning about not over tightening the screws (hey, you are only putting them into plastic).
Last, the door Netz is then snapped onto the door panel. That’s it! (sorry it wasn’t harder….lets mark this project as a 1 on the easy scale) Sorry I didn’t have something better to toss into the Netz other than my screwdriver, but I think you get the picture. Now, do the other door with the same template….just flip it over and tape it in place to drill your holes.
As I mentioned above, the other Netz that came in the box attaches to the right hand side of the shifter console. It is about 11″x4″.
More Netz
Tough Stuff Products Netz
With the door Netz out of the way, I was on a roll and ready to tackle another install. I opened the Glove Box & Dash Netz box to see what was needed for this install. The glove box Netz also came with directions and required some duct tape (not a problem, there is always a roll in the storage box in the back of the TJ) and a phillips screwdriver.
Remove the glove box from the dash. With a phillips screwdriver, remove the 8 screws (4 per side) that holds the plastic box to the glove box door. A very thin “hinge” attaches the plastic box to the rest of the box across the bottom of the box. The instructions say to cut this hinge with a sharp knife, but mine simply cracked off when I flexed it a couple of times.
The Netz for the glove box is stretchy on one side (uses elastic on one of the straps). Place the elastic side down and place the glove box door on top of it with the bottom of the door aligned with the closed end of the Netz.
Fold the four straps around the edges of the door and secure them in place with some duct tape. Each strap will overlay a screw hole. Take your time….I stretched and pulled (you want the straps to be tight) and rearranged it a couple of times before I was satisfied with the position. Now take the plastic box and put it back in position. I inserted the four screws that did not have to go through a strap. Since I still had that 3/32″ bit in the cordless drill, I carefully drilled the other four holes, making a small holes in the tape and strap. The remaining four screws were replaced and all were tightened.
With a box knife, I trimmed away the excess tape. Don’t cut the straps.
Put the glove box back into the dash. Your glove box Netz is ready for use. Easy to install and makes for a handy place for your passenger to toss their “junk” when they hit the trail with you for the day. The other Netz that came in the box is for placement over the top of the center tray on top of the dash. As my Panasonic Toughbook notebook PC is mounted there, I was not able to install it
Tough Stuff Products Netz
MikeW and I had plans to hook up on Saturday. It was wet outside…..enough that the folks living in Clarkdale had the local Verde River some 3 feet over flood stage. We decided to not go wheelin’ on account of rain. <grin>
So….I showed Mike the Netz that I had put into the TJ. He thought it was a pretty good idea (it seems the Tough Stuff Products folks are always coming up with good ideas) too. Needless to say, when I told him I had a couple of left over Netz that I could not install, he took me up on the offer to put them in his TJ.
It didn’t take Mike long to grab the cordless drill once he had the template taped in place for the Console Netz.
The finished install, complete with a cell phone and something else that Mike had laying around in the TJ. Hmmm….maybe I should have pulled the power inverter off of my console and moved it some place else.
Mike also installed the Dash Netz. This is the one that fits over the tray that everyone puts there sunglasses in….its the one that also lets your sunglasses fly out the passenger side windows as you make a hard left turn! Not any more. Mike opted to install the Netz over the dash mat (because he could). As you can see, his glasses won’t be sliding out of the tray any longer.