All the different switch styles drive me crazy :mad: and I don't drill holes for every one because I'm so fickle and change my mind too often.
I'm sick of looking at my PIAA switches (both sets), my indiglo switches, and I plan on back up lights soon.

I thinking of a custom pod maybe to fit that indent above the hood realease, and maybe snipping the piaa switches and finding something common ones that all can use.

Have any of you done this?? Any ideas or pics??

 

yes, I have an idea. if you have the little pocket below the radio, replace it with a car stereo mounting kit type black panel. You can drill out the holes for switches, and hit radio shack to get a matching set, they usually have a "line" that look the same, but you can get them in various flavors. That way, they all look the same, and are all in the same place. The toggle switches w/ round mounts are easy to install like that. I'm not sure if you can get ones that light up, though. Your other option is to pull the console around the tranny (if you have an auto, not sure about 5 spd) and mount switches there. I haven't done that one, but when I pulled that cover off, it looked like there was plenty of room. You could install a set of toggle or plate-type switches there and run the wires through the console, up the hollow plastic trim directly below the radio/ashtray stuff, and then to wherever your stuff is located.

 

I like this set-up... I relocated my rear window switch to the left side of the dash and left that stupid window lock switch under the console

 

How many switches are you running now?
I have 3 for my 3 sets of lights.
The roof and ARB light switches are in the factory cutouts on the dash, and the rear bumper light switch is on the lower console where the coin holder use to be.

You could also do what Darren did here and use a smaller switch like the Hella green ones and fit two to a cutout panel.

Or you could always try something like this and mount it below, or on the head liner and look like a rocketship inside





Something like the one above might even fit the lower DIN of the stereo bay.
If you could pull that off by fitting it into the lower DIN half, it would look sharp.
They have different sizes.

 

I put mini toggle switches in the pop-outs for my truck. I fit three of them and a small indicator light on one pop-out so far. The mini-toggles trigger relays that do the actual switching

 

does your truck have the cnter console up front , i always thought a really cool clean install would be to put switches inside the center console , you know bc you re not ever going to usethat space anyways right ? LOL
but a board of switches insdie the console , maybe on the passenger inside ide so they face the driver .

the under the radio set up would be pretty trick too .

erik b of oregon

 

I've got quite a few switches, too:

I don't like all the cords under the dashboard. I've been think of splicing them and relocating them under the CD player in the center. But, I'll be installing a CB there in the near future. So, I guess I'll have to figure something else out.

 

You could run the cables up through the manual throttle cable hole (I think that's what that is??) the little one like 2 inches down and towards the steering wheel, that way at least they'd be more out of sight.

Corey- those switch boxes make me wish I had something that needed switching on and off lol. Maybe I should have switches for my amps or something...that would be cool looking lol.

 

Check this place out. I used to get stuff here all the time in my stereo days...

Waytek Wire

I think the Contura rockers are what ARB uses for their lockers.

 

Nice site! Yep, those look like the switches ARB uses without their custom cover.

 

Nice switches

 

This is my solution to my switch problem. One of the switches is missing in the picture. It was broken and I have since replaced it I got the whole setup from PepBoys for like ten dollars. It included four switches and the plate that the switches mount too. I just attached the plate directly to the bottom of the ashtray. The sides of the part of the console on 2nd gens that comes up under the ashtray hides the wiring and I have all the power wires for the switches ran fused into the cigarette lighter power wire. (these are not driving lights, they are very low current items) All of the switches are lighted and you can also find this same thing with the rectangular push switches. Sorry about my circling job, as you can tell I barely passed kindergarten. Haha Also sorry for the very poor picture quality. These were taken in haste with a dare I say...disposable camera.

 

LOL.. Bill when did you put those in? did you ever see mine before?? I have had those in there for a couple years now.. They work great.. I no longer need the DPST and may put the coin holder thingee back there and clean up the look a bit.. BTW, those look very nice in your console ( You may want to add some split loom to the wires thoug, look kinda close to the e-brake)

 

A row of these in the center dash under your CD player would be pretty cool


Talk about jet-fighter cockpit look!
And they're a bargin at just $25 each!

 

You guys are awesome you're giving me some great ideas. I really like having that pocket under my cd player to throw crap in so I don't think I'll get rid of it, but I will keep that option in mind.

Firefyter-Emt - I really like what you did, I never even thought about punching out those stupid coin holders. What style of switch is that and where did you get them? Do they light up?

Cebby - Thanks for the link, they have some cool stuff.

Corey - I only have 2 plus my indiglos now, but rear bumpers and maybe some on the roof soon to follow. Those panels are cool, do you have any idea on their prices? I didn't see any on their site. That Hella idea has some promise too.

Dub's idea sounds like a good way to get around the stupid Piaa switches, just leave them on under the dash somewhere and use a toggle to switch them.

I know that there are 3 wires going to the piaa's switch, can you hook those up to a two way toggle????

 

where can you get those for 25 bucks? They do look cool, come in any different colors????? I may have to install them in my 4runner some day

 

I did something similar for a couple of things:



That's a switch for a compressor that's driving air horns, and a control for Dr. Zhivago's "ECT Mod".

If you do use this space, then be careful about filling it too full. I get things bouncing around in there that mess with the control. But if you're just talking about switches, you shouldn't have a problem.

 

What about a cool switch panel like on the Mini Cooper


Drove one today and loved every second of it.

Back on topic the switches were nice to use too

 

yoda.. You can get switches like that all over the place.. I know Jeggs carries them.

PS, those "knock outs" just pop-out like switckes.. No changes needed, just snap in the switches

 

I've had them for about a year now, and no this is the first time I've seen your setup. I found the switches just searching around on the internet. And those wires you see in the pic are not there, that pic was taken when I was test fitting the console while I was putting everything in, they are now nice and snug inside some wrie clips that run along the inside edge of the console, so no worries about the ebrake.