JA's Footwell Lighting

[navyjonathan]

Hey guys, first would like to say thanks to JA for taking the time to put all that stuff on his website about the led's. It is truly a must read.

I decided to go with v-led's also for the mod's. It seems the footweel lighting he used is no longer used by them, but I emailed JA and he said his next choice would be the DIY_30_SMT_W, which has 30 non high powered led's. I'm about to do all this and I am having trouble figuring out where I am going to put the two switches. I guess his 2007 had 2 slots for switches where he put his switches, but my 2005 only has one slot (which is occupied by the backlight dimmer). I really wanted to avoid cutting the console to put in another slot.

the picture below, his ride has 4 panel cutouts (his has 115ac/ 4 wheel drive thing, etc) right below the row of 2 which he used for the mod. I also have 4 panel cutouts, but i don't have 4 wheel drive nor the 115ac, so 2 of those cutouts could be used for my mod. Has anybody used these spaces for switches for this mod or any other? If so, I'd appreciate knowning where you found switchnes that fit that space perfectly or any ideas on how to do this.

thanks guys.

 

[ran]

On my '07 sport, I have a DAC switch on the center console that I'm going to move to that empty space. wife loves to put her purse on the console. life.

 

[J.A.]

Glad to see you are going to do the mod and that the write up is helping. I explain in the write up that only one switch is truely necessary to control both the maplight and the footwell mod. Just use the DPDT switch and part number that I used in the footwell mod and you can hook up both mods to this one switch in place of your dimmer switch. You will loose the ability to turn one mod off while enabeling the other but there arent many times at all I have needed that functionality. The function that you do loose that is very nice is that I can turn my footwells on while in motion and the maps dont come on, If you use the one switch method both would light up.

 

[navyjonathan]

thanks ja, appreciate it. i would really like the ability to have the footwells on while driving without the maps on, so i need to keep searching for a switch to go in the precutouts already. such a pain in the butt, why would they put all those openings without making a switch to fit the cutout blows my mind. hopefully i can figure this out.

 

[J.A.]

The lower cutouts are slightly smaller, although I havent done it I believe that it is possible that with a little trimming you can make the switch I used fit.

 

[J.A.]

thanks ja, appreciate it. i would really like the ability to have the footwells on while driving without the maps on, so i need to keep searching for a switch to go in the precutouts already. such a pain in the butt, why would they put all those openings without making a switch to fit the cutout blows my mind. hopefully i can figure this out.

I also wanted to add that you can still use the one switch method to accomplish that (footwells on while driving, maps off). Use the DPDT and do not connect fulltime ground to the map light mod side of the switch (top prong). This will allow you to have a fully off mode for both mods in the center position, foot and map mods active in the down position, and footwells only on "on demand" in the up position.

 

[navyjonathan]

I also wanted to add that you can still use the one switch method to accomplish that (footwells on while driving, maps off). Use the DPDT and do not connect fulltime ground to the map light mod side of the switch (top prong). This will allow you to have a fully off mode for both mods in the center position, foot and map mods active in the down position, and footwells only on "on demand" in the up position.

awesome ja, ill try it and let ya know! thanks!

 

[J.A.]

Great, I look forward to seeing pics of the 30led boards too.

As a side note, did you notice that the 5th gen limited is going to come with both the maplight mod (door operated personal/maplights) and footwells (might be front only though) from the factory...guess they are watching us mod our rigs:thumb3:.

 

[navyjonathan]

hey ja, what you think of these, possibly going with the toggle switches rather than the rockers, drilling a hole through the center of the open existing panel cutouts and sticking just the toggle switch through.

I have 2 open cutouts in the row of four, right next to each other. tis a 2005 sport.

cole hersee co number 54107-01

Switch Type Toggle Switch
Circuitry DPDT
Electrical Rating 25A at 12V DC
Contacts Silver
Housing Black plastic
Up Position On
Center Position Off
Down Position On
Terminals 6 blade
Handle Material Black nylon
Handle Type Wedge
Handle Size: inches 11/16" Long
Handle Size: mm 17.46mm
Mounting Hardware Black finished face nut & plated hex nut
Mounting Stem Material Nylon plastic,black
Mounting Stem Dimensions 15/32" -32 thread, 15/32" (11.90mm) Long
Mounting Hole Dimension 15/32" (11.90mm) Panel Hole
Panel Thickness Up to 1/8" (3.17mm) thick

 

[J.A.]

Your idea may work but it just doesnt look factory. I would put the effort into using my switches in the factory cutouts by trimming the hole to a slightly wider width using a razor blade, its just the inside of the cutout that needs the trimming and you cant tell from the outside anything was done.

 

[navyjonathan]

is there any stores that sell those switches in decent sized cities (el paso tx), that i could buy the rockers and the toggles then return the ones that i didn't use? where did you get your rockers from? i think i will go with the rockers and use a blade like you said, but want the option of not cutting if the toggles don't look too bad once i have the dash all apart.

i measured, and im assuming the length will be the same as your rockers, just the width will need a little trimming like you said.

thanks

 

[J.A.]

where did you get your rockers from?

Local boating store.

 

[JeremyH]

I've used quite a few switches from this company:
http://www.carlingtech.com/

I like the Contura Rocker Switches....they look great and I've never had one fail on me.

 

[navyjonathan]

nevermind. should be done by tomorrow!

 

[4 Runner Bud]

J.A. What can I say that has not been said before.....Thanks for making it easy to do the mods that just make sense. You have given me some great garage time without all the research. Just go outside and do it! That is why I have a computer in the garage. Makes follow the directions a breeze.

Thanks again!

Buddy

 

[navyjonathan]

hey ja!

go everything all hooked up but ran out of time to do all the taping and paneling back together. the 30 led boards look awesome in the back. i was able to carefully cut some trim off of the panel where you have the 115ac, and i had a blank slot, and with VERY little trimming that cole hersee dpdt switch slide right in there and looks very nice. I will post pics when its all said and done tomorrow.

also, i was going to try to do it using just the dpdt switch and like u suggested try to leave the map light mod with no ground on the switch. something is screwed up cause with it that way the map lights don't go out! they go out when i lock it with the keypad, but they don't go out when you turn the key and start driving! i guess i will just get the second switch and wire it as you have.

 

[navyjonathan]

okay, got called to work today so couldn't finish. will have to wait 2 weeks. i have a problem though ja. for some reason my map lights don't work at all now. so far i have only done themaplight mod, everything was working, and now they don't turn on at all. even if i completely remove the mod they don't work, and the fuses are intact. ideas?

 

[J.A.]

hey ja!

go everything all hooked up but ran out of time to do all the taping and paneling back together. the 30 led boards look awesome in the back. i was able to carefully cut some trim off of the panel where you have the 115ac, and i had a blank slot, and with VERY little trimming that cole hersee dpdt switch slide right in there and looks very nice. I will post pics when its all said and done tomorrow.

also, i was going to try to do it using just the dpdt switch and like u suggested try to leave the map light mod with no ground on the switch. something is screwed up cause with it that way the map lights don't go out! they go out when i lock it with the keypad, but they don't go out when you turn the key and start driving! i guess i will just get the second switch and wire it as you have.

When using the DPDT switch you leave the constant ground wire off the maplight side of the switch, top pin. Center prong goes out to the maplights, the bottom goes to ILE. What you are describing is not a result of the DPDT switch, it will work. I think maybe a part of the wire on the footwell side of the switch is touching the maplight side.

 

[J.A.]

okay, got called to work today so couldn't finish. will have to wait 2 weeks. i have a problem though ja. for some reason my map lights don't work at all now. so far i have only done themaplight mod, everything was working, and now they don't turn on at all. even if i completely remove the mod they don't work, and the fuses are intact. ideas?

I would take the console out and do the bench testing I describe and see if that gets the lights to work.

 

[navyjonathan]

ja! all done with both mods! the problem i had which i found out is when i put the map lights back in the new wire i ran from them to the switch had gotten pinched in the 2 metal clips when i put it in, thus shorting the wire. fixed that and wallah! everything worked. If anybody else is going to do the mod what JA said earlier on this post (when we were talking about wanting to use the footwells while driving without the maps) with not having a ground on the maplight mod works like a dream! It all works off of one switch! LOVE IT. pics will follow when i get some time, right now all the footwells are just sitting in place, haven't mounted them or made the brackets yet, that will be next weekend.

THANKS JA!!! LOVE IT