Install an overhead switch in the map light housing

[Prime]

So in planning to mount my B&M lightbar, I needed a good place to mount the toggle switch. Seeing as how the blanks to the left of the steering wheel are occupied by my ARB locker switches, what better place than up high in the plastic map light housing.

The switch is from otrarrw.com and is a perfect match to the ARB switches which is exactly what I wanted.

The map light pulls down vertically. No screws.
Enter the dremel.

After cutting in the switch body I had to notch the back plate to clear the connectors.

As you can see, the connectors don't go past the existing harness once it's all bolted together, so it should have no clearance issues when popping back in.

The final product.

I can't do the wiring, routing and final assembly yet because the truck is in the shop getting the locker put in. Yeah, that's finally happening. So ill post some final pictures once I get it back.

EDIT: Wow...didn't realize that the mobile upload pictures would be so small. Fixored!

 

[Muadeeb]

Awesome! I wouldn't have expected a deep switch like OTRATTW's to fit.

 

[dhyde79]

switch depth should be fine, but, the wires behind it might make it not so good...

 

[Prime]

Got the wires routed in the switch. The grounds I'm just going to tap onto whichever of those is the ground behind the map light. I think its the black wire, but I want to make sure so I'll drop a multimeter on the wiring when I get the truck back from getting the locker put in.

With the grounds being isolated in the map light, I have to get three wires down to the rest of the truck. I had to bend the tabs on the back down a little bit to get them to clear, but none the wiser after all is said and done.

One wire for the hot power coming in from the new fusebox (switch power), one for the output to the relays, and one to the night time dash illumination. Since these are two light switches, one lights up as a simple line indicator when you turn on the headlights at night and the lens where it has the logo turns on when you turn on the switch.

 

[civicjoe]

awesome wish i could do this with mine, but i think i have to upgrade to the sunglass holder

 

[Silver dude]

Little different dome light on mine. Yours must be a gen 1.5

Ben

 

[Prime]

Yeah. 1.5. I imagine it probably wouldn't work if you had the compass/temp display.

 

[idratherbe]

Yes, that is right where my compass is. That's why I made this

 

[TKDx00]

.... That's why I made this

You made the switch block? PLEASE, do you have a how-to and/or a parts list on the block or something written down to show how you connected it to the roof? I guess that's a how-to huh... lol. I need to put switches and run wires up there. I'm planning to use the 3 switch pilot type. That looks like it's OEM...looks great!

 

[idratherbe]

I made it from fiberglass. It took the place if my factory sunroof cover and is held up the same way. there are more pics in my build thread.

Sorry for the thread interruption.

Good how to for those that can do it.

 

[TKDx00]

Yes, very sorry for my tread jack...

 

[Prime]

Good how to for those that can do it.

Don't patronize me! Come in here with your fancy fiberglass custom craziness that 90% of us wish we were skilled enough to make. I just cut a hole in something!

/sarcasm
//funny sarcasm

SRSLY though, your's is pretty damn cool. Bravo.