Aux Lighting Question

I'm about to add auxiliary lighting to the Tundra and will be routing wiring for the harnesses/switches soon. I don't want to drill any unnecessary holes in the firewall. Are there any existing passages to the interior that you guys have commonly used... or should I bust out the cobalt bits? Thanky.

 

Here you go:

https://www.tundras.com/threads/access-points-from-outside-the-cab-to-the-inside.57088/

 

Thank you, just what I needed to know. Did you end up installing the fuse relay?

 

What kind of aux lights are trying to put in?

 

Gonna be a 16" LED light bar and a pair of round LEDs. Separate harnesses/switches for the pair and the bar.

 

Question.... how do I remove this rectangular dash plug (right of the dimmer) to install a switch in its place? I have a rectangular switch I'd like to stab in there. I stopped short of busting out the Dremel and cutting it out. Can it be pryed out from the front? looks like there's just enough space behind it to house this switch. Prefer not to remove the upper dash panel.
2020-12-01_05-45-41 by GhostCreekMine, on Flickr

2020-12-01_05-45-59 by GhostCreekMine, on Flickr

 

That part will pop off without removing the top dash. It’s separate. I popped that blank one out and bought normally toggle switch and drilled a hole in the blank and put the switch in it and then popped the factory blank one back in. Just looked more factory and saved me from cutting the dash

 

How did you "pop it off"? I can't get behind it. Pry it?

 

@Tundra2

 

I used a plastic trim tool but you should be able to use a flathead just be careful not to sing up the edges. I’d tape off the tip of the screw driver with electrical tape or something. But I’m pretty sure from what I remember mine popped right off. I’ll take a look on break and make sure

 

I have a tacomapros relay box for my additional led lights I'm adding. I haven't had time to wire everything up yet. Too much of a wuss to go out in the 25° weather.

Anyways, here's a quote from my build thread. It has a link to the switch box.

In the picture with the fuse/relay box there is a light blue arrow. Thats how I got my switch legs inside the cab. I planned on using the over head sunglasses tray as my switch plate.

 

Like @TundraUK said, that panel pops out if you pull it towards you? with the kick panel removed (like you have in your pictures)

I think that square blank pops out from the inside. Its been a while since I've been in that panel, but I think there are two tabs on the shorter side of that blank that "clip" it into that little panel.

 

Thanks Tundra2. I'm not going that far with this aux lighting (at least not now). I've scaled this back to installing one 14" light bar. Just have to install one rocker switch.

 

Ok... this made me chuckle a little. Are you talking 25 degrees 'above' zero? That would be tropical here at this time of year, lol.

 

I'll try to gently pry that thing out today. Just wish I knew what the back of it looks like. I assume its held by little plastic tabs. If I knew where they were oriented I could attack it more efficiently.

 

My original light was a 21" bar that I put on my grille guard.
I tied it directly into my high beams. I see a lot of hooved animals that regularly total vehicles out here.
Here is a video I made a while back when I still had my projector set up installed. You can see the difference between high, low+fog, and just lows.

https://youtu.be/Wfm68aziiBA

Yes, I mean 25°F above freezing. Its just not for me. Glad I could make you chuckle.
I was eyeballing one of these.

10X20X8 Garage "tent." Just to knock the wind back some.
Link.

Then I found this 10X20X8 "Wedding" tent for $200 less at Wahlbert wurld.


Link

 

Same reason for my aux lighting... deer, moose, elk and bear. A few years ago my friend had a '00 Tundra like mine and clipped a black bear. Didn't work out well for the truck or the bear unfortunately. On the bright side... he's a taxidermist.

 

Taxidermist

Well, I typically don't deal with bears, or moose, or elk. I do deal with a lot of this.
https://youtu.be/BlivxUJHEP4
https://youtu.be/mRQV9pNUOak
https://youtu.be/Dr9tHRgxiSY
https://youtu.be/G4i0blmm5jg
https://youtu.be/F_O8cY9RoYk

 

Your reaction to barely missing the the big buck was priceless, had me in stitches! and.... I will have "Driver's Seat" stuck in my head all day, which is ok, love that tune. I bet that last vid of the near-miss bird was an Owl. I like the vids, what dashcam are you using?

 

Which deer video? The "close one" or the "big buck?"

I "hard wired" my Nexar dash cam. Here is a link to my build thread on how I did that.

Here is a quote from a dash cam thread here on the forum about which one I have. It has a link to Nexar.

There is a LOT of good info on that thread about dash cams in general. Its almost time for me to turn in for the day. If you want to talk more about the dash cam, or the lights I'd be happy to after my "nap."

 

Big Buck, that really was a close one! Actually they both were.

 

Yeah, that one was fun. As I was approaching that stretch of road I glanced down, and was looking at my cup. Thirsty. Thats why the reaction was so delayed. Lol

 

Thanks again for your help fellas. I completed the install today.
I used a tiny sharp pick to pry it up and a tiny flathead screwdriver to get under it and pop it out, pretty easy.
This is what it looks like in case anyone stumbles upon this in the future with the same predicament.
2020-12-01_05-31-42 by GhostCreekMine, on Flickr

New switch was about 1mm tight on the horizontal sides. I widened the gap a hair using a flat file and it slipped in there nice.
2020-12-01_05-32-10 by GhostCreekMine, on Flickr

2020-12-01_05-32-34 by GhostCreekMine, on Flickr

 

Pretty excited for your progress!

You'll have to upload some photos of your light bar! Some night time pics too

 

Will do. It's just a little bitty thing though, only 14". I wanted a thin discreet light to sneak into the center of my bull bar. I was able to route the wiring inside of the bar with a bit of careful drilling and wire-pulling. Little sucker is bright I must say, I was surprised.

 

Is it a nighlight bar like your switch? Did you add any additional water proofing?

 

No, I bought the wiring harness separately. This is the light bar:

$40 COLIGHT 14" Light Bar - Single Row Led Light Bar Driving Light 15000 LM 6D Lamp Cup Off Road led Light Bars for Trucks Boat SUV Bumper ATV Trucks Roof Cabin

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07BF8XYTC/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

Says IP68 waterproof rating, but they pretty much all do now. Very few are actually waterproof. I imagine I'll be addressing that in the future, we'll see.

 

They all say it, and from my readings (reviews) most aren't. You have to take into account that not every one of them is going to be completely water tight.

I've had my light bar about a year now and no moisture behind the lens. I gave it the same treatment that I did my pods like in that quoted text.