Accessory Rewire Help Needed!

[4x4mike]

Sierra Expeditions sells those fuse blocks.

Here's a the 12 one
http://www.sierraexpeditions.com/ind...t_detail&p=550

Snag a 12 or 6er from them and order a switch panel from 12voltguy, and you would be set. That and both those companies spend a lot of time and effort to do what they can to keep our trails open.

Problem I see with a switch panel is that there is no where to mount them. If you look at Darrens panels they are are pretty good size and flat. In a 3rd gen there aren't many places for that kind of thing. You'd have to cover stuff up or cut a big hole to fit something. Now a small multiswitch panel like your military one is nice. It's small and has a lot of buttons. I've filled at least one factory spot with a factory switch and added 2 small ones in the console.

[img width=800 height=600]http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e13/mezamichael82/DSC06762.jpg[/img]

Fog light switch for the OBA
[img width=800 height=600]http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e13/mezamichael82/DSC06763.jpg[/img]

[RunnerUp]

i def. plan on ordering from companies that will help keep trails open, i just didnt think about where else to get the stuff, and painless has the fame.

i like 12 volt guys switch plates, now i just have to tally how many accessories i am going to have eventually and then decide where to mount a switch plate. that in itself will be a feat since i have a double din navi screen in there and so it might have to go below my cb (ashtray location) and extra 12volt outlets.

i already have buttons all over the place, which i dont like, i could go for the factory sunglass/garage remote holder as a switch area. it sounds like the wiring orgy to my battery will be fixed with a fuse block, just gotta figure out how big of one i need.

i would really like in cab controls of the winch, and to potentially eliminate or move the bulky box on my ARB to allow more airflow to the radiator.

[4x4mike]

i would really like in cab controls of the winch, and to potentially eliminate or move the bulky box on my ARB to allow more airflow to the radiator.

You can lengthen the wires from the solienoid box. I did this on the winch I had on my truck. I wasn't running an aftermarket bumper or anything and wanted everything protected and out of the weather. Lengthening it allowed me to mount it under hood. When I was using it I liked keeping the hood open (I think Warn says this in it's instructions) for protection. If I had it closed I would plug the controller in, run the wire up near the wipers, close the hood and drape the controller on the rear view mirror or inside the window.

Here's my old set up CLICK

I have read on other forums about people pulling out peoples winch cable and hooking it to the same vehicles rear bumper. Not too bad but if that person has a controller for your winch (not uncommon) they can pull in cable. Somewhere out there was a picture of a crushed cab on an FJ. I guess the bad guy pulls in cable until the battery dies or the motor burns out.

[RunnerUp]

wow... i had never heard of that happening, i guess its feasible though... def. want to get that control box somewhere hidden now!

oh, i am also upgrading my Lightforces to HID along with this rewiring project.

[slosurfer]

Yeah, I hear ya on the "no room". Looking at those pics, I'm jealous of all the room and cutouts you guys have (even though it isn't much). 2nd gens have two cutouts on the dash and they are in the only flat spot for switches.

I think Darren makes panels with mini switches. I think I saw something like that in his TJ section or something. Well, I guess it was mini buttons, and made the winch panel smaller.

The other thing you can do to make his panels smaller are to use toggle switches with the led in the tip. All his on his website are toggles with a seperate led light above it, but I know he has the led tipped ones as that is where I got my elocker one from. You could probably fit a decent # of switches in that spot that has a regular switch cutout and that bigger square cutout. Best thing would be to get the dimensions of the different spots where you think it might work and then see what magic he could work. That was going to be my plan, till I found the m-series switch. That being said, you could always get a panel that is all push buttons. Now I'm just rambling and trying to spend your money.

I've always heard of the crushed vehicle from its own winch before, but have never seen pics.

[4x4mike]

Googled but couldn't find what I was looking for. I thought I had seen pictures and I thought it was in Austraila.

It's mentioned here (post #5) as an urban myth. Might be an urban myth but I don't want it happening to me or anyone I know.

[RunnerUp]

thats right, i had forgotten about the m-series switch, and now i cant find that thread... got a pic handy?

push button panel? def. gonna need a pic for that, ive got the wrenching down somewhat, now i gotta concentrate on electrics...

kinda follows my plan of college, know a little about a lot of stuff, so you can generally bullshit your way through any conversation.

[slosurfer]

Quick hijack question, what were you planning on doing with all the extra wire when running those rock lights? Right now, mine are individually looped up, and ziptied, but they still make a big pile in my engine bay.

Yeah, I believe that probably someone has done the winch thing. Always better to be safe than sorry. I wonder if insurance covers that and if they will also replace the winch if it gets ruined in the process.

I guess I hid it in General Offroad Tech M-series push button switch

[4x4mike]

I think you'd be money ahead getting one of Chris' panels. It's all push button, small and modern looking.

As for the extra wiring for your rocklights. What does the plug look like. It might only have 2 wires going through it. Cut to fit, solder, shrink wrap and call it done. It probably voids the warranty but so would damage caused by the thing getting pulled into your fan from too long of wires.

[RunnerUp]

ha, thanks for the link... about the excess wires from the rock lights, i was thinking of cutting them and getting rid of the main control box, as i dont really care about having them strobe or anything and just want functional rock lights, that or if someone is brave enough to cut the tip off of one see what wires are inside... otherwise i was just going to ziptie the wires and ziptie them to the sides