Bass Knob location

This is good to know as I have an Alpine amp and was wondering if a JL knob would work with it. The Alpine knobs either look too fancy or too ugly.

 

my truck will be getting an alpine pdx v9 later on, with the add-on bass knob-- i've got all the parts, i just need to find some motivation. the alpine knob will fit into the same blank as the jl does. both require some cutting of the rear support structure of the blank to fit.

 

So for the 3rd gen, I don’t need to take the whole dash area out…just the AC control area above the blanks, yes?

 

exactly … its easier than you think

 

Thanks, will research how to do that. Any tips? Do I need to pull the radio bezel first to get access to AC controls?

 

To the OP:
You basically showed us a picture said it was easy...and then when I ask a question, you don't elaborate with anything helpful except "It's easier than you think". IT IS EASY to break something if you're not careful (I didn't). We're basically in an area where 2 airbags and the 4WD knob controls come into play. You don't mention any of that. So, you were at best quite misleading...no, it was not easy. I've removed my door panels, my headliner and rear seats and package trays and this was more trouble than any of those projects.

I learned that my 2023 Tacoma has a few minor differences with regard to connectors that youtube videos did not capture with earlier 3rd gen models.

To everyone else:
Do proceed with caution: The basic steps: 1) remove the radio bezel...just tug from the bezel perimeter 2) Unclip only the right/top end the piece of plastic just right of the steering column and connected to the AC controls out of the way (which I could not do without fear of breaking something) This is the part that would have been great to know because the AC control bezel has a hooked profile to this panel at their interface. If you don't know that, you may break something. Online videos just show somebody pulling the right side of the steering wheel trim out but you only need to pull the one clip out to give you clearance to get the AC control section out. 3) Carefully pull the AC controls off like the radio bezel because there are 2 harnesses connected to it: the 4WD harness has very fine wires and its harness is tiny unlike the harness for the AC controls. The 4WD harness requires tiny fingers to get off so be patient. I only got the right side of the AC section away because for my 2023 Tacoma, the clip connecting to the steering column cover would not budge. But this gave me access to the blank...which you 4) pinch from the inside to remove. It pops out the front side.

Now you have the 2nd not-so-easy part of making your volume knob fit the blank. The blank has webbing that needs to be cut away to drill it and to flush up to the volume knob housing. The webbing gives the blank's two clips strength so after you drill it for the knob and remove that webbing, you have something pretty weak that will last maybe 2 years before you have to deal with it again. My small alpine volume know won't fit...and as much as I love a good challenge (my moto is 'it's usually better to do it the hard way'), I didn't want to put the knob in a place with so little support. I will probably mount the knob to the upper tray inside my armrest cubby...out of thieves' sight.

To the OP:
You're welcome.

 

not sure what 2 airbags your worried about are ….but accessing the lower area is very easy …. Especially if you have taken out the radio…. I have a couple of times ….the main issue is so people don’t think they have to take apart the dash completely to accesses the lower area where the controls are….i said it’s not hard based on other threads and this forum as a whole of how to get back there …. Not to mention that there are others who have the same sub control knob as I do…it’s really not hard, and no danger with what needs to come offf in order to access the area

 

original post was mine and that was my 19 Tacoma TRD Off Road DCSB 6sp MT

currently on a 23 TRD Off Road DCSB AT
im not technically inclined but the process is not hard

 

the knob really should just be for turning, or pressing in on some more complex models. i don't see how enough support structure could be removed to compromise functionality of that part.

 

Once you look at the back of the blank, you’ll see what mean. The webbing actually supports the action of the clips that hold the blank in place. It will work, but it doesn’t look like a long term solution. Not for me anyway. I’m sure it’s working for others but it’s not how I like to do things. Mounting a sub volume knob to the factory blank with compromised clip retention may be problematic at some point down the road. I could be wrong…but my gut said no.

For me it was an easy decision because I’d need to remove the mechanism from the housing to get it to fit. I was on the fence employing a knob anyway…would prefer to contour it from the HU.

 

It’s all good…I just wanted to know HOW you did it…but all you could tell me was that it was easy.

Lol…probably the reason people take out the who console is that everyone keeps saying it’s easy but they never tell/show anyone how to do it.

 

MESO has a video for the chrome delete for the 4wd knobs …. That will guide you

 

The knob won’t be problematic at all , it won’t come loose and will work as it’s supposed to. Mine never even shifted, no hiccups what so ever… it is the way if you like the knob there.

 

I saw that video, it was the most helpful but I just couldn’t get the steering trim grommet out. Maybe mine was stubborn. That video made it look really easy too.

 

You kinda have to man handle the lower part left of the AC controls

 

...I didn't want to break a nail...lol.

 

Clean look! Where did you purchase that insert/control knob to fit a blank?

 

You just take apart the JL knob housing and reassemble it into the blank that you drill out

 

I didn't have any blanks available in my 21 so I got to put a hole in the plastic in front of the parking brake.



And no, there was no room on the left side of the steering wheel either.