Need Input On Fog Light Switch Mod/Replmnt

Hey guys, what a great site, but it is a real time vampire. I have some many TW tabs open and have done so many searches that my head hurts. Why can't I just leave my truck how it is? Well, anyway I still have questions and need some advise.

I have done the fog light any time mod (very cool by the way). But just like everyone else it bugs me that there is no on indicator on the factory fog light switch. I have seen the mod for the switch where you remove the factory bulb and replace it with two LEDs and I have seen where you can replace the switch with a FJ fog light switch. However, the FJ switch seemed kind of spendy and the LED mod was cool but it kind of hacked the switch. I do however like the idea of modifying the switch, so here are my questions

Question #1
Has anyone tried to completely disassemble the factory fog light switch, including removing the button face. Then drill out the unused bulb socket location above the illumination bulb, so that it will accept a standard bulb or possibly a LED. This could then be used for the ON indicator. Then modify the button face in such a way that the ON Light can be seen. I guess the idea would be to make it look like the factory FJ Cruiser switch without paying $80.

Question #2
The orange bulb in the factory switch appears to have a orange rubber coating. Can that be removed to make it a clear bulb?
Question #3
Ok so if my switch modifying doesn't work out I could replace it with an aftermarket switch. I finally came across the Carling Technologies switches on OTRATTW.com and I like the laser etched zombie switches. Could someone confirm which one I would need if I want it to grow green when the dash lights are on and light red when you turn on the fog lights.

question #4
For the guys that have used them, are you happy with the they look and function and do they look ok in the factory switch location. Pictures would be great.
If I go this route, has anyone come up with a slick way to wire them without cutting of the factory plug? Maybe a pigtail adaptor or something.

I know alot of this stuff has been talked about , but I can't find exactly what I am looking for. Thanks guys,
Mt.Boy

 

You can just add a second bulb and wire in a relay to make it change colors when turned on/off. Would be about a $5 project of you know electrical. I can make a wiring diagram for the relay if you want to try it.

85: ground
86: + output from switch to fog relay when ON
30: + input from dash light circuit which powers the OEM bulb. Must cut in half from switch. This is the CAR side of that wire.
87a: switch side of the wire listed for pin 30.
87: out to + on new added secondary bulb or led.

 

FJ Cruiser switch already has the light and connections.

 

Yeah but it costs a fortune. I'd use my $5 method just cause I know how to do it right and its cheap. For someone who doesn't know or isn't 100% confident, I wouldn't waste my time trying, just spend the money on the FJ switch.

 

Yes I agreed the FJ switch costs to much. I am completely capable to do the the modifying and enjoy these kind of challenges. ProForce I would like to see what you did and a schematic would be great. Thanks for replying.

 

I haven't done it, but in have converted the switch from bulb to led and am pretty familiar with it. I'm sure you can add a second light to it

 

It's only about $45.... $75 or so with the harness.

We've got another thread where guys are willing to pay $65 for a piece of shit switch that just happens to fit the center dash for the 2012+... that much for the switch, and for $10 more they can get a complete foglight set with the same POS switch.

 

out of curiosity, i would like to see that wiring diagram...

 

K. I'll try to draw it up tonight when I get home

 

sweet deal

 

On that Zombie light switch, just be aware that light bleeds through them rather bad. I went to a local shop to get some, they demo'd one for me, went and bought other switches. I'm sure you could figure out something but to me, it shouldn't let light bleed through the entire switch face.

They make another one that is flat, doesn't have that issue.

 

Awesome, thats what I was hoping to see. I was able to get mine apart tonight. I noticed that your fog light switch face as a rectangular hole at the top. Did you do that and if so how did you do it? Also, how did you modify the rest of the switch to make use of it? My next step will be trying to open up the unused bulb location so that I can add a second factory 12v bulb I guess.
I really appreciate the help, Keep it coming please.

 

Thanks for the warning. I'm gonna keep working on my factory switch modification until I completely f-it up. Then I will take a closer look at the zombie switches.

 

caribe makaira
Ok, I get the idea on how you cut the hole in the button face as well as for the bulb socket. I don't have the precision drill table but I can probable rig something up.

Now what did you do with the hole in the button face? did you leave it open? Or did you place something transparent behind it? I am considering filling it with a colored epoxy maybe.

Also, did you use standard 12v bulbs in both sockets or did you switch to LEDs? And How did you physically go about wiring the new socket for the bulb/LED.
If you went with an LED I am assuming you had to add a resistor somewhere to drop the voltage.

I really appreciate your help and pictures. If you have more pics That would be sweet. And maybe one of the finished product.
Thanks

 

Ok, I think that answers my questions. I will take pics of my progress and hopefully have something decent to show when I am done.
Thanks for your help!

 

Ok, I finally finished my fog light switch mod today. With some helpful advice from Caribe Makaira and dbbd1 from Toyota Nation. I wanted an ON indicator for my fog lights, but I did not want to purchase an aftermarket switch or spend the money on a FJ driving light switch.
I started by removing and disassembling switch.

Then I dremeled out the unused bulb location so that it would accept a factory style bulb. This will be where the ON bulb will be placed.
Then I soldered a black jumper between pin 3, via a small hole in the plastic of the bulb tray, and the upper most contact of the newly open bulb socket. Then I soldered a diode between pin 1 and the lower most contact of the new bulb socket. The banded end of the diode faces the ON bulb. I used a NTE116 Standard Diode, 1A 600V. I happened to have this one laying around, otherwise I would have gone to radio shack.

Finally I finished by drilling a .125 inch hole in the faceplate of the switch. I centered the hole so it would line up with the channel in the switch body that is lit by the new bulb. I then inserted a .125 inch diameter translucent blue plastic rod into the hole from the backside of the faceplate. The rod was about .5 inches long. This will be used to channel the light to the front of the switch. The plastic rod was a LEGO piece I found in my son's room.

I reassembled the switch and tested. I am quite happy with the result and I can finally quit abscessing over the fact that Toyota didn't do this in the first place. It only cost me $8.00, and that was because I bought the new bulb from Toyota. I could have bought cheaper LEDs online but I couldn't wait. I may change them out later. I did remove the orange rubber condom from the ON bulb and left the illumination bulb orange.

OFF


ON


Enjoy!

 

Good Work! I'll have to do this...

Any pictures of the rod assembly?

 

This is the only picture I took that shows it. It is fairly simply, I just took a blue plastic LEGO rod and cut it down to about a half an inch long an inserted it into the 1/8 inch hole I drill in the face plate. this work great for bringing the light to the front of the switch. The hard part was drilling the hole in the right spot so that it lined up with the channel leading back to the new bulb. There was not much room for error.

 

You bet I will do it tonight when it gets dark.

 

caribe maraika, I still have a little trouble with my whole set up, maybe you can help. I thought I had everything worked out but I discovered a slight glitch today. Everything seemed to be working great. I could turn the foglights on any time the ignition switch was on and my ON indicator lit when I pressed the foglight switch. The dimmer switch dims the foglight illumination icon as it should. However the glitch occurs in the following scenerios. The headlights are on, foglight switch is off. When you turn the ignition switch off the headlights stay on, as they should, but then the foglights come on. As soon as you open the door everything shuts off. The other way this occurs is if you turn on the headlights when the ignition is off. Below is the Anytime Fog Light Mod that I used. I believe what is happening is I am energizing the FOG Relay in the oposite direction in these two situations, thus turning the fog lights on without the switch. The green wire EB1 pin 3 must go to ground when the ignition is off, therefore the +12 volt from the fog light switch illumination circuit (pin1) that I am using to light my ON indicator is back feeding the Fog Relay. Hopefully some of that makes since.