Cup Holders and Tints

Thanks mark that was a neat photo of obwan's cup light. so obwan, are you going to post the diy on that share the secret

 

Mine has three (two huge, one small) between the shifter and the console.

(07 TRD 4x4, 6spd manual).

Different trim packages seem to have different configurations.... not sure how they all differ.

 

If THAT is what you use for the oversized cups, I'll just use my kid's sippy-cups...they'll fit in any of the cupholders. Don't need an oversized cupholder THAT badly.....

 

(Thanks mark that was a neat photo of obwan's cup light. so obwan, are you going to post the diy on that share the secret) Ldytaco05

Sorry, just got back in town. Gotta love those 3 day weekends! There really isn't much to do on the cupholder lights. I bought the light strip, it's all one piece about 1" wide and 15" long made by PILOT part# CZ-181R, at AUTOZONE for $12.95. It wasn't that I thought this was the best way to go but what I found was 90% of the light stuff is set up with the cig lighter plug for power and I didn't something plugged into my dash.

The part that took some time (because I didn't have the correct tools) was fileing away the raised ridges on one side of the cupholder at the bottom. It's these ridges that the almost worthless adjustable can holder slides down on.

A dremel tool would work well but I used a small chisel and just took layers off until there was a flat area at the bottom so that the light strip fits flush against the wall of the cup holder. It's kind of hard to describe but when you look at it you'll see what I mean.

I positioned the light strip (without removing the paperback) and marked a spot to drill a small hole on the bottom of the cupholder to fish the wires through. Then I removed the paper backing and stuck the strip to the very bottom of the cup holder wall and worked from one around to the other making sure that each bend was seated well. It would have been nice to find a strip maybe 18" or 19" because the 15" doesn't go completely around.

On the other had more lights would be brighter than I would want it unless I'm trying to get a suntan while on the road

I had a black Rocker Switch laying around so I cut the center out of one of the blank switches on the left side of the steering wheel and inserted the rocker into that dummy switch. Then I wired the rocker between the power source ( a fuse that is hot when key is on) and the light strip. The light strip instructions have several different options for wiring including to the switch like I used. I am thinking about changing the power source to power all the time in case I want those lights without having to turn on the key.
I sure somebody here could even wire it to a connector for the dimmer on the dash lights and to a seperate on/off switch so that the brightness could be adjusted with the dimmer wheel like the dash is. I thought about that and decided it would be more work than I wanted to do.

That's it. I have no Idea how long these lights will work before burnout but I figure most of the time I'll have it off anyway. The real test will be how long the strip stays stuck to the wall of the cupholder here in Phoenix. I have a feeling the first or second 110 degree day and I'll find it hanging limp inside the holder. The I'll call out Mr. Epoxy glue and squeeze a touch of that on the back side.

I don't really have any Pics of the process on the blurry ones of the aftermath. C-YA L8TER

 

Good info. Shows what you can do when your determined. Thanks Obwan!

 

After a very long wait I finally brought her home last night. I figured it out with all of your help, there are three cup holders in the silver past of the console for Manual Trans, but the auto has two ahead of the shifter and one in the middle.

 

I would post a picture if I knew how?

 

Okay I figured out the profile picture, I am going to go somewhere in the mountain and take some more pictures

 

ob1 keep us updated on this