It Begins: Miss Blue

Anyway, got the sPOD installed today. This reminded me how much I hate wiring stuff, even though this nifty little doohickey is almost like cheating. It makes the situation SOOOOOOO much easier.

Basically, for those that don't know, it's a prebuilt relay block and wiring harness for 6 switches. All you do to install is:

- Mount switches.
- Mount sPOD.
- Plug switch harness into switches.
- Route switch harness to sPOD, plug in.
- Route positive and negative connections from any accessory that draws less than 30amps to sPOD.
- Connect sPOD to battery.

Done.

Here's what it looks like naked. It comes with a cover and mounting bracket. You can see the terminals for connecting accessories positive and negative on the left:



The biggest challenge of the day was deciding where to mount switches. The sPOD is designed to use the factory blanks to the left of the steering column. The problem is, 2009+ TRD OffRoad models have no blanks. All those switch locations are used. So I tore open the interior for a while and looked around...



There wasn't really any clearance behind most of the dash locations; Toyota has routed wiring in the spaces that aren't used by structural stuff. I ended up going with the center console next to the shifter. This necessitated some panel modification...



An exacto knife helps if you want to use this location and retain the rubber insert for a nice factory look.

If anyone else wants to try this method, piece of advice: Space the switches a little more than I did here. There was some interference between the top two switches and I had to dremel a couple millimeters off the bottom of the switch to get them to clear. There's plenty of unused space where I could've spread the switches out more. My own fault.



All that's left then is to stick it all back in the truck and plug in the harnesses...






Tomorrow's project is to splice up and wire these PIAAs that have been getting a free ride on my front bumper for 9 months

Also mounting and installing the ARB compressor tomorrow. Yay OBA!

 

I cant wait to get my money right again so I can get my OBA game on....have to say, that is a very original location for the switches....good yob mang

 

Welp, like I said, no factory blanks to work with, and you can see in the pic that the dealer, back when I got the truck, put the interior lighting switch smack fuck in the middle of the area of the console people usually mount switches to.

I looked at a few other locations, but there was something I didn't like about all of 'em. The sunglass holder involves routing up the a-pillar and fucking with the headliner. No room below the factory switches or in the blank spot below the HVAC controls.

Nice thing about this location, all you have to do to access the innards is unscrew the shift knob and yank the panel off. Easy to update if need be.

 

this build keeps getting cuter and cuter

trucks looking good

 

You should have one blank next to your ATRAC button and also the useless aux input...

 

Yeah, but getting to the back of that thing is more trouble than it's worth. You have to pull the whole dash. I said fuck it, let's cut some holes somewhere else.

I may use that location in the future, but I doubt it.

 

yea wtf is that switch for?

 

Uh...interior lights. LEDs in the cupholder, console storage, and both floorboards.

From what I understand, it's a SE Toyota dealership option only, and as with all dealership options, not all dealers participate. Mine did, and I got 'em back when I got the truck, mainly for the cool looks. Functional bonus, they make it much easier to find shit in the console at night.

 

wow I've never heard of that being a dealer option. would you be able to center a new rocker switch over that one and put one on each side of it and relocate the led switch somewhere else?

 

Yeah, I would, but I don't need the location at this time. I have ideas for if I need more than 3 switches in the future.

Also, got the compressor mounted up, finishing wiring the PIAAs now. I think my compressor mount location is a first...had to get creative to find space because of the TRD Cold Air...it blocks the normal

$338 CKMA12 On-Board Air Compressor High Performance 12 Volt for Air Locker Differentials and Tire Inflation

CKMA12 mounting location...

 

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Tire is now inflated.

 

Inbound momentarily.

 

H'ok, so...

Installed this little gem today.



Looks innocuous doesn't it? It's not. It's like that bitchy girlfriend that you don't really want to keep dating but the sex is super good so you put up with her bullshit. What I mean is:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zwsIoZt6vGU

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8GZuzlmpbOs


Anyway, so I got out in the morning to scope mounting locations and find I'm in for some creativity. Most people mount by their air intake. Well that shit is out for me because of TRD cold air...the area normally empty is now occupied by the intake and the empty area where the stock intake WOULD be is extremely uneven and offers no flat area large enough to mount the ARB.



I considered the cubby holes in the bed. It was not to be. The compressor with inflation adapter wouldn't fit without cutting, and cutting would open the whole cubby directly to the back of the rear driver tire...making for a quickly clogged compressor.



So I decided, fuck it, let's mount it to the cold air intake.

Remember kids, we're drilling here, so close your intake as to not get all kinds of shit in there:



Looks good...



That'll do, pig. That'll do.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=85CDTVL6Wak


I also got around to wiring my PIAAs up. More on that in a few hours when we lose some daylight. It's searingly bright out there right now. Did I mention I hate wiring?

 

+1 for the ingenious mounting solution...

 

when did you scratch your wheels!?!?!

 

Mall curbs.