Lights, Switches, My Wife, & the Little Console Cubby Coin Holder....

I'm looking to add lights. Not a lot but a few. Question becomes where do you mount the switches? There's the panel on the driver side by the door where we keep the Jelly Fish Launcher. But...

There is also this cubby or coin dump box right between the cup holder and gear shift.

My wife loves - LOVES - to put my drink in the cup holder and hers in that square box. Then when I get in and go to put the truck in gear, I'm pinned in reverse because her drink is blocking me. I launch into immediate transmission troubleshooting mode only to discover that despite there being three other cup holders with in reach of the passenger seat, she's got me all jammed up because she decided to use the "not a cup holder" as a cup holder.

I would solve TWO problems at once if I could find a mount that puts switches there. Searching for a product leads me to believe I'll need someone to 3D Print it out and build my own so I thought I'd ask here if anyone has done that yet or if they know of a drop in product that fits in that little square drop box.

 

Somebody did make a switchbox for that spot - I remember they put nine switches there so it was a bit busy for most people. I don't know if it ever went past personal prototype stage.

I put all of my switches on the left panel. I put a coin box in the square holder. I also added the 32 oz chalk bag mod on the passenger side, which gives my copilot unlimited cupholder options.

 

I thought the mention of wife and switches was going to get...interesting. Maybe leather?

 

That's plan B - Buy the coin box and retro fit it to take switches.
If nothing else, buy the coin box to plug the hole and put the switches else where.

But I always did appreciate the spartan GM approach in the Mid-80's to putting the windows and door locks on the center console. Cut down on the number of switches the car needed and gave the passenger access to perform actual co-pilot duties like rolling down the drivers window or back windows. Also meant your dog could stand on them and roll your sh... down at 80 MPH and scare the bajeebers out of you.

 

To each their own. I never liked switches in that spot. That's a location that seems to collect dirt almost as much as the floor mats, and adding switches there just adds to the fun of cleaning.


Me personally, I watched too much Air Wolf as a kid, so my favorite spot is the overhead console. I relocated some of my dash switches up there to make room for heated seat controls. For a lot of people on here its a popular spot for lights and other accessories.

 

I've got the TRD OffRoad with Terrain Management in that spot. TBH - I don't really care for or use the Terrain Management. Been wheeling for 30+ years and do all right on my own but Toyota thinks I need it.
I am curious about your lights up there though. I saw those a while back and liked the concept. Do you still like them?

 

Caly Raised makes a 3 spot plastic switch holder for that spot .

 

The Meso dual color maps and dome light - I love them. They have been great for camping; Im able to grab something from the truck and not alert anyone nearby. Really I only switch them to white lights when I'm cleaning or wrenching on the truck, they are bright enough to see anything. For commuting and road trips my default is to leave them in red mode.

 

https://www.etsy.com/listing/1385097579/
Seller has a post here about this and also makes a storage thing for the center console lid

 

Speaking of Etsy, Fitztaprint has some solid OEM looking options for an affordable price vs. other brands. Wonderful customer service and a commitment to quality

https://www.etsy.com/listing/117408...ba70da165443f7efd2a.00&organic_search_click=1

 

BINGO!

 

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/my-9-switch-center-console-mount.786922/
Be sure and post pics if this is the route you go!

 

Where can I find standard 3rd gen type and size switches. I have a few blanks in my truck. And I can think of a few things to add like better and more usb. And auxiliary lights. But I want the factory look. Anything can help? I pretty new to modding my truck. I've own it since new. But I haven't done anything. The ex wife said I spent enough for the truck.

 

There’s two sites people around here recommend for stock switches. I don’t recall the other brand but Aironboard switches labeled “new blue” match the oem backlight pretty closely (though not perfectly judging by pics people have posted) and they are the ones I bookmarked for that reason.
There are two sizes in our truck so make sure you order the right size for your need. Some of the ones to the left of the steering wheel are a little more square shaped

 

@switch is the guy that made the 9 ( or 6) button panel for the square center console spot.

 

Yea I noticed that too. Bad placement for that spot. I almost wrecked my Iphone setting it there.

 

I feel like I've been summoned like a genie from a bottle. I installed the Fitztaprint panel and when I ran out of switch locations I got this whacky idea to power each light separately and made that 9-switch panel that fits in the center console.

Was there a question?

 

Nah, op asked for the exact thing you offer and I linked them to your post and Etsy above. Solid work on your part and fortunate for op that you’ve already done the heavy lifting!

 

IMG_9057 by Mike M, on Flickr

Is this what you’d want? I went from a 2016 to a 2018-2019 style (gives me the MT tall switch and no keyed switch for the power rear window). It’s Part No. 5544604081C0

Then I got this in black and grabbed some Air On Board switches.