Accessory switches in upper left cubby/pocket

darkfox1 · April 17, 2015

I don't really like to "buy stuff" so paying for amazon prime really wouldn't benefit me.

The rocker switches I got have LEDs top and bottom. From what I understand the words are lit up all the time and when you click them on it lights up the icon.

I figure I'll wire the light into the RAP so it'll be on whenever the truck is on (and on when the truck is off.. for a bit..) I dont think an LED will drain my battery and the RAP system is monitored by the BCM anyway so.. hopefully not an issue.

I got white/white hoping it'd match my other dash lights. I doubt I could get one to match the blue color of the silverado interior lights.

I should know something by next weekend at this point.

NitroDatsik · April 19, 2015

Ok so block8head said it would cost $100 to build that piece if anyone is interested just message him. I don't have that much extra money laying around so I'm going to rig it my way with this parts from Amazon. on the top side of the trim piece cus it has somewhat a flat part approximately 3/4" I'm going to cut enough for the clips of the flush piece to grab, and go down as far as it is. I might have some gaps on the sides but I won't know till the piece come in. If it doesn't turn out good then I'll just buy another factory piece that cost $20 and mount them on the overhead console next to the light switch on center.

Edited April 19, 2015 by NitroDatsik

NitroDatsik · April 20, 2015

My trailer brake trim piece came in.

It was $13 and some change from IAMGMPARTS.

Heres pics and a ruler for measurements.

It was kinda hard to hold the camera and the tape measure at the same time.

I decided to order a few items from OTRATTW.net.

Mainly these items:

http://www.otrattw.net/CONTURA-V-BACKUP-LIGHTS-LOWER-LED-INDEPENDENT-V1D1JWWB-PZC77-58B.html

http://www.otrattw.net/CONTURA-V-BACKUP-LED-LIGHTS-LOWER-LED-INDEPENDENT-V1D1JWWB-PZCBU-500.html

https://otrattw.net/Snap-In-Switch-Bracket-End-VME-01.html

One of the "backup lights" switches I ordered with custom text that says FOG LIGHTS since I'll be using them for that purpose. The other.. I ordered a cheap set of LED "driving lights" for the rear of my truck

http://www.amazon.com/Signstek-Headlight-Waterproof-Dustproof-Shockproof/dp/B00GLLW3AM/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1428879026&sr=8-1-fkmr0&keywords=%27Signstek+218W+CREE

So that I can see when backing up without having "Redvision" from the stock camera. I think it'll be helpful in a number of ways.. and at that price I'm not too worried about em.. so long as they work..

OTRATT offers a 2 switch and 3 switch panel. The 3switch panel is about 3" and would JUST rn past the edges of the trim on the stock trim plate. The 2 siwtch plate is about 2.5" wide iirc and will cover the stock hole nicely and any hole I dremel to fit it in.

This is a lot easier than sourcing the reaper/black widow switch pod or trying to engineer something to go into the cubby.

I will post updates when all my parts come in. The OTRATT stuff is coming from CA to GA usps and I have a custom etching on one of them so.. it may take a week or 2 before I see it.

When you ordered your piece did they only have the ones that say without trailer brake? That's the only ones I see. So I want to do that since is more of a full piece but do the 2wd one and just do it like you with those flush mount plate for the switches.

NitroDatsik · April 20, 2015

ok guys I did a lot of research and made some calls. This is for us with 2wd that want to add switches on the headlight bezel. This is the part number and cheapest place I found it online. The picture is from the one I bought off eBay for $25 used. I won't use the trailer brake so as you saw on my previous post I'm going to cut that part and add the flush mount kit and then the switches. Most parts should be here by the end of the month. I'll probably sell my stock piece if anyone is interested and don't want to cut your stock.

darkfox1 · April 20, 2015

Sorry for the delay. The piece I ordered was just the trim plate. The switches didn't come in.

What I do is email customer service at gmpd with a vin of a truck I find on ebay or something that has the part I want, and they give me the PN. If I order it and its wrong.. its on me for not clarifying!

You should have a lot more room than 4wd guys do for switches.

I just gave OTRATTW a call. I placed my order on the 12th and its still not here. They said if it doesn't show by Wed. to let them know and they'll re-send. Great folks to deal with really!

I hope its on the steps when I get home. Tired of waiting on usps. "1-3 days." Yea.. right.

My LED reverse lights are coming ups "surepost" which means all the slowness of ups, with the added slowness of usps. So those may arrive in 2017.. we'll see.

NitroDatsik · April 20, 2015

Sorry for the delay. The piece I ordered was just the trim plate. The switches didn't come in.

What I do is email customer service at gmpd with a vin of a truck I find on ebay or something that has the part I want, and they give me the PN. If I order it and its wrong.. its on me for not clarifying!

You should have a lot more room than 4wd guys do for switches.

I just gave OTRATTW a call. I placed my order on the 12th and its still not here. They said if it doesn't show by Wed. to let them know and they'll re-send. Great folks to deal with really!

I hope its on the steps when I get home. Tired of waiting on usps. "1-3 days." Yea.. right.

My LED reverse lights are coming ups "surepost" which means all the slowness of ups, with the added slowness of usps. So those may arrive in 2017.. we'll see.

Yea man, no one could find me just the trim piece. I called the dealer and those people don't know anything, good for nothing. So I called gm parts online and the guy found it on the catalog but they don't have just the trim for the 2wd, it comes with the switch. So this was my next choice. Edited April 20, 2015 by NitroDatsik

darkfox1 · April 20, 2015

Weird that it comes with the switch. Cost a bit more than mine but its still negligibly cheap. For a company that charges $600 for a chrome bumper cover I'd say that's pretty reasonable.

NitroDatsik · April 21, 2015

I ordered some custom covers for my switches from that website you posted. Got me one with the girl on the pole and on the bottom it will say DROPKICK like my trucks name. That will be used for my fogs. Got the zombie lights for the grill spot lights, and the Middle finger that says backup lights for when people are riding me. Also order one with the Tacoma truck that looks like a tundra for my brothers tundra that says bull bar lights. Now I wait for everything to arrive.

darkfox1 · April 21, 2015

Scan History Date Time Location Status April 21, 2015 06:09 ROCKMART, GA 30153 ARRIVED AT POST OFFICE April 15, 2015

PRE-SHIPMENT INFO SENT TO USPS

Looks like usps never disappoints with tracking information...

At any rate, looks like I'll get my switches, probably tomorrow. (I think the usps lady starts her rounds at 5am so this is a late arrival.)

I'll post details on em when they come in. I'm excited! Especially since this company has had my money since the 12th and I've had nothing but an empty tracking page.

darkfox1 · April 21, 2015

OK so it did make it in today! Which was perfect because it was 69 and sunny outside and I had my afternoon free, so I wasted no time!

First, a review of the OtrattW switches and switch bezel: Top notch. The switch mechanics are VERY nice. The etching looks great. You can tell this is a quality product. The bezel clicked together with no issue, I would recommend them!

OK, so onto the bezel part of the install. (I have something to order before I can actually wire all this and I need a lot more time for that. Unless someone wants to buy the rims I have for sale. )

This part was fairly easy. I'm by no means good at cosmetic modifications like this so for it to turn out good for ME? It will turn out great for you.

I used my dremel and 3 bits. A thin cutting/grinding disc, a cutting pencil tip, and a large abrasive block that looks like a rocket cone.

I covered the plate in painters tape, since its a cosmetic piece. This plastic is VERY fine and makes a particle mess. It cuts very easy and seems to have a low melting point. You will get dirty! USE EYE PROTECTION!

I used the bottom edge of the factory hole for the trailer brake as my bottom line, then drew it out with a straight edge. I then traced the box lining it up with the line I drew and "best guess" centered it. Looking at it now it's a bit to the right but, it's not bad!

This is the bezel. It's pretty deep as you can see. It interferes a bit with the factory clips for the trailer brake harness. You don't have to "remove" them per say.. they kind of break off depending on where you do your cutting. I cut right through 2 of the 3 that are there. The bottom one isn't a problem since its lower for the 4wd controls.

First cut out. I cut it close with the disc and then finished the corners with th pencil tip. See all that mess? Thats the powder and chunks it left behind. (My workbench is also kind of dirty in this spot cos I do all my cutting here.)

The switch plate didn't fit yet, the corners were too tight, as expected.

You can see here how close the hole is to the edges of the factory trailer brake clips. I wound up tweaking them off with scissors, vynil scissors (for some leverage) and part of the abrasive cone bit.

It fits! Oops.. I even clicked it in by mistake. I had to stop here and get it out so that I could get the tape off.

The rough cut hole is about as well as I'd expect a hand cut hole to be for me anyway. I didn't do much damage to the bezel otherwise. I did knick it in one spot when the pencil tip bounced, but its VERY small and I'm not fussed about it. It looks like a water spot or something. You'd only notice it if you were cleaning for a car show or something.. its that small.

Switch bezel in place. Fits great! It doesn't look that out of place either.

The 2 switches I ordered are just sitting on the bezel. they have a special removal tool so if you click them in they aren't coming out. I wanna get them wired up before I click them in. Still, this shows you how they match up to the head light switch.

NitroDatsik · April 21, 2015

OK so it did make it in today! Which was perfect because it was 69 and sunny outside and I had my afternoon free, so I wasted no time!

First, a review of the OtrattW switches and switch bezel: Top notch. The switch mechanics are VERY nice. The etching looks great. You can tell this is a quality product. The bezel clicked together with no issue, I would recommend them!

OK, so onto the bezel part of the install. (I have something to order before I can actually wire all this and I need a lot more time for that. Unless someone wants to buy the rims I have for sale. [emoji38] )

This part was fairly easy. I'm by no means good at cosmetic modifications like this so for it to turn out good for ME? It will turn out great for you.

I used my dremel and 3 bits. A thin cutting/grinding disc, a cutting pencil tip, and a large abrasive block that looks like a rocket cone.

I covered the plate in painters tape, since its a cosmetic piece. This plastic is VERY fine and makes a particle mess. It cuts very easy and seems to have a low melting point. You will get dirty! USE EYE PROTECTION!

I used the bottom edge of the factory hole for the trailer brake as my bottom line, then drew it out with a straight edge. I then traced the box lining it up with the line I drew and "best guess" centered it. Looking at it now it's a bit to the right but, it's not bad!

This is the bezel. It's pretty deep as you can see. It interferes a bit with the factory clips for the trailer brake harness. You don't have to "remove" them per say.. they kind of break off depending on where you do your cutting. I cut right through 2 of the 3 that are there. The bottom one isn't a problem since its lower for the 4wd controls.

First cut out. I cut it close with the disc and then finished the corners with th pencil tip. See all that mess? Thats the powder and chunks it left behind. (My workbench is also kind of dirty in this spot cos I do all my cutting here.)

The switch plate didn't fit yet, the corners were too tight, as expected.

You can see here how close the hole is to the edges of the factory trailer brake clips. I wound up tweaking them off with scissors, vynil scissors (for some leverage) and part of the abrasive cone bit.

It fits! Oops.. I even clicked it in by mistake. I had to stop here and get it out so that I could get the tape off.

The rough cut hole is about as well as I'd expect a hand cut hole to be for me anyway. I didn't do much damage to the bezel otherwise. I did knick it in one spot when the pencil tip bounced, but its VERY small and I'm not fussed about it. It looks like a water spot or something. You'd only notice it if you were cleaning for a car show or something.. its that small.

Switch bezel in place. Fits great! It doesn't look that out of place either.

The 2 switches I ordered are just sitting on the bezel. they have a special removal tool so if you click them in they aren't coming out. I wanna get them wired up before I click them in. Still, this shows you how they match up to the head light switch.

looks awesome. You think I can fit 4 switches since I don't have the 4x4? Like 2 on top of the other 2, even if I don't use the flush mount kit. Just cut out the switch hole? Is there enough space between the end of the mount kit and where the box of the headlight switch for the extra 2 switches. Edited April 21, 2015 by NitroDatsik

darkfox1 · April 21, 2015

It looks like it. You may be better off doing a 4x switch bezel and mounting them horizontal. It may be easier to line it up that way. Trying to do 2 and 2 might get one out of square to the other and make em look wonky.

Course, you might be better at this kinda thing than I am.

NitroDatsik · April 21, 2015

It looks like it. You may be better off doing a 4x switch bezel and mounting them horizontal. It may be easier to line it up that way. Trying to do 2 and 2 might get one out of square to the other and make em look wonky.

Course, you might be better at this kinda thing than I am. [emoji38]

True true, but my switches words and stuff are in portrait :-( lol but I did order a 4 switch box

darkfox1 · April 21, 2015

OTRATTW does landscape as an option for their switches. I saw it on the order form.

Worst case you can go that route. It'll cost you money re buying them though.

Apparently the switches I bought also have the option of a wire harness. After looking at how close the pins are together I may be ordering those.

From there I also need to order the RAP harness for the junction box behind the e-brake. That's where I plan to get my feed signal for the switches. They'll go from there out to the engine bay where relays will pull in from the battery.

Using RAP means they will work any time the engine is running or shortly before/after or when in accessory mode. It will also allow the rundown protection the BCM provides to shut them down if battery life starts getting low.

NitroDatsik · April 22, 2015

OTRATTW does landscape as an option for their switches. I saw it on the order form.

Worst case you can go that route. It'll cost you money re buying them though.

Apparently the switches I bought also have the option of a wire harness. After looking at how close the pins are together I may be ordering those.

From there I also need to order the RAP harness for the junction box behind the e-brake. That's where I plan to get my feed signal for the switches. They'll go from there out to the engine bay where relays will pull in from the battery.

Using RAP means they will work any time the engine is running or shortly before/after or when in accessory mode. It will also allow the rundown protection the BCM provides to shut them down if battery life starts getting low.

Yea I think they do because it says something like vertical (as shown) good thing they are only $5.50. So this one's wouldn't go to waste that's for sure. Man im excited for everything to get here.