Dash Switch POD swap for bigger???

[Big Dog Jim]

I have a 2018 2500HD work truck and the OEM switch housing under the climate control on my truck only has two switches, traction control, and cargo lights. I am wondering if anyone has swapped the switch module out and replace with an OEM one that has more switches you can use? I want to add some LED lights on the front and back, and would prefer to use the factory integrated switch like the 2nd picture

1st pic is my dash, 2nd is switch housing with more switches

 

any info is appreciated

 

[wforrest08]

start here

[aseibel]

haha, yeah. Read that thread. We'll see you in a couple weeks when you are done.

 

short story, is it can be done, but its not a simple plug and play. You will likely need a new fuse box with connections for the additional switches. Your truck may or may not have wires in place, maybe you'll be lucky since its an HD. Some of them only run a signal to a relay, so depending on your wiring expertise that may or may not be something you want to work on.

 

I got all excited about adding switches to my truck, but once I realized I didn't have the right fuse box and how complicated it was, I'm still sitting with my factory 3 switch plate.

 

If it actually works for you, post a follow up!

[Cheverado]

8 hours ago, Big Dog Jim said:

I have a 2018 2500HD work truck and the OEM switch housing under the climate control on my truck only has two switches, traction control, and cargo lights. I am wondering if anyone has swapped the switch module out and replace with an OEM one that has more switches you can use? I want to add some LED lights on the front and back, and would prefer to use the factory integrated switch like the 2nd picture

1st pic is my dash, 2nd is switch housing with more switches

 

any info is appreciated

 

I got this one collecting dust if you want it

[Crazyjoker77]

I added the upfitter switches to my truck to control a variety of lights.  My truck wasn't pre-wired for them but its pretty simple if you just want to add your own relays.(and you get the benefit of hooking them up to function exactly as you want)  all you really need is the upfitter switch, some terminals to go into the existing plug going to your current switchset.  A long 4wire cable to go through the firewall, and 4 automotive relays.  I mounted my relays to the firewall behind the battery out of site with some industrial velcro and one ziptie and ran all the wires in the trucks existing wire loom.

 

The yel,red,grn, and gry wires with white stripe are the 4 spots you need to insert your 4wire cable to. (this is the connector that plugs into the back of the switch bank.

 

 

I pre wired all my relays so its was only a few wires I had to hook up into the truck.  (I have 5 relays because I wanted to have one as a master that turns on all the lights when i use the high beams, but I can still control each set of lights individually)

 

The switches actually switch to the ground so it should be hooked up as follows if you just are going with the 4 relay setup. (relays should be NC type)

 

relays have 4wires, Coil+ , Coil -, Line, Load.

 

-Connect all 4 COil+ and 4Line wires to a power source (be it straight to the battery or to a Retained power source depending if you want to be able to use it with the truck off)(its also a good idea to hook a fuse up in line with all 8 of these wires)

 

-Each coil-  goes to one of your 4wires in the cable you ran to the back of the switch inside the cab.(that terminates into the block shown above.

 

-Each load wire is now controlled by the switches and you hook your 4 loads up to the remaining wires.  

 

 

 

 

Finished Product.  I would avoid going with any of the other million switches for the different options as some of the other functions only send a momentary pulse and require even more work and parts to get working properly.