Attention: TDR Forum Junkies Moderator- This mod would work as an accessory switch mounting box on almost any vehicle that has a steering column mounted shift lever, you have my permission to move it to where you think that it will get greater exposure.
When my Pac Brake PXRB exhaust brake was installed, the shop mounted the on/off switch in an unused panel to the left of the steering wheel. I found that to be an awkward location.
I looked into a method to mount the switch on the shift lever. Now, how to make a switch box and mount it to the shift lever? For a prototype I glued together a 1 ½” L, 1” W and 1 1/8” H box out of 1/8” thick Baltic Burch plywood (interior corners are reinforced with small pieces of wood). This was sized to contain a mini off/on switch and LED (available from Radio Shack). There is a ½ round recess at the bottom to fit around the shift lever. I cut 3 small slots on either side of the box for cable ties’ to wrap around the shift lever to hold it in place. A small piece of 80 grit sandpaper glued to the shift lever prevents the box from rotating. For the interconnecting wire I used a short piece of the 4 conductor wire used to hook up trailer lights held to the shift lever and covered with a short length of ¾ inch dia. split flexible tubing and cable ties.
I didn’t list Radio Shack mini switch and LED part numbers, they have a large assortment of mini SPST, SPDT, DPST switches and LEDs depending on your individual application. You will have to determine what selection of switches and LEDs you are going to use to determine the final size of the switch control box.
Remember, this was supposed to be a prototype, the final version was to be welded out of 1/8” Aluminum with a bottom cap and 4 screws to clamp it to the shift lever. It would have to be slightly wider/longer to allow room for insetting or tapping the 4 nuts for clamping. The prototype has proved to have been so successful, MAYBE I will someday I will get around to making it out of AL. Note-the corners weren’t rounded enough and the Black paint is wearing thin showing the Red Primer .
The spoke of the steering wheel obstructs my vision of the LED, I would not install one if I were to make it again. By eliminating the LED you could mount 2 switches for other accessories and by making the switch box slightly longer I think that you could mount 3 mini switches. Remember you may have to wire in a relay to control high amperage accessory circuits.
May you have fair winds and following seas!
Richard
When my Pac Brake PXRB exhaust brake was installed, the shop mounted the on/off switch in an unused panel to the left of the steering wheel. I found that to be an awkward location.
I looked into a method to mount the switch on the shift lever. Now, how to make a switch box and mount it to the shift lever? For a prototype I glued together a 1 ½” L, 1” W and 1 1/8” H box out of 1/8” thick Baltic Burch plywood (interior corners are reinforced with small pieces of wood). This was sized to contain a mini off/on switch and LED (available from Radio Shack). There is a ½ round recess at the bottom to fit around the shift lever. I cut 3 small slots on either side of the box for cable ties’ to wrap around the shift lever to hold it in place. A small piece of 80 grit sandpaper glued to the shift lever prevents the box from rotating. For the interconnecting wire I used a short piece of the 4 conductor wire used to hook up trailer lights held to the shift lever and covered with a short length of ¾ inch dia. split flexible tubing and cable ties.
I didn’t list Radio Shack mini switch and LED part numbers, they have a large assortment of mini SPST, SPDT, DPST switches and LEDs depending on your individual application. You will have to determine what selection of switches and LEDs you are going to use to determine the final size of the switch control box.
Remember, this was supposed to be a prototype, the final version was to be welded out of 1/8” Aluminum with a bottom cap and 4 screws to clamp it to the shift lever. It would have to be slightly wider/longer to allow room for insetting or tapping the 4 nuts for clamping. The prototype has proved to have been so successful, MAYBE I will someday I will get around to making it out of AL. Note-the corners weren’t rounded enough and the Black paint is wearing thin showing the Red Primer .
The spoke of the steering wheel obstructs my vision of the LED, I would not install one if I were to make it again. By eliminating the LED you could mount 2 switches for other accessories and by making the switch box slightly longer I think that you could mount 3 mini switches. Remember you may have to wire in a relay to control high amperage accessory circuits.
May you have fair winds and following seas!
Richard
