Repurposing radio up/down button

[RiverRatMatt]

I am working on replacing the factory head unit in my 2000 LX470, and am not one for radio. Not to mention, the gears on the primary antenna are stripped, so it doesn't raise anyway.

I've noticed that there's a momentary-on manual button to raise and lower the primary antenna... seems like that could be useful for something else. I hear it activating a relay, so its already isolated from higher power. Has anybody used that for winch control or anything fun like that?

 

[Spike555]

Why not replace the antenna with a fixed mast aerial?

 

[westwardCruiser]

This is a great idea. My first thought was what about winch in/out?

 

[uHu]

Having replaced the original antenna with one on the roof, I'm waiting for the suggestions to fill up this thread. What about controlling the passenger seat reclining - for when I want her to lie down?
Or subwoofer volume/gain?

 

[jerryb]

the two wires that work that switch, if all else factory, snake though the whole assembly.
it's the C28 connector, blue/yellow and blue/white. I think it would be easier to just use the switch for whatever you want and wire it stand alone from the whole integration assembly.

 

[gatormark91]

The relay for the power antenna is bolted to your A/C/heater box, on the front of the cabin filter door, behind the glove box. I don't use radio, only satellite and MP3s, and didn't want the antenna sticking up at all. So I powered it off, pulled the relay plug, and no more antenna annoying me. You should be able to take your multi-meter and tap into the hot power there, if there was something you wanted to use that switch for.

 

[RiverRatMatt]

This is a great idea. My first thought was what about winch in/out?

Exactly what I was thinking

Having replaced the original antenna with one on the roof, I'm waiting for the suggestions to fill up this thread. What about controlling the passenger seat reclining - for when I want her to lie down?
Or subwoofer volume/gain?

Great idea! Though I'm not sure the would agree...

The relay for the power antenna is bolted to your A/C/heater box, on the front of the cabin filter door, behind the glove box. I don't use radio, only satellite and MP3s, and didn't want the antenna sticking up at all. So I powered it off, pulled the relay plug, and no more antenna annoying me. You should be able to take your multi-meter and tap into the hot power there, if there was something you wanted to use that switch for.

Thank you for the tech, should be easy enough to wire in to

 

[toyotaspeed90]

Any reason you couldn't tap into the signals (to be used just as that - relay signals) at the motor itself? Why add wiring and fuses if it's already there?

 

[uHu]

spot or fog light levelling?