rocker switch and led light question (1 Viewer)

[vilasman]

Are the arb rocker switches sold on amazon the closet match to whats in the knee panel on the 100 series?

Should I put in a seperate fuse block for some small but maybe 100watt led light bars and for a winch?

Im thinking about putting a 6" led light on both sides of the license plate in the front.
I'm definitely adding a front hitch reciever. I could move the front plate to the hitch reciever and get a led light that spanned that whole lower front grill but I'm not sure if that would be better...

 

[Ayune]

FYI here's a thread about Toyota OEM switches that fit in the blank spots on the knee panel: OE Toyota Switches that Fit the 100 Series - TLC FAQ

Also, what sort of front hitch receiver solution are you considering? A custom job or something off the shelf?

 

[saucebox]

FYI here's a thread about Toyota OEM switches that fit in the blank spots on the knee panel: OE Toyota Switches that Fit the 100 Series - TLC FAQ

Also, what sort of front hitch receiver solution are you considering? A custom job or something off the shelf?

Haven't seen that thread before, thanks.

 

[vilasman]

I had a piece of Iron and a hitch receiver from harbor freight that I was going to try to use... I forgot about the radiator support and all that stuff thats in front the frame and below the front recovery points that you have to work around. The last time I looked at this I think there was a receiver unit from like etrailer that would work... but my mechanic also told me... either I need to get a bull bar for the front and mount the winch on that or go to the winch manufacturers website and look to see if they sell a mounting bracket for a winch that works with the geometry of whats there. Right now I am thinking... I want to wire in the switches and run wires to both the front and the back cause I like the idea of being able to winch from either end... and figure out the winch later....

 

[saucebox]

This is the thing you need: Hidden Winch Mount 100 Series

Edit: I don't read good. I thought of Jason's mount before I got to the part where you wanted it to be switchable.

On that, though—why not get the rigging to just run a front winch and be able to pull yourself backwards?

 

[Ayune]

@saucebox What if you’re nose down into a ditch? I’ve often wondered about all the winches installed on the front of vehicles, and situations that may arise where that’s not the best place for it. Front & rear receivers with the winch on a portable cradle seems like the most flexible solution, although not as sexy looking whilst cruising through town.

 

[saucebox]

For the edge cases, I totally agree. I had 60-series in the past, and always had the intent to build an either-side solution like OP here (didn't end up doing it, but that's a different story). I even slid the 60 nose down in a ditch once, where a winch up front would have been totally useless (learning how to drive in snow...the hard way).

I've just found (so far, ) that I don't really have that need in real life. For the really fun off road stuff, I'm almost always in a group of 2 or more trucks. And if I'm running solo, I'll go around something or turn back if I don't have full confidence in my ability to drive through or winch through a situation.

 

[BEG]

@saucebox What if you’re nose down into a ditch? I’ve often wondered about all the winches installed on the front of vehicles, and situations that may arise where that’s not the best place for it. Front & rear receivers with the winch on a portable cradle seems like the most flexible solution, although not as sexy looking whilst cruising through town.

The issue with the winch in a removable cradle is that, while sound in theory, it's extremely cumbersome in practice. Aside from wiring power to both ends of the vehicle, you have to have a place to store the winch where it's easily accessible in a stuck situation. When stuck, you have to physically carry the winch to whichever end of the vehicle it's needed (over rocky, loose, slippery or uneven ground), slide it into the hitch (which could be submerged, packed with snow/ice/mud, damaged or otherwise inaccessible) and connect everything up. After you use it, you have to remove the potentially filthy winch and stick it back wherever you normally store it.

There have been systems that have tried to address both ends of the vehicle with one winch (look up "Foers Vector winch system"). With a single, center-mounted winch pointing backwards, you have the end of the winch line at the front and a double line on a snatch block at the rear. This has it's own set of issues to address, though (protecting/ routing the line under the vehicle, using the frame as a compression member, etc.). If someone is really worried about needing to pull from either end, the most convenient solution is to run two winches, IMO.

 

[Ayune]

The issue with the winch in a removable cradle is that, while sound in theory, it's extremely cumbersome in practice. Aside from wiring power to both ends of the vehicle, you have to have a place to store the winch where it's easily accessible in a stuck situation. When stuck, you have to physically carry the winch to whichever end of the vehicle it's needed (over rocky, loose, slippery or uneven ground), slide it into the hitch (which could be submerged, packed with snow/ice/mud, damaged or otherwise inaccessible) and connect everything up. After you use it, you have to remove the potentially filthy winch and stick it back wherever you normally store it.

There have been systems that have tried to address both ends of the vehicle with one winch (look up "Foers Vector winch system"). With a single, center-mounted winch pointing backwards, you have the end of the winch line at the front and a double line on a snatch block at the rear. This has it's own set of issues to address, though (protecting/ routing the line under the vehicle, using the frame as a compression member, etc.). If someone is really worried about needing to pull from either end, the most convenient solution is to run two winches, IMO.

Excellent info, thanks.