Interior Illumination Sophistication & Fascination of KUSTOM KOITo LED BULB Equipped Back-Lit Knob Pull Switches (1 Viewer)

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ToyotaMatt

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Welcome To :

The Interior Illumination Sophistication of LED BULB Equipped Back-Lit Knob Pull Switches
TECH. Thread



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The Interior Illumination Sophistication of LED equipped Back-Lit Knob Pull Switches


We will visit all the aspects and variations of :
Back-Lit Knob Pull Switches



I am Ever Growing Amazed as i Dig Deeper into the Topic of Vintage Toyota
Interior Illumination



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Toyota engineers at the time were Leading the pack here ,

The use of a Solid Fiber-optic Core Pull shaft that transmits Lumens

From tail to tip of Pull Switch was and is simply
Brilliant


But , via a crappy Incandescent filament low wattage , low Lumens bulb ,


was the best option they had at the time ..........



well NOT any more.........!

Now , Thanks to Some Dedicated Folks at the Rising Sun Mechanical " Skunk-Works Division "



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- I fully Restored a 3pc set including Hazard , Wipe wash & Head LIGHTS



- Each switch has been polarized & upgraded to accept a High output lumen LED bulb



- the clear poly carbonate Knob Faces have been polished using a 4 stage buffing compound process , so they can look and transmit LIGHT like Glass once again



- inside guts , cleaned , polished and re-di-electric greased for MAX AMP flow across the board




This was a Complex but enjoyable multi-night project in the shop ..........:)


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Again, nice work. What years had the illuminated Hazard switch? It might look real nice lit up in RED
You know, in all the reading I’ve done and all the talk about how bare bones and rugged and utilitarian these vehicles were and still are, they never mention how these control switches would lite up and be easy to find when driving across the outback, bush, desert, through the jungles and what have you. Hell I didn’t even know the Light switch had a bulb until you worked on mine.
 
Nice work RAGINGMATT!

I have a non US FJ43, no lighted knobs. Will my wire harness support your lighted knobs? Would I have direct plug ins for them?






devo

Thanks !




but u can easily ......

Your Non-Usa FJ43L- ?C would NOT have the familiar Red wire w/ black stripe Interior illumination circuit off the headlight switch

like the USA trucks have , for the Lighted Dash, Cluster meter , Heater select Knob triangle light panel , or a lighted knob switch either

u would have to extend that solid green wire off your cluster meter barrell connector

from what i have seen in my shop Most NON - USA trucks have a Double Solid Green wire coming off the headlight switch, one of witch goes to and feeds the B+ cluster meter lights , the other feeds all the parking Lamps ,


there are exceptions to this rule like some LX Models in the Saudi Spec. Region for example

what i really want to see up close would be a sales Brochure for a 1984 BJ46 LX japan spec. , its dash would be very interesting i bet
 
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Meh, I found the little wire loom with the light attached to it gets alot of stress over the years having to follow the pull rod in and out on the light switch. It does however provide a little interior illumination under my dash on mine, don't know if was intended to do so. Funny though, dumb thing only lights up after you fumble around in the dark and turn the lights on. Good thing a light switch that pulled out was really common on that side of the dash in all older vehicles, you couldn't lose it.

Switches do look good, watching you refurb dash gear makes me want to take mine all back off and refresh them, 21 years now since they were last done, showing a little fade and grime, despite being kept pretty clean. Dad and I just experimented with polishes/waxes and cleaners till they looked better, painted the lettering with some spray paint in the lid and a toothpick and tried to clean all the contacts inside. Scary prying the housings open like you have to.

I do have a real question though. Will the newer rheostat equipped light switches work in my 4/73 that is simply the pull switch? Would be nice to dim the dash down sometimes, but I'm not sure if the main plug is the same, or if they function the same.
 
Meh, I found the little wire loom with the light attached to it gets alot of stress over the years having to follow the pull rod in and out on the light switch. It does however provide a little interior illumination under my dash on mine, don't know if was intended to do so. Funny though, dumb thing only lights up after you fumble around in the dark and turn the lights on. Good thing a light switch that pulled out was really common on that side of the dash in all older vehicles, you couldn't lose it.

Switches do look good, watching you refurb dash gear makes me want to take mine all back off and refresh them, 21 years now since they were last done, showing a little fade and grime, despite being kept pretty clean. Dad and I just experimented with polishes/waxes and cleaners till they looked better, painted the lettering with some spray paint in the lid and a toothpick and tried to clean all the contacts inside. Scary prying the housings open like you have to.

I do have a real question though. Will the newer rheostat equipped light switches work in my 4/73 that is simply the pull switch? Would be nice to dim the dash down sometimes, but I'm not sure if the main plug is the same, or if they function the same.



Meh, I found the little wire loom with the light attached to it gets alot of stress over the years having to follow the pull rod in and out on the light switch. So , u have a OEM toyota headlight switch with a Telescoping Light Socket fitting attachment point ?

that takes the bulb inside the switch body in the park & headlight 2 pull positions ?

can u post a photo's


It does however provide a little interior illumination under my dash on mine, don't know if was intended to do so. Funny though, dumb thing only lights up after you fumble around in the dark and turn the lights on. Good thing a light switch that pulled out was really common on that side of the dash in all older vehicles, you couldn't lose it. u need to upgrade to a LED bulb



Switches do look good, watching you refurb dash gear makes me want to take mine all back off and refresh them, 21 years now since they were last done, showing a little fade and grime, despite being kept pretty clean. Dad and I just experimented with polishes/waxes and cleaners till they looked better, painted the lettering with some spray paint in the lid and a toothpick and tried to clean all the contacts inside. Scary prying the housings open like you have to. No waxes or polish's or Black Paint either



I do have a real question though. Will the newer rheostat equipped light switches work in my 4/73 that is simply the pull switch? Would be nice to dim the dash down sometimes, but I'm not sure if the main plug is the same, or if they function the same
.short answer is YES , i have hand made adapter Service spec. pigtails double ended , 72 era main harness connector to adapter connector , connector adapter to Newer Rheostat swicth connector a Few times in the past


 
Your switches look great!!! I do have a light pull switch iluminated in my 77..I put in a new led bulb and I do have a problem -it only lights when the knob is off.....There is some black peeling inside the light knob which enables light to be seen ..I scraped it a little with nail through the hole and I can see a little light coming through that scratch...It almost looks like somebody poured some black paint inside the knob for light not to be seen...Any explanations?
 
Your switches look great!!! I do have a light pull switch iluminated in my 77..I put in a new led bulb and I do have a problem -it only lights when the knob is off.....There is some black peeling inside the light knob which enables light to be seen ..I scraped it a little with nail through the hole and I can see a little light coming through that scratch...It almost looks like somebody poured some black paint inside the knob for light not to be seen...Any explanations?



Thanks !


elaborate it only lights when knob is off ? as in the LED bulb only is illuminated with the switch pushed in to the OFF position ?


yes the back side of the main front lens or disc can be scratched or wear after time and show some unintended through light with the bulb is LIT
 
Thanks !


elaborate it only lights when knob is off ? as in the LED bulb only is illuminated with the switch pushed in to the OFF position ?


yes the back side of the main front lens or disc can be scratched or wear after time and show some unintended through light with the bulb is LIT
When my lightswitch is pulled and twisted -the iluminated stick inside the knob lights up nicely but I can't see it for some reason through the knob-there is a black film inside the knob and even word LIGHTS on the knob are not iluminated...When I unscrew the light knob-stick is iluminated...So I scratched the film inside the light knob a little through the hole in it and I can see some light coming through the scratch...I am curious if I got the right knob-it is the one with clear glassy looking front-not a solid plastic one like all the other dash knobs so it should light up but it does not :frown::frown::frown:
 
When my lightswitch is pulled and twisted -the iluminated stick inside the knob lights up nicely but I can't see it for some reason through the knob-there is a black film inside the knob and even word LIGHTS on the knob are not iluminated...When I unscrew the light knob-stick is iluminated...So I scratched the film inside the light knob a little through the hole in it and I can see some light coming through the scratch...I am curious if I got the right knob-it is the one with clear glassy looking front-not a solid plastic one like all the other dash knobs so it should light up but it does not :frown::frown::frown:


if i said u still had a Traditional incandescent filament bulb installed in your switch & NOT a Updated LED Bulb would that be correct ?


post photos of your Knob & of the knob Off the switch stalk & Polycarbonite Fiber optic stick Lit up with current bulb


the 2 below photos are of a traditional incandescent bulb , Don't be fooled by how nice they look its VERY Dim / LOW LUMENS

maybe 1 or 2 :(



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When my lightswitch is pulled and twisted -the iluminated stick inside the knob lights up nicely but I can't see it for some reason through the knob-there is a black film inside the knob and even word LIGHTS on the knob are not iluminated...When I unscrew the light knob-stick is iluminated...So I scratched the film inside the light knob a little through the hole in it and I can see some light coming through the scratch...I am curious if I got the right knob-it is the one with clear glassy looking front-not a solid plastic one like all the other dash knobs so it should light up but it does not :frown::frown::frown:



Now ,

This is a Updated 13 Lumens Green LED Bulb

There is also a Green color filter or shade cone inside your knob , DO NOT remove it



lets get your photos and info. and see what u have going on ?








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Are these available? My kids are looking for gift ideas :hmm:
 
I had no idea the knobs we're supposed to be lit up. I have '77 can I make mine light up too?
 
I had no idea the knobs we're supposed to be lit up. I have '77 can I make mine light up too?



Yes ,


if u have a 1977 USA spec truck , technically only your headlight switch knob is supposed to be Lit up from the factory


These are NON-USA switch's & Knobs ,

But , the Phun part is U Can make your 1977 have Light up ones , Customizes it with period correct optional Global Spec. parts so to speak



Kinda Like This :


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Now ,

This is a Updated 13 Lumens Green LED Bulb

There is also a Green color filter or shade cone inside your knob , DO NOT remove it



lets get your photos and info. and see what u have going on ?








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Thanks!Unfortunetely I can' t take a photos at this time (no camera or phone)...But I did upgraded for LED bulb(blue) from superbrights.com and need to look how many lumens it is(may not be 13 lumens and that may be a problem)..But it shines quite strong without knob screwed on the stick...And I have the same knob like yours on the pictures-the glassy looking top with word LIGHTS...It is US spec FJ 40 so I can"t understand why my knob is not lighting....What you mean -there is a green color filter or shade cone inside the knob?????So maybe that is the problem on mine??Honestly I beleive that LED bulb is strong enough because I can see it great through the little scratch I made inside the knob.
 

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