Thread: Location for Driving lights/rack light and work light switches.

Hello everyone and thanks for visiting the thread.

Right now I'm working on getting the Disco4 up to spec.

I'm planning on mounting LED driving lights in front of the grille, as well as LED spots and a bar on the rack (I'm currently fabricating) and a work lights on the rear and maybe sides.

The only problem I have right now is where to place the switches on the dash.
I really don't want to put them under the steering wheel or near where my legs are. I had a truck with this setup and blinding people as I moved around on long drives and bumped into them was a constant and ****ed me off to no end.

I'm setting the car up for 10000km expeditions like the trek to Ushuaia (5000km down then 5000km back home) and the Ushuaia desert crossing to Chañarral (3500km each leg), moving around and stretching your legs will be a constant when you are driving 600 to 800km/day on rough backroads, gravel, mud and sand, that is why I really don't want those switches where I can accidentally bump them.

I considered using a spot right to the instrument cluster (my car is LH Drive) but I'm not sure if it would fit properly there and I also plan on putting the aux fuel tank gauge and pump switch there instead

This is the spot I'm talking about
P5210001.jpg

I also considered the plastic cover of the sunroof/ambient lights, but I need at least 3 switches, ideally 4 to fit there
This is the cover I'm talking about:
P5210002.jpg

Trouble is, it'll have to fit 4 switches and the cover is white, I'm not really into sticking black switches up there.

I really want to try and make it look as close to stock as possible, I don't like the glaring difference in design between factory and aftermarket switches, and the inside of the D4 is such a pleasant place to be that I really don't want to marr the design.

So if anyone has any suggestion, maybe link me to other topics on the subject and show how others have solved it, I would be grateful.

I'm being extra-careful with fitting these switches because I plan on living with this car a very long time and I don't want to experience the frustration that is looking at something you know you could have done better...

Thank you so much guys for the awesome suggestions.

@hv_man I looked up the switch-pro and the Trigger 3001, they both make installation much easier, but the switch panel didn't really match what I had in mind for the car. They do seem to be fairly easy to take apart and customize, but money+shipping make them really hard for me to get a hold of.

@l00kin4 that's pretty much my idea, only I would place the switches on the sides of the button, as mine has sunroof and the controls for it are right in the middle... I also plan on getting lower profile switches for it, try to keep it discreet

@BMKal that linx module from ARM is truly amazing, this is the best interface I've ever seen on an acessory controller, even compared to some OEM solutions. Thing is ARB stuff is really hard to get here in brazil and despite we having a MASSIVE offroad community (to the point of having a specific regional rally, the Rally Dos Sertões) ARB has no stores here...
I looked up the installation manual and it seems to be pretty involved, BUT it's a "do once and don't touch it again" kind of thing, BUT I doubt I would be able to get my hands on one of those anytime soon..

So basically I had to do it the tinkerer's way.

I got myself a small universal fuse/relay box. It's small, looks kinda cute and will make the job of wiring/controlling the acessories MUCH easier.

It has slots for 6 fuses, 5 relays, 2 heavier load fuses/circuit breakers.
I've been wiring this, plan is to stick it near the battery or on the driver's side empty slot near the ABS distributor:
photo_2019-06-04_08-56-38.jpgphoto_2019-06-04_09-03-45.jpgphoto_2019-06-04_09-03-35.jpg

It's pretty easy to do, and I got a rubber sealant that I"ll use to seal the underside and lid (it has an underside cover)
After that I'm wiring this fusebox to a 12-way waterproof automotive plug, to make it easier to take out and put it back in if needed.

six of the wires will go to buttons in the cabin, which will be mounted on this little guy I got from a wreck yard for 50 BRL (like... 17AUD)
photo_2019-06-04_09-03-53.jpg
I know it looks grimy and yellowed, but nothing that a bath on hydrogen peroxide and some sitting under the sun won't solve.
It has the oem sunroof buttons, light fixtures and everything, but the light spots look so aged and lost so much of the inner reflector's finish that I'll be swapping for the ones on the car.

I'll be drilling the holes for the MIC using a dremel and a LOT of care, the slits where the mic used to sit behind will be cut to open space for the switches, three on each side (maybe four if it fits without looking too cluttered).

I only found black switches, but it really isn't a problem since the sunroof button itself is black too.

As soon as I get more updates on this, I'll let you guys know

Also sorry for the potato-camera quality of the pictures, this cel phone really sucks for this...