Theres times when I'd like to be able to open my doors without the interior lights coming on... anyone know where the harness and possible wire color that I would be able to add a switch to do this?
thanks!

 

I had a Ranger I did this mod to. I made a switch housing out of alum to mount a toggle switch. Removed the dome light cover from the interior roof. Snipped the power wire and spliced the switch in-line. Switch was attached to the dome light overhead, at its rear. Worked great, was never in the way. This was a 1999 4-door extended cab XLT Ranger BTW.

At the time I was doing a lot of mountain biking after work. Getting back to the trailhead at dark, changing clothes with door open lights on, got tired of taking all the bugs from the woods home with me. When that truck was totalled, I saved the switch & housing before the insurance company towed it away. Still have it - I think?

If you want some photos, I'll shoot some after I get home from work if I can find it. If I forget, feel free to PM me a reminder.

Mark

 

As promised. pics. This was made out of some flat alum sheet, and a pc of square alum tube, pop riveted together. The end caps on the square tube are epoxied in place. I literally cut this from the interior as they were dragging my totalled '99 XLT Sport onto the flatbed. I threw the dome light in the back and got out.

Stepped back as it was dragged up onto the bed of the wrecker. Got back and shed some tears. The only vehicle I ever bought new... totalled by some jackass who couldn't speak a lick of english, headed for an insurance auction.

Anyway, this was sandwiched between the roof and the dome light, the box part towards the rear. I should re-intsall this into my 2011.

Perhaps someone might even have a simpler or better solution. Watching this thread. Maybe this will inspire you onto a better idea!

 

Pretty cool, i was thinking of making the switch on the dash, any chanve sombody knows wich pillar the wires run down and color they are?

 

On my ’03 it is the Driver’s side pillar.

 

I did this to my 98 and its one of the best mods I did. I used a little slider switch from a computer and put it on the bottom of the panel the window switches go in. Ill take a picture of it later. It's really simple and some hot glue makes it really clean

 

So how is this going ?

What did you do ?

Pictures of switch mounting ? (please !)


I was thinking on this too, I don’t like the light coming on all the time, just when I need it !
I was thinking of a switch mounted in the door pillar just rearward of the door, easy to get to and easy to operate.
I don’t want to mod the dash anymore, trying to get rid of all of the switches and power ports from the dash as it is.


morsetaper2’s switch panel looks good, nice work, a little too big for me to mount behind the door and not hit it when reaching for the seat belt.

 

Note that it was mounted to the roof - Sandwiched between the roof dome light and the roof liner - switch pointing down. Switch "box" sat behind the dome light (toward r sliding window). Dome light covered the flat plate portion. Was never in the way, and this was in a '99 4-dr extended cab.

 

OK, that actually sounds like a better location to have the switch.

Close to what it switches.

 

Here is what mine looks like. It's pretty simple.

 

Where did you splice the wires?

Special tools reqd to get the door panel off?

 

No special tools and I don't remember what wires I tapped to but ill take it off later and get a picture

 

Is that a slider switch ?

Good idea both the type of switch and the location.