Hello all,
I'm in the process of revamping the center instrument panel (where the radio goes) on my '99. The vents are a clip and a prayer from falling off, the clips aren't really clipping, and the screws were busted through by the previous owner. The radio hole has also been modified in ways I can't account for.
Since I have 4wd, I paid an eye-watering amount for a new bezel to match my accessories (2wd no fog light bezels are $20-40 new), and have ordered a replacement radio to match. (not a stock radio, but that's a different conversation)
In my previous vehicles, I have swapped out the cigarette lighter barrels for USB charging ports that are hard-wired in and really enjoyed the sleek appearance. Of course, one of those vehicles is a 2006 Tahoe with a rather large mounting hole, so a large plug required no wallowing out of the hole. It's worth noting that the Tahoe has an always-on circuit to its 12v power, so I purchased one with a "power button." Hop in, press the button to power it up, and away you go. No battery drain.
As best as I can tell, the cigarette lighter barrels in the Ranger run in a hole that is around 1" in diameter. Most of the available hard-wire USB plugs I have come across run from 1 1/8" and up. I'd really like to not have to modify the dash for what is realistically an experiment, but I'm at a loss for finding right-sized plugs. Am I doomed to pick up a cheap "flush-fit" cigarette adapter? Anyone with tips is appreciated.
(P.S. I have considered that I'm doing too much work to achieve a result that is pretty similar to just buying an adapter like everyone else does. Doing it this way would make me happy, so I'm pursuing that goal, even to the point of asking strangers on the internet for advice.)