How to Give Your 97+ XJ More Factory Toggle Switch Slots
08-17-2014, 06:14 PM
#1
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Year: 1999
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0L Inline 6
How to Give Your 97+ XJ More Factory Toggle Switch Slots
I had a problem with aftermarket toggle switches because they don't look anything like the rest and I want my interior to look nice, like the factory intended it. There's only one problem – the factory didn't give me enough.
In this tutorial, I'll show you a simple way to add more toggle switch slots to your existing toggle switch bezel.
Since I had 2 toggle switch bezels laying around, and since I wired my cigarette lighter to my CB radio, not only did I have enough bezels to go around and have no need for the cigarette lighter anymore, but I found that one cigarette lighter equals the length of two toggle switch bezel slots.
With that being said, I pulled a saw and a soldering iron out of my toolbox. The saw will cut through the bezel and the soldering iron will be used to "plastic weld" the parts back together.
For this tutorial you will need:
1. A saw of some kind
2. A soldering iron
3. Two 1997+ Jeep Cherokee toggle switch bezels
4. A metal file
You'll want to start by cutting (as straightly as possible) your toggle switch bezel. You will want two toggle switch slots since it's the same width as the cigarette lighter:
You will notice that I cut my donor bezel into FIVE parts. I cut two of the toggle switch slots because I'll be using them in the installation, I cut off the mounting tab on the left side because I'll be using it to attach the bezel back to the Jeep, and I cut a little off of the bottom of the two toggle switch slots to match the height of the cigarette lighter.
The points where I cut are critical to make this work, so observe carefully before cutting.
Next up, you will take your metal file and just kind of file the edges of your cut to make the edges nice and smooth so they'll attach together nicely.
Then, you will want to line them up the best you can, and start melting the plastic together with your soldering iron. It doesn't have to look perfect, since the plastic will hold it together very sturdy once it cools off:
If you really want this to look better, maybe try a little bondo and spray paint. I might try this in the future whenever I get bored, but for now, since it's sturdy, I'm going to leave it.
You'll also want to align the mounting tab on the edge so that it would match the mounting tab on the cigarette lighter. Once you align it right, start melting it to make a good plastic weld so that it looks like so:
And the finished product looks pretty professional if I do say so myself:
I took on this project because the police package 4-switch toggle bezels are just WAY TOO rare and WAY TOO expensive. The benefit to this project is that not only was it completely free for me, but I get one additional switch than even the police XJs had.
I hope this helps some of you like it helped me!
In this tutorial, I'll show you a simple way to add more toggle switch slots to your existing toggle switch bezel.
Since I had 2 toggle switch bezels laying around, and since I wired my cigarette lighter to my CB radio, not only did I have enough bezels to go around and have no need for the cigarette lighter anymore, but I found that one cigarette lighter equals the length of two toggle switch bezel slots.
With that being said, I pulled a saw and a soldering iron out of my toolbox. The saw will cut through the bezel and the soldering iron will be used to "plastic weld" the parts back together.
For this tutorial you will need:
1. A saw of some kind
2. A soldering iron
3. Two 1997+ Jeep Cherokee toggle switch bezels
4. A metal file
You'll want to start by cutting (as straightly as possible) your toggle switch bezel. You will want two toggle switch slots since it's the same width as the cigarette lighter:
You will notice that I cut my donor bezel into FIVE parts. I cut two of the toggle switch slots because I'll be using them in the installation, I cut off the mounting tab on the left side because I'll be using it to attach the bezel back to the Jeep, and I cut a little off of the bottom of the two toggle switch slots to match the height of the cigarette lighter.
The points where I cut are critical to make this work, so observe carefully before cutting.
Next up, you will take your metal file and just kind of file the edges of your cut to make the edges nice and smooth so they'll attach together nicely.
Then, you will want to line them up the best you can, and start melting the plastic together with your soldering iron. It doesn't have to look perfect, since the plastic will hold it together very sturdy once it cools off:
If you really want this to look better, maybe try a little bondo and spray paint. I might try this in the future whenever I get bored, but for now, since it's sturdy, I'm going to leave it.
You'll also want to align the mounting tab on the edge so that it would match the mounting tab on the cigarette lighter. Once you align it right, start melting it to make a good plastic weld so that it looks like so:
And the finished product looks pretty professional if I do say so myself:
I took on this project because the police package 4-switch toggle bezels are just WAY TOO rare and WAY TOO expensive. The benefit to this project is that not only was it completely free for me, but I get one additional switch than even the police XJs had.
I hope this helps some of you like it helped me!
Last edited by thatXJguy; 08-17-2014 at 07:58 PM.
09-21-2014, 02:24 PM
#7
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Year: 1999
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0L Inline 6
They can be had out of Rubicon TJ Wranglers, but you can also find them on Ebay. The R/L switch is an aftermarket roof light switch that I had for my LED light bar.
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12-10-2014, 07:44 AM
#13
Junior Member
I'll have to find my receipt but I'll get back, keep an eye on this post. Also, there are different configurations, number of switches etc. I searched and searched and this seemed, to me, to be the best looking and easiest option.
12-10-2014, 02:30 PM
#14
Junior Member
Source of ashtray panel
I got the switch panel from prime4x4-
http://www.prime4x4.com/shop/Switch-...l-x1431591.htm
Note they have them with different screw heads and w/wo wiring harness.
http://www.prime4x4.com/shop/Switch-...l-x1431591.htm
Note they have them with different screw heads and w/wo wiring harness.
12-24-2014, 05:55 PM
#15
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Model: Cherokee