MidnightRebel07
Explorer Addict
- Joined
- March 6, 2010
- Messages
- 5,008
- Reaction score
- 12
- City, State
- Pittsburgh, Pa.
- Year, Model & Trim Level
- 2003 Explorer Sport Trac
This is a project I've been wanting to do for a couple years now and just never got around to doing it until today.
I went to the local junkyard and pulled a radio bezel out of a 2nd Gen Explorer (2000 I think) that was a 4wd for $10. (Make sure if your ST is 4wd you pull one from a 4wd or you won't have the holes for the 4wd switch).
1. There's two bolts that hold the bezel in located under the radio, they are 7mm. Take these two bolts out.
2. There's four clips that hold the bezel to the dash, you pull the bezel away from the dash.
3. At this point you disconnect the radio, cigarette lighter wires, and all three of the wiring pigtails from the switches on the bezel. (4 on Ex, 3 on ST bezel).
4. Then there's two phillips head screws on each side that hold the switches onto the bezel, remove those.
5. Next is to remove and swap the rear window wiper switch/indicator/light (Explorer) for the rear window switch/indicator/light (ST), to do this just scrape away the excess plastic tabs (melted palstic holding the indicator to the bezel)with a flathead scredriver or razor. Pop off the knobs from the front and pull out the switches, swap them out with the ST indicator. You don't have to glue the indicators back on because the switches will hold them in place on the four tabs.
6. Next is the fog light (ST) switch swap for the rear defrost switch (Explorer), there's two clips on each switch that hold them to the switch bracket (pictured) just pull back on clips with falthead screwdriver and pop them out, then pop the fog light switch (ST) in the rear defrost switch (Explorer) place.
7. All you need to do now is wire in the fog light switch to whatever you're hooking them up to and reinstall the bezel onto the dash.
8. To reinstall just hook up all three wiring pigtails to there correct switches, hook up the radio and cigarette lighter wires, puch the bezel bak onto the dash (clips will snap back in) and screw in the two 7mm bolts.
These bezels have an extra switch hole on them that you can swap out the rear defrost swicth with a fog light switch and make it look factory.
Before I did this project I had the offroad roof lights wired into the red toggle switch located on the side (top) of my C.B. Radio and didn't look very clean. IMO.
In the first picture is the Explorer bezel installed with the rear wiper and rear defrost switches swapped out for the ST's rear window and fog light switches. I really like how the black bezel looks more then the light grey factory ST bezel, just makes everything stand out more. Especially the heater/ac control panel.
I have included the pictures to have with instructions, sorry I don't know how to photoshop in arrows, etc. to point out but the pictures are good.
Not sure if this is good enough for a sticky but I know alot of members have asked me about this swap project, hopefully it helps some of ya'll out there.
I went to the local junkyard and pulled a radio bezel out of a 2nd Gen Explorer (2000 I think) that was a 4wd for $10. (Make sure if your ST is 4wd you pull one from a 4wd or you won't have the holes for the 4wd switch).
1. There's two bolts that hold the bezel in located under the radio, they are 7mm. Take these two bolts out.
2. There's four clips that hold the bezel to the dash, you pull the bezel away from the dash.
3. At this point you disconnect the radio, cigarette lighter wires, and all three of the wiring pigtails from the switches on the bezel. (4 on Ex, 3 on ST bezel).
4. Then there's two phillips head screws on each side that hold the switches onto the bezel, remove those.
5. Next is to remove and swap the rear window wiper switch/indicator/light (Explorer) for the rear window switch/indicator/light (ST), to do this just scrape away the excess plastic tabs (melted palstic holding the indicator to the bezel)with a flathead scredriver or razor. Pop off the knobs from the front and pull out the switches, swap them out with the ST indicator. You don't have to glue the indicators back on because the switches will hold them in place on the four tabs.
6. Next is the fog light (ST) switch swap for the rear defrost switch (Explorer), there's two clips on each switch that hold them to the switch bracket (pictured) just pull back on clips with falthead screwdriver and pop them out, then pop the fog light switch (ST) in the rear defrost switch (Explorer) place.
7. All you need to do now is wire in the fog light switch to whatever you're hooking them up to and reinstall the bezel onto the dash.
8. To reinstall just hook up all three wiring pigtails to there correct switches, hook up the radio and cigarette lighter wires, puch the bezel bak onto the dash (clips will snap back in) and screw in the two 7mm bolts.
These bezels have an extra switch hole on them that you can swap out the rear defrost swicth with a fog light switch and make it look factory.
Before I did this project I had the offroad roof lights wired into the red toggle switch located on the side (top) of my C.B. Radio and didn't look very clean. IMO.
In the first picture is the Explorer bezel installed with the rear wiper and rear defrost switches swapped out for the ST's rear window and fog light switches. I really like how the black bezel looks more then the light grey factory ST bezel, just makes everything stand out more. Especially the heater/ac control panel.
I have included the pictures to have with instructions, sorry I don't know how to photoshop in arrows, etc. to point out but the pictures are good.
Not sure if this is good enough for a sticky but I know alot of members have asked me about this swap project, hopefully it helps some of ya'll out there.
