Swapped out ST radio bezel for 2nd Gen Explorer to get extra factory foglight switch.

[01STrunner]

Is there continuity across the relay? Would it be possible to put your fog light relay in place of the other one just to rule out the relay being the problem and then putting it back to the fogs? I don't know how hard that is since I've never tried to find that relay.

 

[LONO100]

i could just buy another relay instead of finding the foglight relay, but it would be a waste of 6 bucks if it turns out its not the relay. i did run power straight to the lights and they lit up beautifully so ive narrowed it down to either the relay. i had multiple factory switches and still was not able to get power. i think ill just get another relay and see what happens. ill report back.

 

[05ST]

LONO, I don't think the relay is the issue. I'm not sure why, but when I wired mine, it would not work unless the switch's illumination wire was connected. I installed a new stereo deck at the same time and just spliced into the 'dash illumination wire'. But any other illumination wire should work to tap into. So, the aux fogs will only work when I turn on my headlight switch, this of course illuminates everything, therefore giving the extra switch power to be able to turn aux fogs on and off as you wish.

Hope that sort of makes sense to you, It still confuses me a bit why it works like that, but it worked for me!

 

[LONO100]

thank you so much for the reply. i was monkeying with it when i got home this afternoon, but its dark out now, but i will make sure to get that illumination wire hooked up. i may just wire it into my illumination wire on my deck as well. on the way home from work i exchanged the relay for a a new one just to rule out the relay, and sure enough, still no dice.

ill report back tomorrow and let everyone know if hooking up the illumination wire resolves my problem as well. i, this close to driving my truck into work (i usually take the train and my bike) and having our electrical engineer trouble shoot it for me.

 

[LONO100]

ok, so i am completely stumped on this one. i wire things up for a living too, and ive checked everything and i cannot get this switch to fire up the lights. this is how ive got it hooked up:

the relay:

30 - hooked up to the battery with a 30A fuse in between
85 - relay is grounded to the chasis
86 - hooked up to the OEM factory switch
87 - goes to the aux lights mounted on my roof basket

the lights:
white is going to 87 on the relay
black is ground to the chasis

the switch: (from left to right when looking at pins on OEM switch)
#3 - wired to relay on 86
#4 - spliced into chasis ground on my stereo harness
#5 - spliced into the illumination line on my stereo harness
#6 - spliced into the white line going to my lights

here's what happens:
i get illumination in the switch when the headlights come on, but the indicator light on the switch nor do the lights come on. i have a total of four OEM switches including the one that goes to my foglights and none of them will turn the lights on.

what ive checked:
i exchanged the relay for a new one just in case, and ive checked the new relay with a multimeter and its perfect.

i checked all my grounds and they are good

i have checked all my wires for continuity and they are all good.

i have plugged my foglight harness into the extra switches i got from the junkyard and they all work properly.

if anyone is out there that has got this OEM switch mod to work for them, please tell me exactly how you wired yours up so i can compare my set up.

btw

i am powering two 100w lamps with a draw of 8.66A
the relay i am using is a 12v 30A

thanks again, any help would be awesome. my trac has been sidelined for too long!

 

[LONO100]

Ok, so I solved the problem. I was talking to our EE here ay work and I was telling him I had narrowed it down to a relay/switch problem. Before I explained how I had it wired he asked me to think about why I was using a relay. I was stumped for a second because its something that I didn't really think about. So I was thinking about it and I figured I'd be using it as a go-between so the switch doesn't get fried. Then I looked at the relay and realized that I had a redundant ground and wasn't powering the switch. So I removed the ground on the relay and ran a Y from the battery and then to the 30 and 85. The switch is on the 86 and 87 to the lights that were already grounded. Did the trick! My last bump in the road us that the illumination bulb is out in the switch, but I know my wiring works because I plugged my other switch in and it lights up. I took pictures and I'll be doing the write up this weekend so anyone who wants to put some lights up for some summer wheeling has a blueprint. Thanks everyone who helped!

 

[05ST]

I was just about to say unhook the relay ground. This is the diagram I followed. Glad you figured it out!
http://www.mysporttrac.com/mysportt...ToFordOEMSwitch/PIAAswitchtoFordOEMswitch.htm

 

[LONO100]

Yup, the second diagram on that link is exactly how u solved mine. Thanks for helping out too, much appreciated. I hope my write up will help others in the future.

 

[Noodleman]

The black bezel makes the cab look cleaner. We used bed liner on our 2001 ST yesterday. We also used the black on the door handles and the center console/drink holders.

 

[KajunBndit]

I found a radio bezel on e-bay, has the deforest and for lamp switch, LOL also I had gotten one that has the 4 WD selector on. No biggie, I can use that for something. I would have gotten one for the juck yard here, but no explores no ST, It's pretty thin pickings when it comes to these trucks. I am getting somethings prepared for when I have the time to jump on it. Right now I am still figuring a few things for my truck.

 

[Kjhadfield]

I should be going to the junkyard this sat. To see if I can find me a bezel. I wanted to make sure I have the right tools and get everything I need.
I need to look for a 95-01 explorer w/ 4wd or a 01-03 explorer sport w/ 4wd (I do have 4wd and factory fogs)?…and when I pull the bezel I detach all harness and keep the switches attached. Should I cut and keep the fog light switch harness from the donor?
To remove I need 7mm and phillips, cutters and I'm guess to remove the bezel I 1st need to remove the radio? So a radio removal too. Am I missing or needing anything else?

Thanks for any help, much appreciated

 

[MidnightRebel07]

You're set man, take a flat head screwdriver for prying and wedging if you need to and it help to remove the clips on the harnesses without snapping them.

 

[429CJ-3X2]

I should be going to the junkyard this sat. To see if I can find me a bezel. I wanted to make sure I have the right tools and get everything I need.
I need to look for a 95-01 explorer w/ 4wd or a 01-03 explorer sport w/ 4wd (I do have 4wd and factory fogs)?…and when I pull the bezel I detach all harness and keep the switches attached. Should I cut and keep the fog light switch harness from the donor?
To remove I need 7mm and phillips, cutters and I'm guess to remove the bezel I 1st need to remove the radio? So a radio removal too. Am I missing or needing anything else?

Thanks for any help, much appreciated

The radio will come out of the dash with the bezel. You can separate the radio and bezel either before you pull them out of the dash or after. Before is easier.

 

[Kjhadfield]

You're set man, take a flat head screwdriver for prying and wedging if you need to and it help to remove the clips on the harnesses without snapping them.

The radio will come out of the dash with the bezel. You can separate the radio and bezel either before you pull them out of the dash or after. Before is easier.

Thank you both for the clarification

 

[Kjhadfield]

So I did my bezel swap today. This was a lot of fun and it turned out awesome! I still have to order my fog lights.... but I got both of my extra fog switches half way wired (illuminated/grounded) and ready for the fog light wireing. And the new Sony head unit sounds way better than the factory unit.

Also, the donor bezel was peeling a bit and looked crappy. I prepped it for paint and sprayed it with 2 coats of a real nice carbon color then 2 coats of a clear laquer spray. Shouldn't peel now lol. Looks great, the bad cell phone pic does it no justice.

I also ordered off ebay a white overlay for the climate control panel. Now it matches the white instrument cluster and really sharpens it up.

I'd like to thank everyone whom I've received info from!

Jason

I'm not finding much luck looking for that white overlay for the climate control panel much less one that matches the st. What was the description of the item when you bought it, I'm thinking under another vehicle/model?
Thanks

 

[05ST]

Here ya go. Took me a minute but I searched back into my ebay purchases. I actually need another one for my new (new to me) '05 ST since my other one was totaled unfortunately.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/2004-2009-F...r_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item5890473392


Btw, although this listing says 04-09, it will fit our ST's too.

 

[Kjhadfield]

Thanks for the link…, I'm assuming it was pretty close to a perfect match for the white compared to the instrument cluster and fit wise?

 

[05ST]

Yep. It's a basic, bright white just like the cluster. It fit just fine. I loved mine, and like I said, I'll be ordering another soon.

 

[Kjhadfield]

After all this time my donor bezel from 429cj-3x2 has been sitting on the shelf. I kept putting it off mainly because I wasn't sure how I was going to remove the paint that had peeled in areas. I read a lot on strippers and plastic and sure wasn't going to sand it all down. But I heard of all kinds of ways from brake fluid, acetone, simple green, purple power, oven cleaner. The big thing was not to ruin the plastic. On 1 occasion I dab a cloth with acetone, my test area was where the radio sits. I didn't want to be liberal with acetone on plastic. I tried dab of brake fluid and both times I had to rub a lot to gain a little. So back to the shelf it went. Last night I had another itch and decided to soak bezel in a pan of brake fluid, I just didn't have a pan or enough brake fluid. So was going to get it this morning but before I headed out…what the heck, I'll try oven cleaner which I had. I would just keep an eye on it. I sprayed liberally and let it soak for about 30 mins. Wasn't enough so sprayed again and it stayed for a couple hrs. I rinsed it and started scrubbing with a green scotchbrite pad with simple green. I had to put some effort into scrubbing, maybe if I let it soak longer but I didn't want to risk it. i have it 99% off just need to get where the switchs seat. Now that is out of the way, I move forward on removing the bezel from the shelf completely.
I have no idea what I'll use the extra switch for. My original plans for off-road lights but here of late I've been really looking at how to do (my 1st) retrofit. I think I want that more so I'll save the money for that 1st.

 

[green4WDmonster]

I've been working on this project and everything is finished except for a problem i have in wiring the factory switch. I have the LED light bar mounted and all the wires run with the provided wiring harness and tested with the provided switch, everything worked fine. The provided switch had three wires(hot, switched, and ground) so i figured it'd be an easy matter to splice the three equivilant wires into the factory switch (LB/BL, OR/TN, Black, respectively). Now when i use the factory switch the 30A fuse on the hot wire from the battery to the relay keeps blowing. I read somewhere else on the forum to connect the hot wire to something other than the battery, but i can't find anything that doesn't draw similar power. See below for the relay and a wiring diagram.....why isn't this working?