Headlight foot dimmer switch again...

Jomax

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I personally like this idea. Being. I want to rig up some rigid hyper spots for high beams. A foot button would allow no one to get blinded.

In AZ two lane hwys are full of twists and turns.


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Sterling6.7

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I'd like to have two switches. One for the headlights and one for any other extra lights.

Or front locker.
Or train horn relay so it is activated by the factory horn button.
Or just the damn high beams.

I would like to have it back for the very same reasons already stated.
 

bluedge8

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No need for a relay. It's already there. Simple is grabbing fused power and tossing it on the existing high beam relay.

But have you ever wanted to see if any others had already been down a path, just in case there was some super clean, super simple method already fleshed out?

If someone has come before me on something I like to take their experience into my decision when I can. Many times I get nothing, or nothing I didn't already expect, but sometimes you get a perspective you never thought of.

I like to give that a chance. That is the sole purpose of this thread. I could go wire it in at least 3 or 4 different ways but would like to chance the idea that someone's already done it, and has important intel.
I get that Charles, I was just thinking by now that it hasn't been done by anybody here, so that is why I said what I said. I don't usually spend much time on my drivers to do those kind of mods because I tend to sell **** pretty quick.
I'm thinking of you every time my left foot hits the headlight switch on the floor in my DD.

Usually goes down like... "Click". "Eat your heart Chuckles"!
what is your dd?
 

ja_cain

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Anybody put the super convenient foot well headlight dimmer switch back into service on a newer truck like a superduty?

I'm headed down that path because I'm tired of taking my hands off the steering wheel in a turn over and over and over and over while my left foot sits and does nothing for hours on end. We used to know how to do this, then we forgot and put it on a knob with a thousand other things, all requiring you to take your hands off the wheel.

Has this already been breached, and if so what parts, what was the easiest way to tie in, so on and so forth?

God knows I like picking my right hand up, grabbing the wheel, removing my left hand from the wheel, pulling the little plastic lever back, putting my left hand back on the wheel, putting my right hand back wherever it was, on the radio, on the shifter, holding something in the seat, leaned up on the seat, and then waiting for all oncoming traffic to pass, putting my right hand BACK on the wheel, taking my left hand BACK off the wheel, grabbing the little plastic lever and shoving it forward AGAIN, putting my left hand BACK on the steering wheel, and then putting my right hand BACK where it was AGAIN..... e v e r y.... s i n g l e...... t i m e......s o m e o n e.....a p p r o a c h e s.....


Meanwhile...... update from the floorboard where we used to know how to dim lights but somehow forgot along the way.....

Left foot...... did not a single thing during all of that. Just sat there in the floor, doing nothing. Could have left my hands alone, doing whatever I wanted to be doing and just went CLICK....... then cars all pass and CLICK we're back again.....

I hate it when we as a society FORGET how to do something we already knew how to do.

Floor mounted dimmer is a human factors engineering A, while the pos plastic thing on the wheel is a D-.

Use the plastic pos for a quick flash but use the floor button for bright/dim at night.

Just wanted to check if anybody had done it already.
Just saw this. I have played with the idea of doing just this after wishing I had one so many times recently. I loved the foot switch I had in my Chevelle as a teenager. Not sure why they did away with it.

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UpstateDieselGuy

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I have to laugh. Do what you want, but I don't see the point. I've never had an issue with the highbeams while driving. In fact, I've never had an issue even when driving a manual transmission. Maybe you need to get a clutch pedal if your left leg is falling asleep!
 

Charles

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I have to laugh. Do what you want, but I don't see the point. I've never had an issue with the highbeams while driving. In fact, I've never had an issue even when driving a manual transmission. Maybe you need to get a clutch pedal if your left leg is falling asleep!


You would also fail human factors engineering with flying colors...

For clarity this truck I have now is the first auto I've ever bought. A manual transmission is the WORST with the ***tarded stalk high beam, as you have to CONSTANTLY remove your hand from the stick to hold the wheel so you can take your left hand OFF the wheel to dick with the pos little plastic switch, over and over and over and over again.

My first vehicle was an 86 CJ-7 with a Tremec and a foot switch. Second was a 75 Bronco with 3 on the tree and a foot switch. Then came a 97 F-150 5 speed with the pos stalk..... sucked. Then my 99 250 with ZF6.... same suckage...

Foot switch is the only way to fly. Keep the flash function on the stalk and the high/low function should have stayed in the floor.
 

sootie

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I don't need to remove my hand from the wheel to hit th highbeams :shrug:
 

ja_cain

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I don't need to remove my hand from the wheel to hit th highbeams :shrug:

Let me know how that works out for you when you are driving backroads and someone is coming around a sharp turn. I almost guarantee that your hand will not be in the correct location unless you are always shifting it to maintain close proximity to the lever. :)

I'm with you Charles. I would love to have the foot switch back.

Speaking of Human Factors Engineering/ergonomics, what's your opinion on standing desks? Sorry to be somewhat offtopic with the question.
 

UpstateDieselGuy

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Insult me all you want, I have no issues with operating my high beams while on a twisting road. I live where we have snow and ice and along with it the salt and other materials to combat it that would rot that switch out over time. Many older trucks around here have issues with them. That being said, if you want to retrofit one for your needs, go for it! Me, I'll keep it where it is.
 

ja_cain

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Insult me all you want, I have no issues with operating my high beams while on a twisting road. I live where we have snow and ice and along with it the salt and other materials to combat it that would rot that switch out over time. Many older trucks around here have issues with them. That being said, if you want to retrofit one for your needs, go for it! Me, I'll keep it where it is.
My comment wasn't meant to insult. I was just having a hard time believing that you don't have to remove your hand in that situation. I suppose you could always slide it around the wheel to the lever location when making a pretty good right turn. I guess I'm just too clumsy to pull it off consistently.

I hear you about the rust thing though. We don't have that problem here. You could always find one that is rubber encased or stainless steel. I'm sure they make an industrial type that is used in harsh corrosive environments.

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NY_Mott

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Anybody thought about just blinding the ****er in oncoming traffic like a rebel. Hahaha
Just messing around trying to stir the pot.

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bluedge8

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Anybody thought about just blinding the ****er in oncoming traffic like a rebel. Hahaha
Just messing around trying to stir the pot.

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Yeah, every other a$$hole that is coming towards me:morons:LOL
 

UpstateDieselGuy

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My comment wasn't meant to insult. I was just having a hard time believing that you don't have to remove your hand in that situation. I suppose you could always slide it around the wheel to the lever location when making a pretty good right turn. I guess I'm just too clumsy to pull it off consistently.

I hear you about the rust thing though. We don't have that problem here. You could always find one that is rubber encased or stainless steel. I'm sure they make an industrial type that is used in harsh corrosive environments.

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No worries. I wasn't really addressing you. I could go either way, but have no issues with it the way it is and getting it away from the grit, grime, moisture, etc. is a plus.
 

CATDiezel

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I'm personally thinking you should enroll in yoga classes and bring the left foot that is completely worthless up to the dash.

You may say that's not possible, but it is. Guys with no arms drive all the time!

How do you think a man with no arms feels reading this thread?! Lol


Charles.... WTH are you asking questions like this for. Go to Napa. Get a stinking button. Tie in the wires. Done.

Anyways. There are a grundle of push buttons that would be suitable for the application that would require NO HOLES in the floor other than the mounting screws. Which can then be covered from the underside.

I still think you should try brining the foot to the turnsignal switch tho.
 

ftast350

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So I do miss the ol floor switch but what did you do back in the day when you wanted to turn the radio up? Took you hand off the wheel. And now with most 6.0 to 6.7s you don't have to take your hand off the wheel for that reason. So they have traded high beams for radio, also the wheel stays in my hand when I flick mine on or off. First world problems....
 

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