Frustrated new guy

[Whaler27]

Hi, all.

I learned to drive on old GM ranch trucks in the late 60s and early 70s, but I haven’t owned a GM truck in many, many years.

I have been driving Jeeps and Ford trucks for most of the last forty years, but I’m about to retire, and the fleet guys at work told me that the GM and Dodge trucks have been holding up better the Fords for the last ten years so, after doing some research, I made the leap and bought a GMC AT4X Duramax last week. This afternoon it rolled over 400 miles, and it’s been a joy to drive.

Here’s the rub. I’d like to install some accessory lighting, and a compressor, but there are no up-fitter switches!? Every truck we’ve bought since 2008 has had factory accessory switches. Dodge and Ford have had them for at least fifteen years. Jeep has them too. In addition to looking clean and “factory”, OEM upfitter switches provide convenient switched power both inside the cab and under the hood, so radios, lights, and compressors are a snap to install. I was so sure switches would be standard on a top GM trim I didn’t even think to check… Not only are accessory switches not standard, but the parts guy at the GMC dealership told me there is no GM solution for my truck, so I’ll be stuck drilling holes to install one of the cheesy aftermarket solutions I wired up as a kid. That sounds awful.

I can’t make sense out of a truck with a $107,000 factory sticker not coming with $40 worth of accessory switching and wiring. There is no compartment for glasses either…

I’m also in the habit of installing phone mounts by Bulletpoint or 67 Designs. Both offer plenty of solutions for jeep and Dodge, and no amount of dust and shake will drop the phones, but there are no sturdy options for the “refreshed” AT4 or Denali… I don’t want a flimsy vent mount, cupholder mount, or suction-cup mount, as they’ve never been strong enough to hold steady on the roads we drive.

I know, I know… I’m being a whiner, but sheesh. All of these things are as common as cup holders now. I don’t “need” any of them. I don’t even need an automatic transmission or air conditioning, as I drove for many years with neither of them, but when I’m buying a top trim level and spending a LOT more than my first house cost, I expect to get all the inexpensive conveniences we’re all used to.

I know GM guys use cell phones and accessories too… Do any of you have solutions for accessory switching and secure phone mounts?

 

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[john151ama]

Hi, all.

I learned to drive on old GM ranch trucks in the late 60s and early 70s, but I haven’t owned a GM truck in many, many years.

I have been driving Jeeps and Ford trucks for most of the last forty years, but I’m about to retire, and the fleet guys at work told me that the GM and Dodge trucks have been holding up better the Fords for the last ten years so, after doing some research, I made the leap and bought a GMC AT4X Duramax last week. This afternoon it rolled over 400 miles, and it’s been a joy to drive.

Here’s the rub. I’d like to install some accessory lighting, and a compressor, but there are no up-fitter switches!? Every truck we’ve bought since 2008 has had factory accessory switches. Dodge and Ford have had them for at least fifteen years. Jeep has them too. In addition to looking clean and “factory”, OEM upfitter switches provide convenient switched power both inside the cab and under the hood, so radios, lights, and compressors are a snap to install. I was so sure switches would be standard on a top GM trim I didn’t even think to check… Not only are accessory switches not standard, but the parts guy at the GMC dealership told me there is no GM solution for my truck, so I’ll be stuck drilling holes to install one of the cheesy aftermarket solutions I wired up as a kid. That sounds awful.

I can’t make sense out of a truck with a $107,000 factory sticker not coming with $40 worth of accessory switching and wiring. There is no compartment for glasses either…

I’m also in the habit of installing phone mounts by Bulletpoint or 67 Designs. Both offer plenty of solutions for jeep and Dodge, and no amount of dust and shake will drop the phones, but there are no sturdy options for the “refreshed” AT4 or Denali… I don’t want a flimsy vent mount, cupholder mount, or suction-cup mount, as they’ve never been strong enough to hold steady on the roads we drive.

I know, I know… I’m being a whiner, but sheesh. All of these things are as common as cup holders now. I don’t “need” any of them. I don’t even need an automatic transmission or air conditioning, as I drove for many years with neither of them, but when I’m buying a top trim level and spending a LOT more than my first house cost, I expect to get all the inexpensive conveniences we’re all used to.

I know GM guys use cell phones and accessories too… Do any of you have solutions for accessory switching and secure phone mounts?

I hear you. I figured that out about the acc switches before I bought mine but got it anyway. I was looking at the previous model year gmc switches and they did offer them. Looks like one is coming for the 2024/2025’s but not out yet. Mounts below the rear locker button area. Cost of retro fitting the factory system from earlier years that mounts to the knee panel left of the steering wheel was not worth the time or money in my opinion. Lots of cheap options out there though. Rough County, Nighlite, Auxbeam and many others. Most have 6 or 8 button panels with stickers you can apply to indicate use. They come with a box under the hood to land your wires to, and fuse and relay protection for each circuit, most up to 20 or 40 amps. Got mine for $100 and works fine. Single cable runs from fuse/relay box into the cab to the switch panel. You can get fancy ones that can change colors/ Bluetooth etc. as well.

My switch panel and the fuse box under the hood pics attached.

I feel your frustration though. No under hood light pisses me off as well. I loved the 90’s chevys with the light on a retractable cable you could pop out and put next to a wheel if you needed light changing as flat. I have thought about trying to find one of those to wire in.

 

[Viking Truck]

I plan to mount a compressor the same way I did in my previous GMC with compressor and switch located under the hood. I prefer the switch under the hood in this particular case as I'm in there to hook up air hose anyway.

That being said, I am also surprised GM doesn't do this. I have all 4 aux switches used on my Jeep/. I think Jeep did it right with leads for each switch in the cabin as well as under the hood.

Same thing here with phone mounts. My first solution will be to use car play all the time and put my phone on the charger pad, shouldn't need to access it there with car play going on but I know it won't be as convenient as the other vehicles.

 

[Whaler27]

Thanks for the suggestions. I’ll do some more shopping.

My 1990s diesel trucks got to where they looked like airplane cockpits, with programmers, custom stereo stuff, and gauge pods on the A-pillars, but that was when diesel trucks were comparatively gutless, so aftermarket mods felt necessary to help with performance and cooling. Now those mods are less necessary. The new Duramax has gobs of power, and I really prefer the clean OEM look in the cab.

It seems especially strange to equip a truck with a front winch bumper and a rear bumper with ports clearly designed to accommodate rear-facing lights, but include no switching or wiring harnesses to facilitate a clean installation.

Offroad Alliance makes a backup light wiring harness that’s plug-n-play for Ford Raptors. To install the lights you ground one wire, connect the other wire to the switch lead of your choice, and run the harness down the frame rail to the rear where all the leads just snap into various factory connections. I installed a pair of Rigid backup lights in 30 minutes, and they were wired to come on when the switch was flipped OR the truck was put into reverse. I have scoured the internet, but I can’t find a similar solution to equip the AT4 AEV rear bumper. Apparently, I can go to AEV and buy the brackets, then go to another manufacturer for lights, then bring the truck to a custom stereo store where a wiring-nerd can create a similar custom harness to avoid any undesirable feedback when the backup lights are used when the truck is not in reverse… That can then be connected to another third party switching device. What a pain in the ass.

I’ll wire the compressor up under the hood. It has it’s own remote, which I don’t love either, but I guess I can keep some extra batteries for it in the truck.

For me, dropping $100k on a truck was a big deal. I want it how I want it, and I’d prefer not to spend months and a fortune getting it there. I guess I just hoped the transition to GMC would be less uncomfortable. I’m committed now, and the truck is growing on me, so I’m sure I’ll get past this. It’s just irritating to know that these are extremely common needs/wants, and GM could solve them all and make even more money off of us, but they choose not to.

 

[Whaler27]

I plan to mount a compressor the same way I did in my previous GMC with compressor and switch located under the hood. I prefer the switch under the hood in this particular case as I'm in there to hook up air hose anyway.

That being said, I am also surprised GM doesn't do this. I have all 4 aux switches used on my Jeep/. I think Jeep did it right with leads for each switch in the cabin as well as under the hood.

Same thing here with phone mounts. My first solution will be to use car play all the time and put my phone on the charger pad, shouldn't need to access it there with car play going on but I know it won't be as convenient as the other vehicles.

In my last F350 I had one air fitting in the winch bumper and another near the license plate in the rear bumper. It was convenient and it allowed me to use one of the short collapsible air hoses.

 

[Viking Truck]

Hell in many of the trucks, depending on options, there are fake "switches" just to fill the switch panel.

 

[Viking Truck]

In my last F350 I had one air fitting in the winch bumper and another near the license plate in the rear bumper. It was convenient and it allowed me to use one of the short collapsible air hoses.

Yeah, a lot of the Jeep guys do that. I dont feel the need in the truck as it will be for inflating a flat rather than airing all four back up after an off-road trip.

 

[Whaler27]

Yeah, a lot of the Jeep guys do that. I dont feel the need in the truck as it will be for inflating a flat rather than airing all four back up after an off-road trip.

I kept my Jeep, so this truck won’t be a dedicated off-roader, but it may become the preferred overlander, as the range is so much better and I can carry so much more crap. (And the dog, my second copilot, can ride in back, which he prefers!)

 

[Viking Truck]

My 1990s diesel trucks got to where they looked like airplane cockpits,

This is my 2006 Jeep. Inspiration for the guarded switches came from master arm switches in combat aircraft. They are to override the factory "safety" requirements to lock the front/rear axles.

 

[Whaler27]

This is my 2006 Jeep. The switches were sought to resemble master arm switches on combat aircraft. They are to override the factory "safety" requirements to lock the front/rear axles.

View attachment 7844

That’s great. I miss our TJ. Wish I had not sold it.

This is the dash on my current JL… and It’s the look I don’t want on the new GMC.

 

[Whaler27]

…and this is the wiring adventure I’d like to avoid on the AT4…

 

[Viking Truck]

That’s great. I miss our TJ. Wish I had not sold it.

This is the dash on my current JL… and It’s the look I don’t want on the new GMC.

I've got a JL Rubicon also but its got a different engine.

 

[Viking Truck]

…and this is the wiring adventure I’d like to avoid on the AT4…

Dual ARB is under the passenger seat in the JL.

 

[Whaler27]

Dual ARB is under the passenger seat in the JL.

Probably a better call. Installing it in back required other mods, like replacing the rear deck with a panel that allows it to breathe/cool.

 

[Viking Truck]

Probably a better call. Installing it in back required other mods, like replacing the rear deck with a panel that allows it to breathe/cool.

How did you get a picture of the back of my Jeep? I also have the same two radios you posted pics of earlier in the JL.