So, like many of might agree, with the changing times and the increase of devices we use in our vehicles, I got sick and tired of the limited amount of power and accessory ports that our Daks came with. That being said I decided to upgrade my center console to make it a bit more user friendly.

Keeping in mind that there additional upgrades to come later.

My goal: With out having wires running everywhere to get tangled...I wanted a way to charge my phone, my iPod, have 12v access for both front and rear passengers, and have an extra USB port just in case. Additionally, add some fargin light to the inside of the console!

My prep: Purchased 3 12v accessory extension cords, a 12v accessory pod (w/ 4 rear facing ports, plus a USB), a dual USB 12v adapter, a single ultra bright LED, and an all weather 12v accessory port w/ spring loaded flip cover.

My plan: the accessory pod was designed so that all the stuff you plug in goes into the back of it and is operated by a push button switch on the front, so you can avoid blowing any fuses. After much consideration I decided to mount it on the inside of the console. Doing so I had to drill 4 holes so when mounted, you could plug everything in from the underside of the center console. Once that was accomplished , I cut out a hole on the back side of the console towards the bottom to install the back seat power outlet. Took a bit of cutting and grinding with a dremmel, but overall wasnt too hard.

The hard part was making a light that would automatically turn on and off when you opened/closed the lid ( like the glove compartment). Once I found that radio shack didn't have the exact kind of switch I was looking for, granted they had tons of other awesome cheap bits and pieces I used, I decided to just go ahead and take the switch out of my own glove compartment and just transplant it.

Wiring up the LED, that was a little tricky because I had never done something like that before. But after watching a few YouTube videos and a few trips to RadioShack, I had all I needed to solder together my own little battery powered light box that connected to the glove box switch that I mounted on top in front of the coin holder slots.

While I was at it, I figured I'd take the time and repaint the plastic tray in the bottom of the console to match my truck a bit better.

When all was said and done, I have to say I'm happy with the results, but I will definitely be adding more to it later on....such as a 1000W power inverter with 110v outlets, dividers in the tray to hold all the things I normally keep in there organized so I don't have to actually look down in there to find what looking for ( eyes on the road is always better, and so on. But at least it's a good start, and who knows, maybe it will give some ideas to all you other guys out there that have thought about changing yours up as well.

I'll try to add some pics and video, sorry I didn't take more during the building process, I forget to do that sometimes.

Enjoy!

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Nice work! Had a few similar ideas (not as well thought out, mind you) but I'm just too focused on the outside of my truck.

 

Thanks, yeah I got a bunch of stuff I wanna do on the outside too but I'm waiting for it to warm up first lol.

Such as painting my front crossmember and rear diff cover with ram logo etc.

Before winter set in I did manage to get my caliper covers installed in the front and I painted my rear drums to match.

This is what I started with

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After I cleaned them up a bit

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Base coat of silver VHT caliper paint

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Traced Dodge from front caliper covers

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Masked it and painted over with black VHT caliper paint

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Final product

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I like the light in the console

 

Thanks, yeah I almost forgot RadioShack was still in business lol, I'm starting to get addicted to small electronic work, like soldering and stuff. It's kinda fun and opens up a whole new world of possible projects.

 

I had added extra outlets in mine as well. Not as nice as yours though. Nice work!

 

Thanks, much like anything else, you get better the more you do it. If I did it over again I'd do some things differently.

Oh, and by the way ...for those of you that would like to have a light in the center console.
I have 2 suggestions if you like that. 1. IDK much about Laramie or Durango, but I've seen our center consoles sold as out of a loaded Durango (with heated seats) and they have a light in them already. 2. A much simpler way to add light would be a flexible LED strip under the inside lip of the console, get a wire tap to get power from an active wire, and if you like the glove box switch...just get one from a car at a junk yard.