Our post today is a sequel to our [Dome Light Repair] in February of 2022 this year. What we are trying to accomplish here is to upgrade the sun visors on our truck to be 3-way sun visors from an LS version of the full-size SUV.
Our old visors
I started searching online for the specific year and color and I wanted to find a pair locally to check them out in person. I got fortunate and found a pair that fit all my categories! They were in great condition and the price was too!
New Visors
Then I started to go through the wiring electrical of the truck to see if I needed to build a harness to supply power to the vanity mirrors. Where I started to search for the electrical wire was at the driver-side windshield pillar. So I popped off the windshield trim. This helps me expose if there are any wires above the headliner we can tap into for our sun visors into.
I stripped off a little of the insulation to expose the wire for testing.
Dome light harness and ” New” Visor power source.
The tools we are going to need for this job are:
1) Door trim tools (You can usually find a good set for sale at any auto part stores)
Door trim tools
2) A continuity test tool (One of the best investment in tools I have made)
the continuity tool. I couldn’t live without it.
3) A 12-volt test light
12-volt test light
4) a pair of wire strippers
A good pair of wire cutters/strippers is also a valuable tool to own in your box.
5) splice connections
6) 20-gauge primary wire (auto part stores)
7) a roll of electrical tape (If you can splurge & upgrade to professional electrical tape at any hardware store it would be best!)
A great electrical tape is a must in any toolbox.
8) a Torx T-20 screwdriver.
This Torx-20 is a great tool for your sun visor mounting screws. Because of their deep into the roof of the truck.
9) 1/4-inch drive ratchet and 10 mm socket (You’ll need these to remove the handgrips so you can bring down the headliner)
A 1/4 inch drive ratchet & a 10mm socket for the handle grips
First I started taking down all the trim within the cab of the SUV so I can lower my headliner. Then I removed my old sun visors, then the handgrips, then push clips that hold up the rear of my headliner. Once that was done, I had greater access to the area I needed to get to.
Handle grips
I’m going to need to create a new harness for our sun visors. I noticed when the headliner was down, there was a little bit of wire harness connection glued to the inner side of the headliner.
Here’s our wire top of the headliner. I will use it for our visors
With this harness, I checked it and it didn’t have a plug connection on one end but the connection on it would not work with my newer visors. But it is a “free wire” to help me create the wire I need to power my visors.
Our free wire from GM! Now we have to measure just how much more I need to reach both of them and connect them to our harness.
So now on to making power to the visors. Then I got out my primary wire and measured from visor to visor how much was needed to connect the two to our powered line in our window pillar where the current is located. When it comes to building a longer harness you have to prep correctly so you don’t wind up with less than what you need.
building our new wire harness and taping it for that clean look. I also used my toolbox to hold it tight making this the best wire harness ever
The perfect harness. Is a harness that gives you the thought that it was the stock look.
After measuring and securing the wires in the electrical tape, I did a continuity test on the whole harness so we have an adequate amount of current going from one end of the harness to the opposite side. Doing this outside of the vehicle is far easier than having it in the vehicle and having it not work.
Getting a perfect test is seeing that light red light coming on makes the whole job worth it.
A job well done is so satisfying to anyone satisfied with any job done right.
Now I went on to attach our visor harness to the main lead line for our dome lights and the window pillar. This is where you get your splice connections to tap into our main lead line. Then I went and tested each visor plug with my test light for power. The great news is, WE HAVE POWER!
Here’s our power feed line from our passenger side to the driver’s side.
Now I just need to connect the wires with a couple of splice connections
Almost done with this job
our wire connection plug for sun visors
Passengers side
Everyone, the fun hasn’t ended yet. We get to put our truck back together! In reverse, we put our headliner back up. I started with the door trim between the front and rear doors. Then I raised the headliner to put in the clips at the rear of the headliner.
Here’s how you know the plug sockets have enough lines. A quick test
Enough line for our visors
When you are relocating your sun visors you’ll have to move your retaining clips too.
Retaining clip re-placement using the same lock clips for your current ones
Retaining clips for the sun visors. (pictured outside the roof.
Then we can put in our windshield pillars and be sure when you do these front ones that your connections for your sun visors are hanging down enough for your visors to connect easily. Once the headliner is back up you are finished! Victory lap!!! Now we can see what we look like in our new vanity mirrors.
