Jump to content

LED Under Rail Bed Lighting

b1gted

By b1gted
in Modifications & Accessories

 Share

Recommended Posts

Imcrazy Senior Enthusiast

Imcrazy

Posted
Posted (edited)

What effect will the summer heat have on the adhesive? We tend to get triple digits during the summer, out here.

Yeah I'm slightly concerned about that. I run a tonneau cover so if they fall off they won't blow away but, I did tape up the wires with gorilla tape so I don't think they'll go anywhere, if so there are mounting holes and they come w/sheet metal screws but, I think you'd either have to fashion some custom mounting solution or move the lights to the bed sides because I think the screws would poke through the bed caps.

 

 

I've thought about trying to attach 'em w/ magnets somehow but, We'll see how it holds up.

Edited by Imcrazy
  • Like 1
  • Replies 399
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

Popular Days

Top Posters In This Topic

Popular Days

Popular Posts

block8head
block8head

Here you go...

electricchiken7
electricchiken7

I installed the after market ones. I tied them into my cargo lights. Great mod!!     Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk    

corwest
corwest

Just as a heads up: The junction box comes with a cover for the plug that these plug into. So I made my own plug out of the cover with a couple parts from other plugs i had laying around and sealed

Posted Images

chuckl1218 Senior Enthusiast

chuckl1218

Posted
Posted

Yeah I'm slightly concerned about that. I run a tonneau cover so if they fall off they won't blow away but, I did tape up the wires with gorilla tape so I don't think they'll go anywhere, if so there are mounting holes and they come w/sheet metal screws but, I think you'd either have to fashion some custom mounting solution or move the lights to the bed sides because I think the screws would poke through the bed caps.

 

 

I've thought about trying to attach 'em w/ magnets somehow but, We'll see how it holds up.

 

I was concerned about this too since it gets over 100 here in the summer. My OEM bed lights are attached with screws to tabs that are angled between the side panels and top rails on either side. When I added lights, I found a similar area that I was able to use by drilling pilot holes and sheet metal screws. The wires are hidden and covered with plastic flex tubing.

  • Like 1
  • 2 weeks later...
molsonice02 Enthusiast

molsonice02

Posted
Posted

I see guys posting that they received a 6 pin harness with their light kit instead of the 8 pin harness, is there a different part number for 2016's? I am picking up my 2016 Silverado on saturday and I cannot decide if I should purchase the Gm kit or wire in the 8 light amazon kit. I don't want to pre-order a harness if it will be an 8 wire and I need 6 wire or vice versa. Thank you in advance,

MWZotti Enthusiast

MWZotti

Posted
Posted (edited)

For 2016 this is the new Rear Chassis Electrical upfitter Connections.

 

http://gmupfitter.co...lletin _129.pdf

 

"The use of an electrical junction block at the rear of the vehicle frame has been replaced with individual connectors for the 2016 model year for the full-size LD and HD pickup trucks."

 

 

If you have a 16 you need the 6 pin kit. 14-15 is the 8 pin kit.

 

Sent from my BlackBerry Priv. The power of Android combined with the security of BlackBerry.

Edited by MWZotti
molsonice02 Enthusiast

molsonice02

Posted
Posted (edited)

For 2016 this is the new Rear Chassis Electrical upfitter Connections.

 

http://gmupfitter.co...lletin _129.pdf

 

"The use of an electrical junction block at the rear of the vehicle frame has been replaced with individual connectors for the 2016 model year for the full-size LD and HD pickup trucks."

 

 

If you have a 16 you need the 6 pin kit. 14-15 is the 8 pin kit.

 

Sent from my BlackBerry Priv. The power of Android combined with the security of BlackBerry.

Thank you, Once I pick up the truck, I'll take a look at the 6 pin dummy connecter and likely just install gm terminals and wires to power an aftermarket set. I am used their 30 terminal trays I worked as a GM tech for 11 years.

Edited by molsonice02
MWZotti Enthusiast

MWZotti

Posted
Posted

Thank you, Once I pick up the truck, I'll take a look at the 6 pin dummy connecter and likely just install gm terminals and wires to power an aftermarket set. I am used their 30 terminal trays I worked as a GM tech for 11 years.

I don't want to spend the time making my own harness. I'm waiting for someone to post the part number for the harness on the 16 and then use the extang or tuxedo 4 or 6 light kit from there.

 

Sent from my BlackBerry Priv. The power of Android combined with the security of BlackBerry.

molsonice02 Enthusiast

molsonice02

Posted
Posted

I called my local gm, my discounted price was 33$ Can, but I am not sure if that was the correct one. I'll message him today and ask if its the new 16, 6 pin harness. If you get ahold of two terminals though, the hardest part will be getting them sealed in the connector.

chuckl1218 Senior Enthusiast

chuckl1218

Posted
Posted (edited)

Cleaning out my garage after trading in my 2014 Silverado...found one of these plugs (no LEDs) from the GM Bed LED kit for a 2014 - 2015...if anyone interested PM me and we'll work something out to cover the cost of shipping...

 

post-106333-0-56398500-1458829518_thumb.jpeg

post-106333-0-56398500-1458829518_thumb.jpeg

post-106333-0-56398500-1458829518_thumb.jpeg

post-106333-0-56398500-1458829518_thumb.jpeg

Edited by chuckl1218
je1279 Enthusiast

je1279

Posted
Posted (edited)

You can find those rubbery nubs that GM uses online at electronics stores and they do a great job of sealing the connector. You just need to remember to put it on the wire before you crimp on your terminals. Some terminals actually crimp onto both the bare wire and the nub.

Edited by je1279
  • 4 weeks later...
BeauTie Enthusiast

BeauTie

Posted
Posted

After having issues of getting the correct oem kit for my 2015 I opted to go with the kit from Xkglow. I wanted to make sure I could turn it on and off in the rear of the truck and it also has a auto timer that well shut it off.

 

 

Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk

 

I put in the same XKglow light kit that loghead showed in post #274. They've only been installed two days but I'm happy with the install. We'll be doing some tent camping and I wanted the on/off switch back by the tailgate instead of needing to get into the cab to hit the cargo light switch.

 

I tied into the trailer connector for power and installed a weatherproof fuse so I can disconnect the entire setup by pulling the fuse if it ever develops a problem. I ended up using hot glue to mount the led lights up under the rail. Typical low temp hot glue is supposed to melt around 248F so I don't think the summer heat will cause them to fall. We'll find out in due time.

 

I mounted my on/off switch in a recessed area just to the right of where loghead installed his. When we have the bed full of stuff, I didn't want something to bump that switch and turn the lights on. So, it's a bit recessed but still easily reachable from the rear of the bed.

  • Like 1
JasonAVGuy Enthusiast

JasonAVGuy

Posted
Posted

Does anyone know how many watts the wire will safely take? My truck has the factory under bed lights but I would like to add a 18 watt led to the top of my cap to light up my decked system better. Thanks for any help.

MWZotti Enthusiast

MWZotti

Posted
Posted

Does anyone know how many watts the wire will safely take? My truck has the factory under bed lights but I would like to add a 18 watt led to the top of my cap to light up my decked system better. Thanks for any help.

I'm not sure of the gauge size on the wire but if it's 18G is safe for approximately 10A. 12Vx10A=120W. The lights that came with the kit probably are less than 20W each.

 

For reference others have added additional lights to the existing harness to increase the bed lighting to 4 lights with no issue. The fuse for the circuit should pop long before that wire gets to the point of failure.

 

 

Sent from my BlackBerry Priv. The power of Android combined with the security of BlackBerry.

JasonAVGuy Enthusiast

JasonAVGuy

Posted
Posted

I'm not sure of the gauge size on the wire but if it's 18G is safe for approximately 10A. 12Vx10A=120W. The lights that came with the kit probably are less than 20W each.

 

For reference others have added additional lights to the existing harness to increase the bed lighting to 4 lights with no issue. The fuse for the circuit should pop long before that wire gets to the point of failure.

 

 

Sent from my BlackBerry Priv. The power of Android combined with the security of BlackBerry.

Great thanks for the wire gauge and advice. I think I will be good to go!

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
 Share
Go to topic listing

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.

  • Forum Statistics

    250.5k
    Total Topics
    2.7m
    Total Posts

  • Member Statistics

    342,947
    Total Members
    8,960
    Most Online
    Sothpaw27
    Newest Member
    Sothpaw27
    Joined

  • Who's Online   2 Members, 0 Anonymous, 439 Guests (See full list)

  • Latest Articles

  • Posts

    • Grumpy Bear
      Some Assembly is Required

      By Grumpy Bear · Posted

      www.enginelabs.com/news/what-i-learned-today-bearing-clearances-vs-oil-viscosities/     www.enginelabs.com/news/oil-viscosity-can-the-numbers-be-misleading/ The Big Lie… Coming full circle to the reason Lake discusses the Porsche engines in particular. Based on the 2000 samples in the SPEEDiagnostix database, increasing the oil viscosity in these engines, even those run on the track, showed no significant difference in results.   The smoking gun was in the oil chemistry. That is where the data shows higher instances of more wear. Molybdenum was the key; the higher the amount, the less the wear. Speed postulates that higher viscosity oils have more thickeners to artificially inflate their viscosity numbers. These thickeners lose viscosity under shear, and the result is that not all oils of the same viscosity have the same shear stability.   Having enough viscosity is the most important characteristic, but according to Speed, once that required viscosity level is reached, additive chemistry matters more than additional viscosity. Speed also states, oil pressure problems on the racetrack aren’t a viscosity problem; it’s an oiling system problem. Running a thicker oil is just a band-aid for an underlying oiling system problem.
    • Grumpy Bear
      Some Assembly is Required

      By Grumpy Bear · Posted

      Can it still be Assembled II?   Viscosity on the decline by various means. Heat on the rise making that worse. Engine RPM in the tank. Smaller motors with more boost trying to emulate an electric motor. Full torque, zero rpm. Then we will triple the OCI. Argh.    But wait....there is more. LSPI has pushed a shift from Ca to Mg and as that cost more PLUS the run to lower sulfur compounds the TBN is moving in the wrong direction for the increased OCI's demanded.    That not being enough to placate a demand for a parameter they can't measure the other sulfur bearing compounds are also under attack. That would be zinc and phosphorus sulfonate compounds. To some degree those are being replaced with boron esters and others, i.e. titanium ect. All of which have shorter service lives. And there there is the "Secrete Sauce" marketing for AW adds that 'Can't be detected by UOA's" but trust me because I (the blenders) never ever lie.    Spoiler alert; ALL additives are sacrificial! Smaller amounts of the old blended with less robust versions of the new do not equal longer service lives. So what are the blenders recommending? Wait for it.......   MOVING THE GOAL POSTS! OMG      Let's declare the long standing TAN/TBN crossover irrelevant and tell people that soot is a great 'graphite' based lubricant which can aid tribo films. Wait, what? Let's declare that the standards used for oxidation and nitration were to conservative and can be expanded. Let's tell them that because GDI fuel dilution, although being a VISCOSITY KILLER and an acid generator is actually okay because we have better base oils that limit viscosity failure limits. (Said knowing this is measured in fractions of a centipoise and in bases not commonly used in shelf oils)   Lying from the heart is not just the new normal but we have a public, a very young public, that is so ignorant of the facts and so sure of their "RESEARCH" into AI driven models base in regurgitated  instead of scientific research based unvarnished, peer reviewed FACTS that the incoming guard is loosing their grip on reality and the OEM's are tickled pink while the blends bend the knee.    You have an ever limited set of tools to work with. And sooner or later those will be taken from you as the API and the EPA strangle the last remaining fluids from the system. What you have left is your wits. If you care to use them.    At some point in the very near future it will not longer be possible to do "What is best for the machine", and be replaced with "The best you have access too". You WILL be rewarded with half the life and twice the cost. That isn't that hard to predict.         
    • Chuck FB
      Software Update

      By Chuck FB · Posted

      I trust you saw the other comment where he knew what he was talking about !. Yes, these darned newer vehicles with all their so smart they are stupid technology, goes and drains the battery down. As you might see my other comment, I installed a Noco 5 battery tender under the hood and at this point still have the cord routed so I have to lift the hood and then plug it in but am typically parked in a garage or a shed so its not risking the engine hood in the wind. That way I am assured or hopefully so of not finding I have a battery drawn down and can't even start the truck and that also damages the battery to draw it down too far. 
    • Chuck FB
      Software Update

      By Chuck FB · Posted

      I guess no surprise my guesses were wrong !, at least now I know if I ever happen to see it grayed out in my own truck as to what is going on.    I never happened to catch my truck with it grayed out, it seemed every time I would test to see if there was an update it never found anything and yet more than once I would check to see if there was an update and there was nothing, then a day later or even that same morning I would drive to town and after more than one engine shut down in town as I did my errands it would pop up that there is an update now ready to install and the only place I have a connection to the internet is at home by wifi so its not as if it grabbed the download while driving. I don't trust these new vehicles due to all the crap they can decide to do while sitting for some days not running and run the battery down so most of the time if I know the truck will sit for a few days I plug in the battery tender I have mounted under the hood and so the only time the truck must have downloaded software was when it was sitting in the garage where the signal is awful but I have that tender plugged in and somehow it managed to download it. I honestly detest all this crap, way to easy to leave a person stranded.    Since I don't trust any of it I don't do the install of the already downloaded software until I get home and sometimes have even sat in the truck to watch what its doing as its going through the process to its conclusion as its not like it is set up that it will tell you the next time you fire up the engine that the update that was initialed actually installed or installed properly. Yes I can go into the updates and see the list. After I go through the install where I feel its safe to do so in case it breaks down as a result, I will plug in the battery tender after the fact to recharge as I don't know how much power its taking just to do the install and that can take a while for it to install. 
    • nfisherman
      Software Update

      By nfisherman · Posted

      Thanks for the reply. All settings were correct and the engine was off, as it was supposed to be. It turned out to be something simple. I took a drive for about an hour. I must have had a low battery without knowing it. The voltage gauge on the display looked ok. At the end of my drive, I shut off the engine and the update prompt came up and it updated normally. It’s ironic because one of the features of the update is a reduction of battery drain. 

  • GM-Trucks.com Clubs

  • Popular Contributors

×
×
  • Create New...