Backup Lights

opsbear7 · May 30, 2006

Hey guys....

I have decided that I need some backup lights for my truck to supplement the built in ones in my tail lights. I want rectangular ones that mount on the bottom of the bumper. Wiring and mounting are the easy parts....finding the right parts is the harder part.

I want to spend $20-$50 for parts. I want the rectangular (smaller the better) lights that really light it all up when i am backing up. Thanks for your help!

asilverblazer · May 30, 2006

I've wanted to do the same thing, and would have in my wilder days, but now I have not for fear of overloading the back up light circuit. If I were to do it, I would look in to whether the current circuit can handle the additional load, or if I need to run a new circuit.

On the same note I would love to be able to have the reverse light, the proposed additional reverse lights and the cargo light come on when pressing the cargo light button, but just the back up lights and new back up lights when in reverse (Make sense?). I think it would help tremendously when hooking up a trailer in the dark, which I'm scared of. I think it would need some relay's diode's and somebody that knows what the heck they are doing to help me...

ken1mod · May 30, 2006

better back up lights are a great idea. Just wire them separately from fuse box through a toggle on the dash, just like in a real truck (Minimum 18 wheels)

ken

J45p3r · May 30, 2006

I've wanted to do the same thing, and would have in my wilder days, but now I have not for fear of overloading the back up light circuit. If I were to do it, I would look in to whether the current circuit can handle the additional load, or if I need to run a new circuit.

On the same note I would love to be able to have the reverse light, the proposed additional reverse lights and the cargo light come on when pressing the cargo light button, but just the back up lights and new back up lights when in reverse (Make sense?). I think it would help tremendously when hooking up a trailer in the dark, which I'm scared of. I think it would need some relay's diode's and somebody that knows what the heck they are doing to help me...

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Thats the setup that I have, minus the original backup lights on the cargo switch.

I have:

Cargo Lights on = Cargo Lights, Aux Backups and Aux rope lights under tonneau.

Reverse = OEM Reverse lights and Aux Backups

It involved a couple relays and a couple diodes. I'll post up the directions and schematic when I get home tonight.

asilverblazer · May 30, 2006

Wonderful!

kydenali · May 30, 2006

This is just what you are looking for! They work great!

http://www.whitenight.com/whitenight/index.htm

Worktruck · May 30, 2006

This is just what you are looking for! They work great!
http://www.whitenight.com/whitenight/index.htm

Those are f'in junk. They may be graet if you live in Fla or Southern Cal but up here in the salt belt they suck. The housing is not water tight so any water coming from under the truck works its way right into the housing and corrodes the connections and bulb sockets. I used some from Wally World that work great. I'm to lazy to hook up relays and such so just wired em right into the OEM cirquit. I don't leave them on for very long or I'd go with the relay. BTW if you opt for the relay and have the tow package, just tap into the 12 volt constant in the 7 pin connector to power the lights and use the wire from the OE back ups for a signal to trip the relay. JMHO

asilverblazer · May 30, 2006

I know I can get them on, it's just all the other "ON" functions I am trying to do... Maybe after looking at wire diagrams tonight it will make more sense and I'll have something in mind to try.

opsbear7 · May 30, 2006

I think i like the KC ones on JC whitney.com. They are expensive but look like they would work great. I am waiting to here on the instructions with all the relays and stuff to get it to work with both my backup lights and my cargo lamps.

J45p3r · May 31, 2006

This is how I did what I did:

firefighteremt3100 · May 31, 2006

This is just what you are looking for! They work great!
http://www.whitenight.com/whitenight/index.htm

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Ive seen a lot of people with those, but thats about 50 bucks more than I want to spend

J45p3r · May 31, 2006

I just grabbed a pair of $15 fog lights at the part store. There are a couple spots on the bottom of the bumper you can drill and put a bolt through.

kdm101 · May 31, 2006

I bought some $20 aux lights from autozone and bolted them to the bumper. I ran a wire up to the electrical center and connected it to a relay. I tapped into the TRL BKUP fuse (yes, there's a fuse for trailer backup lights!!) to power the aux lights. The relay was so I can use a switch in the cab to turn them on at will, not just with the backup lights.

The short cut would be to tie directly into the backup light circuit in the trailer wiring harness (light green wire) back at the 7-pin connector.

Jasper, I like your solution too. I have posted in a previous thread about wanting to do the aux cargo lighting too. What "rope" light did you use?

J45p3r · May 31, 2006

I haven't installed the rope light yet, but I ran the wire for it. I think I'm going to use this stuff: http://www.noveltylights.com/12_volt_mini_rope.htm