The backup lights I have on my truck, SUCK..

My brake lights are brighter then them..

They are fine for signalling that I'm backing up, but I'd like something that is wired to them that can shine a good deal amount of light out, possibly at a downward angle. But I need them to be protected from low branches and aerodynamic for driving on the highway...

I do belive I allready have a 12volt supply to the bed of my truck.



These are photos of my truck that CarMax took prior to me purchasing her.

 

i've been thinking about the same thing, so when offroading and backing up i can maybe see where i'm headed

is there anyway to wire it so they only turn on when
a. your lights are on
and
b. you put it in reverse?

i was thinking maybe so kc's or cheap autozone lights on the rear bumper? pointed downward of course

edit: if you look at l2en's truck (saw while browsing the picture forums) it seems he has a nice set up that looks pretty discreet

 

use the OEM stock back up light as a signal to throw a relay powering the new back up lights off your bed power source
this way they turn on whenever you are in reverse and will not fry your stock wiring
you can also run a seperate switch - use a relay and fuses in either case

 

Newb terminology please?!

LOL!

I was thinking of possibly mounting some smaller lights on the top of my cap... inside behind the glass..

 

i mounted 2 rear facing standard fog lights on my rear bumper and wired them into the same power supply for the stock back up lights...they throw out quite a bit of light for ya, and it makes it really nice at night

 

Even if you don't have a 12Volt source in the bed, you can splice into your stock reverse light circuit behind one of the brake lights.

I installed a fog light below my spare tire, so it was protected by the spare tire, and secured to the winch portion of the spare tire carried. The wires ran from the top of the spare mount plate through some wire loom to keep them away from the elements. I spliced into the stock circuit behind the driver's side tail-light with quick-taps.

 

The reverse lights are protected by a 10 amp fuse. You can hook up your auxillary lights to existing reverse lights as long as you don't exceed that and blow the fuse. The stock lights probably draw about 5 total. Whatever lights you add will have to be less than 50 watts each.

 

so your saying you can run lights lower than 50W without a relay?

 

Yea. If you can find a set of 30 watt or something fog lights or whatever, you can power those off the existing circuit. I don't know the exact wattage of the stock 3157 bulbs, but I do know that two 50 watt add-on lights will exceed whatever is left.

 

I did this too my truck


Before:







During:


Yes I ran my wire at night.







Done:






I picked up a set of tractor lights, 25watt each, they sell them seperatly at autozone for $14 each. the 25watt is perfect, it gives off enuff light but isnt blinding.

I attached them to the cross braces of my bumper, i drilled a hole, and used a fat washer to make up for the curved bracket. and cranked the down. I put them at the end of my hitch, so it looks 'natural' and 'professional' I first attempted to tap into my back up lights that were there, but it put too much strain on the oem mickey mouse harness. so i did a direct feed from the battery. I used 14awg outdoor blue extension cord to do this, and ran it at night. the extension cord works EXCELLENT. and then i wired it all up behind the driverside tail light..... now, their bright as i need, and dont blind anyone.

they come with a sealed beem, and their encased in a rubber socket, pretty durable lights.

 

Pics not working.

 

Sounds like it's time for me to get to know my neighbors electrical profession, lol..

 

here are my reverse lights. thre mounted on my traler hitch but u can also mount under the bumper. i put PIAA 55w h3 bulbs in also to make them even brighter. all ran off its own circuit with relay.

 

The factory 3156 bulbs are 27W each.

There is something else to consider in the reverse circuit besides the fuse and wire gauge - the switch. Manual trucks use a simple switch but on automatics, the reverse light circuit is switched by a set of contacts in the Digital Transmission Range Sensor. It is an expensive part on the side of the trans that also tells the PCM what gear has been selected by the driver.

The TRS works fine with the stock bulbs but some owners have had failures when adding extra reverse lighting to the factory circuit. If I wanted to run more current through the reverse light circuit, I would switch it with a relay, especially with an automatic.

 

I to have been wanting to do this for a while now.... I just need to learn how to wire.... :)

 

the pics should work now.

 

This is a lot of great information! I only wired up one fog light to mine, with a 35 watt H3 bulb. It doesn't draw too much current, does it?

I never thought of running outdoor AC extension cord for use as a 12Volt DC wire! That's nice! Where'd you get the blue, though?

 

So whats the best way to go about wiring these? I have a stick if that makes any difference......

 

dad bought a 100ft spool of 14awg exterior extension cord at the flea mark for like $30. just happens to be blue. whats nice about it, is its 3 wire, heavy gauge, and easy to work with. my oem fogs use it, my kc's us it, and my back up lights are all run with extension cord. i actually dont know how u people run those mickey mouse harneses, thats gotta be a real pita to work with....... like i said, the extension cord is a dream. and if anyone locally would like some extension cord to do this, ill sell you some cheap.

(not off the spool, but actual extension cord, just cut the ends off.)

 

Aux reverse lights:

 

An electrician I am not Bob...... LOL.....

 

Dave your running your KC's using the extension cord too?...interesting

 

Yall go through automatic car washes with yours??

Just curious..

I'm still debating doing this.. I don't think getting a brighter bulb in my reverse lights will help, It's a diffusing kind of light... Although my brake lights are VERY bright...

 

i did that....then i went muddin....no more lights.

 

i have never had a problem.

in my reverse light stock lails i have the PIAA 3156 Extream white bulbs in and there is maybe a little diffrence if any but the blue looks kool when there off lol.

but just do the reverse lights u will love them and if u dont just cap the wires off no biggie. i have done them to all 3 of my trucks and there the first things that go in cause i like to see where i am backing up into and with ur cap u need the lights cause it takes up some of ur view. and id rather crack a licht and replace it then my bumper