How To Install a Tailgate Light Bar

[interscope8]

[FONT=How To Install a Tailgate Light Bar"Arial Black"][/FONT]
​

Tools:

8mm Socket Wrench
Wire Strippers
4x Scotch Locks
Electrical Tape
Needle Nose Pliers/ Wire Cutters
Rubbing Alcohol
A Pig Tail with the 4 attached wires

The Procedure


1.) Locate your 4 pin pig tail and expose the 4 wires that go to it
2.) Use your 4 Scotch Locks to lock your new pig tail, to your stock pig tail

3.) Wrap them each individually with electrical tape (I am not a fan of Scotch Locks, but in this application they were my best choice for a clean, and easy install. Their only huge weakness is corrosion, if you take time and get them wrapped up nicely you wont have to worry about that).
4.) Tuck your cluster of Scotch Locks and wires somewhere to keep wear and abuse to a minimum.
-I put mine on top of my trailer hitch receiver, it was shielded from rocks and mud my tires would kick up.
5.) Run the pig tail from the light bar behind the tail gate and between the frame and bumper, hook it up to your new pig tail! Also tuck your factory one back to where ever it was
6.) Remove the 3 plugs to your left or right side tail light (whichever one you want to splice into for the reverse light).
7.) Take out the 3 bolts that hold the taillight into the body, they are 8mm heads, slide the cover out and unhook the break and reverse lights

8.) Run your reverse light wire from the bar up through the body and into the housing (from under the light housing there is a hollow section in the vehicle body with a hole in the rear of the housing for wires to be put in)
9.) While holding the reverse light connector, as it would be when hooked into the light, the left pin is the +. Strip about a 1/2 inch of the wire insulation and shove the filament into the pin reciever.

10.) Hook the light back up, and bolt it back in.
11.) Mount your light bar under the tail gate on the bumper lip. Make sure you prep with rubbing alcohol!

 

[MidnightRebel07]

Good job man, gotta get some night shots.

 

[snoranger]

Try using liquid electrical tape or even silicone on the Scotch locks. It will seal them better then regular electrical tape.

 

[interscope8]

I have some leftover silicon sealant I'll prolly use. It was 104 heat index today... so i wasnt to worried about it at the time

 

[interscope8]

There they are

 

[MidnightRebel07]

Looks good, are they pointed up alittle?

I mounted mine to the bottom of the tailgate on the backside.

 

[interscope8]

They are angled up yes... should i change it?

 

[BrianDye]

Midnight- Your sack is a bit off-centered



:bsnicker:

 

[Blake A]

And a bit blue... You might need to get that checked out.. Haha

 

[SportTracRollin]

 

[Pjibs]

Great write up man!

 

[MidnightRebel07]

Since your trac isn't lifted alot like mine I dodn't see there being a problem for vehicles behind you to clearly see them but it does help when their level for maximun brightnesss and visability. That's why I mounted mine to the tailgate like I did.


They always hang off to the left and there blue because I haven't taken the Trac serious Trailin' for a while now. Only moderate offroading lately.

 

[interscope8]

@rebel- I can't really mount mine like you did. Mine is pretty wide, yours looks a lot more slim. I'll fiddle with it eventually, if I lift mine it'll prolly make it more visible, once you're right behind me you can see it at all

 

[MidnightRebel07]

Your's is the same width, 49". I cleaned the tailgate, stuck 3M double sided tape on the front edge of the mounting lip on the light bar.

 

[interscope8]

49x.75 inches. The other width rebel haha. Not length.

 

[MidnightRebel07]

Length, same size light bars. I've had two bars on mine and both were the same size.

 

[interscope8]

Well, mine had a metal bracket on the back with 4 spinning mounting brackets with tape already on them. They were about 3/4 inch across. It was really hot so I didnt bother to much with placement just wanted to get it done

 

[MidnightRebel07]

I took those four mounts off and used 3M tape to stick mine to the tailgate. I don't blame you about not wanting to work out in the heat, it been 90+ hear with high humidity making it feel like over 100 four the past month pretty much.

 

[interscope8]

Yup, same with IN right now. Heat Index is Nuckin' Futz! Thankfully I get to use a lift and an airconditioned shop for my shocks and shackles this weekend

 

[Clusterpup]

Yup, same with IN right now. Heat Index is Nuckin' Futz! Thankfully I get to use a lift and an airconditioned shop for my shocks and shackles this weekend

Lucky you. I get to do my body lift soon in the blazing heat and humidity of August in Miami.