Backup Lights

[espnfreak]

i want to get some reverse auxillary lights to help me when i am backing up and to get tailgaters off my @$$. what size piaa's would do the job of fitting under the bumper and be bright enough to get someone off my @$$?

 

[aldive]

Originally posted by jas84
i want to get some reverse auxillary lights to help me when i am backing up and to get tailgaters off my @$$. what size piaa's would do the job of fitting under the bumper and be bright enough to get someone off my @$$?

Be careful about whom you flash. Several reasons (1) might be the police and (2) Road rage; someone might not like you doing that.

The 17 year old son of a friend of mine can tell you about flashing the police....

 

[leebo]

I'd stay away from putting lights under the bumper if you do any off-roading. They tend to get broke. I myself have a 55watt light mounted to the roof rack that works great. It comes on with a flip of the switch, or when the truck goes into reverse. There are several size Piaa's that would work, but you'll be looking at a 100 price range for reverse lights. Are you sure that's what you're looking for?? I know both rick and matt have a pair on the rear, but I can't tell you what model numbers. They are nice though.

 

[espnfreak]

just too curious, but what happened when your son turned the lights on the police?

 

[aldive]

Originally posted by jas84
just too curious, but what happened when your son turned the lights on the police?

Not my son, the son of a friend. Well my friend had to go to the local police station to pick him up. I don't recall what the ticket was writen as, but you can rest asured he no longer has such lights.

 

[leebo]

It would be about the same ticket as if you went by a cop with your brights on. To be honest with you though I doubt that too many cops would really care. They may pull you over, but I doubt they'd give you too much trouble. I wouldn't do it though. I think I've only used my reverse lights once on the road since I put them on.

 

[Stephen S]

I believe Rick and Matt have PIAA 1400 fogs mounted it the back. Alec also have some lights mounted in back, but they are under his rear bumper. I think his are Pilots. They sell them at Auto Zone, and they are a much chearper alternative to PIAAs. Since you'll only be using them as backup lights, I'm sure they will serve the purpose just fine. Makes more sense to me than buying a $100+ set of PIAAs that won't be on 90% of the time.

 

[espnfreak]

it'd be sweeeeeet if matt addams could get me a discounted pair of 1700X's, those are my lights baby. matt can you do it?

 

[Alec]

Yup, I've got a set of small Pilot fogs mounted under the bumper. The set was $30 + $5 for a nicer switch. They do hang vulnerably below the bumper, but for a few bucks I can replace the light bulb. The housing can stand up to all sorts of abuse, but the bulbs tend to break when banged against a rock

 

[espnfreak]

oh of course thats natural anyways those pilots bright? i like the 1700x's cuz they are bright as hell and can get people off my bumper

 

[Stephen S]

I'd hoped you would chime in Alec!

 

[Alec]

Yup Stephen, chimed in eventually

The Pilots are pretty bright. They look exactly like those small PIAAs and have a wide fog pattern. Let me put it this way, they're bright enough to burn into your retinas for about 10 minutes if you look straight at them during daylight. I've never been dumb enough to look straight at them at night: they're bright enough for the job. considering the lights are hanging down there prone to damage, I'd much rather have an almost as bright set of $30 lights than a brighter $150 set of lights.

hmmm, lets see if I can find the pic... here it is:

 

[espnfreak]

those are really nice looking alec. i think i might get myself a pair of those since they are so cheap. got them at pep boys or jc whitney? i'd really like to know and how did you run wires and mount them?

 

[Alec]

They're Pilot brand from Autozone. IMO Pilot is by far the best brand of "budget" lights. The lights came with mounting brackets that are "U" shaped. They have two holes in the bottom for mounting and two on the sides to attach to the lights. I drilled small pilot holes into the bumper from the bottom then used self-tapping screws (not the mounting screws from the kit) to fasten the brackets to the bumper.

The wiring was easy. I ran a 14 or 16 ga fused power lead from the battery down along the framerail to the back. The lights are also grounded to the frame, so there's your power circuit. This light set doesn't have a relay per-se, just some fancy wiring. So once the 2 power leads were run I had to run two lines into the truck for the switch. I pulled them up behind the bumper then in through the door frame of the back hatch. When the hatch is open you can barely see the wires coming from the bumper/body seam and into the door frame. I drilled a small hole to pull the wires through, but its covered by the weather stripping. The wires then go behind all the interior panels, over the pedals, then into the center console where most of my other switches are. The switch is tied into a common ground I have for all my switches.

To sum it up, you have to make 4 sets of connections: Power/ground, switch power/neg + ground, light 1 +/- and light 2 +/-.

Good luck!

 

[swak6287]

NEW PROBLEM

had anyone tried to wire the backup light to where when we put in reverse, it comes on, and, when we open the car door, or use the remote to open the car, the new backup light comes on too? is that possible?
i found a pair of walmart lights for 16 bucks and would love to hook it up where it lights up when i go in reverse and also lights up when i push my remote.
anyone know how to do this??????

 

[Alec]

Its easy to hook them up for when you go into reverse. As for with your remote, your remote simply activates your dome lights. You could wire them into your dome lights, but then everytime they went on your backups would go on, even if you activate your domes while driving, don't think that's the best idea. However, you can hook up multiple activation leads to the lights, just splice all those leads together before you connect them to the relay.

 

[Stephen S]

Alec, I recently added a set of aux. backup lights to my truck. (click the "Stephen's Truck" link in my signature to see them) I have them switched so I can turn them on when I want to, but I'd also like to tie them into the reverse lights so they come on when I put the truck in reverse. You said it was easy, so how might I do it?

If it helps, I have a fused power lead going to a 2-way on/off under my dash, then leaving the switch going to the positive lead of both lights. The lights are grounded to the frame at their mounting points.

Also remember, I'd like to also have the lights able to be manually switched on and off with my switch so I can turn them on anf off whenever I want to, not just when I am in reverse. Thanks!

 

[mattadams]

sorry I've missed this thread so long! . I have the PIAA 1500's as my reverse lights, Rick has the 1400's. As I recall, I can get the 1700's, they run about $175 though so now your best choice for backup lights.

I would agree that pilots are the best "budget light" out there.