Hey ya'll,
Getting the last of the to-dos (for now) done on the "facelift" project for the old beast. I know there is info out there already about installing these but thought I'd put in my 2 cents.
I ordered the Recon kit which is meant for trucks without stock cab lights. Decided on the clear lenses since my truck is on the chrome side. Don't like yellow, been getting rid of that with the 05 light swap, 05 grill etc.
First, here's what I don't like:
- Disappointed with the instructions. I do a fair amount of technical instruction writing myself and while I recognize that I probably expect too much with some things I buy, the Recon instructions were just poor. The instructions that came with my $35 Hella 1200 fog lights were 10x better. And this kit retails for $99? Please. What is worth anything is directly ripped off of Motoman's website for cab lights instructions. If anything Recon owes him royalties.
- Not only are the instructions poor in general but they are downright misleading. It starts off saying you need bases (no you don't you bought the full kit). Then you need a wiring harness (no you don't you bought the full kit). And then they toss in a copy of Motoman's instructions, which are very useful but they are for the case of installing Ford's cab lights with Ford's harness. Which leads me to my next point:
- The kit does not come with a Ford harness, it just has a ground and positive lead, the latter for which you'll need to track down the parking light wire. I already knew where it was from other projects, but they ought to tell you where it is for those not in the know.
- Mounting with sheetmetal screws. What? Go to Lowe's and get some real SS machine screws, washers and nylock nuts. At some point I know these will need to come off the truck for some unknown reason, so I'd rather have re-usable fasteners.

Basically, do yourself a favor and toss the instructions in entirety and keep the part that Motoman wrote, taking into account that you don't have the Ford harness but just two wires to find places to tap in. Get some fasteners from Lowe's. I didn't have a punch out tool like Motoman did but in retrospect it could have helped.

Some tips in the form of pics:
Finding center on the roof. I don't know how everyone else is doing it, but this is what I settled on:


I ran tape down where I "thought" center was using the mirror mount on the windshield and the high-mount stop lamp as guides. This was just to get a ballpark for the next steps. Then I ran tape from side to side, trying to just touch the windshield rubber "tangent" on either side. As "straight" as I possibly could ... which really means pulling the tape as tight as I could to get a consistent arc across the roof. I measured from the rubber to the tape in a few places until I was confident I had a good arc.

Then i used the edge of this tape to measure from the roof "edge" towards the center. Of course this can drive you crazy. What I ended up doing ... measured along the edge of the tape towards center and marked 28" from both sides of the roof. Then measured between these two marks, divide by two and there's center. Then re-measured a whole bunch of times in different ways until I was confident of center.

After that it was just measuring off center according to motoman's instructions (no Recon they ain't yours, he wrote them first).

Ok tip #2, I read about making sure your headliner is down so you don't drill holes through - so I borrowed one of the kid's pool noodles:



That kept it well away from my drilling and also helped keep it in place as I ran the vac around.

Tip #3: test the lights before you put everything back together! These are polarized LEDs so they depend on which way you have them plugged into the "harness."

And I don't trust the foam / rubber whatever they use to pass for a seal on the bottom of the lights. I used lots of clear silicone. We'll see how they hold up.

Last tip - don't climb on your roof or be very careful if you need to. I now have small dents in my roof. Glad it wasn't the hood

Ok what I do like - the way they look. My truck before / after (sorry I keep recycling this same pic with the camper in threads, it's all I got):



With lights (and all the other mods I've been a slave to over the past month lol):



Finally the way (I think) it's supposed to look. Now I'm going to take a vacation and go camping somewhere...

 

Well done. As usual.

The old girl is looking sharp.

 

Nice Job !! It was nice to see you spent the extra time to do it right.
Reps sent.

 

Thanks guys! I'm an engi-nerd by day (of course I wonder why they gave a big dummy like me a degree) and sometimes I can't just do "it's good enough." Which means doing things a bit different and spending more time in the driveway until the wife hollers out "we're eating dinner without you!"

She did say the truck is looking great now so I know she's still a big fan But I know what's good for me so gonna take a hiatus from all this work and build up my "points" again.

 

I installed my lights a few years ago and I was quite nervous about drilling holes in a perfectly good roof of my truck. I too used Motoman's instructions and they were great. Good job and write-up.

 

Looking good. Boy I have heard that line more times then I would like to remember.

[QUOTE Which means doing things a bit different and spending more time in the driveway until the wife hollers out "we're eating dinner without you!"
[/QUOTE]

 

[/QUOTE]

Tell me about it. The day that dinner isn't even there at all means I went too far this time!

 

I too had difficulty getting myself to drill the holes in my roof for cab lights. I sat up there staring at my roof with center punch in had just staring at the roof and having second thoughts. It was hard but I took the leap of faith and got it done.

It sure does look good to me now. Expect at least one of your friends to harass you endlessly about how they are crooked.

Drake

 

I agree taking that first step was crazy tough ... but I did find that with the roof all taped up it was a little easier to "disconnect" mentally from the fact that I was putting holes in my truck!

I'm totally expecting some harassment ... but I guess that's what friends are for. I could always offer to drill holes in their roof too

 

well here's an update - drivers side roof light is out. I see moisture all the time in these things and wonder if that's part of the problem. Maybe I should have gone factory in the first place!

 

I bought the Ford factory ones and haven't had any issues with leaking. I think I have had them for about 5 years now. I originally was worried about that little foam gasket and the gap it leaves between the roof and the plastic, but so far so good.

 

I have factory clearance light housings and have recon smoke lens on my truck for about 1 1/2 yrs. And I have been chasing a water leak for awhile now. I notice I am getting water up under the lens. When I bought the lens I had to reuse the old lens gaskets. And what I have seen noone just sells lens gaskets. I guess I'll have to call the stealership and see.

 

I need the gaskets as well. My factory lights get water in them as well. Did you add those frog lights as a kit, or did your truck have factory ones? Would like to do that to mine cause e99 did not have them.

Chet

 

those are Hella 2020 fogs ... classic example of a good idea (combo fog/driving) and poor execution. Don't make a whole lot of light, and they look really poor compared to my HIDs. Plus one of them leaks. But I really just use them for late night arrivals at campgrounds so I can see but not burn a hole through anyone with the HIDs. I always was annoyed with people's headlights in the CG and didn't want to be part of the problem. So they are a little useful to me, and they help round out the look of the truck from the front.

Wish someone made something better for a little more $ but haven't found anything else.

 

[quote=GoCamping;13138167]those are Hella 2020 fogs ... classic example of a good idea (combo fog/driving) and poor execution. Don't make a whole lot of light, and they look really poor compared to my HIDs. Plus one of them leaks. But I really just use them for late night arrivals at campgrounds so I can see but not burn a hole through anyone with the HIDs. I always was annoyed with people's headlights in the CG and didn't want to be part of the problem. So they are a little useful to me, and they help round out the look of the truck from the front.

Wish someone made something better for a little more $ but haven't found anything else.[/quot

Appreciate the reply.

Chet