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Looking putting on a Putco lightbar on my 2014 Supercrew. Any thoughts? It seems I don't have a good surface on the right side the sheet metal has some type to bulge and a rectangle hole. Anyone come across this? Anybody ever put on a Putco bar or is there a better one out there?
I've had two of those. Neither one lasted very long. Both shorted out, and one was scorched, where the wires enter the bar. It looked like corrosion was the cause. On the second one, I RTVed the snot out of it, hoping to stop any moisture infiltration. It didn't work, and I just gave up trying. I don't recall the name of either one, but do remember paying around $100USD for each.
Seems they came with some flat plastic self-adhesive shims to shim out the area I think you're talking about.
Just a suggestion; but I bought some red 3/4" LEDs, and mounted them in the flange below the gate where your strip would go, and powered them from the running lights off the 4 pin connector. Look on the rear of any dually, very similar to that.
See photo, truck doesn't have those tail lights, 5.0 badge, or that noise maker Roush exhaust anymore though.
Santa Clause brung me one December 2009 for my then recently acquired 2007 FX4 Flareside.
I saw it used a 4 terminal trailer plug, so I spliced in an extra on the trailer plug wiring. It's just a little shorter than the tailgate and it's secured with the adheasive and I added 4 or 5 small wire ties. I did silicone seal the entry point of the wires into the strip and put some plit loom wire protector over the wire and secured the wire so it wasn't just "dangling" as the wires were "small".
This is October 2016, it still lights up all the way with running lights and each side get's brighter with it's side brake / signal lamp. No missing elements. Looks Great!
The red reflects off the bumper step pad top as well.
That was just running lights .... I was unable to step on brakes and get a pic from rear without pestering "Santa's Helper". I forget the brand but it was one we used to sell at Advance Auto Parts ..... Puttco maybe? Was the shorter one obviously .... just about 4 feet or a hair longer.
I actually just installed one on my 2011 scab. I took a grinder and notched out part of that bulge to get mine to install flat. I don't know what that bulge and rectangular hole is for, but I figured I haven't needed it all these years so wth.
I took the time to hard wire mine which I thought was a better look.
BTW, I splurged a little and got the one with sequential amber turn signals - mustang style. There are so many out there that it was hard to determine what I believed would be best, but I'm pretty happy with mine.
It's very bright, and so many leds that it looks like one solid line, unlike one I had before. The solid line, I think, gives it a very nice, clean look.
VLED makes a license plate frame light bar that I will be looking to purchase as soon as they come back in stock. I believe they are revising the design, their website says it will return in late Fall (which I would say would be NOW...lol) The thing I don't like about the light strips that stick to the bed is that it blocks some of the useable light on the road right behind the truck.
VLED makes a license plate frame light bar that I will be looking to purchase as soon as they come back in stock. I believe they are revising the design, their website says it will return in late Fall (which I would say would be NOW...lol) The thing I don't like about the light strips that stick to the bed is that it blocks some of the useable light on the road right behind the truck.
Rob,
Thanks for posting about this, I really like the idea. I will be monitoring to see when it comes back in stock as well!
EDIT: I sent them an email and it sound like they will be available again in December... so much for late fall!
I have an older style V-Leds license plate frame with a back up light. It's three years old and still works but the clear plastic covering the led's has turned foggy yellow. Looks pretty crappy now.
I see so many rear light bars only half functioning that I made my own extra lights. I mounted them on a bar below the bumper, above the trailer hitch.
