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I'm considering an under tailgate light bar on my truck. I want to tap the trailer hitch wiring for a power source. But then I got to thinking that the truck may see this as connected trailer. anyone ever done this? On another note. there are so many companies that sell these things, for all I know McDonalds sells them. What's a good one?
Thanks a bunch.
I have one on my '06. What I did was find the OEM one that is required equipment on the rear of a dually. Since the beds are the same as SRW, you probably already have holes there to fit the light base. Mine did anyway, but obviously an older model.
There are lots of aftermarket lights for that too, but most are too gauche for my tastes.
I'm pretty sure the trucks use the brake circuit to sense that a trailer is present, so probably not an issue. But I just spliced mine into one of the truck tail lamp wires.
I already have the OEM 3 lamp bar on the truck. I was looking at the ones that span the width of the truck and function as turn , brake and stop lights. Thanks for the reply..
I’m doing something similar. Used the existing plastic piece under the tail gate and made running lights and brake lights out of it. My truck came with 5th wheel prep so was going to tap into that 7pin plug in the bed. Easy access and well protected in the fender. But I’m getting weird flashing with the lights. Currently have the light attached to a 7 pin plug for troubleshooting before I tap into anything. Tried using resistors and eliminated the flashing issue but then I get a trailer warning light. Could be because of only using the brake, running light and ground wires in the plug. Needless to say very frustrating for such a simple mod that would take 10 minutes on a non computer driven vehicle. May look at tapping into a brake light wire and running light wire if I can do it without cutting anything.
I already have the OEM 3 lamp bar on the truck. I was looking at the ones that span the width of the truck and function as turn , brake and stop lights. Thanks for the reply..
ok. No problem. Curious how you got that rear marker on an F250. They are only standard on a dually. My understanding anyway. Could be wrong.
I’m doing something similar. Used the existing plastic piece under the tail gate and made running lights and brake lights out of it. My truck came with 5th wheel prep so was going to tap into that 7pin plug in the bed. Easy access and well protected in the fender. But I’m getting weird flashing with the lights. Currently have the light attached to a 7 pin plug for troubleshooting before I tap into anything. Tried using resistors and eliminated the flashing issue but then I get a trailer warning light. Could be because of only using the brake, running light and ground wires in the plug. Needless to say very frustrating for such a simple mod that would take 10 minutes on a non computer driven vehicle. May look at tapping into a brake light wire and running light wire if I can do it without cutting anything.
That's what I did, I wired it into my license plate bulb.
I ordered it from a company that I can't remember the name. They balked a little saying it was not F250 equipment but sent it anyway. I wired it to the running lights on my tail light. I would go back to the tail lights but I just put LED tail lights on the truck and there is a ton of new wiring in that little space.
I'm considering an under tailgate light bar on my truck. There are so many companies that sell these things, for all I know McDonalds sells them. What's a good one?
Avoid the kind that come in a roll. These will inevitably look wavy, even if you made every effort to roll them out straight, over a straight edge guideline.
What happens over time and thermal cycling is either the adhesive or the material itself will expand and contract and eventually form a distorted line.
To avoid this, buy the type that come in a stiff tube, fixed length, 60" being the most common. The rigid conduit keeps the LED light bar from ever becoming wavy.
Just finished installing mine today, I bought a used oem off eBay, found the correct pigtail off of eBay that matched the oem light and ran it to the license plate light, have $50ish in it.
That's what I did, I wired it into my license plate bulb.
I believe I saw your post which I copied, except I have more lights and dual elements so it can act as a third (fourth) brake light. Considering the license plate for one feed. Switched those to led so the total draw should be ok.
As for the full bar with running lights, turns, brakes, reverse, you have to tap into the wiring at the taillight or buy a converter box. You can't wire directly to the 7 pin or 4 pin plug or use the plug itself.
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Under tailgate light bar
