brake/park/turn light conversion
Freshman User
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 44
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brake/park/turn light conversion
Just curious. Has anyone seen or done a conversion on the light system where the turn lights and flashers have their own system? What I am looking into doing is converting the light system so that the turn signals and flashers are no longer connected through the brakes in the rear or parking lights in the front, but through additional lights that will be added front and rear for their use only.
There is a perfect spot below the rear light assembly for an additional light. About 2" by 2". For the front, I'm thinking about a 1" by 4" light set into the grill. Both amber colored.
In the end all exterior lights will be positive feed. No more flashing brake light.
My main concern is if there is any way to utilize the turn switch in the column or if I will have to replace the guts of this switch or worse, go with some externally column monted ugly appendage.
I just cant let things remain as they are.
rob
69 f250
360 / 390 ?
There is a perfect spot below the rear light assembly for an additional light. About 2" by 2". For the front, I'm thinking about a 1" by 4" light set into the grill. Both amber colored.
In the end all exterior lights will be positive feed. No more flashing brake light.
My main concern is if there is any way to utilize the turn switch in the column or if I will have to replace the guts of this switch or worse, go with some externally column monted ugly appendage.
I just cant let things remain as they are.
rob
69 f250
360 / 390 ?
Fleet Owner
Joined: Jun 1999
Posts: 24,552
Likes: 74
From: Creedmoor, North Carolina
brake/park/turn light conversion
Rob, I don't understand your question. Are wanting to change the light housings for something custom, or the wiring harness and turn signal switch?
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John
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John
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Freshman User
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 44
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brake/park/turn light conversion
John,
I will leave the original light housings front amd rear as they are. The front will continue to function as a run/parking light. But will no longer function as the turn signal. The rear will continue to function as brake light, but will no longer function as turn signal. I will add two lights to the front and rear and these will become the turn signals. The new front light is to be placed in the grill, its size is 1"x4". The new rear light is to be places below the original light assembly. There is a spot that can accept a 2"x2" light assembly. I will have to cut a hole for this assembly. I will modify the wiring harness and I believe I will have to modify the turn signal switch in the column.
My main concerns are how to modify the switch assembly in the column and how this might affect the overall appearance.
Rob
I will leave the original light housings front amd rear as they are. The front will continue to function as a run/parking light. But will no longer function as the turn signal. The rear will continue to function as brake light, but will no longer function as turn signal. I will add two lights to the front and rear and these will become the turn signals. The new front light is to be placed in the grill, its size is 1"x4". The new rear light is to be places below the original light assembly. There is a spot that can accept a 2"x2" light assembly. I will have to cut a hole for this assembly. I will modify the wiring harness and I believe I will have to modify the turn signal switch in the column.
My main concerns are how to modify the switch assembly in the column and how this might affect the overall appearance.
Rob
Elder User
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 962
Likes: 2
From: Collierville, TN
brake/park/turn light conversion
Why ask why? If he wants to do it, I say "go for it." He'll have a unique mod, anyway.
The answer to your question is that you can do what you want using the stock switch. The brake light circuit currently runs through your switch, as you know, because activating the switch disconnects the brake light circuit from the side that is flashing. You just need to take the wires where they emerge from the column and reconnect them in the configuration you want. They currently terminate in two plastic plugs - one has five wires and the other has two. I don't remember offhand exactly how they are configured, but a little experimentation with a test light will sort it out for you pretty quickly. You can then jump the brake light wires to bypass the switch completely, and hook up the wires for the left turn and right turn circuits to your new lights.
The answer to your question is that you can do what you want using the stock switch. The brake light circuit currently runs through your switch, as you know, because activating the switch disconnects the brake light circuit from the side that is flashing. You just need to take the wires where they emerge from the column and reconnect them in the configuration you want. They currently terminate in two plastic plugs - one has five wires and the other has two. I don't remember offhand exactly how they are configured, but a little experimentation with a test light will sort it out for you pretty quickly. You can then jump the brake light wires to bypass the switch completely, and hook up the wires for the left turn and right turn circuits to your new lights.
Fleet Owner
Joined: Jun 1999
Posts: 24,552
Likes: 74
From: Creedmoor, North Carolina
brake/park/turn light conversion
Rob, While I don't disagree with Karl, Just disconnect or cut the wire that you don't want to continue to use near the light and run that wire to the new light housing. I believe that would be the simplest. No need to mess with anything inside of the truck. IMHO 
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John
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[link:www.ford-trucks.net/users/jowilker/NCFTE.html|NCFTO] North Carolina Ford Truck Owners Group
In the cool still quiet of night, you can hear chevies rusting away.
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John
jowilker email me
[link:www.ford-trucks.com/users/jowilker|My Club FTE Page] Member since 01 01
[link:www.ford-trucks.net/users/jowilker/NCFTE.html|NCFTO] North Carolina Ford Truck Owners Group
In the cool still quiet of night, you can hear chevies rusting away.
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Elder User
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 962
Likes: 2
From: Collierville, TN
brake/park/turn light conversion
John, I don't think that will work. The problem is that the same wire/light serves as both turn signal and brake light. That's why Ford ran the brake light circuit through the steering column. When the turn signal switch is moved from the center to either the left or the right position, the brake light circuit is deactivated to that side and the flasher takes over. He wants to separate the brake and turn signal functions, which will require reconfiguring some of the wiring under the dash.
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Posting Guru
Joined: Jun 1999
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From: Comox Valley, Canada
brake/park/turn light conversion
I actually did something similar on one of trucks a few years back. I separated the brakelights from the turnsignal.
I installed the new light assembly in the rear housing as mentioned. Ran a wire from each new bulb assembly to ground, one from the right light to the left light for power, and another from the left light up into the cab.
Then I disconnected both sides of the brake light switch, actually I cut the wires about 6 inches from each side of it. Connected the wire I ran from the rear to one side of the switch, and connected the other side of the switch to an inline fuse. Then connected the other end of the inline fuse to a 12volt pin in the fuse box.
And viola! Brakelights that both stay on when you use the turn signals.
I left the hazards the way they were because I figured if you had them on you really didnt need turn signals anyway
The only problem was after I installed the new light in the rear, it kind of half lit up the reverse lights when the brakes went on. There is no divider between the reverse light and the empty space where the new light went. I always meant to add a divider....... that and about 300 other truck modifications :7
Sparky
I installed the new light assembly in the rear housing as mentioned. Ran a wire from each new bulb assembly to ground, one from the right light to the left light for power, and another from the left light up into the cab.
Then I disconnected both sides of the brake light switch, actually I cut the wires about 6 inches from each side of it. Connected the wire I ran from the rear to one side of the switch, and connected the other side of the switch to an inline fuse. Then connected the other end of the inline fuse to a 12volt pin in the fuse box.
And viola! Brakelights that both stay on when you use the turn signals.
I left the hazards the way they were because I figured if you had them on you really didnt need turn signals anyway
The only problem was after I installed the new light in the rear, it kind of half lit up the reverse lights when the brakes went on. There is no divider between the reverse light and the empty space where the new light went. I always meant to add a divider....... that and about 300 other truck modifications :7
Sparky
Freshman User
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 44
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brake/park/turn light conversion
Let me make clear the location for the new rear turn light.
Directly below the existing rear light assembly is a space that now has a 2"x2" reflector. I plan to remove reflector. Cut a 3/4" dia hole (or whatever size is required)in body panel to allow wire and light body access. The real key is finding a low profile light with dimensions similiar to 2x2.
I'm just kickin around this idea in my head and figured I would see what others thought.
rob
Directly below the existing rear light assembly is a space that now has a 2"x2" reflector. I plan to remove reflector. Cut a 3/4" dia hole (or whatever size is required)in body panel to allow wire and light body access. The real key is finding a low profile light with dimensions similiar to 2x2.
I'm just kickin around this idea in my head and figured I would see what others thought.
rob
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