Do you just wire into the factory back up lights, or do I need a relay and just use the factory wiring for the "on'' switch when I throw it in reverse?

I backed into a snowbank and cracked my fiberglass roll-pan (again) and have decided I need more light. Probably no bigger than 55watts.

Thanks!!

 

If you want auxilary back up lights get these. This is what I have and I like them. They have large tie wraps that allow you to mount them to your reciever hitch. I have had mine for 3 years and no problems. The way mine are mounted I had to bend the metal brackets slightly, but they are tucked up under my bumper and are almost invisible.

Pilot Navigator Backup Light Kit : JC Whitney: Auto Parts & Accessories

KC also makes some that may be better but they cost more.

KC Hilites KC HILITES BACK-UP LIGHTING SYSTEM KIT : JC Whitney: Auto Parts & Accessories

These type of lights are better than fog or driving lights for reverse lights because they have a utility style lense so the light that is emitted from them is more like a flood light than a beam.

You can wire them directly into your back up lights. You just ground them to the frame and hook up the 12 volt positive wire to the energized wire on the reverse lights.

I had mine like that for a while, but ended up wiring them up to a switch. That way I can turn them on when hooking up a trailer etc and I don't have to use them all the time.

If you don't have a reciver hitch, you can just mount them to some homemade brackets to the frame or something like that.

 

I bought a backup lights wiring kit from LMC. It has all of the wiring, a relay, inline fuse, a switch and instructions. Kit was $19.95
I'm going to use it with a cheap set of tractor lights I bought for $5 each.

 

I would go with the KC HiLites Backup Light system, and don't wire it into your existing reverse light system, unless you enjoy letting magic smoke out from pulling too many amps through those wires. I have aux. lamps on mine for backup lamps, and I ran separate hot AND ground wires from the front to the back. It is always better to have a redundant ground, then you make sure everything is working. What I did was soldered a wire to the backup light wire under the hood from the fuse box, and then ran it to a relay. When I put the truck in reverse, the aux. lamps also come on. If you want, you can run a +12 wire to a switch in the cab, and then run that back to the relay in the same place that the lead from the stock reverse lamps goes, that way you can switch it on either way. Make sure that the whole system is fused wherever you are getting power from though. BTW, 110 watts at 12 volts is 9.16 amps, and your backup wire is fused with a 15 amp fuse. The 3156 bulbs in the reverse lamps pull 2.1 amps a piece, so that's 4.2 amps total. That is running dangerously close to blowing that fuse. Your oxygen sensor heater is also on that circuit, so its better to run the aux. lamp circuit separate and make it easier to troubleshoot if something gets messed up.

Mike

 

I agree with using a fuse and not wiring them to the back up light circuit since they may exceed what it can handle.

The fues probalby needs to be a 20 amp.

At least put them on a switch. I would use a relay though.

 

you could do what my dad did (and hes a clever fellow) and just get two of those oval trailer lights and hook those up you your current back up lights. you can cut holes to mount them for a flush, clean look, or they come with brackets, and you can mount them under or on the bumper. these lights seem wimpy, but when its dark, even just one is more than enough.

 

Check this thread out.
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/5...with-pics.html

I used this set up with out the upfitter switch. ( I installed lights on an 07 Explorer).

The relay gets power from the battery then to the additional lights.

The electricity from the truck's reverse lights only triggers the relay.

Only one wire needs to be run to the rear of the truck.