I have a 1986 F150 regular cab with the basic package. I really want to add a cargo light and would like to add clearance lights eventually. There is no headliner in the basic package, it is a metal ceiling in the cab. Has anybody here added these lights to their truck? For the cargo light, I would think you could pull the dome light inside and access the +12V there and snake a wire to the added cargo light. The clearance lights I don't know how I would do it--all the ones I've seen added had a cloth headliner that the installer removed, and then had easy access. The metal version of the headliner doesn't easily remove, does it? And what kind of sealer would you use for the lights? I've heard silicone is bad on paint/metal.

 

To add a Cargo light to your truck, you'll need to drill the hole in the cab (obviously). You can make a template out of cardboard to trace your cutout section onto the cab. You'll only need to cut enough so that the cargo light fits flush with the cab. As far as hooking this up goes, it's a plug and play swap, so instead of hacking up your dome light harness, go to the junkyard and find a truck with the cargo light and pull the harness from it. The harness extends from the dome light hole, to the driver's side of the cab, and then down the B-Pillar, where it plugs into an extension harness. Once you have that, use a coat hanger or the old harness to fish the new harness through the b-pillar and roof panels and plug everything in. As an added bonus, every truck that has a cargo light also has map lights, so make sure you grab a map/dome light too from the junkyard.

As for the clearance lights, that is also a plug and play swap. The plug is behind the driver's side kick panel. The wire is brown in color. As far as routing that harness goes, i'm not sure how it's done on these trucks.

The metal headliner you are talking about does not exist. If you don't have the cloth headliner in the truck, you don't have a headliner at all. That metal panel above your head is the roof. The 80-86 Fords (maybe the newer ones too, but not sure) have a two layer roof, the outer layer on top, and the inner formed layer that you see when you look up from the seat.

 

The wire is fished down using a wire runner from the outer left most clearence lamp "hole" down the "A" pillar to where it plugs in at the kick panel wire connection.

However a piece of wire coat hanger will do the trick.

You will need to cut the holes in the cab for the various lamps.

The wiring is plug and play. Some of these options were added at the dealer. Why they "plug and play" so easily.

Cargo Lamp/Map and dome lamp Harness: 1980-1991 F-series Pickup.

Cargo Lamp housing: 1980-1993 F-series Pickup (The gasket on the 1992/1993 are superior)

Map/Lamp Housing 1980-1986, The bulb changed in 1987 but will still work and looks identicle 1987/1991.

Roof marker lamps: 1980-1996/97 F-series Pickup. 1980-1999 F-series Medium Duty Trucks F-600/F-900.

 

Could be wrong...but I was told that the wiring for the cab lights is in place. My truck was bought from a dealer with 500 miles on it back in 85 by my dad. He had the dealer put them in, said the wiring was there. May be just a matter of findding the right location and punching in. And there is two layers of metal up there. I dont have a headliner, just metal, and dont see the wiring, but I know its there. I have my sat radio wire running out through one of my cab lights.

 

The wiring is not there above the cab in the roof, if the truck never had the lamps.


It is prewired for the roof lamps only to the drivers kick panel. There is an optional wiring harness that plugs into that. Brown wire connector behind kick panel. You will need this harness that goes from the connector to the roof lamps when you go to do the job.

You need to cut the holes in the roof for the lamp housings, and use the outer most hole on the drivers side with a wire runner of some type to get the wires through the "A" pillar.

 

Quote:

Originally Posted by 81-F-150-Explorer

You need to cut the holes in the roof for the lamp housings, and use the outer most hole on the drivers side with a wire runner of some type to get the wires through the "A" pillar.

<rant>
<rant>RANT ON

Ya know, it took me a while of reading these forums to figure out what an A and
B pillar are, it's still not even remotely obvious to me from where those names
come.</rant></rant>

RANT OFF

 

The "A" pillars are the front ones on either side of the windshield and "B" pillars are the rear ones, right? Or am I bass-akwards?

 

I believe you are correct....

 

Yep, and I'm pretty sure on cars the two pillars on either side of a rear window are called C-Pillars.

 

They are roof supports, Typically at window ends, They are alphabetical from front to rear ...

-Enjoy
fh : )_~

 

The terms are mentioned obscurely in some of the Ford lit that I have.

Anti glare windshield pillar moulding.

Cab pillars.

etc...


they are indeed listed as alphabetical front to rear.