cab lites?
02-09-2010, 01:55 PM
#1
Registered User
Thread Starter
cab lites?
I have an '01 Quad Cab. CTD. It didn't come with cab lites. I really want to put some on. I've been looking at the kits in the catalogs and magazines, but I'm wondering if the wiring harness is already in the truck? I'm guessing it is, and I can goto a junkyard and get a set and it should be plug and play. Right? Any ideas? Or advice? I know that there is an unused plug at the top of my driver side pillar, is that the plug maybe? Nay help is appreciated....
Thanks,
KFK
Thanks,
KFK
02-09-2010, 02:11 PM
#2
Registered User
If you didn't have cab lights, then you will not have the harness with the plugs in place for the cab lights. The cab lights are integrated into the same harness that feeds the overhead console and the vanity lights in the visor. You would have to replace this harness with the harness for a truck equipped with cab lights. Or if you can find the bulb seats, you can create your own harness for the lights.
02-09-2010, 06:32 PM
#4
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Just put the Recon smoked lights on my truck. I didn't have lights on the truck and i had to make my own harness took about an hour for everything. Be careful if you get Recons i had problems with the screws not holding.
02-09-2010, 07:38 PM
#5
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Thread Starter
My truck has the vanity lights in the visor and and an overhead console. Can I just tie into that? I don't wanna spend the money on recons. Junkyards alot cheaper. My ol'lady isn't too keen on the money I spend on the truck either.
02-09-2010, 10:30 PM
#6
Registered User
There is no wire in that harness to power the cab lights. Only the harness that actually has the cab light plugs on it has the wiring for the cab lights. So you'll still have to make a harness to come down the A-pillar to find power.
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02-10-2010, 07:24 AM
#9
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Go buy your junkyard cab lights with REGULAR bulbs(you can replace them individually-recon does not sell them individually cause they never break or go bad...
)
Anyhow, buy your lights, go to the auto parts house and buy ya 1 red and 1 black spool of wire, maybe some butt connectors(not recommended). Pull your headliner, took me less than 15 minutes to have it sitting in the shop, much easier to work with it out of the way and not banging you in the head. All you have to do is loosen one of the b pillar mouldings and it'll come out.
Continuing on, when you look underneath you'll see spots, they have holes on the inner layer of sheet metal, maybe 2" diameter? You'll see them, it's a line from driver side to passenger side right where the lights would go if they had them. I have a pic but takes to long to upload here, you'll see what I mean. I took a black marker and eyeballed the center of these holes, drilled them for my wires. Once I had my 5 lights on top I aligned them by eye and then ran the sheet metal screws into the top. You have to watch the length though, some that came with the recons I hit a slanted portion inside and broke the screw. I ended up drilling them clean through 2 pieces of sheet metal. You'll feel the drill kick or slip after you get through the first layer and it hit's that second slanted layer.
Once you get your lights mounted time for the electrical. Simple. Your junkyard lights will most likely ground through the body which would mean no ground wire, just one power wire. If it is a two wire, you'll just have to run a ground, somewhere off the body would be good. Might be a ground lug under the driver side of the dash. Good clean ground. My power wire came straight from the battery, runs along the frame, over the tranny through the transfer case shifter where I have two switches mounted, had them there for work lights. I have an inline 20 amp fuse out under the hood, can also be picked up at parts house. I ran the wire from the switch over the foot pedals with the existing harness, up through the dash, behind the A pillar and connected to the lights. The recon came with a harness so simplified things.
To build your harness, run one long wire along the cab, get some of those scotch locks, wire runs through on one part and you can put a "spur" wire off to your light, put ya a couple male/female connectors on your light/wire and connect. Not a real big deal actually.
Hope this novel helps! Good luck!
) Anyhow, buy your lights, go to the auto parts house and buy ya 1 red and 1 black spool of wire, maybe some butt connectors(not recommended). Pull your headliner, took me less than 15 minutes to have it sitting in the shop, much easier to work with it out of the way and not banging you in the head. All you have to do is loosen one of the b pillar mouldings and it'll come out.
Continuing on, when you look underneath you'll see spots, they have holes on the inner layer of sheet metal, maybe 2" diameter? You'll see them, it's a line from driver side to passenger side right where the lights would go if they had them. I have a pic but takes to long to upload here, you'll see what I mean. I took a black marker and eyeballed the center of these holes, drilled them for my wires. Once I had my 5 lights on top I aligned them by eye and then ran the sheet metal screws into the top. You have to watch the length though, some that came with the recons I hit a slanted portion inside and broke the screw. I ended up drilling them clean through 2 pieces of sheet metal. You'll feel the drill kick or slip after you get through the first layer and it hit's that second slanted layer.
Once you get your lights mounted time for the electrical. Simple. Your junkyard lights will most likely ground through the body which would mean no ground wire, just one power wire. If it is a two wire, you'll just have to run a ground, somewhere off the body would be good. Might be a ground lug under the driver side of the dash. Good clean ground. My power wire came straight from the battery, runs along the frame, over the tranny through the transfer case shifter where I have two switches mounted, had them there for work lights. I have an inline 20 amp fuse out under the hood, can also be picked up at parts house. I ran the wire from the switch over the foot pedals with the existing harness, up through the dash, behind the A pillar and connected to the lights. The recon came with a harness so simplified things.
To build your harness, run one long wire along the cab, get some of those scotch locks, wire runs through on one part and you can put a "spur" wire off to your light, put ya a couple male/female connectors on your light/wire and connect. Not a real big deal actually.
Hope this novel helps! Good luck!
02-14-2010, 09:48 AM
#12
Registered User
All you need up the pillar is the one switched hot wire that is the way it was done for the factory add on kit. The lights have a common ground and that lead is then screwed (grounded) to the inner roof panel.
02-17-2010, 09:04 PM
#13
Registered User
Thread Starter
awesome. thanks for everyones advice. i'll let you know how it works out when i get back home to put them on. im at work now, so it'll be a month or so before i can get to it
