NJTman

Wife complained last winter when she couldn't see my floor area while I was abusing her as my shovel monkey during plowing season. Since I had a few LED's left over from another project, I decided to see just what I could do to install some lighting where, it's obvious to all 1st Gen owners, that there isn't much light to see anything where your feet are. Granted, who needs light, but I thought this would be a good "upgrade" to my brick, so here it is...

Step one was to remove the glove box.

There are 4 screws on the bottom which, when you take them out, and turn the **** on the glove box door, it all comes out...




Once you have it out, you need to locate some wires. It took me a few minutes to find what I needed, but in my 1992, there is a yellow wire that transverses the heater box from left to right. This is the "grounding wire" for your door ajar switch on the door frame. It, when engaged, sends ground to the overhead lamp in the truck ceiling, and allows the circuit to complete, and "turns on the overhead lamp".

Chrysler, when they designed this heap, ran a ground connector wire (yellow in my 92) which linked the left door switch to the right one. This, again, allows the ground to connect, completing the circuit for the lamp. This is the wire you want to cut first. In the picture below, you can see where I cut, spliced, and reconnected a new wire to the new lights I was installing in my center console. Doesn't matter where you find a place to put the lights, but since I have buckets and our lovely console in my brick, I decided to put them at each corner, pointing 45* to the dash board, spraying light over the floor pan area, so my passengers know where their feet are at all times when entering the truck. Again, your mileage may vary.



The arrow on the right shows the first wire to be spliced into, and the arrow on the left shows the wire I chose to "power source" my new LED"s. You can choose wherever you like, but I found this to be easiest with the harness I made up to power the LED's. Since I'm a bit of a neat-nick, I made up a wiring harness to link the trucks wiring to the new LED's. Here's the wiring harness in all it's wonder. Two wires, connected to two more wires, with spade connectors on the ends. Each color has a different end, meaning that the wires cannot be misplaced. The black feed wires are female and the yellow ground wires are male. This makes it stupid proof if I take them apart, and forget how to put them back together. Since LED's are polar specific, and won't work unless connected properly, this eases the reassembly, should it be necessary at any time..



Here's the location I decided would be best to install the new LED's. Perfect for me is the outside corner of my center console. Easy to access, and will shine the light most evenly across the floor pan.



Continued....

NJTman

So, you need to drill for your new LED's. I chose Maxxima LED's because they're super bright, and very high quality units. These take a 3/4" hole, and very easily installed.



Well, after I finished my wiring, making sure that the yellow wire I cut leads to the yellow wire I fabricated in my harness, I closed up the glove box, and put my mats back in. After connecting the LED's to the harness inside the center console, I took a few shots.

Not sure if I like Red, or Yellow, so I figured I'd try them both. Who knows ? I may find another color and change them both out anyway..

They function the same as the overhead. You can turn them on by opening the door, or you can turn your rheostat (head lamp switch) and they go on as well. I like them so far...





I'll take a few night shots to see how they look, later on tonight. Maybe I'll even wipe those coffee stains off my center console if I get frisky....

oliver foster

You and your shovel monkeys, courtesy lights and coffee stains.
You are an animal.
I love to see your level of detail on such things.

NJTman

My shovel monkey works cheap....

A cup of Dunkin Donuts coffee, and a Low Fat blueberry muffin.

Sometimes it costs me dinner, but in reality it cost me the last 30 years of my life...




Thanks..

Alec

T -- pry open that wallet & spring for a new Makita driver with a brushless motor & 5 ah Li batteries. You will never look back.

I gather the DW doesn't read the DTR forums?

But, back to the point, I might like red LED's for interior floor lighting, thanks for the idea.

NJTman

Just bought the kit with impact and hammer. I use them on the jobs, and keep the 14.4 for tooling on the brick

Wife hates computers

oliver foster

But at least she like shovels and low fat muffins.

NJTman

Isn't that the best. Now if she only liked me, I'd be golden...



I'm tending to go with the red, so far, as yellow looks kind of weird. The red is "spooky", and I guess the Halloween spirit has taken over.

oliver foster

I am glad I wasn't drinking my morning tea when I read that.


I think the red looks better, as well.

I have got get my plow truck [new to me this year] fired up and ready as well.
I will not be tricking it out like you though.
If it runs, moves and the blades goes up and down, I am happy.
Last year I lost all brakes in Nov. on my old plow truck and happily finished the season like that.
I was jumping through the passengers door to get in and out, as I screwed the drivers door shut as it kept flying open...
My plow truck just keeps my driveway open, which is totally flat, so I don't need it to be too fancy.

I have never had a shovel monkey edition plow truck, mine are always more like the mouse turd plow truck edition.

NJTman

Well, if lived in the black hills with you and Rocky Racoon, then I wouldn't be so fancy either...

Any plow truck that keeps the feet dry is a good one...

mknittle

Plow truck? That said we will probably get 24"this winter

NE frmhnd

I need to get red ones up under the dash where they put a little light on the floor.
Having the floor lit with red light doesn't dilate your pupils and cuts down on the contrast between oncoming headlights and dark footwell, which makes driving at night a lot easier.

Jim Lane

I like that, there is never enough light in the cab at night, in the right place..

Is the fire extinguisher halon or dry chemical?

I have a strip of LED's under the top of the glove box door, perfect for a map light, also have a map light like a police car.

Everyone seems to have way more room under their dash and glove box than I do, behind my glove-box I have cables, relays and a video multiplexer.

Have you thought about LED lamp at the end of your door panels to warn incoming traffic your door is open, I want them to strobe, when I open my door, everyone trys to hit me.

Looks good.
Jim

Jim Lane

Blue/Green is also used in aircraft to preserve night vision.
https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&sour...ABqjhfJmLWa6ww

Jim

NJTman

It's a standard automotive dry chemical type. Not sure even where I would find a halon unit.

Great idea !


Red LED's in the end of each door. Simple, yet effective... On my list of future things to accomplish....

Thanks again, Jim! You're always an inspiration of productive and innovative ideas, for things I'll need to do next....