I put a used a.r.e. utility topper on my 06 3500. I need to wire the third brake light and interior lighting. The int lights are manual so I would like to operate them even when the truck/key is off. There is a flat 4 pin in the driver side rear of the topper. Any one know what to do? Thanks

 

I can't answer your question, but have you tried going to the a.r.e website and seeing if a manual or wiring diagram is available for download?

Good luck

 

The 4 pin connector should plug in to trailer plug below your bumper on the driver's side of the reciever hitch if so equipped. You will probably have to get a 7-pin to 4-pin adapter from Autozone or such. For the interior lights you will need to wire power from the battery.

Hope that helps and welcome to DTR. Feel free to ask any other questions

 

When I wired up my Leer cap, I run the brake lights from the trailer connector wiring. As for interior lighting I run a 10 gauge wire from the battery. Lights work independant of the truck being on or off.

 

Unless your truck has every possible option, there's usually a few empty slots in the power distribution box under the hood. Find one that's hot all the time and tap into it for the interior light. Most auto parts stores and Radio Shacks have a special tap that makes the job real easy.

For the brake light, you could tap off of any of the rear brake wires.

 

When I wired up my Leer cap, I run the brake lights from the trailer connector wiring. As for interior lighting I run a 10 gauge wire from the battery. Lights work independant of the truck being on or off.

 

My Leer is wired to my d/s tail light for brakes. I can give you the wire colors tomorrow if you want em'.

 

I'll take the info too. I trying to wire up at Leer topper on a 05.

 

Update. I called a topper shop to get the wire colors correct for the 2 hookups. I did as one posted and ran a wire off of the battery to the back, I still need to get more wire cover and secure. For the third brake light there is a small section of wire that is looped out of the harness on the drivers side between the frame and the spare tucked up high against the bed. Tap into this, run it with the hot from battery up thru the body and into the ds rear brake light cavity. connect to the proper side of a 4 pin, ground 2 wires and plug into existing 4 pin from the topper. It works! I will add an inline fuse off of the battery and cover wire and secure tomorrow. Thanks.

 

If I'm not mistaken you can save yourself from running a bunch of wire by tapping into the battery wire on your 7 wire trailer plug. That wire should be hot all the time, if I'm not mistaken.

 

just take 12 v from the 7 pin constant on and also take the breake from there too just remember to turn switch off when your done or you ll wake up w/ dead batt

 

I think wiring it to the hitch wires would be easier, but here is how mine was done at the installer:
Red from topper to white/brown behind tail light
Red/white from topper to yellow/white behind tail light, and black to ground.
https://www.dieseltruckresource.com/...1&d=1230085766

 

OK, I pulled the wire from the battery and tapped into the hot in the 7 pin plug(wire). Works great and no wire running the length of the truck! Thanks for the input.