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Bed Lighting Kit

Jordan2929

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I tested them on a battery and everything worked. I just changed the cargo lights out to LEDs and I will reconnect everything else tomorrow morning and see if they work. Now it’s time to drink a beer and question my life choices!
I'm just assuming you didn't test the wire with a test light before you spliced into it, definitely got yourself one and test the wire before you go any further.
 

Jzelbst

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If you have a test light I would test that wire to make sure it’s the right one, other than that the only difference is I changed out my cargo bulbs to led.
Don’t know what I did last night but today I hooked them up the exact same way and it worked. I did swap out the cargos to led prior to hooking everything up so that could be it.
 

Jordan2929

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Don’t know what I did last night but today I hooked them up the exact same way and it worked. I did swap out the cargos to led prior to hooking everything up so that could be it.
I'm assuming the led's are the reason it worked, someone else had the same problem you did and they also still had the incandesent cargo lights in. Glad it worked for you!
 

TrackDay

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Which LED lights did you guys use for the cargo bed lights? Brand and part number?
 

Jplumley

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Great thread here. I remember before the internet when you would have to figure this out lol on your own! The lights look great in these installs. I plan on getting the LED strip and changing out the cargo to LED.

When using the white/tan whire, how do the lights operate? Do they come on with the cargo and/or tailgate open?
 

Jordan2929

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Great thread here. I remember before the internet when you would have to figure this out lol on your own! The lights look great in these installs. I plan on getting the LED strip and changing out the cargo to LED.

When using the white/tan whire, how do the lights operate? Do they come on with the cargo and/or tailgate open?
They will operate the same as the cargo lights, they’ll turn on with any door open plus the tailgate.
 

Jmsmith716

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My truck didn't come with the bed utility group which means I missed out on the bed lights that are very useful especially if you have a tonneau cover. So I found the wiring diagram and followed the wires from the third brake light down to the driver side rear kick plate, my plan was to tie into the wires suppling power to the cargo lamps which would turn on the led strips whenever the cargo light was on. I found the wire pretty easily (just a couple trim pieces to remove) it was a white wire with a tan tracer. From there its very simple, just install whatever light you want and ground one side to the body and connect the other side to the white and tan wire. And boom, you have the bed lights for under $20. View attachment 4851 View attachment 4852 View attachment 4853 View attachment 4854
Did you use the existing cutouts in the bed of the truck? Do you have a link to the lights you purchased?
 

Hadaway35

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My truck didn't come with the bed utility group which means I missed out on the bed lights that are very useful especially if you have a tonneau cover. So I found the wiring diagram and followed the wires from the third brake light down to the driver side rear kick plate, my plan was to tie into the wires suppling power to the cargo lamps which would turn on the led strips whenever the cargo light was on. I found the wire pretty easily (just a couple trim pieces to remove) it was a white wire with a tan tracer. From there its very simple, just install whatever light you want and ground one side to the body and connect the other side to the white and tan wire. And boom, you have the bed lights for under $20. View attachment 4851 View attachment 4852 View attachment 4853 View attachment 4854
A little off topic, since you found the wiring diagram do you happen to know in the front headlights which wire is for the front turn signal. I'm trying to put switchbacks in and need to put a resistor on but I'm not sure which wire it is.

Sent from my MI MAX 3 using Tapatalk
 

Jordan2929

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A little off topic, since you found the wiring diagram do you happen to know in the front headlights which wire is for the front turn signal. I'm trying to put switchbacks in and need to put a resistor on but I'm not sure which wire it is.

Sent from my MI MAX 3 using Tapatalk
I don’t have the wiring diagram anymore, I know there’s at least one more guy on here who has it. But the easiest thing to do would be to check them with a test light, it would most likely be a white wire with a colored tracer on it.
 

Jplumley

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Is this gray plastic plastic piece what you were referring to? It sits between the storage box and the bed. I don’t really see any other options.

I didn’t take any pictures of that but if you look under the truck there should be a small plastic cover you can drill a hole in.
 

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Jordan2929

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Is this gray plastic plastic piece what you were referring to? It sits between the storage box and the bed. I don’t really see any other options.
Yes, it was either the gray one or the black one. Can’t really remember it’s been a few months.
 

Jplumley

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Well that worked out well. Thanks for doing the research. I used the LED strip lighting off of Amazon and mounted them to the bottom of the rails of my Backflip and wired back to the wiring that Jordan2929 mentions and everything worked out awesome. I did need to change out the center light to LED or the lights will flash.



Bed lights:
MICTUNING 2Pcs 60" White LED Cargo Truck Bed Light Strip Lamp Waterproof Lighting Kit with On-Off Switch Fuse 2-Way Splitter Cable for Jeep Pickup RV SUV and More https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01JUE9OLM/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_tai_FFHxCb78VAP11

Center lights:
LUYED 2 X 1550 Lumens Extremely Bright Error Free 921 912 W16W 3030 24-EX Chipsets LED Bulbs Used For Backup Reverse Lights, Xenon White https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01LX4FMD1/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_tai_cJHxCbE92MMRE

Forgive the golf clubs in the bed.....



My truck didn't come with the bed utility group which means I missed out on the bed lights that are very useful especially if you have a tonneau cover. So I found the wiring diagram and followed the wires from the third brake light down to the driver side rear kick plate, my plan was to tie into the wires suppling power to the cargo lamps which would turn on the led strips whenever the cargo light was on. I found the wire pretty easily (just a couple trim pieces to remove) it was a white wire with a tan tracer. From there its very simple, just install whatever light you want and ground one side to the body and connect the other side to the white and tan wire. And boom, you have the bed lights for under $20. View attachment 4851 View attachment 4852 View attachment 4853 View attachment 4854
 

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Hadaway35

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I did the same tonight. Thanks for the tip on the wire to tap into.
8acd671d5e1fb036ade9e91f77936796.jpg
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Sent from my MI MAX 3 using Tapatalk
 

SplAgtDY

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On the tech authority website, I bought the three day subscription and downloaded everything via pdf to my laptop, took about 8-10 hours but it literally has everything about this truck.

First, thank you, I am going to use your helpful info for wiring my soon to be delivered camper shell. Could I please impose on your massive data downloading effort some more, I am also trying to wire lights on a running board, can you please advise the wire colors for the cargo light trigger (or courtesy lights) and running lights in the driver side sill plate "channel" ?
 

Hadaway35

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First, thank you, I am going to use your helpful info for wiring my soon to be delivered camper shell. Could I please impose on your massive data downloading effort some more, I am also trying to wire lights on a running board, can you please advise the wire colors for the cargo light trigger (or courtesy lights) and running lights in the driver side sill plate "channel" ?
I know the one for the cargo light is the white wire with the tan tracer. I just tapped into that to wire my bed lights.

Sent from my MI MAX 3 using Tapatalk
 

Jordan2929

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First, thank you, I am going to use your helpful info for wiring my soon to be delivered camper shell. Could I please impose on your massive data downloading effort some more, I am also trying to wire lights on a running board, can you please advise the wire colors for the cargo light trigger (or courtesy lights) and running lights in the driver side sill plate "channel" ?
Yep, Hadaway35 is right. The cargo light wire is white with a tan tracer. Personally that'd be the wire I'd use for lights on the running boards.
 

gpantaleon

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Finally got around to finishing up this little project. Big thanks to Jordan for the help. Definitely a major upgrade and for a fraction of the price dealers charge.
 

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