Reverse/Back Up Lights with Camera at Night

[Lize]

My reversing lights have been converted to amber indicators and I have a dual reverse and red fog light bar stuck under the tailgate lip. It doesn't cast close enough to the back, switching on the bed lights only adds to longer range light, so doesn't help.

Looked at a few options on various threads, the VLED plate light didn't seem to cast close either and its an expensive risk to import it if it clashes with the tailgate and I wouldn't want to put it on upside down. What are the cheap hitch ones like or any other suggestions? I'd rather not add separate lights hanging down under the bumper. Wondered about replacing the current strip light with something brighter but possibly wouldn't help the range problem and it needs to be dual colour.

All suggestions welcomed! Thanks.

The photos below actually look clearer and brighter than when I'm looking at it and these weren't taken in pitch darkness, in complete darkness and on unfamiliar ground it will be horrendous.

Foot on brake and you'd think the reverse strip light isn't on and bedight lights too far away to be of any use:



Foot off brake pedal and you can see at start of green guideline on the stack of fence panels how far away the reverse strip is casting with bedight even farther away on paddock fence/bushes:

 

[spaightlabs]

I think I am going to end up going this route https://www.roughcountry.com/2-inch-led-square-flush-mount-lights-70803c.html

Shop down the street will sell the lights and do the install for $225. I spend a lot of time on 2 track roads in the dark when hunting - I gotta be able to see behind me to back up and I hook up my trailer about 30 to 40 times a year at 4:30AM - it'd be nice to be able to see...my 14 and 17 didn't have any issue but these backup lights suck.

 

[Lize]

I think I am going to end up going this route https://www.roughcountry.com/2-inch-led-square-flush-mount-lights-70803c.html

Shop down the street will sell the lights and do the install for $225. I spend a lot of time on 2 track roads in the dark when hunting - I gotta be able to see behind me to back up and I hook up my trailer about 30 to 40 times a year at 4:30AM - it'd be nice to be able to see...my 14 and 17 didn't have any issue but these backup lights suck.

Where would you mount those?

 

[beekay99]

If you search other threads, you'll find many folks used these from Diode Dynamics. https://www.diodedynamics.com/cargo-light-leds-for-2011-2019-ram-1500-2500-3500-pair.html

A little pricey, but they were running a discount a few weeks ago. Seems that you get what you pay for with LED's, as the reviews on quality on these are pretty good, no burnouts, fires, etc. Picked up a pair of white and red for the brake light. No more issues with rear camera lighting, those suckers are bright with the 410 lumens bulbs!

 

[spaightlabs]

Where would you mount those?

In the bumper - gotta cut hole.

 

[Lize]

If you search other threads, you'll find many folks used these from Diode Dynamics. https://www.diodedynamics.com/cargo-light-leds-for-2011-2019-ram-1500-2500-3500-pair.html

A little pricey, but they were running a discount a few weeks ago. Seems that you get what you pay for with LED's, as the reviews on quality on these are pretty good, no burnouts, fires, etc. Picked up a pair of white and red for the brake light. No more issues with rear camera lighting, those suckers are bright with the 410 lumens bulbs!

Thanks, I wish that was an option, my reverse lights in my clusters have been removed and swapped for amber indicators to make it UK compliant so I've only got the tailgate strip.
I totally agree good LED bulbs are worth paying a bit more for, the cheap ones I've tried on other cars are rubbish.
EDIT: Sorry, just see they are for the cargo lights, will be worth a try but not sure they'll help with the area directly behind the truck in the camera lines where you would imminently hit something.

In the bumper - gotta cut hole.

I can see why you'd like a shop to do them, not sure I'd be brave enough. Be interested in a photo afterwards.

 

[AartWessels]

Thanks, I wish that was an option, my reverse lights in my clusters have been removed and swapped for amber indicators to make it UK compliant so I've only got the tailgate strip.
I totally agree good LED bulbs are worth paying a bit more for, the cheap ones I've tried on other cars are rubbish.
EDIT: Sorry, just see they are for the cargo lights, will be worth a try but not sure they'll help with the area directly behind the truck in the camera lines where you would imminently hit something.


I can see why you'd like a shop to do them, not sure I'd be brave enough. Be interested in a photo afterwards.

Huh... Never looked at how they converted that for me in Belgium, I'll have a look this evening out of curiosity :-D

Anyway, I do have the same complaint about the weak reverse lightning, although seems to be more than you have. So I recently ordered two different types of lights, and plan to experiment with them and the possibilities for installation. I'll let you know once I made a final choice. I also looked at the VLED, but found it too expensive including shipping and taxes for an experiment, so I used one of my trusted LED suppliers from China.

 

[Monteman1971]

I have a bed cover so the cab lights are sort of useless to begin with but I did add these to the inside of the bed

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B017XFF9IM/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

With it being summer I haven't driven it yet in the dark so my reverse lights are yet to be seen.

 

[AartWessels]

Huh... Never looked at how they converted that for me in Belgium, I'll have a look this evening out of curiosity :-D

Anyway, I do have the same complaint about the weak reverse lightning, although seems to be more than you have. So I recently ordered two different types of lights, and plan to experiment with them and the possibilities for installation. I'll let you know once I made a final choice. I also looked at the VLED, but found it too expensive including shipping and taxes for an experiment, so I used one of my trusted LED suppliers from China.

So, @Lize , I checked, and asked the Mrs for some pictures. My blinkers are yellow/orange, and are above and below the reverse lights.
I still have two reverse lights, in the vertical center of the light unit.


Also, I received my experimental additional reverse lights. I’ll let you know when I tested them on the car. So far, I tested them only on a 12v adapter.

 

[Lize]

So, @Lize , I checked, and asked the Mrs for some pictures. My blinkers are yellow/orange, and are above and below the reverse lights.
I still have two reverse lights, in the vertical center of the light unit.
View attachment 34949 View attachment 34950

Also, I received my experimental additional reverse lights. I’ll let you know when I tested them on the car. So far, I tested them only on a 12v adapter.

Thanks, yours have been done differently to mine, not sure if you have to have brake and turn signals on together hence mine still being red. See here:

OEM light help please

I've noticed its very dark when reversing and the camera looks like a red glow. Today I tried checking the reverse lights when parked in front of a window, didn't get a very good view but it doesn't look like I've got any. There is an aftermarket light added under the tailgate lip to conform...

5thgenrams.com

I had a proper look at my light bar under the tailgate and its only small but its bright, I've decided the angle of it is too vertical or its too much of a spotlight beam (will check again) hence the cast of it starts at the green backup lines. Can't alter the angle of it though or the tailgate will hit it when open, I might try having a look for a couple of wide beam really slimline LED strips for each side of the existing and mount it at an angle.

 

[AartWessels]

Thanks, yours have been done differently to mine, not sure if you have to have brake and turn signals on together hence mine still being red. See here:

OEM light help please

I've noticed its very dark when reversing and the camera looks like a red glow. Today I tried checking the reverse lights when parked in front of a window, didn't get a very good view but it doesn't look like I've got any. There is an aftermarket light added under the tailgate lip to conform...

5thgenrams.com

I had a proper look at my light bar under the tailgate and its only small but its bright, I've decided the angle of it is too vertical or its too much of a spotlight beam (will check again) hence the cast of it starts at the green backup lines. Can't alter the angle of it though or the tailgate will hit it when open, I might try having a look for a couple of wide beam really slimline LED strips for each side of the existing and mount it at an angle.

Thats indeed one of the options I ordered, and I think it has the best chance of success. Mounting them under an angle might be challenging, as they are fitted with adhesive strips.

 

[G’s Rebel]

I’d recommend waiting for Baja Designs. They should have a kit coming out soon to solve this problem. I don’t have details on price or what will be included but if it matches the prototype then it will be plenty of light!

 

[AartWessels]

I’d recommend waiting for Baja Designs. They should have a kit coming out soon to solve this problem. I don’t have details on price or what will be included but if it matches the prototype then it will be plenty of light!

Interesting indeed! It does look like quite a spot-pattern though.
I'll post the results of my experiment here as soon as I have the time to work on it.

Basically I have 2 types of LED's waiting to be tested now.
One consists of 2 strips of roughly 200mm long, very low profile, think around 6 or 7 mm high. They seem to be producing quite a bunch of light, nicely spread over a broad area.
The other is a single unit, more intended for off-road lights I guess. It seems to have a much stronger spot-pattern, and is much clunkier, but it has a bracket which allows for easy adjustment of the angle.

 

[Lize]

Thats indeed one of the options I ordered, and I think it has the best chance of success. Mounting them under an angle might be challenging, as they are fitted with adhesive strips.

I was thinking of seeing if I could use a uPVC edge ramp usually used for transitions in flooring.

 

[AartWessels]

I was thinking of seeing if I could use a uPVC edge ramp usually used for transitions in flooring.

Thanks, will keep that in mind. Smart thinking.

 

[Zeeya]

Yes, but read the entire thread. Fitment issues can cause some rubbing on the bottom of your tailgate. I believe some redesign is in the works.

Yes, it only comes on when you put it in reverse. I have gotten used to having it out in W Texas on the locations and decided to make it work. I trimmed off lower section of license plate, re-drilled holes and set it lower. One of the guys had told me to just bend the bottom section back, but would have been a little tough and plate stick out on bottom. Hope this does not take up to much space, but pics attached. One night pic without it and one with it. House and truck in back ground is across the street. I will replace the screws on license plate to clean it up. That is all I had at the time

 

[barakutha]

Yes, it only comes on when you put it in reverse. I have gotten used to having it out in W Texas on the locations and decided to make it work. I trimmed off lower section of license plate, re-drilled holes and set it lower. One of the guys had told me to just bend the bottom section back, but would have been a little tough and plate stick out on bottom. Hope this does not take up to much space, but pics attached. One night pic without it and one with it. House and truck in back ground is across the street. I will replace the screws on license plate to clean it up. That is all I had at the time
View attachment 35043
View attachment 35044

View attachment 35045
View attachment 35046

What size holes did ya drill?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[AartWessels]

Installed my preferred lights today. Will take some proper pictures this weekend.

I used these :

US $7.35 23% OFF|2pcs 7030 Waterproof Car Styling SMD Daytime Running Light 14 LEDs Car DRL Led Strip Daylight|led car drl|car drldaytime running - AliExpress

Smarter Shopping, Better Living! Aliexpress.com

s.click.aliexpress.com

 

[AartWessels]

Found out I hadn’t come back to this thread with pictures.

 

[Matthbert5150]

Installed my preferred lights today. Will take some proper pictures this weekend.

I used these :

US $7.35 23% OFF|2pcs 7030 Waterproof Car Styling SMD Daytime Running Light 14 LEDs Car DRL Led Strip Daylight|led car drl|car drldaytime running - AliExpress

Smarter Shopping, Better Living! Aliexpress.com

s.click.aliexpress.com

View attachment 35626

I like that clean setup. But the link to the lights is broken

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