Auxiliary LED Reverse Light install

tx_shooter

It is not a war crime the first time.
Staff member
Lifted rigs are great but the stock reverse lights become less effective once a lift is installed. I had a situation where I backed my 4Runner into a ditch because I could not see the ditch. These auxiliary reverse lights will stop that from happening again.


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Install Time: 3-5 hours depending on how comfort with cutting holes in bumper
Cost: ~$25 but that is dependent on which LED lights you purchase

Parts List:
flush mount LED lights
wire for power and ground
zip ties
quick splice connectors
butt connector
self tapping screws


Tool List:
painter's tape
marker
measuring tape
angle grinder with cut off disc and flap disc
drill bits - small and 3/8"
step bit
drill
pliers
electrical tape
safety glasses
metal file
10 mm socket and driver


Install Instructions

Hardware Install

1. Clean the rear bumper of any dirt/ road grime before applying painter's tape.

2. Put a 4" piece of painter's tape in the middle of the bumper. Now use the tape measure to measure the full width of the bumper. Divide the number by two to get the distance from the side to the middle, use the tape measure to mark the middle.

- At this point make sure you know where the bumper braces are so as to mount the light between the braces.

3. On the driver's side put 6" strips of painter's tape from top to bottom of the bumper where the braces are. This was 15 1/4" off center on my bumper; your measurement may vary depending on model/year.

4. Use the measuring tape to measure down from the plastic protector 2" on both side of the 15 1/4" mark at the light. Now use the marker to connect the marks. It should end up looking like a cross hair.

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5. Center up the template on the cross hair and trace it with the marker.

6. Repeat steps 3-5 for the passenger side. Once done step back and ensure it looks right.

- Remeasure everything at this point. The next step is hard to fix if the measurements are wrong.

7. Put the small drill bit in the drill and drill a pilot hole in all of the corners. I drilled my pilot hole about 1/4" inside the lines so as to put the 3/8s bit on the line.

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8. Swap out the small drill bit for the 3/8" bit and drill out the pilot holes. This will make using the cutting disc easier for the corners.

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9. Put the cutting disc on the angle grinder and now connect the holes along the template lines. Safety glasses are highly recommended at a minimum; a shield would be better.

10. First test fit. Insert the lights into the new holes; odds are they will not fit perfectly. Now you look for the contact points and decide how much material needs to come off.

11. Setup the angle grinder with the flap disc for cleaning up the holes and fitting the lights. The flap disc will remove material and clean up the holes easily. Careful how much pressure you apply; let the disc do the work. Continue to carefully remove matal and test fit the lights until they go in and fit snug.

12. With the light inserted all the way into the bumper check it for being level with the bumper. I did this by measuring from the top of the bumper to the top of the light housing on the right and left side of the housing. If the light is not level remove the light and remove metal from the bumper as needed.

13. Once the light housing is level use the marker to mark the mounting holes onto the painter's tape. Then remove the light housing.

14. Use the drill with the small bit to drill pilot holes again at all the marks you just made.

15. Now use the step bit to drill out the pilot holes to accept the mounting bolts.

16. Put the light back into the bupmer and make sure you can put all the mounting hardware through the holes properly. Make adjustments to the holes as needed to make sure the bolts fit through the bumper properly.

17. Once everything fits right you can go ahead and remove the lights one last time. Take all the painter's tape off the bumper, reinsert the lights for the last time.

18. Tighten the mounting hardware down first snug on all the bolts, then tight on all four so as to tighten the light up evenly.

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19. Repeat steps 7 through 18 for the other LED light.

Electrical

1. Lower the spare tire and push it as far forward as possible so as to allow room to the back of the bumper.

2. Remove passenger tail light. This is done by using the 10 mm socket to remove 2 screws and then firmly pushing the housing to the right to clear the studs from the holders.

3. The top bulb is the reverse light; locate the blue wire with a red stripe coming out of this connector. This will be the wire to tap into for the lights.

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4. Use a quick splice connector to connect a 5' piece of 18 gauge wire to the reverse power cable. Use a zip tie to connect the new wire to the existing wire harness at bottom of the turn signal body.

5. Run the wire between the bumper and fender down behind the bumper. From below snake the wire through the bumper bracing over towards the light on the driver side.

6. Connect the passenger light red/positive cable to the reverse light cable with a quick splice connector.

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7. Connect the driver light red/positive cable to the reverse light cable with a butt connector.

8. Use self tapping screws to connect each black/negative cable to metal bracing behind the bumper. It is best to curl the wire around the screw in the direction the screw turns so as the screw tightens the wire into the screw and not out of it.

9. Test the backups lights; have a helper put the vehicle into reverse while you observe the lights come on. If everything comes on properly you can zip tie everything up out of the way and reinstall the tail light housing. It is a good idea to wrap all the splice points with electrical tape.

10. You are done and can now enjoy the benefits of being able to fully see where you are going when backing up at night.

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Taco Loco

Tired and Lazy, married to ‘The Laundry Fairy’
Nice


Do you think a jigsaw with metal blade might have been useful?
 

tx_shooter

It is not a war crime the first time.
Staff member
Nice


Do you think a jigsaw with metal blade might have been useful?

A jigsaw would have worked; but there are 2 layers of metal in the bumper. I am not sure how the jigsaw blade would have handled the layers. I tend to use an angle grinder as much as possible when cutting metal like this.
 

TacoXpo

HOAX DENIER
I use the bump method. Years ago when I bought the last 7 I owned I will never forget the time I went out for a few drinks with a coworker. I was wondering what the beeping was and then BAM!!! Yeah, it only cost about $500! lol It took me a while to get used to those back up sensors! lol
 

Oswego

n00b
A jigsaw would have worked; but there are 2 layers of metal in the bumper. I am not sure how the jigsaw blade would have handled the layers. I tend to use an angle grinder as much as possible when cutting metal like this.

I used a grinder when I added mine to my trucks bumper and that was in 1/4" thick steel tube. I love more light backing up. One of my first mods on my DD was to add in some superbright LED back up bulbs (not cutting into my car).

I use the bump method. Years ago when I bought the last 7 I owned I will never forget the time I went out for a few drinks with a coworker. I was wondering what the beeping was and then BAM!!! Yeah, it only cost about $500! lol It took me a while to get used to those back up sensors! lol

My spare tire is my rear "bumpstop" when in reverse.... well it only became that out of default when I removed my hitch. That used to be the first "feeler" lol
 

TacoXpo

HOAX DENIER
My spare tire is my rear "bumpstop" when in reverse.... well it only became that out of default when I removed my hitch. That used to be the first "feeler" lol

I used to have a hook on my receiver until I punched it through a grill of a parked car while parking in South LA. I would normally stop and make sure I took care of the guy but when I did that, my buddy who worked that area (who was in another truck with his HAM on) said, let's get the ---- out of here!!! lol This was not a 'white or hispanic friendly' part of town. lol
 
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