Back up light question

[mendozer]

I just thought about this...

I've wanted to put backup LED lights for a while now. Would I be able to tap into the trailer hitch wiring harness? That sends brake and reverse light commands to trailers. How would I test which wires to tap into? Or could I just rig up a trailer harness to an LED light strip? I would want to put it sitting right on top of my hitch under the bumper.

 

[Renegade_Medic]

You could look up the pin diagram for whatever your connector looks like ( 4 pin, 5 pin, etc) and see what each wire is. If it has reverse lights, it should be at least 5 pins. 1 ground, both running lights, left bright, right bright, and reverse. At that point you should know which wire is what. You could go to Wal-Mart or tractor supply or somewhere like that and get the corresponding trailer side of the wire and hook your ground and power wire from the light to those and then plug the plugs together. Or you could splice into the wire before the connector.

 

[4x4runner2002]

The factory 4 pin will not give you anything to do with your reverse light desire, but you can tap into the wire going to the reverse bulbs and get power that way.

I have two 10w let pods taped into my reverse lights and love it. Haven't had any issues in the years it's been like that.

 

[mendozer]

The factory 4 pin will not give you anything to do with your reverse light desire, but you can tap into the wire going to the reverse bulbs and get power that way.

I have two 10w let pods taped into my reverse lights and love it. Haven't had any issues in the years it's been like that.

You tap from the reverse and run the wire into the body and down under the bumper? Is there a good reference point?

 

[4x4runner2002]

You tap from the reverse and run the wire into the body and down under the bumper? Is there a good reference point?

I pulled one of the tail lights and figured out what wire was the power for the reverse lights and spliced it and ran it down to the bumper. Ground light to the frame and good to go. Nothing in the body so no weather seal to deal with.

I also put it on a switch with a diode so I can light them up when someone is riding my ass too. With the diode the reg reverse lights don't come on just the new bright accessory ones.

 

[mendozer]

awesome thanks. I'll try that out. I like the switch idea too, for camping especially. That'll require running wire through the body to the front, no?