LED LIGHT BAR INSTALL on a 2014 T4R

[barryhiram]

definitly appreciate the help here.

Here is the harness i got.

Probably totally blowing this out of proportions but like you said [MENTION=103267]Saker[/MENTION], don't want to find out the hard way. I'm going to try to cut the one wire once I figure it out which wire is what as the indicator light is pointless to me.

Link definitely helped, cut the ground wire at the white connector (switch plug), that should kill those pointless green & red lights! Then buy an AOB switch of your liking.

 

[tral]

DONE!

pulled the ground at the switch and no little lights inside anymore.. just one big one outside... thanks!

now to get the AOB Switch and do what Saker did.

 

[barryhiram]

DONE!

just one big one outside

That's the only one that really counts :thumb3:

 

[adrtoy]

finally done!

Some takeaways...
- take your time
- pull the grill and the filler panel and the top shroud as you're going to need all the room you can get especially if you are putting in a 30"
- read about the wiring harness you get (i hooked mine up straight to to the battery with. issue is that there is a little red light that is always on... )
- have beer ready too

Overall very happy with the install, it is solid. I'm still stumped on the wiring and what my options are though. I'd prefer not to have to buy the AOB switch but will if needed.

Question - what can I do to get the switch to not draw all the time? I'm no wiring guru so try to explain in the simplest terms (pics are awesome too) there are three wires going to the switch but the eBay harness didn't come with details of what they are.

Does that bar have the mounts on the bottom or the sides?

Thanks!

 

[tral]

Does that bar have the mounts on the bottom or the sides?

Thanks!

Here is what I got. I didn't want o spend a ton b/c i wanted to see what the output was and knew i was not going to cut up the grill meaning that if the output sucked with the grill there, so be it.... I can always upgrade but I'm happy for now.

 

[adrtoy]

Here is what I got. I didn't want o spend a ton b/c i wanted to see what the output was and knew i was not going to cut up the grill meaning that if the output sucked with the grill there, so be it.... I can always upgrade but I'm happy for now.

Thanks. That's the route I wanna go but was wondering if a bar the wide would work.

 

[bowhun2r]

QQ [MENTION=103267]Saker[/MENTION]

Love the write up and thank you. Very helpful.

I will be tackling this project very shortly and I like your setup. On/off with the HB and only if the AoB switch (yes...I took your recommendation) is depressed.

My question is on my 16 TEP I have DRL. The HB's function as the DRL's so there is always current going to the bulb albeit at a lower voltage when in DRL mode compared to HB mode. Doesn't your setup activate the LED light bar with DRL's?

Or do you use the AoB switch to deactivate during the day?

My ideal setup would be activating the LED when the HB's are hit with the option of a switch to deactivate the LED totally. Which I think you setup does...just not sure on the DRL issue.

 

[Saker]

QQ [MENTION=103267]Saker[/MENTION]

Love the write up and thank you. Very helpful.

I will be tackling this project very shortly and I like your setup. On/off with the HB and only if the AoB switch (yes...I took your recommendation) is depressed.

My question is on my 16 TEP I have DRL. The HB's function as the DRL's so there is always current going to the bulb albeit at a lower voltage when in DRL mode compared to HB mode. Doesn't your setup activate the LED light bar with DRL's?

Or do you use the AoB switch to deactivate during the day?

My ideal setup would be activating the LED when the HB's are hit with the option of a switch to deactivate the LED totally. Which I think you setup does...just not sure on the DRL issue.

[MENTION=10278]bowhun2r[/MENTION],
Yes, the DRL would try to activate the LED LIGHT BAR when the AOB switch was depressed...

So I killed 2 birds with one stone.

1. Never liked the DRL so I deactivated mine with the little mod you see in my sig! See: Disabled DRL Easily
2. Now I didn't have the DRL activate my LED LIGHT BAR issue!

 

[pokits]

Here is what I got. I didn't want o spend a ton b/c i wanted to see what the output was and knew i was not going to cut up the grill meaning that if the output sucked with the grill there, so be it.... I can always upgrade but I'm happy for now.

What did u use to mount that beast?

 

[Baggedug]

In the processes of doing same set up just need build a custom bezel for the grille

 

[tral]

What did u use to mount that beast?

I went off this build but varied a bit. Ended up using 5" Stainless steel bolts and hardware along with larger nuts for spacers. i mounted the bar and this to a 1x1 piece of square aluminum i found at Lowes.

 

[Ride5C2]

First of all, a big thank you [MENTION=103267]Saker[/MENTION] for your detailed thread. I got my light bar installed in the upper grill and it worked great. . . . for a while :-(

Here's what I did:
- I wired the AOB switch illumination wire (blue) to the switch next to it's (wiper de-icer switch) - green
- wired the AOB red wire to my inbound relay wire
- wired the AOB green wire (inbound 12v) to the wiper de-icer switch 12v (blue).

It all worked great, . . . for two days. and now the LED no longer powers on and the switch illumination doesn't work.

I took a shortcut and got my interior 12v from the wiper de-icer switch, is this my mistake? What's weird is that the wiper de-icer switch still works (lights up at least) and my relay fuse is fine.

HELP: any advice or guidance would be appreciated

Of note, illumination only worked when depressed, versus on with dash lights, is this by AOB design?

 

[Saker]

First of all, a big thank you [MENTION=103267]Saker[/MENTION] for your detailed thread. I got my light bar installed in the upper grill and it worked great. . . . for a while :-(

Here's what I did:
- I wired the AOB switch illumination wire (blue) to the switch next to it's (wiper de-icer switch) - green
- wired the AOB red wire to my inbound relay wire
- wired the AOB green wire (inbound 12v) to the wiper de-icer switch 12v (blue).

It all worked great, . . . for two days. and now the LED no longer powers on and the switch illumination doesn't work.

I took a shortcut and got my interior 12v from the wiper de-icer switch, is this my mistake? What's weird is that the wiper de-icer switch still works (lights up at least) and my relay fuse is fine.

HELP: any advice or guidance would be appreciated

Of note, illumination only worked when depressed, versus on with dash lights, is this by AOB design?

Impossible to troubleshoot over the net... :/


From what you are describing, something is not wired correctly if your illumination only came on when you depressed the switch. That is not by design. You should follow the diagram here.

You are going to have to check all your circuits to see where the "fail" is.
Check your fuses to the LED Light Bar.....

 

[Peck]

I had the same thought about location when i brought my 14 home but didnt want to cut that much grill out so soon.
View attachment 116900

I am trying to install a 30" light bar in my 2014TE and it would be much easier to attach and adjust the bar to the bracket I have made and attached to the lower aluminum cross member if I could remove the front grill. I cant seem to figure it out. I searched the forum and see this picture but no instructions. Any help much appreciated.

 

[wild_turkey]

Front Bumper Removal

I am trying to install a 30" light bar in my 2014TE and it would be much easier to attach and adjust the bar to the bracket I have made and attached to the lower aluminum cross member if I could remove the front grill. I cant seem to figure it out. I searched the forum and see this picture but no instructions. Any help much appreciated.

Hey @Peck,

I removed my whole front bumper to install my light bar. It was pretty easy and gives you more space to work with. Check it out in my build thread, link in my signature.

 

[Saker]

Hey @Peck,

I removed my whole front bumper to install my light bar. It was pretty easy and gives you more space to work with. Check it out in my build thread, link in my signature.

You mean you removed the front cap, not the bumper.
More than likely you installed the light bar on the bumper, which is the aluminum rectangular structure.

 

[Ride5C2]

Saker,
Thanks again for the quick reply, turns out, I had the wiring right, but I had used those crappy clip on splicers and they weren't making a good connection 2 days later. Soldered everything up and now I've got power and illumination.

Thanks again!

This thread helped me a lot as I'm a newb with wiring. Below is a slight mod to how I wired using Saker's diagram above. (took illumination + power from nearby switch). So far, this works great. . . I never plan on using that De-Icer switch in FL so your mileage may vary if you use a switch you are tapping from for power.

DISCLAIMER: my edits / wiring worked for me. Read through this thread and test your wires with a meter before hooking anything up, your wire colors may be different than mine.

My bastard-ization of Sakers great diagram below:

De-icer switch and new AOB switch

and final product on the truck

 

[Saker]

[MENTION=135273]Ride5C2[/MENTION],
Glad you got it sorted out and it's working fine now! :ranger:

 

[bigvo9]

First off, I really want to thank you [MENTION=103267]Saker[/MENTION] for the write up. I just received the harnesses and will be tackling this project next week. I have a question about the tap to the HB. I want to be able to hit the switch and turn on the lightbar without turning on HB (while the vehicle is on). Which wire would you recommend me tapping into? I have an 2010 and my DRLs are down towards the bottom of the bumper. Wondering if there's something closer up top to tap.

 

[Saker]

First off, I really want to thank you [MENTION=103267]Saker[/MENTION] for the write up. I just received the harnesses and will be tackling this project next week. I have a question about the tap to the HB. I want to be able to hit the switch and turn on the lightbar without turning on HB (while the vehicle is on). Which wire would you recommend me tapping into? I have an 2010 and my DRLs are down towards the bottom of the bumper. Wondering if there's something closer up top to tap.

Thanks for the kudo's, I'm glad the write-up helped!

So, you want to trigger your switch for your LED Light Bar from something that has power all the time your ignition switch is on instead of using your HB to trigger....
You will have to find a circuit to tap the trigger wire to for that to happen.

It is not hardly you will forget your switch on that powers your LED Light Bar, so you could actually run that trigger wire to the battery or another circuit that has power all the time and that will solve your request!


Hope this helps!