My Bumper Red lense mod

[HRunner]

The red lenses located on the rear bumper were not used in American and Canadian 4th Gen 4Runners. This write-up is my experience of how to make them work as brake/taillight.

[PLEASE READ THIS FIRST]
Please note that I am not a qualified technician. Therefore, you should only use this write-up as reference. I am not taking any responsibilities for damages of your vehicle or mistakes of this write-up. You

 

[HRunner]

4a) Now the lens housing is ready for the brake/taillight. Then I prepared three 16ga wires, about 1 feet long. And put a female coupler on one side of the wires. NOTE: Use the couplers may result in convinence. You could just connect the socket wires with the taillight plug... (but I don't recommanded.)

4b) This picture shows when couplers were on

5) In this step, you need to connect the wires. I didn

 

[HRunner]

I also installed my JDM Fuel door and cap after I did the red lenses mod... check out the pictures here...

http://www.toyota-4runner.org/showthread.php?s=&threadid=13623

 

[a3fnqpjw]

NICE!

overall.. how long did it take? How much? and what were the exact wires & bulbs needed? In pic's 5 & 6(a&b) are those pictures of your trunk or your underside of the vehicle? BTW your fuel door looks great!

 

[AlexJet]

...

3d) Don

 

[CGY_LTD_V8]

oh, that looks really good. i always thought that those bumper lenses looked like they could be lights. definitely something to think about for my truck. haha i guess what i mean is its something for my step-dad and bro to do for me!

 

[sharp4runr]

Yeah I used the same wiring harness when I did mine. It's actually for a GM vehicle, so I hope my truck doesn't sputter and die with that thing :

 

[AlexJet]

HRunner, whrere did you get those LED bulbs from?

 

[iFORCE]

oh, that looks really good. i always thought that those bumper lenses looked like they could be lights. definitely something to think about for my truck. haha i guess what i mean is its something for my step-dad and bro to do for me!

LOL.. or you can do them... yourself?

great mod and write-up btw. I love my rear bumper lights.. sets me apart from everyone else.

 

[snap315]

Excellent write-up!

This will be either my first or second mod (or the Voice activated NAV).

I think it's great and don't know why Toyota doesn't do this from the factory (U.S. vehicle laws or something I imagine).

Thanks for all the work making this mod easier for the rest of us.

BTW...
Does anyone in Southern California want to get together one weekend and do this mod to several 4Runners at once? :

 

[CGY_LTD_V8]

LOL.. or you can do them... yourself?

great mod and write-up btw. I love my rear bumper lights.. sets me apart from everyone else.

Uuhh no... the men in my life can do it for me : i don't wanna wreck anything..

 

[Colemanfu]

Spot on! You should send it to Toyota to show them that they should come that way hee in the states.

I think it's a must for owners of 4th gens.

I wonder if it will spur 6+ pages or posts like the old thread on "putting the red bumper lenses to use"

Good job.

 

[HRunner]

Re: NICE!

overall.. how long did it take? How much? and what were the exact wires & bulbs needed? In pic's 5 & 6(a&b) are those pictures of your trunk or your underside of the vehicle? BTW your fuel door looks great!

It takes me about an hour to cut the lenses and another 1.5 hours for the installaion... and it probaby will take longer without my wife's help.

You could use any type of bulb and socket (of course they have to be matched). I used 1157 because it's more popular and easy to find.

The socket is around US$5.00ea, bulb is around US$6.00ea, wires is US$2.00, couplers.... $2.00, what else? Mm.... heavy duty double side tape... sandpaper... etc.

Probably spend around US$26.00.... Ah.... the labour costs a lot~

 

[HRunner]

Yeah I used the same wiring harness when I did mine. It's actually for a GM vehicle, so I hope my truck doesn't sputter and die with that thing :

Really? I just picked that up at Canadian Tires... damn, don't scare me... hahaha~

 

[AlexJet]

Re: Re: NICE!

...

You could use any type of bulb and socket (of course they have to be matched). I used 1157 because it's more popular and easy to find.

The socket is around US$5.00ea, bulb is around US$6.00ea, wires is US$2.00, couplers.... $2.00, what else? Mm.... heavy duty double side tape... sandpaper... etc.

Probably spend around US$26.00.... Ah.... the labour costs a lot~

Did you get those LED localy at Canadian Tire?

 

[00328]

HRunner - Great write-up, good job!

I don't know if it's just me or the quality of the picture or what, but in the second pic with the brake lights lit, it doesn't look like the bumper lights are any brighter.

 

[HRunner]

HRunner, whrere did you get those LED bulbs from?

I supposed to order them online, but I wanted to finish this mod on thanksgiving weekend... so just picked them up at Canadian Tires~

Costs a bit more, but no choice because shorten of time....

 

[HRunner]

I wonder if it will spur 6+ pages or posts like the old thread on "putting the red bumper lenses to use"

Good job.

No No, I have this write-up and never intend to spur anyone.... just try to share my experience....

Bryancos has a great write-up too... Without his previous thread on this mod... I may endup doing something wrong and make a big mess. Therefore, all credits are for Bryancos and others.

 

[HRunner]

Re: Re: Re: NICE!

Did you get those LED localy at Canadian Tire?

Yea... one stop shopping~ (I am lazy~)

 

[HRunner]

HRunner - Great write-up, good job!

I don't know if it's just me or the quality of the picture or what, but in the second pic with the brake lights lit, it doesn't look like the bumper lights are any brighter.

It probably because my camera is too smart~ It adjusted the brightness by itself. In fact, it does light up brighter when the brake pedal is pressed....

Remember, I tested it before I installed.

One thing I found that LEDs doesn't light up as bright as the normal bulb... Oh well, maybe mine LEDs are the cheap one...