Toying with an interesting LED running board mod

[patricksheehy]

I want to mount some white LEDs under my step boards that will fade in and out with the dome lights. When you open the door, the LEDs in the door light illuminate the running board enough to see it, but I would like the ground slightly illuminated as well so that you can see holes, puddles, or whatever. Well that's my excuse at least, I think it will just look awesome.

After browsing the forum I haven't seen anyone do this yet, although I think I saw someone do a map light mod that will make the map lights fade in and out with the dome. My question is can I wire the LEDs under the running boards straight to the fuse box somewhere so that they will fade with the dome lights?

Any comments or suggestions welcome. Thanks!

 

[gaterose]

Kinda like this?

(the yellowish light under doors, not the extra purplish lights under the bumpers)

I'm not sure if it's there on all 4runners, but it's worth checking since a lot of wiring transfers between models... The wires come out under the front seats, near the door for my OEM lighted running boards. There is a huge rubber grommet with a tiny hole for the 2 small wires to run through under the body basically where the edge of the passenger/driver's seats are.

It might be worth checking to see if you have wiring in there and it's just not connected to anything. Then all you would have to do is extend the wiring.

I don't know where you can tap in in the fusebox for the dimming, but you could also tap into the door light circuit and run a wire out the door and into the cab then under the frame.

 

[thirstyturtle]

This is so funny...my friend was JUST asking me if I know how to do something like this...

 

[Snesley Wipes]

I think you should get one of those inexpensive LED strips and run ~4ft under the running boards...that would look sick.

 

[patricksheehy]

@gaterose That's pretty sick but I am looking to light up the underside of the running boards, not the top. I was thinking something simple like an LED strip under the board like @sensley wipes said.

I think I could secure it fairly easily, but do the step boards on the SE come with pre-drilled holes for running board lights? I can easily drill my own. The hardest part for me will be the wiring.

Thanks for the feedback thus far. I still need wiring help. And if any of you have a good idea of where to get a cheap LED strip please let me know. It needs to be 5000K.

Thank you!

 

[riceandpho]

on ebay 170694132993
i think u can do couple of these zip tided to the xreas lines, its gona glow nice, i have it under my lights to give u an example, look up in one of my thread of led strips. now if u need something brighter, i think u can do the ones with the 5050 smd leds in the strips. i was thinking if i should add that to dome light and with a dioed added to the reverse circuit so it can turn on as well with reverse lights. now u got me thinking, i do back up in all my parking space.

 

[Qjake]

gaterose seems to be on the right track. If the OEM boards come lighted then there should be a prewired plug for them, get the install instructions for the lighted boards they should show the plug locations.

good luck

 

[patricksheehy]

Alright cool I will continue looking into this and keep you all updated.

 

[gaterose]

Here is the strip I used
SE-WFLS Silicone Encased..

I purchased some similar to what riceandpho was saying before I got these, but because they were constantly exposed to water & mud where they're located, they didn't last long.

I bought one of the 39" SE-WFLS strips and cut it into 4 pieces then soldered new leads on and they have been great. They have a pretty good selection of temperatures too, mine are 4500K.

edit- and the way I have them mounted they light up the ground very well, as well as my sliders..

 

[thirstyturtle]

Found a thread where @g-money added some LED's to his running boards on his SR5. It sounds like unless you have a Limited then there is no existing wiring for lights. He used the power from the key-ring light so they come on with the lights and dim I think as well, but it sounds like this would keep them on all the time, not just when the door is open. I think it would be possible to wire them to the lights on the doors, that way they'll only come on when you open a door, maybe also when you unlock the car...

http://www.toyota-4runner.org/accessories/18121-installed-led-running-board-lights.html

 

[Madmattsbbq]

check these lights - Boat Silicone Encased LED Strips - Ribbon Thin, Waterproof & Flexible we use these strips on the boat - 100% waterproof as they are already encased in silicone!! great lights come in several colors as well

 

[gaterose]

Found a thread where @g-money added some LED's to his running boards on his SR5. It sounds like unless you have a Limited then there is no existing wiring for lights.

I didn't see anything in that thread, or the thread linked from that thread, about anyone checking to seeing if the wiring was there. Both just went straight to the ignition wiring. It may not be there but it seems like it's worth checking before you tap into other wires or run extra wiring. I know I have several OEM plugs, fuses, and wires that do absolutely nothing on my 4runner.

 

[J.A.]

I've looked into this before.

On my footwell and/or maplight mod pages you will find the lighting schematic. I doubt that the SR5s or Sports have the running board lighting in place like the Limited's do, but it is definetly worth a check.

You want to wire these basically like I have my footwells, the exception being where to grab the negative control from.

The negative wire of the leds should be connected to Body ECU Connector B5 Pin#6. On the Limited's that would be a white wire with red stripe.

The positive wire on the leds should be connected into the dome light relay. This is to retain the factory features such as auto turn off, etc.

I highly recommend V-Leds products and would go with their Ultra Bright 5K WHITE 3 CHIP STRIP LIGHT STRIPLIGHTS. They are on sale right now.

 

[Coldnapalm]

im definitely doing it but not until i get new sliders im going to use the existing wires and as long as you do that im sure it'll dim just like the factory