DIY Installing a Tailgate Light Bar

[BigOleOgre]

First of all shouts to @ntbruncie who got the easy access tailight diagram and original post this all came up on, there were alot of questions and thoughts there, so I figured I'd clean it up and make an easy go-to. Also @Sauce for his lovely hand modeling.

This is the path of least resistance until reasonably priced adaptor kits are availible-see Putcos $400 lightbar and harness. The Lightbar and trailer harness cost me less than $100.

Current tailgate lightbars will not come standard with proper connections for full functionality with our rangers. Hooking up to the trailer light connection throws trailer errors and disables crosstaffic/blis.
But hooking directly to tail light connections leaves you without brake light or a turn signal. However, all we need for full functionality is a simple LED compatible trailer light converter harness. ($20-$30)
This can be used to easily connect and carries the turns and brake light signals in 1 wire without feedback into the system. Most of them also have inputs/outputs for running/park lights and a ground as they will use the standard 4 pin trailer connector for output. With reverse connection made from the llightbars reverse wire if applicable.

Steps
#1 Run your connections (most made on driver side, 1 to passenger side turn signal)
-Connect the trailer light converter harness wires to left and right turn signals, brake, running/park, and ground. Connect lightbar reverse wire, if applicable.
-Look underneath the truck, directly below the tailights are cable connections for the taillights, tap off the colored side.
-I soldered and heatshrinked, but you can use taps if you dont have that skill or patience. Just make sure your connections are solid and electrical tape them well after completing the steps.

#2 Connect your tailgate lightbar to the trailer light converter harness 4pin to 4pin.
-Check to make sure the lightbar functions as desired and you didnt miswire or get a bad connection. After this test install your lightbar in place.

#3 Tidy up
-I would suggest getting a couple little plastic adhesive clips that you can slide a zip tie through. I used 2 of those and zip ties to hold the harness and excess cabling nicely bundled up and above the taillight connector in the driver side be body.

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[Peter949]

Nice info and job. Never understood the need for these but thats me.

 

[BigOleOgre]

Nice info and job. Never understood the need for these but thats me.

Thank you. Ive been rear ended 6x in my short 35 years, 4 when ive been sitting still at a stop light, the most recent being 3 days before buying my Ranger 3 weeks ago. I wanted more reds lights to indicate to people that im stopping or am stopped lol

 

[CACTUSGREYFX4]

Little extra insurance is why I put this on my truck. The beaver step keeps people away from the bumpers.

 

[KayaPayaPigDog]

Nice info and job. Never understood the need for these but thats me.

If you have a tent or something else that blocks the 3rd brake light these are very useful

 

[White willy]

The only thing I still find a little odd about the operation with this set up,is if you have your turn signal on,and step on the brake,the brake light will activate,and not deactivate until the turn sign is cancelled.
Not a huge deal,but just something I noticed.

 

[BigOleOgre]

The only thing I still find a little odd about the operation with this set up,is if you have your turn signal on,and step on the brake,the brake light will activate,and not deactivate until the turn sign is cancelled.
Not a huge deal,but just something I noticed.

Indeed, verified this today as well. The good thing is i cant think of any scenarios where this would linger for long or be a confusing signal. Its the nature of both signals carried in 1 line for the trailer harness 4 pin connection and the inability of the lightbar to cancel one until both signals are cancelled.

Update: the brake light cancels after 2-3 seconds of foot off brake, if a turn signal was activated while brake was aplied. At least with my converter. Guessing there's just a delay in the cancel brake signal that has to wait in in-between turn signal pulse.

 

[fordgt]

Well crap, I had everything working and buttoned up the wiring. Went outside to show my wife how it works. Backups are still working and the tail lights are working but turns and 4 ways aren’t. Gotta undo all the tucks and figure out why they aren’t working.

 

[red95stang]

Hello so I know it’s been awhile since this was posted but do I have to buy a converter? I have the light bar and harness to wire it up. I was going to tap in the taillights.

 

[BigOleOgre]

Hello so I know it’s been awhile since this was posted but do I have to buy a converte? I have the light bar and harness to wire it up. I was going to tap in the taillights.

If you only want to use the brake light, if you want turns and brake light you need the converter, as they both go into the same line input for the lightbar, the converter splits the input. If you hook up brake and turns without it you will damage your lights/electrical system.

 

[red95stang]

Thanks for the advice I ordered the converter.

 

[ShadowDragon24]

Nice, I used my Diode Dynamics C1R's I had on my old rig. I did use their 7pin adapter harness. and was getting the trailer light error with their harness. the solution for me, as they were just extra brake/marker/ reverse was to remove the brake function from the trailer plug altogether, and as per the ford body builder layout(upfitter guide) I ran a wire from the bcm back for the c1r's and my cap I was getting installed. the trailer harness still give me my ground, marker, and reverse, I just had to remove Diode Dynamics left and right trailer turn/brake wires going to their brake module box(allowed them to flash when your hazards were on) cap the wires on the pass through harness, and tie the new bcm brake wire into the input for the c1r's and the cap.

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