jsimmonstx

Spent about $35 on material, took about four hours (because I was purposely taking my time), but I got it done.

The bracket is 3/16 ABS plastic (ordered it online from TAP Plastics) - cost was $20 for two pieces cut to size (just in case I screwed one up), including shipping.

Found the (the same 3/4-inch lights used in the Stage3 kit) LEDs on Ebay for $5 for a pair - ordered 2 pair ($10)

Went to Autozone and bought a 2-wire trailer connector for $3.

All connections are soldered, including where I tapped into the truck's wiring harness.

You probably noticed the C-clamp grill. I was originally going to install all four lights, but I couldn't find a decent distance between them that looked right, so I decided on the normal three-light setup, which meant that I had to remove the center vertical rib to keep from blocking the middle LED. I used a hack saw blade to cut a section of the rib out, and then used a file to knock the rest of the rib down. It ain't the prettiest thing I've seen, but it ain't a show truck by any means, and it beat the hell outa spending $80 at Stage3 for the same thing.

johnday in BFE

iTrader: (1)

Good job! I've got the one from Stage3. Are those "Blazer" brand LEDs?
Now you need to finish the job, and install red ones under the tailgate.

BostonBruins

Simple design, inexpensive, and looks great. Can't beat that!

jsimmonstx

I was actually thinking about that.

I had my DRLs enabled yesterday and found out that the LEDs need to be spliced into the turn signal light instead of the parking light. Gotta research all over again to find the right wires to splice into.

:/

johnday in BFE

iTrader: (1)

Could be wrong, but wouldn't they flash when the turns are activated then?
I think mine are spliced into the corner marker.

jsimmonstx

There are three wires going to the turn signal connector. The center one is the parking light (yellow/green - splice to this wire), black/tan? is ground, and the turn signal is yellow/purple (I think that's the color, but in any case, it's the outer-most yellow wire).

The DRLs only come on with the truck is in gear, and the side markers aren't on (unless the headlight switch is in one of the ON positions).

If your LEDs are connected to to the side markers, you have to have your headlight switch in one of the ON positions to get the LEDs to come on. That's the way mine was wired because I thought the DRLs would illuminate the side markers. After I had my DRLs enabled, I saw my error, and I had to re-splice it to get it the way I wanted.

With them connected to the DRLs, I don't have to risk forgetting to turn off the headlight switch when I get out of the truck (and they go off when the truck is in PARK).

Caveat - my truck is a 2013, so if yours isn't, the color of the wires may be different, and also, trucks sold in the US (before 2015?) do NOT have their DRLs enabled by default.

If you don't want to enable your DRLs (a lot of people don't like them anyway), you're good to go.

johnday in BFE

iTrader: (1)

OK, gotcha! Yes, I don't have my DRLs activated, so I do have to turn at least the parks on. If I'd thought, I'd have realized what you did.

jsimmonstx

So is there a kit for that, or did you do it yourself? Also, I assume they're connected to your rear lights.

johnday in BFE

iTrader: (1)

No, no kit that I could find, so I did them like on a couple of our chip trailers.
Not for the faint of heart, but I drilled holes, 3/4" IIRC, into the flat verticle steel under the gate. Sprayed undercoating on the bare metal, and coated the grommets with dielectric grease, and slipped it all in the hole. I tied them into the tail lights. Spliced, soldered and coated with liquid electrical tape. Cleaned off any excess undercoating, and there they are. It actually took longer to find the drill bits than the job itself!LOL
I spaced them 7" on center, the same as my grille lights.
Those are the Blazer brand LEDs, from what I could see in your photos, they appear to be the same as yours, only red.

jsimmonstx

These are the lights I got for the front:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/291157538774

Here's the red version:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/301148936698

Did you take the bumper off to do your rear lights?