F150 cab lights (installed), and wired to an LED flasher
06-05-2011, 11:16 AM
#1
Bye F150, hello F250
Thread Starter
F150 cab lights (installed), and wired to an LED flasher
Not really looking for negative comments here, just sharing how I installed/researched mine, and how they can be used as warning lights, once wired to an LED flasher, like a Sho-Me or similar.
First, I decided on LED ones. That was a no brainer. Then came what colour- clear, smoked, orange, ? I have a platinum tri-colour, which is off-white. After much consideration, I decided low-profile clear, with orange LEDs. Recon sells these exact ones. The ones I went with are made/sold for Dodge trucks. Reading reviews and such, I was pretty sure that they would fit the Fords, so I ordered them.
I went to a few dealerships, Ford and Chevy and Dodge and looked how HD trucks have their 5 cab lights installed. I didn't find one where looking from the side, that all 5 were in line!! The middle 3 are lined up, the outer 2 are back a bit. I assume its because the roof line dips in 2 directions at the edges. I decided to do the same. I dry fitted the 5 lights several times, and decided on the following layout. For those that want to do this, I recommend these measurements:
- center one is dead center (d'uh)
- inside 2 are 8.5" off the center line
- outter 2 are 14" from the inside 2, or, 22.5" from center line.
- middle 3 are 3.5" back from the windshield line.
- outter 2 are 5.5" back
With these settings, none of the holes that needed to be drilled hit any electrical lines, no drain hose for the moon roof, and luckily, many holes were in the middle of several ridges that are on the inside that you do not see. Pretty lucky. Many of these holes have to go through 2 layers of metal. Be sure you have sharp bits!!
You need 1/8" bit, 1/2" bit, and I used a stepper bit which makes a cleaner hole. Also, a deburring tool is nice, and of course, SILICONE SEALANT!!, Lots. I also recommend a vacuum!!
The first thing to laying out was to set 2 lines (I used masking tape) from door to door, about 6" apart. These 2 parallel lines, running left to right, are used to set your light line so the lights are installed in line, front to back. Find the dead center or each tape line, then join them with a plastic straight edge. I used a dry-erase marker. Then measure as above, on both tape lines, and join the marks front to back. These 5 lines are where the lights will go. Measure AGAIN! Use a cab light and put it on a line so that you can see the line through both holes. Mark these spots, center punch, and grow a pair because only a man can now make the 3 holes per light needed!!!! The 2 screw holes are 1/8". The instructions ask for a 3/8-1/2" hole for the wires. After each hole, I vacuumed the shavings and rimmed the holes with silicone.
Oh, removal of the headliner, yah, forgot that! Luckily, I have the moon roof. I removed the 3 screws from each visor, and pulled down with a yank, the center roof sunglass/reading light assembly. With that alone, there was enough space to see, and wire, the lights. And to see where OEM wires and such were so there would be no install issue.
Back to the center hole for a sec. The Recon lights came with a wiring harness- 5 receiver connectors bundled to the + and - wires. These connectors mate to the cab light connectors. They are NOT keyed, so you can plug the lights in reverse (LEDs need to be wired properly). These connectors are almost 1/2" wide, hence, the center hole needs to be that to push the connector through. If I were to do this again, I would cut off those connectors, use 2 wires, this way the center hole, and connecting +/- would bea easier. I wonder if those grommet connectors were meant to be pushed into the holes and stayed there, as the cab light connector pushed into it there. But, with all holes having 2 layers of steel, that would be hard!! Rewire!
Also, with the center hole, I used the 1/8" as a pilot, then used the stepper bit to expand to 1/2". Since there are 2 layers of metal, and those bits are pyramid shape, to get the second layer of steel to 1/2" wide would mean the top layer would be closer to 3/4"!! So I used the stepper for the first hole to 1/2", then a standard bit for the second hole to get it to 1/2". Lots of fun there. I could not imagine doing this without a moon roof, it would be very hard to reach the middle holes!!!
Okay, lights are screwed in, silicone dry, time to wire. I broke open my harness, and made 2 circuits. The outer 2 and center cab light on 1 circuit, the inner 2 lights on another. I have an LED flasher in the truck wired to the signal lights, some grill lights, and to the mirror turn signal lights that I installed. I then ran these 2 lines to a 2-pole, 2-throw, center-off switch. I also ran a running light line to the switch, and the 2 lines from the LED flasher. With the switch up, the cab lights turn on with the truck running lights. Center, no cab lights on even. Switch down, they are in command of the LED flasher so whatever the LED flasher does, so then do the cab lights. There is a company that makes cab lights/flasher units as one. I figured I could do this myself and did.
So here are the results and a video of the flasher in cycle mode going through some patterns. Can't wait for the next parade!!
First, I decided on LED ones. That was a no brainer. Then came what colour- clear, smoked, orange, ? I have a platinum tri-colour, which is off-white. After much consideration, I decided low-profile clear, with orange LEDs. Recon sells these exact ones. The ones I went with are made/sold for Dodge trucks. Reading reviews and such, I was pretty sure that they would fit the Fords, so I ordered them.
I went to a few dealerships, Ford and Chevy and Dodge and looked how HD trucks have their 5 cab lights installed. I didn't find one where looking from the side, that all 5 were in line!! The middle 3 are lined up, the outer 2 are back a bit. I assume its because the roof line dips in 2 directions at the edges. I decided to do the same. I dry fitted the 5 lights several times, and decided on the following layout. For those that want to do this, I recommend these measurements:
- center one is dead center (d'uh)
- inside 2 are 8.5" off the center line
- outter 2 are 14" from the inside 2, or, 22.5" from center line.
- middle 3 are 3.5" back from the windshield line.
- outter 2 are 5.5" back
With these settings, none of the holes that needed to be drilled hit any electrical lines, no drain hose for the moon roof, and luckily, many holes were in the middle of several ridges that are on the inside that you do not see. Pretty lucky. Many of these holes have to go through 2 layers of metal. Be sure you have sharp bits!!
You need 1/8" bit, 1/2" bit, and I used a stepper bit which makes a cleaner hole. Also, a deburring tool is nice, and of course, SILICONE SEALANT!!, Lots. I also recommend a vacuum!!
The first thing to laying out was to set 2 lines (I used masking tape) from door to door, about 6" apart. These 2 parallel lines, running left to right, are used to set your light line so the lights are installed in line, front to back. Find the dead center or each tape line, then join them with a plastic straight edge. I used a dry-erase marker. Then measure as above, on both tape lines, and join the marks front to back. These 5 lines are where the lights will go. Measure AGAIN! Use a cab light and put it on a line so that you can see the line through both holes. Mark these spots, center punch, and grow a pair because only a man can now make the 3 holes per light needed!!!! The 2 screw holes are 1/8". The instructions ask for a 3/8-1/2" hole for the wires. After each hole, I vacuumed the shavings and rimmed the holes with silicone.
Oh, removal of the headliner, yah, forgot that! Luckily, I have the moon roof. I removed the 3 screws from each visor, and pulled down with a yank, the center roof sunglass/reading light assembly. With that alone, there was enough space to see, and wire, the lights. And to see where OEM wires and such were so there would be no install issue.
Back to the center hole for a sec. The Recon lights came with a wiring harness- 5 receiver connectors bundled to the + and - wires. These connectors mate to the cab light connectors. They are NOT keyed, so you can plug the lights in reverse (LEDs need to be wired properly). These connectors are almost 1/2" wide, hence, the center hole needs to be that to push the connector through. If I were to do this again, I would cut off those connectors, use 2 wires, this way the center hole, and connecting +/- would bea easier. I wonder if those grommet connectors were meant to be pushed into the holes and stayed there, as the cab light connector pushed into it there. But, with all holes having 2 layers of steel, that would be hard!! Rewire!
Also, with the center hole, I used the 1/8" as a pilot, then used the stepper bit to expand to 1/2". Since there are 2 layers of metal, and those bits are pyramid shape, to get the second layer of steel to 1/2" wide would mean the top layer would be closer to 3/4"!! So I used the stepper for the first hole to 1/2", then a standard bit for the second hole to get it to 1/2". Lots of fun there. I could not imagine doing this without a moon roof, it would be very hard to reach the middle holes!!!
Okay, lights are screwed in, silicone dry, time to wire. I broke open my harness, and made 2 circuits. The outer 2 and center cab light on 1 circuit, the inner 2 lights on another. I have an LED flasher in the truck wired to the signal lights, some grill lights, and to the mirror turn signal lights that I installed. I then ran these 2 lines to a 2-pole, 2-throw, center-off switch. I also ran a running light line to the switch, and the 2 lines from the LED flasher. With the switch up, the cab lights turn on with the truck running lights. Center, no cab lights on even. Switch down, they are in command of the LED flasher so whatever the LED flasher does, so then do the cab lights. There is a company that makes cab lights/flasher units as one. I figured I could do this myself and did.
So here are the results and a video of the flasher in cycle mode going through some patterns. Can't wait for the next parade!!
The following 5 users liked this post by Platinum_Sean:
Gage-Desoto (07-10-2014),
jmiller72 (07-11-2014),
jppereira1982 (02-17-2014),
moseby (07-10-2014),
YellowFinii (12-02-2012)
