darien156

What's the best tailgate light bar you guys have uaed? Not a big fan of the putco blade. Looking for something that's gonna last for a while.

toledoUPSguy

iTrader: (1)

I was going to say the putco blade or opt7 redline triple. The putco has been having reported issues lately.

asdaven

I looked into these and ended up doing something different.

Check out this: https://www.f150forum.com/f118/tailg...lights-401169/

Much easier and lower profile. I sortve like the tailgate light bars but sortve dont. Alot of the LEDs don't last and have issues. Our trucks in particular you can't use the trailer wiring as it will constantly say "trailer connected." You can wire to the taillights but still on some of them there is a delay between your taillight and the bar on the turn signals.

So I decided to go with something simpler and am wiring up one of the marker lights that the 3500 Duallys have to the tag lights. For the F150, its a marker/accent light. You have to use the Chevy light though. The Ford Superduty one is too tall as they have a bigger gap between tailgate and bumper. The Chevy one, however, does look good on the F150 and it is an OE quality part vs an aftermarket LED strip. Get one for a 2016 Silverado 3500HD Dually as the current ones are the cheapest and are LED.

Miike_B

Has anyone worked out the issues with BLIS on the 2018's? I'd consider either the Putco or pt7 but even Opt7 reports it is not compatible with BLIS (even with the tow system adaptor).

toledoUPSguy

iTrader: (1)

First off Opt7s tow adapter does not work. As soon as you plug it in the trailer connected screen comes up. I mistakenly got 2 of them and neither works. I have no idea why it wouldn't work wiring it straight to the tail lights on the 18s just like it does on the 15-17s.

toledoUPSguy

iTrader: (1)

If you try the opt7 and it doesn't work they will send you a prepaid label to return it so it won't cost anything to try it out for yourself.

Miike_B

Does it work on 15-17 with BLIS without disabling any camera or systems if hardwired? I would think the trailer sensor and other features work by sensing line resistance. Whether that resistance is located at the tail lite or trailer connector could only matter if the sensor was located after the taillight and before the trailer connector. Logically this would all be done in the canbus and not dependant on location at all....

I hate to cut into factory wire harnesses that are under warranty and/or extended warranty as an experiment, and had hopes others had gone through this pain.

(Thanks for your response).

toledoUPSguy

iTrader: (1)

it works perfect on my 2016 502a lariat with blis and camerss. I did not cut any wires. I used posi taps.

the trailer harness and tail light harnesses are separate. Trailer functions are completely keyed off the trailer plugs.

Miike_B

I have the 502A in my 2018. That's comforting.

I just found another thread indicating I need to be concerned about a bracket for my tailgate step? I'm 285lbs (300 with a chainsaw or a workbelt) and this will require investigation. That step needs to work and not fall off.

Thanks again for the feedback.

toledoUPSguy

iTrader: (1)

I was worried about removing the bracket too but it is not attached to the step at all. It removes a chance of the tailgate moving sideways. If you are really worried a member here used spacersto mount the bar over that bracket.