So I've had these things sitting in my garage for months now and haven't had time to install them. Last night, I got a shot of motivation and it 9pm, in the dark, I decided to measure out and make my templates. Today I finished up the cuts, installed the lights and wired it up. It is nerve racking cutting into a painted bumper. I've installed aerocatch hood latches in carbon fiber hoods before, so it wasn't my first rodeo in doing something of this nature.
I started off taking measurements and getting the bumper protected and marked. Tape off an area way larger than it needs to be, you'll thank yourself later.
I then drilled the mounting holes out, drilled 4 corner holes for my center opening and two larger holes to start my saw. Drilling the corner holes lets you connect your cuts without having to make sharp radius turns. I made all the cuts using a jigsaw with a good quality metal cutting blade. Go nice and slow.
This is why you tape everything off and use multiple layers of tape. I thanked myself later. This would have been awful.
I forgot to take a pic but I coated the bare metal (from the cut) with clear nailpolish to protect it from rusting. I have done this on holes drilled on my race car with great results. You can also mask it and paint it, which ever you prefer.
Then I popped out the trailer wiring connector and wired them up.
The black wire is ground and the white wire with the orange stripe is the reverse lights. I wired the two power wires into one wire then used a quick splice on that single wire into the trailer harness. I did the same for the ground wires on the lights. You can also ground them to the frame but I was already in the trailer harness, so it was easier and cleaner.
Its finished for now. When I decide to do my roof mounted bar, I will install a separate switch and relay so that I can turn these reverse lights on manually, without needing to be in reverse. I'll add more pics tonight once it gets dark out.
Looking in the rear view mirror
I started off taking measurements and getting the bumper protected and marked. Tape off an area way larger than it needs to be, you'll thank yourself later.
I then drilled the mounting holes out, drilled 4 corner holes for my center opening and two larger holes to start my saw. Drilling the corner holes lets you connect your cuts without having to make sharp radius turns. I made all the cuts using a jigsaw with a good quality metal cutting blade. Go nice and slow.
This is why you tape everything off and use multiple layers of tape. I thanked myself later. This would have been awful.
I forgot to take a pic but I coated the bare metal (from the cut) with clear nailpolish to protect it from rusting. I have done this on holes drilled on my race car with great results. You can also mask it and paint it, which ever you prefer.
Then I popped out the trailer wiring connector and wired them up.
The black wire is ground and the white wire with the orange stripe is the reverse lights. I wired the two power wires into one wire then used a quick splice on that single wire into the trailer harness. I did the same for the ground wires on the lights. You can also ground them to the frame but I was already in the trailer harness, so it was easier and cleaner.
Its finished for now. When I decide to do my roof mounted bar, I will install a separate switch and relay so that I can turn these reverse lights on manually, without needing to be in reverse. I'll add more pics tonight once it gets dark out.
Looking in the rear view mirror
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