HOW TO: 2013+ LED Tails into a 4th Gen

smiley3303 said:

Where is a good place to buy the tails and what are estimated prices?

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I ordered mine today from the link here...$422 shipped. Now I gotta talk John into making me a harness cause lord knows I hate wiring. lol

I looked all over Ebay and everywhere else that makes LED tails...none of the cheap crap or even Recon looks as good as the OEM parts. Recon is almost as much money too. Sometimes it's hard to beat OEM stuff.

UNBROKEN said:

I ordered mine today from the link here...$422 shipped. Now I gotta talk John into making me a harness cause lord knows I hate wiring. lol

I looked all over Ebay and everywhere else that makes LED tails...none of the cheap crap or even Recon looks as good as the OEM parts. Recon is almost as much money too. Sometimes it's hard to beat OEM stuff.

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My thoughts exactly. Perfect fit, perfect reliability, and no questions about aftermarket quality. Plus, they look the best in my opinion as well!

PM'd ya as well.

Great write up!

Nice

Plug and Play options?

relliK said:

Plug and Play options?

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Only if you make a PnP harness.

There are not any formal manufacturers of them yet.

I just wanted to add to, but not hi-jack, this thread.

You do not need the load resistor at all - and given how hot that thing gets it's not the perfect solution.

Get your dealer to add the option LBQ to your build codes on DealerConnect and reflash the TIPM. LBQ is for Exterior LED lighting option - mostly used on 2500/3500 cab and chassis when adding a bed or box with LED tails - but CAN be added to 1500s too. Works perfectly.

Check it out for yourself: (large hi-res video at the end showing flash rate)

http://sdrv.ms/16w63SR

Hope this helps.

Netman66 said:

I just wanted to add to, but not hi-jack, this thread.

You do not need the load resistor at all - and given how hot that thing gets it's not the perfect solution.

Get your dealer to add the option LBQ to your build codes on DealerConnect and reflash the TIPM. LBQ is for Exterior LED lighting option - mostly used on 2500/3500 cab and chassis when adding a bed or box with LED tails - but CAN be added to 1500s too. Works perfectly.

Check it out for yourself: (large hi-res video at the end showing flash rate)

http://sdrv.ms/16w63SR

Hope this helps.

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So in this case, all that would be needed would be the lights and pig-tails?

relliK said:

So in this case, all that would be needed would be the lights and pig-tails?

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That's correct!

I found the resistors to be easier, but if you can get a dealer to flash the computer, that'd be the best way! I called a couple near me, and one wouldn't do it, and the other wanted $100 for it.

The resistors don't get too hot, in my opinion. I left them flashing for 15 minutes and they were only warm to the touch.

If I have a 2013 w/o the LED's, would it plug right in, or is the adapter still necessary?

ts3 said:

If I have a 2013 w/o the LED's, would it plug right in, or is the adapter still necessary?

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More than likely, yes, you'll need the adapter.

Pull a tail light and see how many plugs you have - if two, yes.

good stuff! this is something i plan on doing, since i had to get rid of my tinted tails.

I have to say, it's one of my favorite mods.

Anybody know if the part numbers listed above will fit a 2500? I have a 2013 that has the Premium LED tails and I would like the sport look. I just don't like the chrome bezel

2500 and 1500 take the same tails - so go for it!

So my 2013 Ram has the standard tail lights. I'd like the sport LED tail lights. But not sure if I could handle all that wiring, even how simple it is. LOL I will pull a tail light to verify what plug style I have.

So going to the dealer and having them reflash the TIPM & add the "LBQ" build code, is a better and simpler option then making the load resistor harness? Not sure I follow?

if this is done, all ill need is the tail lights and the LED tail pigtail wiring harness? (item # 2 on the supply list?)

Obviously, load resistors can be used on truck. Or based upon your truck's year you might have other cleaner & more reliable options:

For 2009 trucks the only method is to use load resistors.

For 2010 & 2011 trucks the "LBQ" sales code can be flashed to the TIPM (this requires dealer involvement).

2012 trucks have what I call a "LED Prep" wire already installed, you just have to find the L950 light green w/ with tracer wire near the Power Distribution Center in the engine compartment and ground it (it's coiled up with 4 additional wires & terminated with heat shrink).

2013 trucks have a few different ways to stay away from resistors: 1. if you have a VSIM in your truck you can find & ground the proper wire. 2. Cut the proper wire located at the CBC up under the dash by parking cable & above Alpine amp if you have the premium sound & ground it. 3. Use wire terminal kit #P68225777AA (which might already be included & laying in the glove box) to add a wire to an external connector located on driver's side behind front wheel well liner and grounding it.

All of this info I've acquired from the RAM Body Builder site with easily understandable color photos and step-by-step directions in PDF format. Because of where this all came from, there's no guarantee that '12 or '13 1500s or certain 2500s/3500s will have the proper wiring to stay away from resistors. My cousin has a '11 1500 and the dealer successfully flashed "LBQ" and it works. My '10 2500 has been flashed with "LBQ" and it works. My brother-in-law has a '12 2500 and it had the "LED Prep" wire and it works.

As for resistors...RAM specifies "9 or 10 Ohm 50 Watt load resistors." Seems a lot of people are using 6 Ohm 50 Watt and seem to work fine. I'm not an electrician so I don't know which one would actually be the best to use and/or which would be the cooler operating resistor...

To the original poster:
Any specific reason for using 6 Ohm resistors as opposed to 9 or 10 Ohm?

For 2013 owners LINK.
This shows a couple methods of altering the wiring to use LED's without getting fault codes.
Haven't used it but it may come in handy for someone.

dooramit said:

To the original poster:
Any specific reason for using 6 Ohm resistors as opposed to 9 or 10 Ohm?

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Sorry - just saw you post. No reason, other than the 6 ohm ones are more commonly available.