How To: Install Switchbacks from Retroshop into your 2009+ Ram 1500

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m.truitt527

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Hey everyone,

I bought switchbacks from Retroshop and am doing a write up on how to install them. This is from start to finish on one side. If you have any questions, feel free to PM me or leave a comment here and either me or someone else on the forum will get back to you ASAP

DISCLAIMER: I am not responsible for any damage or anything to your vehicle due to this write up. Use at your own risk.

Time Needed: ~30-45 minutes.

Tools Needed:
10mm Socket
Ratchet
~14" long extension (A small and big one will work as well)
Double Sided Tape
Electrical Tape
T-Taps or Splices
Knife
Patience

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Step 1:

Open your hood and take off the radiator cover (There's 6 clips that hold it in, best thing is to use a bit of force on each one and they'll come up.)

No picture for this one as I no longer have a cover there.

Step 2:

Remove the 4 10mm bolts along the top of your grill show in the locations below.

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Step 3:

Pop out the grill from the truck. You will have to use some force to get it out. My suggestion is put your hand on the inside and outside of the grill and pull that way. There's 2 "Christmas Tree" clips on both sides and one slide tab in the lower center of the grill. YOU WILL SCRATCH YOUR BUMPER UP SOME BY TAKING IT OUT. There's no way around that.

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Step 4:

Unscrew the 2 10mm bolts on the headlight as shown. This is where you'll need the long extension. Once they're out there's a panel behind them in the wheel well. It's sorta hidden but just run your hand around there and you'll find it. There's only one clip you need to pop out here, as well as a tab that's hidden behind the headlight. You probably will want to look up inside the area to find this white tab that you need to pop up.

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Step 5:

Put the headlight away from the truck STRAIGHT OUT. Disconnect the Turn Signal and remove the socket. Replace your old bulb with the new Switchback and make sure it's clicked in all the way.

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Step 6:

Find your resistors and attach some double sided tape to the back of them. You can either strip out the ends of the resistor or just use T-Taps to attach the resistor. The wires you need to tap into are the BLACK and the WHITE/TAN or WHITE/LIGHT GREEN wires. These can be easily found as they are the outermost wires on the plug.

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Step 7:

Mount your resistor somewhere with some slack to give. Make sure you mount them to metal NOT PLASTIC as they do get very hot and WILL MELT PLASTIC. Here's where I mounted mine:

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Step 8:

Last thing to do is to test them, if they work correctly you should see a white light on the parking lights and then the amber turn signal with no turn signal out light inside. Just follow the steps backwards to re install the light and the grill.

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Jmhm17

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Instead of the resistors is there a LED relay that we can just swap? I was able to do this on my Subaru. I don't like the idea of the inline resistors..
 

evanblain

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This is all I've heard of.

Thanks for the post, I'll be doing this in a few weeks once it warms up!
 

Sparkyy

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I have switchbacks that I am waiting to install along with tie in to the turn signals for some new tow mirrors with paddle lights.

Instead of the resistors is there a LED relay that we can just swap? I was able to do this on my Subaru. I don't like the idea of the inline resistors..


My understand is the resistors are needed to keep from hyper flashing.
 

TylerB

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Instead of the resistors is there a LED relay that we can just swap? I was able to do this on my Subaru. I don't like the idea of the inline resistors..

No, the relay won't have enough resistance for the canbus system on the trucks, so you get the bulb out warning and hyper-flashing.
 

Jmhm17

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I dont think you guys are understanding me. I understand how it works. There is a flasher relay int he truck that has a bulb out warning built into it based on resistance. They do make flasher relays with out the bulb out warning. but you need to know what type of relay is used stock to try and find the same relay with out the bulb out warning. All you need to do is replace the relay instead of splicing resistors..

I was asking if anyone knew if there was a relay with out bulb warning for our application.
 

WhiteExpress

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From my understanding, there is not a 'flasher relay' on the GenIV Rams period.
It's not a matter of replacing it with a different unit, because it outright doesn't exist.

Again, this is just my understanding. I also dislike the idea of an inline resistor, it seems very 'brutally effective' which isn't my style of mods.
 

Jmhm17

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Interesting, I wonder if anyone has a wiring schematic on this to tell for sure.
 

0212353

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its all in the computer.......so, yeah - nothing there to do that.

I had a customer of mine once wire in a set of trailer lights. They gave the resistance needed, and were enclosed, nothing crazy.......just another thought!
 

Jmhm17

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If its in the computer than it can be modified. What do they do for the factory LEDs then? I may ask my dealer..

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thoss29

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Worked like a charm, thanks for the write up
 

Lhemi

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Great write up! I'll be doing this in a couple days...
 
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