Installing cab lights in 2G Dodge Ram 2500

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Rogan68

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Here's my write-up on Home Page of Mopar1973Man forum...


At any rate, I installed clear lens/amber LED cab lights this past weekend. My truck did not have them from the factory, so I bought some EuroLite 9-LED ones for a Ford, from eBay for $70 delivered. I liked the Ford-style ones better, so that's what I went with. They arrived in a box, no instructions, no packaging, only an invoice, lights, and packing peanuts...

this style:
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Since my truck didn't have cab lights, I had to drill..

In a nutshell:

  1. Drop headliner (phillips screws hold visors, pinch clips for overhead console, T20 for pass. side grab-handle, T20 for QC latch trim covers, snaps for a-pillar trim
  2. Tape a straight line from top corners of windshield.
  3. Measured 6" up on each side, and taped another straight line across.
  4. Found Center line, marked it on the tape
  5. From center line, outward, measure 8.5", mark it
  6. From the center line, outward, measure 21". mark it
  7. Once you have these lines marked, measure 5.75" from top edge of windshield, back. This mark will be the forward-most point of the cab light. (this will put the wiring of the Ford-style lights right about over the inner cab-wall hole.
  8. Using the base of one light, make a cardboard template of the light base, and drill holes where wiring and screw holes will be.
  9. Mark center line on template. This will aid you in lining/centering/straightening up the lights and marking the drill locations.
  10. Align center line of template onto each parallel line for the light locations, taking into account the front of the light base on the 5.75" back-set mark.
  11. Drill the three holes required by the lights (2 mounting screws, one wiring hole)
  12. I used an 1/8" (.125) bit for making the #8 screw pilot holes. Also a pilot hole for the wiring, to be drilled out to 3/8", or .375
  13. Apply a dab of clear silicon on each mounting screw hole on the cab, and a blob around the wiring at the light base
  14. Place the light base onto the cab, carefully ensuring that it's aligned properly.
  15. Mount the light bases using (purchased separately) #8 x .75 SS sheet metal screws, and snug them down evenly
  16. Once all are mounted, move inside the truck and wire lights in series.
  17. I grounded them within headliner, and ran 'hot wire' down driver's a-pillar, to headlight switch (remove bezel, 3 phillips screws and slide headlight switch out. Wire is black/yellow.
  18. Check for proper operation.
  19. Reinstall everything if all is good to go!



The measurements I used/came up with are on my 2001, so yeah, late 2G trucks. If you're using Dodge-style lights, then your front-to-back measurements may be different. I used the Ford style, so they're a little shorter, IIRC. My lights are 4" long, and the mounting screws are left to right. I think the Dodge mounting screws are front to back?

Regardless, from centerline of the cab, you'll find (when you drop the headliner) that the lights are CENTER, 8.5", and 21" from center, either direction. (or center 0", left-inner @ 8.5", left-outer @ 12.5" from left-inner, same for right side.
I think the wiring hole on inside of roofline (factory location) is about 7-3/4" from windshield edge.


2966d1322791833-should-i-add-cab-lights-cablight_tape-jpg


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Drilling that first hole was nerve-racking! Once I popped it through, though, it was all cake from there..

You don't really even have to 'remove' the headliner, just drop the front.

  1. 3 phillips screws on each visor
  2. 1 phillips screw on each visor retainer
  3. OHC has 2 pinch clamps and pull backward
  4. 2 T20 bolts retain pass. side grab handle
  5. both a-pillar trims pop off
  6. pull down door seals enough to clear the edges of the HL
  7. *if you have a QC, then torx20 takes the screws out of the overhead QC door latch trim covers
  8. Pop the two center plastic retainer pins in the rear/center headliner (leave the rear-most push pins in the headliner)




Then I just let the HL hang down in the front, resting on the front seat headrests.. This provided plenty of room to get in there and wire it all up.

Grounded the cab lights to a single point in the ceiling, and ran a single power wire down the A-pillar, into the dash to the light switch, tagged the black w/yellow striped wire (PRK LIGHT wire) and reassembled it all back.

Takes like 5 minutes to drop the headliner. you can leave the middle dome light alone; it's fastened to the headliner, itself, not the roof.

Overhead console. Open the garage door opener compartment. Two pinch clips in there. Pinch them and slide the console backward. Its a PITA but will come out.
 

wermbang

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Thanks for the write up!
 

rambob

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great info. just what I was looking for.
thanks
 

ramhunter9

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Just ordered some cab lights .. this inspired me thank you
 

ramhunter9

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Thats what I ordered ..LOL
 
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Rogan68

Rogan68

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Hell yeah! Which did you order?

Sent from my rooted EVO's tiny keyboard with my opposable thumbs...
 

ramhunter9

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Recon smoked , JJ found them on Amazon for 75 bucks with harness
 

rambob

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I hate you Dave. And your well paying job and bonuses, and extended free time.








By hate I of course mean envy.
 

ramhunter9

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LOL . hey you get stuff from me so dont complain
 

rambob

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Haha. Have any 100 grain broadheads laying around?
 

ramhunter9

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Yes I do , But at 40 bucks per 3 I will be keeping them
 

johnnyjaws98

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i wanted top lights to plus a sunvisior i orderd from summit the lund visior with built in lights in it
 
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