FZJ80 Parts Needed

[smcphc]

I'm new to the area and need to get my truck inspected. I have a Slee rear bumper, problem is I don't have a rear license plate lamp, nor the wiring harness that originally ran from the lamp assembly to the connector located in the rear, sort of in the middle where the bottom of the tailgate meets the floor.
Parts fiche shows the assembly for a 91-94, so I'm assuming those years are compatible. If anyone knows of any salvage yards with a LC or two please let me know. Already tried Wimberly with no luck. I'd rather not splice into the tail lamp harness, and the vehicle has a rear sub-tank so the towing harness is gone as well, or at least not readily accessible.

Thanks! Scott

[calaberas]

pm'd u

[Bear80]

So the PO pulled the original harness out of the lower tail gate? There is ONE pin to pull out of a connector and the plate lights will be disabled. Usally this pin is then wired to the new relocated plate light. Or did they pull the whole light bracket off also?

Well there is one salvaged '94 I know of but it's not in one of my "prefered" yards so I can't get any $$ off the parts. Otherwise you'll need to run a few new wires if the light bracket is still there.

Or you could buy my JDM offest bracket, I don't think I'm going to use it. Looks just like the one in the pic.

[BrettinSanAntonio]

Seriously, I don't think it will be noticed. most places don't bother beyond the head lights, tail lights and horn.

[rrdogma]

Originally Posted by BrettinSanAntonio

Seriously, I don't think it will be noticed. most places don't bother beyond the head lights, tail lights and horn.

Unless you have Cali plates

[BrettinSanAntonio]

I don't like your west coast attitude.

[smcphc]

Originally Posted by Bear80

So the PO pulled the original harness out of the lower tail gate? There is ONE pin to pull out of a connector and the plate lights will be disabled. Usally this pin is then wired to the new relocated plate light. Or did they pull the whole light bracket off also?

Well there is one salvaged '94 I know of but it's not in one of my "prefered" yards so I can't get any $$ off the parts. Otherwise you'll need to run a few new wires if the light bracket is still there.

Everything is gone from the tailgate. The pin connector has very little slack in the wire so it would be very difficult to splice into, which is why I was looking for a factory connector. I found a used assembly at Specter, so I plan on just extending the wire length and fabbing up a bracket for the original lamp assembly.

Originally Posted by BrettinSanAntonio

Seriously, I don't think it will be noticed. most places don't bother beyond the head lights, tail lights and horn.

I was going to chance it but it's such an easy fix with the right parts.

Originally Posted by rrdogma

Unless you have Cali plates

There's the rub.

[Bear80]

So is the tire carrier on the truck?

[smcphc]

Originally Posted by Bear80

So is the tire carrier on the truck?

Yes. Everything is as you see in the above picture. I ordered a used license lamp assembly and harness from Spector and my plan is to splice a longer cable into the harness so I can use the OEM connector and fabricate a bracket to mount the lamp above the plate on the spare. A small piece of aluminum angle should work. There are wire guides on the bumper and spare tire carrier to facilitate this. My other option is to drill some holes in the Slee bumper and mount the plate and lamp there.

Scott

[rrdogma]

Very nice! Is that Borrego?

Originally Posted by smcphc

[Bear80]

mounted on the swing arm with an autoparts brand lamp. 15mins and less than $10. cheers.

[smcphc]

[quote=Bear80;3410732]mounted on the swing arm with an autoparts brand lamp. 15mins and less than $10. cheers.

What did you splice into? I don't have the original lamp harness or a towing harness.

Scott

[smcphc]

Originally Posted by rrdogma

Very nice! Is that Borrego?

Up near Arches in Utah this past May.

Scott

[Bear80]

uh.....you do have working parking lights right??

[smcphc]

Originally Posted by Bear80

uh.....you do have working parking lights right??

Yeah, but I didn't want to splice into them with a factory connector sitting fat dumb and happy and staring me in the face. I don't mind spending a little extra for a clean plug and play install.

Scott

[Bear80]

Well you can pull the pin out, solder the wire to the back of the pin and re-insert it back in the connector. Clean and simple install, I've done it numerous times to "splice" into factory wiring. This way there is no wires to cut, strip, etc. However, do you know how to pull the pins out of the connector?

[smcphc]

Originally Posted by Bear80

Well you can pull the pin out, solder the wire to the back of the pin and re-insert it back in the connector. Clean and simple install, I've done it numerous times to "splice" into factory wiring. This way there is no wires to cut, strip, etc. However, do you know how to pull the pins out of the connector?

If I understand you correctly that would only work if I had both connectors. I only have the male side coming off the main harness. The female connector (which I don't have) connects to the main harness and goes to the license lamp assembly, and would be the one that I would need to remove the pins from. I do know how to remove pins, I even have that little sleeve tool that sometimes works.

In any case, I paid $35 for a used factory harness/lamp assembly, it's arriving tomorrow, and it should simply be a matter of plugging it in and relocating the plate and lamp assembly. If I hadn't been able to find a used one, I would be looking at other options, either tapping into the parking lamps or trying to get a little more slack out of the factory male license lamp connector as right now it doesn't even clear the access hole in the body.

I appreciate your options, but for me there really was a simple solution, it was only a matter of finding the right part. I would have preferred to find it locally, but there doesn't seem to be any 80's in the salvage yards around here.

Scott

[Bear80]

nope just need any connector, either the one that would have run into the tail gate or one of the rear tail light connectors in the back panels. It's just a piggy back onto the connector pin that runs from switched power. Well it's a trick to keep in mind for future wiring projects.

I did mention a '94 which should still have the tail gate and probably want around $20 for the harness you were looking for.

Let us know if the shop actually does a detailed inspection and hopefuly we see you at a meeting!

[cool breeze]

Cool looking rig man! When you going to come out and meet the gang?

[smcphc]

Originally Posted by Bear80

nope just need any connector, either the one that would have run into the tail gate or one of the rear tail light connectors in the back panels. It's just a piggy back onto the connector pin that runs from switched power. Well it's a trick to keep in mind for future wiring projects.

I did mention a '94 which should still have the tail gate and probably want around $20 for the harness you were looking for.

Let us know if the shop actually does a detailed inspection and hopefuly we see you at a meeting!

Thanks, I already piggybacked onto the reverse lamps for the one on the bumper. Hopefully this license lamp should finish off any wiring in that area. The place that did the inspection on my wife's car did actually drive it around a bit to test the brake lamps and parking brake. I doubt they looked at the plate lamp, but on my 80 it's so obvious that it doesn't have one that I didn't want to take the chance.

Thanks for the offer of the harness. I have a used one arriving today, if it's the wrong part or doesn't have what I need, I may take you up on the offer.

Originally Posted by cool breeze

Cool looking rig man! When you going to come out and meet the gang?

I tried to make the meeting last month, and stopped by the Longhorn Cafe. The parking lot was jammed, I did a quick drive through and didn't see any Cruisers, so I thought I might have the wrong place. It was the one on Blanco just inside 1604.

I did meet someone in the parking lot of Lowes/HEB over by Blanco a few weeks ago. I saw a lifted 80 with a Kaymar (I think) bumper. I said hello, forgot their names, but they pointed me towards this place.

We have no planned trips coming up, just did two weeks through Utah, Colorado, and New Mexico. We plan on checking out Big Bend sometime in the fall. I'll keep my eyes peeled for any future gatherings. Boulder Creek looked interesting, but we're just settling in and have a million things going on, as we bought an older house and the project list is pretty extensive.

Scott

[Bear80]

man you just missed us at the last meeting!! we parked around the corner by the pizza hut to take a picture. well i'm looking forward to meeting you!

[rrdogma]

Originally Posted by Bear80

man you just missed us at the last meeting!! we parked around the corner by the pizza hut to take a picture. well i'm looking forward to meeting you!

Geeeeshh.... you shoulda put up the banner

[Bear80]

now I wonder why I didn't get that banner up??

[ilikebigtires]

Yes, I wonder why the banner wasn't put up...hmmm...what could it have been?

[rrdogma]

no duct tape??

[jamisobe]

...or a lack of Vicodin maybe?

[jamisobe]

Anyway Kelly, I hope your back is feeling better. I've been there. Vicodin helps. I had good success with a Doctor of Osteopathy the last time my back acted up.