cool
thanks, i look forward to this and wish i had thought of it sooner!
thanks, i look forward to this and wish i had thought of it sooner!
cargo light photos
- Thread starter loquito
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- Joined
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- Location
- Sunnyvale, CA
- Website
- www.george4wd.taskled.com
MORE light... The old fluoro tube died (yep, they do). Gutted and installed 3 1W Luxeons and opened up the diffuser since Luxeons are close to 180 degree beam width already.
Yeah, tiewraps! Worked well for several years already.
Buttoned up and the LEDs set to dim level (the driver I used has 8 output levels - selectable via a single switch).
Late dusk and boy it's bright back there now
george.
Yeah, tiewraps! Worked well for several years already.
Buttoned up and the LEDs set to dim level (the driver I used has 8 output levels - selectable via a single switch).
Late dusk and boy it's bright back there now
george.
I figured I'd add the setup I have in the rear. I didn't want to an serious cutting, well because I was lazy. So instead I went with pre-made LED units from this place: Super Bright LEDs
They were a coupel bucks more than soldering something together but for the setup I wanted it was far easier.
Here are the units FIT series, they are the second ones down. When I purchased them they were low $20's each, I see now they went up a few dollars. I went with the warm white units rather than the cool white. They are more yellow than the dome lights I got from George. They are a little easier on the eyes when working in the back. At any rate they had the minimum output I wanted and were round. I ditched the s&%tty 3" speakers used a hole saw and double sticky taped them to the back side of the grills. I used twisted pair wire that tied into the existing rear light wiring so they would function with the hatch and not with the doors. Put the grills back in place and done. Since they shine more or less towards the middle and have a 40' beam they have good coverage. Albiet nothing like Geaorges light bar, that thing could be used as a lighthouse lamp.
George I'm surprised you didn't go with two 3W Luxeons.
Any how here are the pics, enjoy.
Left side
Right side
All
Never mind the filthy headliner
If I didn't take the pics now I'd forget, so here they are.
All
On the floor. Nevermind the bare wood, another project another day.
They were a coupel bucks more than soldering something together but for the setup I wanted it was far easier.
Here are the units FIT series, they are the second ones down. When I purchased them they were low $20's each, I see now they went up a few dollars. I went with the warm white units rather than the cool white. They are more yellow than the dome lights I got from George. They are a little easier on the eyes when working in the back. At any rate they had the minimum output I wanted and were round. I ditched the s&%tty 3" speakers used a hole saw and double sticky taped them to the back side of the grills. I used twisted pair wire that tied into the existing rear light wiring so they would function with the hatch and not with the doors. Put the grills back in place and done. Since they shine more or less towards the middle and have a 40' beam they have good coverage. Albiet nothing like Geaorges light bar, that thing could be used as a lighthouse lamp.
George I'm surprised you didn't go with two 3W Luxeons.
Any how here are the pics, enjoy.
Left side
Right side
All
Never mind the filthy headliner
If I didn't take the pics now I'd forget, so here they are.
All
On the floor. Nevermind the bare wood, another project another day.
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alia176
SILVER Star
Can someone figure out how to tie the second and third row lights together? I tried running a snake between the two lights and it was a no go. I didn't wanna hurt the head liner. If I wasn't so lazy, I would figure out where the wires come together to the door light module thingie and jumper it there!
I've installed an identical dome light as the other two in the cargo area. However, mine is placed on the passenger side of the area due to the fact that's where the Engel resides. It's nice to have the light shining directly into it while camping. Still haven't had the guts to go crazy and drive couple of self tappers through the metal part yet!
Ali
I've installed an identical dome light as the other two in the cargo area. However, mine is placed on the passenger side of the area due to the fact that's where the Engel resides. It's nice to have the light shining directly into it while camping. Still haven't had the guts to go crazy and drive couple of self tappers through the metal part yet!
Ali
I don't believe the later model (95+) comes with the wiring for the cargo area light, at least not in the US models. I had to snake a wire thru the headliner to the second row light. Jim has done an excellent writeup on installing a OEM dome light in the cargo area.
https://forum.ih8mud.com/showthread.php?t=43073
https://forum.ih8mud.com/showthread.php?t=43073
tucker74
Moderator
I used the harness that was tucked up in the corner to install an OEM middle row light in the rear of mine. The factory harness is pretty trick - it only illuminates when the hatch is open (all three do), the front doors only get the front two rows. I thought it was pretty trick ... now to get a set of LEDs for all three -
Tucker
BTW - this was a
30 min mod last weekend.
Tucker
BTW - this was a
30 min mod last weekend.
97 FZJ80 said:
And the good part about tying into the middle row light is you have the same switch functionality. When the setting is on "Door", it comes on if the doors or the hatch is open. Or you can turn it on manually. On this latest truck I didn't grind down the standoffs as much and that left clearance between the back of the switch and the steel roof liner. I also applied some silver reflective HVAC adhesive tape to the liner inside the cutout and it makes the light brighter. I am not a fan of LED white light so time permitting I am going to drop the other two lights and place some tape in there to increase the bulb's intensity.
alia176 said:
If you are not installing it on the side, I'd forget the OEM D-pillar wiring. Just snake two new wires from the 2nd row light and plug them into the 3rd row switch in the same spots (I used crimped female connectors). This will make the light come on in the "Door" mode. Then, once you install the housing into the truck's sheet metal with the 4 housing mounting screws, you will have grounded out the light so that it will work in the "On" position as well.
Jim
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tucker74
Moderator
My D-pillar wiring had enough slack to place the light in the center, and has the same "door" and "on" features.elmariachi said:
Tucker
elmariachi said:
I also put the reflective HVAC (also know as foil tape) behind the bulbs before I upgraded to George's LEDs. I also replaced the bulbs with 10 watt units while I had the lens off and the light output was significantly brighter.
I believe the Luxeon LED comes in different colors. The warmer colors are not as bright.
John
I just finished this great mod this afternoon!
Very useful mod!
I also installed the "Georges LED" in it! Very Nice!
Thanks to Loquito for all of the info!
p.s. cutting the headliner is very nerve racking!
Very useful mod!
I also installed the "Georges LED" in it! Very Nice!
Thanks to Loquito for all of the info!
p.s. cutting the headliner is very nerve racking!
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- Thread starter
- #52
My pleasure, happy your done with it.Boston Mangler said:I just finished this great mod this afternoon!
Very useful mod!
I also installed the "Georges LED" in it! Very Nice!
Thanks to Loquito for all of the info!
p.s. cutting the headliner is very nerve racking!
Bumpity, bump, bump:
Q: Do all 80 series vehicles have this "extra" harness that everyone has seemed to find? My rig (1997) does not seem to have an extra harness up there for a cargo area light to be attached.
Oh, and I have no headliner so the harness is right there in the open. Nothing extra at all.
I guess I could just splice into the 2nd row dome light and extend to the rear.
Thanks.
-onur
Q: Do all 80 series vehicles have this "extra" harness that everyone has seemed to find? My rig (1997) does not seem to have an extra harness up there for a cargo area light to be attached.
Oh, and I have no headliner so the harness is right there in the open. Nothing extra at all.
I guess I could just splice into the 2nd row dome light and extend to the rear.
Thanks.
-onur
Bump
Someone said they didn't think that the U.S. spec 95-97's have the harness but I also would like to know for sure before tearing mine open looking for it.
Someone said they didn't think that the U.S. spec 95-97's have the harness but I also would like to know for sure before tearing mine open looking for it.
Yeah, you splice into the second row light. *Note* when you go to test it, it won't work till you screw it down. Screwing it down grounds everything.
Good Luck, it's a great MOD.
Good Luck, it's a great MOD.
