I did a thing for you people, for science. But, I need your help with ideas. (3 Viewers)

[MongooseGA]

I haven't seen this done before, so in my head I'm a visionary. Maybe it has, and in reality I'm a moron. Let's see...

When I bought my '05 LX, I was a little bitter about removing the badass running boards to install my sliders. On the newer model trucks (I think 03+?) they had built-in accent and puddle lighting and it's super cool looking.

So the other day, I took my old running boards out of storage and began removing the OEM lighting to retrofit it into my truck with the sliders installed. Here's what I've got:

First, you want to unscrew the fixtures from the puddle lights. 2 fixtures per side, 2 screws each. No bananas. There are also a series of plastic tension clips you'll need to squeeze to release. Half a banana because they're old and brittle. Then, remove the plastic screw anchors that hold the entire lighting kit behind the protective plastic panel (it'll all make sense looking at it).

Once you've done that, you'll need to release these little tabs that hold everything in place. You can run a straight edge along the seam, but I chose to just slice them to avoid deforming the parts.

That will allow you to free the entire lighting assembly from the running board, still inside of the plastic protective trim pieces.

 

[suprarx7nut]

I have the same thought with my 06LX. I went into the purchase thinking I'd rip those off and not miss them for a second. Then I hit unlock at night and the glow came alive. It does look really nice and I would love to integrate it into my slee sliders. It's worth a shot!

Excited to see what you come up with!

 

[MongooseGA]

Finally, you can remove the plastic shield and this is what you're left with:

Two plastic light tubes (they're directional, so they will need to be installed with that in mind) plus 2 downward facing puddle lights. Each of thee puddle lights has a little blue condom on the bulb. I'll likely try to find a matching but brighter bulb and reuse the condon. I also cleaned the lenses in and out.

And roughly laid on my sliders and plugged in to get an idea of what it could be like: (one of my puddle lights is out)

So my idea is to reuse all of the OEM wiring and connectors because...they're all there. I realize this won't be as simple or probably as effective as one of the kits made by members here, but it's also a cool OEM thing to keep. Wanting to mount the light tubes above the sliders so they shine outward like factory. I'll probably need to build some simple brackets. Also going to play with ideas to reuse the protective shields I removed.

Lastly, I'd like to figure out some kind of way to put the lights on a switch. I'm an electrical moron, so I have lots of research to do to try to figure it out.

Open to ideas! If someone's done this already, I'll just take a link to that thread...

 

[saucebox]

All in for the experiment. I've got the Owl kit, but that was more a function of laziness.

For the switch—I think it's just switched ground, so simple SPST. I haven't done it to mine (yet...I'd really like to get it working), but there is some detail in the Owl threads where it's been discussed.

 

[Ozymandias]

I did the same thing. I made some mounts out of scrap ABS I had laying around for these lights, and used the wiring to power them. They're uneven, but better than nothing.

 

[Lonegrasshopper]

How much for the tow tongue?

 

[bluecruiser]

Doesn't @Ramathorn15 make a light that is all setup to serve this purpose?

 

[ClassyJalopy]

Finally, you can remove the plastic shield and this is what you're left with:

Two plastic light tubes (they're directional, so they will need to be installed with that in mind) plus 2 downward facing puddle lights. Each of thee puddle lights has a little blue condom on the bulb. I'll likely try to find a matching but brighter bulb and reuse the condon. I also cleaned the lenses in and out.

View attachment 2237341

And roughly laid on my sliders and plugged in to get an idea of what it could be like: (one of my puddle lights is out)

View attachment 2237342

So my idea is to reuse all of the OEM wiring and connectors because...they're all there. I realize this won't be as simple or probably as effective as one of the kits made by members here, but it's also a cool OEM thing to keep. Wanting to mount the light tubes above the sliders so they shine outward like factory. I'll probably need to build some simple brackets. Also going to play with ideas to reuse the protective shields I removed.

Lastly, I'd like to figure out some kind of way to put the lights on a switch. I'm an electrical moron, so I have lots of research to do to try to figure it out.

Open to ideas! If someone's done this already, I'll just take a link to that thread...

Use zip ties. AKA universal mounting solution.

kidding aside - this is great post! Excited to see the finished product!

 

[bamabrock]

I bolted up some $15 amazon 18w lights, but the factory neon glow has me all '90s nostalgic

 

[suprarx7nut]

Doesn't @Ramathorn15 make a light that is all setup to serve this purpose?

I think the @Ramathorn15 (Owl Expedition) kit covers the wiring and under light mounting side of the solution, but it doesn't address mounting the badass light tubes above the sliders.

I'm all for the Owl Expedition kit and will probably buy that, but mounting the huge tubes is what gets me all excited.

 

[MongooseGA]

How much for the tow tongue?

Chuckle. It actually doesn't fit my truck, but it belongs to my dad and he's well aware I still have it.

Doesn't @Ramathorn15 make a light that is all setup to serve this purpose?

He does. Like I mentioned, the aftermarket options for this are probably way better and easier, but nowhere near as cool.

One of the issues I'm going to run in to is that the components for all of this are obviously sized and shaped for the running board home they came out of. It may be pretty snug in between the rocker and slider to fit it all. Also, @suprarx7nut you gave me an idea about incorporating them, but maybe not worth the effort: what about building the sliders to hold these as an all-in-one unit? Vs hard mounting the lights to the truck.

 

[e9999]

Nice, but if you use LED strips, you can get flashing rainbow colors... Cheap, easy and DISCO!

 

[LCT]

Finally, you can remove the plastic shield and this is what you're left with:

Two plastic light tubes (they're directional, so they will need to be installed with that in mind) plus 2 downward facing puddle lights. Each of thee puddle lights has a little blue condom on the bulb. I'll likely try to find a matching but brighter bulb and reuse the condon. I also cleaned the lenses in and out.

View attachment 2237341

And roughly laid on my sliders and plugged in to get an idea of what it could be like: (one of my puddle lights is out)

View attachment 2237342

So my idea is to reuse all of the OEM wiring and connectors because...they're all there. I realize this won't be as simple or probably as effective as one of the kits made by members here, but it's also a cool OEM thing to keep. Wanting to mount the light tubes above the sliders so they shine outward like factory. I'll probably need to build some simple brackets. Also going to play with ideas to reuse the protective shields I removed.

Lastly, I'd like to figure out some kind of way to put the lights on a switch. I'm an electrical moron, so I have lots of research to do to try to figure it out.

Open to ideas! If someone's done this already, I'll just take a link to that thread...

What do you have for headlights? They look bright and have a sharp cutoff.

 

[MongooseGA]

Nice, but if you use LED strips, you can get flashing rainbow colors... Cheap, easy and DISCO!

If I were a smarter man, I would go that route and it'd be completed same-day.

Evidently I'm not.

What do you have for headlights? They look bright and have a sharp cutoff.

TSX projector retrofit and you're probably seeing my LED fogs as well.

 

[ShadowMTN]

I took the wiring harness from the running boards and then just kept the plug and about 4 inches of the wire lead. I then wired up the leads to these lights and put 2 of them on each side and on the bolts that the running boards mount to under the chassis. Simple bolt right on the studs. You can reuse the bolts from the running boards as well. Link to lights. KC HILITES | 2" Cyclone LED Light - Universal LED Dome, Bumper and Wheel Wells

 

[suprarx7nut]

Nice, but if you use LED strips, you can get flashing rainbow colors... Cheap, easy and DISCO!

But would the cheap LED strips be a solid, uniform bar of light? That's the draw of those OEM lights. It's a long bar of perfectly uniform light.

 

[craaaazzy]

seeing what u come up with cause I saved my steps as well in order to figure out how to reused the lights as well.

 

[MongooseGA]

Don't anyone hold your breath here. That silver vintage tool box in the background on my workbench has been in progress for 2 years...

I did just go out and fiddle a bit with it. I'll have to remove or at least drop my sliders down to play anymore, but I think I've got a plan.

There is plenty of room between the top of the slider rail and bottom of the rocker panel for the whole shebang. My thought is to use some 1-1.5" aluminum channel or 90* to build a bracket held to the body with the bolts at the bottom of the rocker. I'd run it the full length vs individual brackets. This would give the tubes rigidity if bolted to the channel on both ends of each tube. The plastic shields I removed just cover the back of the tube, which would be accomplished here by the aluminum- no need to retain them. The ends of each tube (bulb and power plug with plastic bracket) are 1.5" X 2", and the biggest parts of the whole thing.

Depending on how the tubes get mounted to the brackets (I'm leaning toward bracket side up, which is reversed from factory), it may be necessary to swap the DS and PS parts in order to keep the white backing strip facing outward, as is correct.

The puddle lights will be easy. they'll just get mounted on some brackets above the frame rail.

 

[Ramathorn15]

All in for the experiment. I've got the Owl kit, but that was more a function of laziness.

For the switch—I think it's just switched ground, so simple SPST. I haven't done it to mine (yet...I'd really like to get it working), but there is some detail in the Owl threads where it's been discussed.

Switching the ground works, but you can't use a lit switch in most cases. Some cheapo switches work, but the nice switches with led back lighting and indicator lights won't. It's also a bit risky since you're grounding a circuit that's connected to the ECU when it's not intending to be grounded. Chances are probably pretty slim that it damages the ECU, but we're enough for me to not go that route.

I plan to finish up my relay setup this weekend. It pretty much bypasses the factory system but works the same. It was a bit of a challenge getting it working properly due to the PWM of the factory circuit, but I managed to work out all the kinks.

 

[saucebox]

Switching the ground works, but you can't use a lit switch in most cases. Some cheapo lights work, but the nice switches with led back lighting and indicator lights won't. It's also a bit risky since you're grounding a circOofuit that's connected to the ECU when it's not intending to be grounded. Chances are probably pretty slim that it damages the ECU, but we're enough for me to not go that route.

I plan to finish up my relay setup this weekend. It pretty much bypasses the factory system but works the same. It was a bit of a challenge getting it working properly due to the PWM of the factory circuit, but I managed to work out all the kinks.

Oof, thanks for the correction. Tangling with the ECU is way outside of my comfort range, and I'm glad you stepped in to squash the "I heard that you could..."