Hi Folks!
I'm documenting the installation process for the Lumberjack Engineering Rear Hatch Light Mount (available here!). These are way easier to install than the 100 Series equivalent, since there's only one light & there's already constant 12V available in the tailgate. You should be able to get this done in about 20 minutes!
Before we jump into that - check out the final product:
(above photo was a test-fit before I had the on/off switch installed...)
Pretty snazzy eh? Let's get going then! I should have a video on this here in the next couple days that I'll embed below - be warned though, I'm a way better engineer than I am a videographer.
There's two variants - one that mounts KC HiLites Cyclone V2 (which is a well-performing, affordable light from a reputable company), and one that mounts a Diode Dynamics Stage Series Rocklight (which is the ultimate in performance - dual brightness levels, 40% brighter on high than the Cyclone, and built in the USA). Either one of them offers different colored covers, so if you don't want white light that's easily addressed!
The install process for either light is nearly identical, the only difference is the DD light has 3 wires (instead of two) and the switch matches that to allow for high/low/off. Easy day either way!
Thing's you'll need not included with the LJE mount:
Step 0: Disconnect your positive battery cable!
Common sense, but please make sure you do this. You'll be splicing into the vehicle wiring later on, so disconnect the battery now before you forget!
Step one: Get that interior panel off!
To pull the interior hatch trim off, first pop the 2x access panels - one that the hatch light will replace, and the other one that covers the pull strap bolt. Go ahead and remove said pull strap screw:
Then, put your hand into the other access panel hole (that you'll later fill with the hatch light mount) and gently pull the edge of the trim downwards. At this point the trim panel is mostly held on by clips, so once you pop the ones free by the access panel just work your way around until both sides are free up until the lip around the window:
Once all the clips are free, the trim panel just needs to be pushed towards the front of the truck to disengage the lip around the rear window. Once that's done you're then free to pull the interior panel down - tada!
Step B: Identify and splice into the constant 12V & ground wire!
Don't worry - I've already done the investigative work here!
On the drivers side of the hatch, you'll see the below module. See that blue connector with the red arrow pointing to it? Go ahead and disconnect this plug from the module. (You already disconnected the battery earlier, right?)
You're looking for the thick solid blue wire (which is constant +12V when the battery is connected) and the thick white wire with the black tracer:
Once you find those wires, all you need to do is splice into them! I cut some of the electrical tape that secured them to the nearest support to give me some more room to work with.
Lots of options to splice into them with. I'm usually a fan of solder + heatshrink, but you can use butt splicers/T-taps/whatever you'd like. I ended up with some butt splices and electrical tape here because I was doing this standing in a gravel area away from my house, so soldering would have been somewhat of a pain.
Here's (roughly) what it should look like when it's done. Make sure you strain relieve the new wires coming off the connections! Does electrical tape ever look not sloppy? I don't love it...
Go ahead and plug that connector back into the module, and route the wire you just added over to the area where the hatch light will be. This should be done outside the vapor barrier (as shown below) - that way there's no chance for it to get caught by the rear window:
Step III: Reinstall the rear hatch interior trim!
Pretty self explanatory here. Make sure you poke the wire you just ran out the access panel opening, hook the trim panel around the rear window opening, and then push up & pop all the clips back into place. Then go ahead and install the pull handle, screw, and screw cover.
Step Quatro: Prep the light mount and wire ends!
Wiring for the KC Cyclone:
Wiring for the DD Stage Series Rock Lights:
Step Final: Install the assembled light mount!
You made it! Now, just connect the +12V wire that you previously wired in the rear hatch to the unused switch terminal, and then connect the ground wire (coming off the light itself) to the ground wire you installed in the hatch.
Then, making sure the two locking/moving tabs of the light mount are flipped downwards (out of the way), insert the hatch light housing into the access panel cavity - placing the lower tabs in first, and then rocking it backwards to seat it. Tighten the two locking tabs with a 2mm allen key/driver - as you do, they'll rotate upwards and lock against the rear of the trim panel by themselves. That's maybe my favorite part of this entire design, haha!
YOU'RE DONE! Bask in the wonderful glow of a well-lit cargo/rear hatch area:
I'm documenting the installation process for the Lumberjack Engineering Rear Hatch Light Mount (available here!). These are way easier to install than the 100 Series equivalent, since there's only one light & there's already constant 12V available in the tailgate. You should be able to get this done in about 20 minutes!
Before we jump into that - check out the final product:
(above photo was a test-fit before I had the on/off switch installed...)
Pretty snazzy eh? Let's get going then! I should have a video on this here in the next couple days that I'll embed below - be warned though, I'm a way better engineer than I am a videographer.
There's two variants - one that mounts KC HiLites Cyclone V2 (which is a well-performing, affordable light from a reputable company), and one that mounts a Diode Dynamics Stage Series Rocklight (which is the ultimate in performance - dual brightness levels, 40% brighter on high than the Cyclone, and built in the USA). Either one of them offers different colored covers, so if you don't want white light that's easily addressed!
The install process for either light is nearly identical, the only difference is the DD light has 3 wires (instead of two) and the switch matches that to allow for high/low/off. Easy day either way!
Thing's you'll need not included with the LJE mount:
- The light that machines your mount choice: KC Cyclone or Diode Dynamics Stage Series Rock Light
- ~4 feet of 18 gauge, 2-conductor wire: Amazon Link
- Insulated Crimp Spade connector: Amazon Link
- Some way of splicing the wire: Amazon Link for Insulated Butt Connectors
- Electrical tape, wire cutters with a crimping section, misc hand tools.
Step 0: Disconnect your positive battery cable!
Common sense, but please make sure you do this. You'll be splicing into the vehicle wiring later on, so disconnect the battery now before you forget!
Step one: Get that interior panel off!
To pull the interior hatch trim off, first pop the 2x access panels - one that the hatch light will replace, and the other one that covers the pull strap bolt. Go ahead and remove said pull strap screw:
Then, put your hand into the other access panel hole (that you'll later fill with the hatch light mount) and gently pull the edge of the trim downwards. At this point the trim panel is mostly held on by clips, so once you pop the ones free by the access panel just work your way around until both sides are free up until the lip around the window:
Once all the clips are free, the trim panel just needs to be pushed towards the front of the truck to disengage the lip around the rear window. Once that's done you're then free to pull the interior panel down - tada!
Step B: Identify and splice into the constant 12V & ground wire!
Don't worry - I've already done the investigative work here!
On the drivers side of the hatch, you'll see the below module. See that blue connector with the red arrow pointing to it? Go ahead and disconnect this plug from the module. (You already disconnected the battery earlier, right?)
You're looking for the thick solid blue wire (which is constant +12V when the battery is connected) and the thick white wire with the black tracer:
Once you find those wires, all you need to do is splice into them! I cut some of the electrical tape that secured them to the nearest support to give me some more room to work with.
Lots of options to splice into them with. I'm usually a fan of solder + heatshrink, but you can use butt splicers/T-taps/whatever you'd like. I ended up with some butt splices and electrical tape here because I was doing this standing in a gravel area away from my house, so soldering would have been somewhat of a pain.
Here's (roughly) what it should look like when it's done. Make sure you strain relieve the new wires coming off the connections! Does electrical tape ever look not sloppy? I don't love it...
Go ahead and plug that connector back into the module, and route the wire you just added over to the area where the hatch light will be. This should be done outside the vapor barrier (as shown below) - that way there's no chance for it to get caught by the rear window:
Step III: Reinstall the rear hatch interior trim!
Pretty self explanatory here. Make sure you poke the wire you just ran out the access panel opening, hook the trim panel around the rear window opening, and then push up & pop all the clips back into place. Then go ahead and install the pull handle, screw, and screw cover.
Step Quatro: Prep the light mount and wire ends!
- Go ahead and grab the Lumberjack Engineering Hatch Light mount + the light you bought. Take the rear strap off the back of the LJE mount, drop your light in, and reinstall that strap with the M3x12 screws. Voila! Light is mounted.
- Next, crimp spade connectors onto the end of the wires:
- For the wires that you just ran in the hatch, use a female connector on the positive wire, and then a male spade connector on the ground wire.
- For the KC Cyclones: It's obvious - the black wire is ground (which gets a female spade connector), and red wire is +12V, which also gets a female spade connector. Once you've crimped the positive terminal, go ahead and plug it into the switch. For this one, it doesn't matter which terminal you choose since it's just interrupting the +12V from the hatch. See first photo below.
- For the Diode Dynamics Stage Series Rock Lights,: The black wire is ground, the red wire provides full brightness when +12V is applied, and the yellow wire provides half brightness when +12V is applied. Crimp female spade connectors onto all three, and then plug the red wire into the bottom switch terminal, and the yellow wire into the top switch terminal - like the second photo below! The +12V from the hatch wiring will connect to the middle terminal:
Wiring for the KC Cyclone:
Wiring for the DD Stage Series Rock Lights:
Step Final: Install the assembled light mount!
You made it! Now, just connect the +12V wire that you previously wired in the rear hatch to the unused switch terminal, and then connect the ground wire (coming off the light itself) to the ground wire you installed in the hatch.
Then, making sure the two locking/moving tabs of the light mount are flipped downwards (out of the way), insert the hatch light housing into the access panel cavity - placing the lower tabs in first, and then rocking it backwards to seat it. Tighten the two locking tabs with a 2mm allen key/driver - as you do, they'll rotate upwards and lock against the rear of the trim panel by themselves. That's maybe my favorite part of this entire design, haha!
YOU'RE DONE! Bask in the wonderful glow of a well-lit cargo/rear hatch area:
