Tailgate Marker Light Install Help.

[SFord]

I have the marker lights coming from my Dodge dealer on Friday and was wondering what kind of an install this would be? Can anyone who has added these lihgts please give me some pointers or a description of the install procedure. I also have the wiring coming as well and this is really the part I not sure about.

 

[PHaller]

Measure and find the center of your tailgate and mark it. Do the same on the light bar. Match the marks and drill the 2 holes in the tailgate at the screw locatins in the light bar. Buy 2 stainless sheet metal screws long enough to penetrate the sheet metal and paint the heads black. Install light bar. Buy a 2 connector Molex block or similar and install the wires into the licence lamp circuit.

Just a side note here, existing light circuits on the truck tap off the headlight switch BEFORE the trailer relay if you have a tow package. So, all extra lights added to the truck and routed to existing circuits are drawn THROUGH the switch contacts not the relay. If you add many lights, like cab clearance and rear taigate lights, you may burn the contacts in the light switch.

An additional relay added to the circuit will prevent the switch from overheating which was a big problem on stock 3500 trucks. The problem on 3500 was so bad that D/C offered a TSB and later a recall on the 3500 trucks which replaced the switch, harness, and plug and included a relay overlay so no more burned light switches.

-Paul R. Haller-

 

[SFord]

Thanks Paul, some good info but I,m still not clear on where the wiring exits the tailgate. Does it drop straight down to the license plate lamp wiring or what. Also is there just a single wire involved or two? I will probably have a better idea when the parts arrive and be able to base this on the length of wire provided by DC.



Steve.

 

[Bob Cochran]

Steve on my 3500 the light bar wiring comes out a hole in the bottom center of the tailgate. It then routes through a hole in the center of the truck and plugs into the wiring harness to the left of the spare tire I think. I am guessing the wiring you will get has probably the female plug. Then the guestion is the male plug for this connection exisiting in the wire loom under the truck? I hope this helps and if I am not wrong as I am telling you this from memory as it is dark and rainy here tonight and don't want to go look. Will look tommorow if you want me to; let me know. Should pretty obvious to you how it is connected once you get the stuff I would think.

 

[mgoncalves]

Can you wire them off of the trailer harness? I am planning on adding these lights and clearance lights soon, I don't want to burn anything up though.



On Edit- SFord, if you don't mind can you please post the part # for the light and the harness.

 

[SFord]

As soon as I get the parts I will post p/n's. Should arrive as early as 1/09. I'm now a little concerned myself after reading the above post regarding the frying of the headlight sw. I hope others respond to this possible problem and clarify. I have added cab lights, gauge lights (3) and now the tailgate lights. Wil this be too much for the system ?

 

[SFord]

Thanks Bob, You did answer my question.



Steve.

 

[PHaller]

When I did mine, the wiring harness was from the bulbs only, about 2 feet long from the light bar and ended in a female D/C plug that had no corresponding male half under the bumper. I cut off the connector and bought a male and female molex plug and wired them to the license marker light circuit hiding the connector under the bumper. I also drilled a 1/2 hole in the tailgate behind the light bar so the 2 wires and plug can be routed out inside the tailgate and through an existing hole beneath the tailgate so the wiring is unseen. I covered the wires in loom and wire tied to the bottom of the tailgate just like factory so you can either remove the light bar or tailgate as desired by just unplugging the connector under the bumper. On 2500 trucks no provision is offered for the light bar unless special ordered so you must tie into a light circuit or into the trailer tow circuit.

Adding a relay to the headlight circuit right behind the dash at the switch is a good idea, IMHO, because of the known overheating problem with that switch. The added relay would only pick up the load of the exterior light circuits and any you may add + the trailer tow relay which then picks up the trailer light load.

I bought a Bosch relay that was rated for 30 amps and included a base with wires and just used the light switch to pick up the relay. Everything needed is right there at the light switch. Ground, a heavy 12 gauge 12V+ and the switch as a trigger . Just add the relay and cut the wire output from the switch and wire it to the output from the relay instead. While I was there, I also switched the wires from the light switch to the cargo light and interior lights so the cargo light comes on BEFORE the interior lights instead of after, so I can see stuff in the bed at night without the interior light on. Put it all back together, wrap the added relay with foam to prevent rattles and stuff behind the switch. That way, it's hidden but accessible behind the switch for service if needed and the added relay is removable from the socket too.

-Paul R. Haller-

 

[SFord]

Thanks again Paul. Here are the DC pn's:



tailgate lamp bar---55054823

wiring harness------55054824

lights/lens------------55054819



Steve.

 

[mgoncalves]

Thank you

 

[SFord]

As mgoncalves asked can these just be added to the trailer light circuit and be done with it. Also did DC start placing heavier switches in our trucks after the problem was discovered? I did not want to go to this much trouble to add these lights but if I have to in order to prevent the switch from burning up I guess I will. I'm already dredding putting a drill bit to my tailgate.