Been following this for a while, and sorry if this is a dumb question (I know nothing about wiring), but I had illuminated side steps which I replaced with sliders - is there any reason why I couldn't just take the lights off the old side steps and just reattach them to the sliders/frame rather than buying and wiring new ditch lights? Or would that just be a giant PITA?
Running board lights
- Thread starter Gasser18
- Start date
That's a great idea, if the lights look good mounted on the sliders. If they don't and you find some that look better....... you can always cut the wires off the old lights and splice the pigtail to the new better looking lights etc.......
Hi guys,
I installed some Greenlane rock sliders and have been following this thread to figure out the best way to get some step lights back. I took a combination of ideas from the previous posters for a solution.
Lights:
It looks like the Slee rock light kit uses what appears to be identical lights to the Harbor Freight ROADSHOCK, plus some mounting brackets and hardware. Instead of purchasing the whole kit, I went ahead a picked up just the lights at Harbor Freight for a fraction of the price, about $27 for the pair. They come with two sets of rubberized backing, 1 for straight and 1 for rounded bar mounting, and also include nuts and bolts.
Brackets:
Next, I designed and 3D printed a mounting bracket that the lights could mount onto using the flat backing, and that could also bolt onto vehicle underbody. I printed it with PETG and have the file if anyone needs it. I tried to attach it to this post but it seem like the file type wasn't supported. I put some silicone where the wire exits the bracket to prevent any water intrusion, the rest of it is sealed tight.
Wires:
I also ordered 2 of the wires (Part Number 82157-60140) from my local dealership, which ran me about $30 for the pair, and cut them pretty short, splicing them with self soldering heat shrink connectors, then applying larger heat shrink over the pair and any other exposed portions. Overall it was less than a foot of total wire needed.
Mounting:
Lastly, I bolted them to one of the rear body brackets seen in the photo. It's very close to where the vehicle mounted light plug is, so I kind of wasted most of the OEM wire I bought just to get the plug honestly. One of the white clips that came on the OEM wire attaches into the body in an existing hole on the other opposite side of the body mounted light plug, and I mounted the light itself with a 8mmx35mm bolt, washers, a lock washer, and a nut that I got from Lowes. Make sure you get corrosion resistant ones. I had trouble fastening the nut from inside the bracket, so you have the option of getting a much longer bolt and fastening it from the outside, or fiddling with a wrench at a weird angle to get a grip on the nut.
Overall it came out really well and I'm happy with the results.
I installed some Greenlane rock sliders and have been following this thread to figure out the best way to get some step lights back. I took a combination of ideas from the previous posters for a solution.
Lights:
It looks like the Slee rock light kit uses what appears to be identical lights to the Harbor Freight ROADSHOCK, plus some mounting brackets and hardware. Instead of purchasing the whole kit, I went ahead a picked up just the lights at Harbor Freight for a fraction of the price, about $27 for the pair. They come with two sets of rubberized backing, 1 for straight and 1 for rounded bar mounting, and also include nuts and bolts.
Brackets:
Next, I designed and 3D printed a mounting bracket that the lights could mount onto using the flat backing, and that could also bolt onto vehicle underbody. I printed it with PETG and have the file if anyone needs it. I tried to attach it to this post but it seem like the file type wasn't supported. I put some silicone where the wire exits the bracket to prevent any water intrusion, the rest of it is sealed tight.
Wires:
I also ordered 2 of the wires (Part Number 82157-60140) from my local dealership, which ran me about $30 for the pair, and cut them pretty short, splicing them with self soldering heat shrink connectors, then applying larger heat shrink over the pair and any other exposed portions. Overall it was less than a foot of total wire needed.
Mounting:
Lastly, I bolted them to one of the rear body brackets seen in the photo. It's very close to where the vehicle mounted light plug is, so I kind of wasted most of the OEM wire I bought just to get the plug honestly. One of the white clips that came on the OEM wire attaches into the body in an existing hole on the other opposite side of the body mounted light plug, and I mounted the light itself with a 8mmx35mm bolt, washers, a lock washer, and a nut that I got from Lowes. Make sure you get corrosion resistant ones. I had trouble fastening the nut from inside the bracket, so you have the option of getting a much longer bolt and fastening it from the outside, or fiddling with a wrench at a weird angle to get a grip on the nut.
Overall it came out really well and I'm happy with the results.
Attachments
Well done!
so for 1958 is not posible?
Anything is possible, but on the 1958 it might require a more creative wiring solution. I don't know anyone close to me that has a '58 to speak factually about where I'd tap into for the lights. The FE has different wiring options as in pre wired. I thought I'd read that the '58 had a one side with a pig tail (IDK if that's true or not) But if not, I think I would look at the interior lights and sister a relay from that circuit to power any external puddle lighting.
i will go under and look for the wire cause i install illuminated door sills and was pre wire so was plug n play
For the 1958 or any model you can tap into the rear passenger dome light and use the pass through under the drivers and passengers seats for the wiring. This gets you full OEM functionality and full voltage/brightness. On the OEM harness you only get about 9VDC and results in dimmed lights.
Only difference to OEM is that you can turn on with doors closed or completely disable (useful for early morning hunts) via the cabin lights switch.
From my understanding the 1958 has one harness on one side but no voltage.
Only difference to OEM is that you can turn on with doors closed or completely disable (useful for early morning hunts) via the cabin lights switch.
From my understanding the 1958 has one harness on one side but no voltage.
Bad1975 has good points about the voltage being 9 volts (IDK never checked). In my upcoming puddle light mod If the pigtails don't provide enough voltage I'll use the low voltage as a trigger for a relay and provide a full 12v to the puddle lights. Additionally I plan on using a diode and a 2nd switch to provide power to the lights for a "on demand" function and a door opening "on" function. Just waiting for nicer weather to remove the rock sliders, as I'm moving them outboard 1.5" to better act as a step.
I've read through this 10x and I really don't think I'm going to be able to do this install. I know nothing about electrical wiring and making harnesses and what's been described here. I think I'm going to have to have Slee install the sliders just so I can get these lights up. I believe the lights have to be installed onto the slider before you install them onto the vehicle, so I don't think I can install the slider and go to Slee and have them install the light kit. The installation cost for both is over $600. I suppose I could just not install the lights. I'm not sure having the lights is worth all the extra money I'll have to pay to have the sliders/lights installed. Bolting up parts is one thing, but this electrical work seems impossible to me.
To get just the proximity lights, it's as simple as buying the OEM harness ($47.00) cutting the end off and splicing new LED light(s) to it. The proximity lights just aren't really bright, but plenty useful.
The Slee instructions show two wires spliced to the existing wires. That’s all they show. Red to Red, Black to Black, solder together. Done. That is way more simplistic than Im reading here with new harnesses, long parts lists and many many more steps.
Because I wanted the ability to turn on and keep them on via a switch and with the switch off, to preform as Stock running board lights.
You should go with what you're comfortable with.
Wow that’s ideal. I didn’t pick up that detail. Very nice.
I'm following this much better now. Seems I have more brain power in the morning. If I buy two of these, I can simply use these by keeping the harness that goes into the existing harness from the running board lights and I simply tie together the two wires via solder and heat shrink and I'm good to go. I went to purchase this part number this morning and the Toyota site is telling me that this is Wire, Step Rear Floor, Right Hand. There is another one for "Left Hand" - PT#82157-60180. If you were able to use 60140 for both sides, then I assume that 60180 is not necessary.
I think I'm going to give this a shot. I really don't want to pay Slee to install these sliders and lights - the installation costs are expensive.
Just wanted to add another data point to this thread. I poked around my LCs over the holidays, both are 2025 premium trim LCLC models. I purchased a pair of the 82157-60140 harnesses for testing. Similar to what has been reported here, Toyota is providing a constant 12VDC on one pin of the harness while doing a little current limiting via PWM ground on the second pin. I initially tried to install a KC cyclone led light by cut/solder/heat shrinking the factory harness but found that there was not enough current to drive the KC at full intensity due to the PWM. To work around this, I added a solid state relay which is triggered by the PWM ground. The KC light works inline with the original factory step light but is now illuminated at full intensity. The factory light fade on and off behavior is retained. With the addition of the solid state relay, this became a fully plug and play install with no need for additional wiring. I don't have a 1958 to test but I suspect it is a similar situation with the factory wiring there.
Sorry. Back with another question. The OEM harness only has two wires which makes sense. There is only one factory light. How are you getting power to both lights. Splicing them both (4 wires) into the ORM harness?
Correct, on each side I took the OEM harness then cut/soldered/heat shrunk the wires to allow for the factory light to remain function while also feeding the solid state relay to allow the KC led light to function. The draw of the KC light is only 0.42 amps so I was not too concerned with powering both lights using the factory harness.
I used KC Cyclone lights on mine.
