"Let It Be Light" - Backup Lights

[cattlerepairman]

Long weekend and getting fed up with having to back up with my 4-ways on. The ideal time to install backup lights.

I used 2 spare "lollipop light" brackets and mounted them upside down behind the rear composite lights. For lights I used small fog lights from a tractor supply place and sprayed them green.

Light switch: I used a tractor supply push-button starter switch with a nice round rubber bubble over the switch, removed the floor board, drilled a hole in the cross member behind the tranny so that the hole lines up with the rod sticking out at the rear of the tranny and mounted the switch through that hole in the cross member.
When in reverse, the rod sticks out the farthest, pushes the button and the lights go on. I hooked into the dash light circuit for power supply and wired the two 12V lights in series, so they run with the 24V supply. Works great and, IMHO, the lights look as if they belonged.

One done, I discovered a puking axle seal and got to do that one too...done it last year, but the RTV in the keyway seemed to have become dislodged.

My wife also painted the truck's name onto the hood..."Queen Lola" now has a name tag!

 

[gimpyrobb]

I had a set mounted in a similar spot, only higher. They were removed from the truck while wheeling. I would suggest moving them higher, but the civi hitch might keep them safe. It is wonderful having back up lights, isn't it?!

 

[popacom]

That's a heck of an idea Cattlerepairman,specially since tbanks and I have a $h!# load of loli-pop lights for sale LOL all jokes aside. Good thinkin!!!!

popacom /BILL in Ky.

 

[glcaines]

That appears to be excellet work! Like you said, it appears original.

 

[wsucougarx]

Great idea! I'm definately chalking this one up on my list of MUST DO'S

 

[srodocker]

i have them too

 

[kendelrio]

I too, felt the need for more light, but instead of only using them to back up, I put them on a toggle. Here's the thread: http://www.steelsoldiers.com/deuce-modification-hot-rodding/28915-my-wifes-gumbo-rocks.html

 

[pctrans]

Mounted mine higher, for protection, and also on a toggle, to be able to use them for work lights while loading at night.

 

[srodocker]

pctrans your tires

 

[cattlerepairman]

I had a set mounted in a similar spot, only higher. They were removed from the truck while wheeling. I would suggest moving them higher, but the civi hitch might keep them safe. It is wonderful having back up lights, isn't it?!

Good point; the "civy" hitch is actually a unit modification and these guys took the thickest steel they could find and welded it all together. You could probably lift the truck up on this hitch and shake it!

It does decrease the departure angle. Deuces up here are not plentiful, so I am not using mine up in extreme offroad trials.

 

[Recovry4x4]

I have a pair of armor headlights set aside for my truck. Took me 2 years to swap the turbo and add the winch. Should have these on by 2012.

 

[joeypushjr1]

too funny. recovry

 

[number9]

I also recently added backup lights. I used the $10 lights at NAPA and bought the 28V bulbs for them (steep at $20ea). I went around and around thinking of how to wire them up and just ended up adding a Packard connector to each light and connecting them into the blackout light connector on the factory harness back by the tail lights. I don't recon I'd ever use the blackout lights anyway. I'd rather have had them on a toggle, but this was super easy and I can put it back to stock even easier.

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