[JKRubicon90]

Looking to put a cheap set of lights on my rear bumper for when I wheel at night I could see where im backing up. I was going to get a decent set and then was going to just splice them into my reverse wire to my brake lights. Does anyone know if this would work or did anyone have this done?

Thanks
-Dan

 

[Goodysgotacuda]

You should use the factory "reverse light" 12v wire to trigger a relay for the auxiliary backup lights. That will take the added load off of the factory harness, which is not intended to run more than just the small bulbs in the tail light housings.

 

[usmcdoc14]

You should use the factory "reverse light" 12v wire to trigger a relay for the auxiliary backup lights. That will take the added load off of the factory harness, which is not intended to run more than just the small bulbs in the tail light housings.

x2

if you want a switch AND the reverse lights to trip them it gets more complicated.

 

[JKRubicon90]

Im just looking for them to turn on when I shift into reverse, no switch or nothing just an easy setup. I am ABS stupid when it comes to electronics so that why im not looking to get into anything major with switches and what not.

Thanks

 

[oO_Rogue_Oo]

Something like this should work

 

[redwest]

I did this with a pair of rectangular back-up lights from JCW, simply spliced into the wire to the stock reverse light, and screwed the new reverse lights onto the stock tail-light plastic housing so wiring was short and the new reverse light position threw light from a relatively high position.

It works extremely well, no switches or relays needed and zero wiring or electrical issues. When completed I covered one side to compare stock vs this set-up, and the new lights made a night-and-day difference to the reverse lighting.

Since then I've added corner armor with circular LED taillights, and have all the above if anyone wants to purchase it ? Ready to install quickly by taking out four screws and swapping the stock taillights. It's not the prettiest set-up but does work very well.

 

[Goodysgotacuda]

Problem with adding more lights without a relay is it will cause premature failure of that circuit. In my opinion, without a doubt. The problem is that "circuit" you are adding to, lives within a module you'll have to replace. Many things "work fine" electrically for awhile when overloaded, but the replacement may be more than you would prefer.

Just my 2cents, wouldn't be worth it to me. I'd piggy back LEDs on a circuit, but not halogens.

 

[Muvovr]

You should use the factory "reverse light" 12v wire to trigger a relay for the auxiliary backup lights. That will take the added load off of the factory harness, which is not intended to run more than just the small bulbs in the tail light housings.

Using a relay to trigger the added lights is the only way to go !!!!

 

[JKjeepguy]

I did this with a pair of rectangular back-up lights from JCW, simply spliced into the wire to the stock reverse light, and screwed the new reverse lights onto the stock tail-light plastic housing so wiring was short and the new reverse light position threw light from a relatively high position.

Do you have any pics of the lights mounted like this? I'm interested in mounting some lights this way. Thanks

 

[redwest]

Do you have any pics of the lights mounted like this? I'm interested in mounting some lights this way. Thanks

I didnt take any while had them on Jeep, but will snap a photo of the stock cluster with back-up light screwed on-top.

 

[rynomar]

I went a little different route than Rouge, but used a relay to activate my back up lights and also have them tied into a SPOD. It ended up working really well and really did not take that long to do.

What I ended up doing was running the positive and negative from the lights directly to the Spod, then running a separate positive and negative to the battery for a relay and some additional power to the rear.

I ran a positive line to 30 and ground to 85 on the relay. I then tapped into the reverse light wiring on the tail light harness (white with a gray stripe) and connected it to 86 on the relay. A final wire was spliced from the positive on the new backup lights to 87.

The diagram below shows it a little better. Hope this helps!

 

[venom]

The tail light circuit is pretty robust. Gotta remember the trailer harness just plugs inline and all the lights of a trailer are carried on the tail light circuit.

I've had a pair of micro 55w halogens spliced into my backup lights for about 3 years now.

 

[Alaska-HWY JK]

The tail light circuit is pretty robust. Gotta remember the trailer harness just plugs inline and all the lights of a trailer are carried on the tail light circuit.

I've had a pair of micro 55w halogens spliced into my backup lights for about 3 years now.

What about a single Rigid?

 

[venom]

If you're talking a dually or a d2 then even better.
Tiny current draw compared to a halogen.

 

[daggo66]

Could the back up light be wired to a plug that plugs into the trailer plug? I wouldn't need them when the trailer was connected, that way there wouldn't be any splicing.

 

[zjr]

I have my D2 wired directly into the reverse circuit. No issues.

You can do that only with a 7 pin.

 

[rob4607]

The Shrockworks rear set up came with a pair of cheapo 55w lights and I ran them over two years spliced straight off the Reverse light wire on the left tail light. The only reason they aren't still hooked up is because a bulb went out and with that damn bumper you have to drop the whole thing to get to the light socket so I said the hell with it and took them out and never found a led replacement to put back in.

 

[ORWJK]

Depends on what you're going to use for a light. I wouldn't run anything tapped into that circuit that pulls more than the original b/u bulbs. Stock wiring just isn't very robust.
I'm running two Rigid Dually floods wired directly into the b/u light wiring in my Cherokee(original bulbs are disconnected). A stock 1156 bulb draws a hair over 2 amps. A Dually only pulls 1 amp per light!
I'm going to change out the original lens to diffusion lenses for better side to side spread. No problems seeing where I'm backing up on a trail at night now.

 

[Muddevil]

The tail light circuit is pretty robust. Gotta remember the trailer harness just plugs inline and all the lights of a trailer are carried on the tail light circuit.

I've had a pair of micro 55w halogens spliced into my backup lights for about 3 years now.

Can I splice two 55watt halogen lights to trailer harness directly?

Thanks
Orlando

 

[Uncle Sams Misguided Child]

4 pin or 7 pin harness? I know that the 4 pin harness does not have the reverse light wire. I think the 7 pin harness does though.