Broox's Low Profile 3rd Brake Light + Chase Lights

[broox]

I've always hated the third brake light blocking the rear view and tried a ring light from @StickerFab (seen below), but it crapped out within a couple months.

I'd been wanting a clean, low profile 3rd brake light that was similar to what I ran on my Jeep and couldn't find anything that I liked, so I pieced together some things to make my own... and added chase lights in the process.

Parts I used...

• @Baja Designs S2 Sports
• Morimoto 5Stop Brake Light
• @Fast Intentions Inc. Universal Chase Light Mount
• Deutsch 2 and 4 pin connectors
• Flexo Nylon Multifilament wire sleeve
• A handful of replacement interior panel clips after breaking the existing ones, hah

The Fast Intentions mount is JUST tall enough to fit the Morimoto brake light between the bottom of the mount and the reverse camera. Here's a mockup of what I was going for (nothing is tightened down here yet).

I did have to modify the morimoto mount just a bit, by drilling new holes that line up with the mount holes on the fast intentions mount. But the bolts/nuts from the Baja Designs mount effectively sandwich the fast intentions mount and extend through the Morimoto mount.

I wired the chase lights up to the upfitter switches, and doing this RIGHT requires pulling the interior tailgate panel, side panel, and subwoofer. It's a bit of a pain, but I'm really happy with how it turned out.

Before the tailgate (near the sub) I used a Deutsch 2 pin connector, in case the tailgate ever needs to be completely pulled. In the tailgate, I added another 2 pin Deutsch connector to be able to easily disconnect everything outside of the tailgate. Outside of the tailgate I created a whole new wiring harness by snipping off the old 3rd brake light connector and adding a 4-pin Deutsch connector - 2 pins for the brake light, 2 pins for the chase lights. This will keep things flexible in case I change my mind on direction in the future...

From there, I added a couple more 2-pin Deutsch connectors to be able to individually disconnect the lights when I change the spare. Everything visible behind the spare also used some black braided, nylon wire sleeves to stay stealthy. This was my first time using Deutsch connectors, and I'm sold on them!

It may be a bit overkill, but I really wanted to do this RIGHT, so that it's easy to change when I need my spare or need to service anything else with the tailgate. I'm also a bit of a perfectionist and wanted it to be as clean as possible.

That said, I'm super happy with the end product. The Morimoto 5Stop brake light is bright and awesome. I don't love the "clear" / chrome look of the LEDs when they're off, but it's still cleaner and brighter than anything I'd seen. I also love having chase lights as an option.

To change the spare, I now also have to remove a couple security torx screws and unplug a couple Deutsch connectors, which isn't bad at all.

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[Honkman]

Looks awesome, sir!!

I love seeing other’s cargo area that look exactly like mine. No panels and parts everywhere. Mine stays that way for some reason.

 

[Toccoa]

Love the craftsmanship. What's it look like when lit? Also...

 

[Fast Intentions Inc.]

Looks great! This is something new that we haven't seen before. Thanks for your business and support!

Feel free to share your pictures here in our chase light thread:

NEW! Bronco 6G ”UNI” Chase Light Mount by Fast Intentions

 

[ROKBRNC]

I’m honestly not a fan of the ring brake lights in the spare, it‘s more of a hazard than anything since in my experience it takes longer to figure out what it is when it is illuminated which decreases braking time. Not that it’s not novel or cool to some, but it seems about as out of place as color changing under vehicle lights and spinners. Theres a reason why brake lights and chase lights are mounted high, especially in dune running and rock crawling where your visibility may be limited by dunes, blowing sand, trees or hilly terrain. Now for runs to Starbucks or cruising main on Fridays, in-wheel and under vehicle lighting is always acceptable.

 

[broox]

I’m honestly not a fan of the ring brake lights in the spare, it‘s more of a hazard than anything since in my experience it takes longer to figure out what it is when it is illuminated which decreases braking time. Not that it’s not novel or cool to some, but it seems about as out of place as color changing under vehicle lights and spinners. Theres a reason why brake lights and chase lights are mounted high, especially in dune running and rock crawling where your visibility may be limited by dunes, blowing sand, trees or hilly terrain. Now for runs to Starbucks or cruising main on Fridays, in-wheel and under vehicle lighting is always acceptable.

ok.

 

[broox]

Love the craftsmanship. What's it look like when lit?

dude, when i hit the brakes, the brake lights looks like brake lights. and when i flip the chase lights on, believe it or not, they look like chase lights.

lol. wtf. they're tried and true lights. they're bright and do their job.

maybe i should've said minimal instead of low profile?? either way, i appreciate the craftsmanship props. it was a fun project, and i'll probably switch it out as soon as someone makes something that i like better. that's a big part of the reason that i made the wiring harnesses with the deutsch connectors. they're super easy to switch up. i'll try to get some pics of them soon.

side note: i still miss my teraflex spare tire mount + 3rd brake light from my jl rubicon. no one in the bronco world is making anything that good for the spare tire.

 

[Toccoa]

dude, when i hit the brakes, the brake lights looks like brake lights. and when i flip the chase lights on, believe it or not, they look like chase lights.

lol. wtf. they're tried and true lights. they're bright and do their job.

 

[rret]

I've always hated the third brake light blocking the rear view and tried a ring light from @StickerFab (seen below), but it crapped out within a couple months.

I'd been wanting a clean, low profile 3rd brake light that was similar to what I ran on my Jeep and couldn't find anything that I liked, so I pieced together some things to make my own... and added chase lights in the process.

Parts I used...

• @Baja Designs S2 Sports
• Morimoto 5Stop Brake Light
• @Fast Intentions Inc. Universal Chase Light Mount
• Deutsch 2 and 4 pin connectors
• Flexo Nylon Multifilament wire sleeve
• A handful of replacement interior panel clips after breaking the existing ones, hah

The Fast Intentions mount is JUST tall enough to fit the Morimoto brake light between the bottom of the mount and the reverse camera. Here's a mockup of what I was going for (nothing is tightened down here yet).

I did have to modify the morimoto mount just a bit, by drilling new holes that line up with the mount holes on the fast intentions mount. But the bolts/nuts from the Baja Designs mount effectively sandwich the fast intentions mount and extend through the Morimoto mount.

I wired the chase lights up to the upfitter switches, and doing this RIGHT requires pulling the interior tailgate panel, side panel, and subwoofer. It's a bit of a pain, but I'm really happy with how it turned out.

Before the tailgate (near the sub) I used a Deutsch 2 pin connector, in case the tailgate ever needs to be completely pulled. In the tailgate, I added another 2 pin Deutsch connector to be able to easily disconnect everything outside of the tailgate. Outside of the tailgate I created a whole new wiring harness by snipping off the old 3rd brake light connector and adding a 4-pin Deutsch connector - 2 pins for the brake light, 2 pins for the chase lights. This will keep things flexible in case I change my mind on direction in the future...

From there, I added a couple more 2-pin Deutsch connectors to be able to individually disconnect the lights when I change the spare. Everything visible behind the spare also used some black braided, nylon wire sleeves to stay stealthy. This was my first time using Deutsch connectors, and I'm sold on them!

It may be a bit overkill, but I really wanted to do this RIGHT, so that it's easy to change when I need my spare or need to service anything else with the tailgate. I'm also a bit of a perfectionist and wanted it to be as clean as possible.

That said, I'm super happy with the end product. The Morimoto 5Stop brake light is bright and awesome. I don't love the "clear" / chrome look of the LEDs when they're off, but it's still cleaner and brighter than anything I'd seen. I also love having chase lights as an option.

To change the spare, I now also have to remove a couple security torx screws and unplug a couple Deutsch connectors, which isn't bad at all.

Great install. But to me, brake lights are red. These look yellow?

 

[Iceman62]

Wow...great job taking this on to build your own. Can you share the overall cost of parts/materials?

Looks good tho.

 

[jtgensler]

Nice clean install.
I like it.
And adding connectors is such a great thing to save a lot of frustration later.
I did something similar with a 5 pin flat connector for my turn offroad chase light so I could remove it easily if required.

 

[broox]

Great install. But to me, brake lights are red. These look yellow?

The amber lights are the chase lights. The brake lights are the 5 LEDs below. They appear clear/chrome when off but light up a bright red.

I'll try to get a pic of em lit up to illustrate, but there are also pics here: https://www.morimotohid.com/morimoto-5-stop-brake-light

 

[broox]

Wow...great job taking this on to build your own. Can you share the overall cost of parts/materials?

Looks good tho.

Thanks! I was somewhere between $500 to $600 all-in for lights, mount, connectors, and wire sleeves. The Baja Designs S2 sport lights took up half the cost. They're not cheap, but they're quality.

The Morimoto 5 stop brake lights were honestly the cheapest thing on here, hah.

 

[JustWideman]

Lotta effort made there!
I never think of my break lights and It has never bothered me more then the tire already does on the back window.

 

[broox]

Lotta effort made there!
I never think of my break lights and It has never bothered me more then the tire already does on the back window.

hey man, these trucks are legos. tinkerin with mods is part of the fun!

most of the effort was for the chase lights, tbh. if i was just swapping out the 3rd brake light, it would've been muuuuuch simpler. no panels to pull, no new wires to run, just swapping out connectors and bolting on the mount.

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