- Joined
- Jun 30, 2023
- Threads
- 5
- Messages
- 65
- Reaction score
- 46
- Location
- Toronto,Ontario
- Vehicle(s)
- 2023 Ford Bronco, 2013 Ford Focus ST
- Your Bronco Model
- Outer Banks
- Thread starter
- #1
Initially this task seemed a little bit daunting, there was quite a few threads already posted here, but instructions seemed limited and spotty, from what I could find. I ended up picking a diode dynamics backlit setup from 4x4Trucks, with backlights. Now these lights require 3 wires. +12v for Fog Light, +12v for Backlight, -Negative/Ground. Without getting into the actual fog light wiring, since that's been covered in many other threads, let's stick to the back light here.
I initially wanted the backlights to always be on, however I found they weren't the brightest and it wasn't really worth it for standard daily trips. So my alternative was to wire into the Parking lights. These are left on auto on my bronco so there would be no manual switching required. Now the parking light wires go from the headlights and go back above the drivers side fender liner. The further back it goes the worse it gets, so no use explaining further.
Some instructions say remove the grille, then remove the headlamp, but this seemed excessive and significant time would be required, so the much easier alternative is to get access from the drivers side fender liner.
First turn the steering wheel all the way to the left, it helps get the tire out of the way as much as possible, next remove all the fender liner hardware in the front half of the fender liner. There is 2 bolts on the upper outside portion, and the rest are plastic screw clips, if the Phillips screw seems stripped, use a knife blade or pick tool and put some pressure on the inner screw portion, then unscrew, once the screw is ¾ of the way out you should be able to remove the entire plastic clip.
Next bend the fender liner back out of your way, and shine a flashlight up towards the headlight area, you'll be able to see the back of the headlight housing, and you'll see the small wire harness that goes to the light, it is wrapped in black material tape. You will be able to follow that small harness up and feel the connector on the back of the headlight, squeeze the tab and it'll pull out. This is the part to be careful with, don't force it, once the tab is fully depressed it will release very easily.
Now that harness and connector will hand out reasonably far. if you look on the connector you will see numbers, marking the pin and wire numbers. You are looking for Pin 9 Green orange wire.
Now I cut the harness fabric tape to expose about 1-2" more wire. I cut the Green Orange Pin 9 wire about 1-1.5" above the connector, and using a butt splice connector, crimped the 2 wires, back in plus added an extra #18AWG in. So you now have an inline splice, I made sure to put a piece of heat shrink on the wire before crimping, once it was all crimped put the heat shrink over the butt splice crimp, and applied heat, this should make it relatively splash-proof.
That extra #18 I ran up along some other harnesses and back to where the upfitter wires are. Using the included 4x4trucks wiring harness, all connections were made here.
At this point reconnect the harness to the headlight. and button everything back up. You've now wired the backlights to the Parking Lights!
Hope that helps
I initially wanted the backlights to always be on, however I found they weren't the brightest and it wasn't really worth it for standard daily trips. So my alternative was to wire into the Parking lights. These are left on auto on my bronco so there would be no manual switching required. Now the parking light wires go from the headlights and go back above the drivers side fender liner. The further back it goes the worse it gets, so no use explaining further.
Some instructions say remove the grille, then remove the headlamp, but this seemed excessive and significant time would be required, so the much easier alternative is to get access from the drivers side fender liner.
First turn the steering wheel all the way to the left, it helps get the tire out of the way as much as possible, next remove all the fender liner hardware in the front half of the fender liner. There is 2 bolts on the upper outside portion, and the rest are plastic screw clips, if the Phillips screw seems stripped, use a knife blade or pick tool and put some pressure on the inner screw portion, then unscrew, once the screw is ¾ of the way out you should be able to remove the entire plastic clip.
Next bend the fender liner back out of your way, and shine a flashlight up towards the headlight area, you'll be able to see the back of the headlight housing, and you'll see the small wire harness that goes to the light, it is wrapped in black material tape. You will be able to follow that small harness up and feel the connector on the back of the headlight, squeeze the tab and it'll pull out. This is the part to be careful with, don't force it, once the tab is fully depressed it will release very easily.
Now that harness and connector will hand out reasonably far. if you look on the connector you will see numbers, marking the pin and wire numbers. You are looking for Pin 9 Green orange wire.
Now I cut the harness fabric tape to expose about 1-2" more wire. I cut the Green Orange Pin 9 wire about 1-1.5" above the connector, and using a butt splice connector, crimped the 2 wires, back in plus added an extra #18AWG in. So you now have an inline splice, I made sure to put a piece of heat shrink on the wire before crimping, once it was all crimped put the heat shrink over the butt splice crimp, and applied heat, this should make it relatively splash-proof.
That extra #18 I ran up along some other harnesses and back to where the upfitter wires are. Using the included 4x4trucks wiring harness, all connections were made here.
At this point reconnect the harness to the headlight. and button everything back up. You've now wired the backlights to the Parking Lights!
Hope that helps
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