Headliner cove and footwell LED lighting install (how-to / parts list, under $100!)

[Deez]

Hello all! I installed headliner and footwell LED lighting and I thought I'd share a quick writeup for this mod.

Let's jump right to the end and see the results:

For this project you'll need:
* 2x 16.4' reels of LED strip lights, I used 50/50 single color but really any will do. I've always liked Supernight products. ~$24
* 4x V shaped thin aluminum stock, 6"-10" each. Example ~$19 (really any rigid stock will do)
* 4x bare wire to LED tape adaptors. I stock 4 pin RGB which are fine for my 2 pin application. ~$10
* DC to DC voltage converter (8v-40v -> 12.0v 10A capacity). I particularly liked this one for its price vs rated amperage output. ~$20
* 20' 18 awg copper stranded wire (really 22 awg CCA Copper Clad Aluminum will work at our lengths) ~$15
* 3M adhesion primer 94. DO NOT SKIP THIS. ~$10
* Wire nuts / tape / zip ties
* Strongly suggest a multi-meter but not necessary



Notes on these products:
LEDs: I used water proof LED tape but this doesn't allow the diodes to cool as efficiently. I did like the rigidity that it provided on the tracks in the footwell. I also found it less prone to damage while routing and making the 90 degree bends.

DC power converter provisioning:
16.4' of the 50/50 LED tape I used (all draw different amounts) @ 12v draws 5a. If your tape is rated in watts just divide the wattage by the voltage to get amps [W = V * A] 60w / 12v = 5a. I used an additional 4' of tape for the footwells, and I like to overprovision power products so the 10a converter was selected. This also matches up with the fuse rating on AUX switches 3-6.
It might be tempting to skip this device but the voltages in your car are of a wide enough range to significantly overdrive the 12v LEDs, make them too bright, overheat, and shorten their life span. No matter what voltage is given to this converter a 12.0v consistent output is provided.

Aluminum track: These act as a heat sink, 45 degree angle for an even beam pattern, and make a frame to hold the LED tape in a straight line for zip tie mounting.

This AUX switch vs amp capacity vs fuse location vs pre-routed chart is everywhere but I'll include it anyway:
Aux switch Wire color Amperage Fuse loc Wire size
Aux 1 Yellow 30 A 60 1.5mm^2
Aux 2 Green/brown 15 A 61 1.5mm^2
Aux 3 Violet/green 10 A 62 0.75mm^2
Aux 4 Brown 10 A 63 0.75mm^2
Aux 5 Blue/orange 10 A 64 0.75mm^2
Aux 6 Yellow/orange 10 A 65 0.75mm^2
Trailer tow: 20 A 58
Engine bay wire color Runs from/to Circuit
Brown/white Bay to Glove box B1
White Bay to Glove box B2
Violet/grey Bay to Front Grille C
Grey/orange Glove box to Pass visor D
White/orange Glove box to Pas C pillar E
(All factory routed wires are 1.5mm^2)


My installation steps:

I used AUX switch 6 which terminates in the engine bay as Yellow/Orange. I then tied that to the White engine bay to glove box wire.
In the engine bay by the battery, looking back toward the firewall:

I installed my DC voltage converter under the glove box in the front passenger footwell looking towards the firewall. The arrowed white wire is coming from the engine bay. There is a convenient ground point arrowed too. The blue wire nut wires are the output of the converter.

These output wires run to every location that you want an LED strip. Under the driver and passenger dash as well as the rear seats all have the same hardware: Bare wire to LED tape adaptor to that tape being seated on the aluminum track.

Be very careful to observe which direction on the reel you are cutting your LED strips in, or which side is positive and negative from different vendors.

The two different polarities changes your LED tape adaptor wiring. If you don't notice this until you've got all locations wired like I did, you can seat the tape inverted to change the polarity to it.
NOTICE HOW A RED (+) WIRE IS GOING TO THE NEGATIVE TAPE CONNECTOR?

Flipped then clamped as a short-term workaround: (yea right, I bet it stays that way forever) :]

Notice that I used 4 pin RGB LED terminators because I had them in stock. The unused wires are simply clipped off for my 2 wire single color LED application.


Running the power wire up the passenger A pillar is easiest done starting at the roof. Some of the following pictures show the LED tape starting above the roof panel mounts, some show it starting in the side channel. You can put it however you want but I chose to wrap it around front. A 16.4' strip of LED tape will be EXACTLY (and I mean exactly) perfect for our 4 door Bronco dimensions.

Passenger A pillar:

I had to take the passenger visor off to move the panels enough to route the wire. There is a trim ring to pry down which exposes a screw to take out. Do it however you like, but I suggest not cracking the trim ring like I did. do'h

Working your way down the passenger A pillar:

Where the wire *should* poke out, above the glove box:

At this point clean all surfaces that the LED tape will stick to thoroughly with alcohol.
Apply your 3M 94 adhesion promoter to these same surfaces. You don't need a lot, a single tube did all 16.4' + 4' for me. The wipes that came in my LED kit were dried up so I got the ones from Amazon linked above. The tubes have an outer plastic casing and an inner glass vial containing the goop. Gently bend and break the inner glass (like a glow stick) to start the flow. You do not need to stick the LED tape to the 3M product while it's wet; take your time and give it a minute to dry.


Now the fun part! Routine the LED tape around the headliner.

Around back on the B pillar bridge. Keep this no farther back than the "Bronco" lettering to make sure you have enough length.

Up the driver side rail:

Terminates quite neatly with only a little left over:

The hardest part of the routing is making the 90 degree transitions from the side rails to the cross member. I didn't want to introduce connection failure points with 90 degree connectors so I left some slack in the LED tape and did my best not to point the light source forward thus being visible to passengers. If worse comes to worse and I don't like it there's always black electrical tape.


I hope you found this write-up useful!

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[KillerPenz]

I like it. When do you want to come and do it to my Bronco?

Edit: I do have to ask, where was the aluminum used? Maybe I missed it above. zip tied under a seat?

 

[Ford Motor Company]

Hello all! I installed headliner and footwell LED lighting and I thought I'd share a quick writeup for this mod.

Let's jump to the end and see the results:

For this project you'll need:
* 2x 16.4' reels of LED strip lights, I used 50/50 single color but really any will do. I've always liked Supernight products. ~$24
* 1x v shape 24" thin aluminum stock. Examples ~$19
* 4x bare wire to LED tape adaptors. I stock 4 pin RGB which are fine for my 2 pin application. ~$10
* DC to DC voltage converter (8v-40v -> 12.0v 10A capacity). I particularly liked this one for its price vs rated amperage output. ~$20
* 20' 18 awg copper stranded wire (really 22 awg CCA Copper Clad Aluminum will work at our lengths) ~$15
* 3M adhesion primer 94. DO NOT SKIP THIS. ~$10
* Wire nuts / tape / zip ties
* Strongly suggest a multi-meter but not necessary



Notes on these products:
LEDs: I used water proof LED tape but this doesn't allow the diodes to cool as efficiently. I did like the rigidity that it provided.

DC power converter provisioning:
16.4' of the 50/50 LED tape I used (all draw different amounts) @ 12v draws 5a. If your tape is rated in watts just divide the wattage by the voltage to get amps [W = V * A] 60w / 12v = 5a. I used an additional 4' of tape for the footwells, and I like to overprovision power products so the 10a converter was selected.
It might be tempting to skip this device but the voltages in your car are of a wide enough range to significantly overdrive the 12v LEDs and shorten their life span. No matter what voltage is given to this converter a 12.0v consistent output is provided.

This AUX switch vs amp capacity vs fuse location vs pre-routed chart is everywhere but I'll include it anyway:
Aux switch Wire color Amperage Fuse loc Wire size
Aux 1 Yellow 30 A 60 1.5mm^2
Aux 2 Green/brown 15 A 61 1.5mm^2
Aux 3 Violet/green 10 A 62 0.75mm^2
Aux 4 Brown 10 A 63 0.75mm^2
Aux 5 Blue/orange 10 A 64 0.75mm^2
Aux 6 Yellow/orange 10 A 65 0.75mm^2
Trailer tow: 20 A 58
Engine bay wire color Runs from/to Circuit
Brown/white Bay to Glove box B1
White Bay to Glove box B2
Violet/grey Bay to Front Grille C
Grey/orange Glove box to Pass visor D
White/orange Glove box to Pas C pillar E
(All factory routed wires are 1.5mm^2)


My installation steps:

I used AUX switch 6 which terminates in the engine bay as Yellow/Orange. I then tied that to the White engine bay to glove box wire.
In the engine bay by the battery, looking back toward the firewall:

I installed my DC voltage converter under the glove box in the front passenger footwell looking towards the firewall. The arrowed white wire is coming from the engine bay. There is a convenient ground point arrowed too. The blue wire nut wires are the output of the converter.

These output wires run to every location that you want an LED strip. Under the driver and passenger dash as well as the rear seats all have the same hardware: Bare wire to LED tape adaptor to that tape being seated on the aluminum track.

Be very careful to observe which direction on the reel you are cutting your LED strips in, or which side is positive and negative from different vendors.

The two different polarities changes your LED tape adaptor wiring. If you don't notice this until you've got all locations wired like I did, you can seat the tape inverted to change the polarity to it.
NOTICE HOW A RED (+) WIRE IS GOING TO THE NEGATIVE TAPE CONNECTOR?

Flipped then clamped as a short-term workaround: (yea right, I bet it stays that way forever) :]

Notice that I used 4 pin RGB LED terminators because I had them in stock. The unused wires are simply clipped off for my 2 wire single color LED application.


Running the power wire up the passenger A pillar is easiest done starting at the roof. Some of the following pictures show the LED tape starting above the roof panel mounts, some show it starting in the side channel. You can put it however you want but I chose to wrap it around front. A 16.4' strip of LED tape will be EXACTLY (and I mean exactly) perfect for our 4 door Bronco dimensions.

Passenger A pillar:

I had to take the passenger visor off to move the panels enough to route the wire. There is a trim ring to pry down which exposes a screw to take out. Do it however you like, but I suggest not cracking the trim ring like I did. do'h

Working your way down the passenger A pillar:

Where the wire *should* poke out, above the glove box:

At this point clean all surfaces that the LED tape will stick to thoroughly with alcohol.
Apply your 3M 94 adhesion promoter to these same surfaces. You don't need a lot, a single tube did all 16.4' + 4' for me. The wipes that came in my LED kit were dried up so I got the ones from Amazon linked above. The tubes have an outer plastic casing and an inner glass vial containing the goop. Gently bend and break the inner glass (like a glow stick) to start the flow. You do not need to stick the LED tape to the 3M product while it's wet; take your time and give it a minute to dry.


Now the fun part! Routine the LED tape around the headliner.

Around back on the B pillar bridge. Keep this no farther back than the "Bronco" lettering to make sure you have enough length.

Up the driver side rail:

Terminates quite neatly with only a little left over:

The hardest part of the routing is making the 90 degree transitions from the side rails to the cross member. I didn't want to introduce connection failure points with 90 degree connectors so I left some slack in the LED tape and did my best not to point the light source forward thus being visible to passengers. If worse comes to worse and I don't like it there's always black electrical tape.


I hope you found this write-up useful!

That looks super cool, Mike!

 

[Deez]

I like it. When do you want to come and do it to my Bronco?

Edit: I do have to ask, where was the aluminum used? Maybe I missed it above. zip tied under a seat?

Yes - it acts as a heat sink, 45 degree beam, and holds the LED tape in a straight line frame to zip tie.

That looks super cool, Mike!

Thanks! More sports car ’ish than truck ‘ish but I’m a sucker for stuff that glows blue.

 

[indio22]

Nice work OP! I might have to copy that footwell lighting for my VB Bronco.

What do you think about strips of this type of lighting under the chassis? I've always liked those old school florescent chassis lights from back in the day, although I never had them. These led strips could be an option and could be located to avoid off-road damage easier than those old school lights.

 

[Deez]

Nice work OP! I might have to copy that footwell lighting for my VB Bronco.

What do you think about strips of this type of lighting under the chassis? I've always liked those old school florescent chassis lights from back in the day, although I never had them. These led strips could be an option and could be located to avoid off-road damage easier than those old school lights.

It's so tempting to try the waterproof LED tape under the car, but I really don't think it would hold up very well. Even with the aluminum track and diffuser plastic over them. Interior use is fine but they are pretty fragile in general. There are purpose built kits for under-vehicle applications that I'd probably go with.

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