Flush mount lights rear bumper

[WhatExit?]

I have searched a lot for the perfect back up light to replace the red reflector...… I'm not sure there is one. I cannot find it. If anybody knows of one speak up and post some info. There are a lot of 4" flush mounted cube lights like the one steffen707 used that appear to be just a little too big.

Then there is the round, ridge industries light that is round and 12 watts. I like the look and fit of that light but not too sure of the brightness.
https://www.rigidindustries.com/ignite-series-ignite.html

I did find this light. A couple of different suppliers that have similar lights that are sold on Amazon for a reasonable price. It fits the space pretty good (may need a little trimming) and is 20 watts.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07TYSP7KV/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_yHrSDbYAM7544

Anybody else have any other solutions for replacing the red reflector with a LED back up light?

Interesting!

Where did this pic come from?

I like the idea but if I was to use this light I'd want to install it from the back if possible and have a cutout the size of the reflector. I don't know how bright this light is or how well it works but this installation isn't any better looking than what I've seen so far.

The search continues...

(I'm sure there will be high quality lights made for this opening but who knows how long it will take)

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[canyonrat]

A pod mounted behind a square hole is exactly what I had on my JCR bumper on the JK. I do wish FCA would have had the foresight to just make the opening sized for a common square LED pod. Instead of the weird sculpted triangle shape they did.

 

[Tim]

I have searched a lot for the perfect back up light to replace the red reflector...… I'm not sure there is one. I cannot find it. If anybody knows of one speak up and post some info. There are a lot of 4" flush mounted cube lights like the one steffen707 used that appear to be just a little too big.

Then there is the round, ridge industries light that is round and 12 watts. I like the look and fit of that light but not too sure of the brightness.
https://www.rigidindustries.com/ignite-series-ignite.html

I did find this light. A couple of different suppliers that have similar lights that are sold on Amazon for a reasonable price. It fits the space pretty good (may need a little trimming) and is 20 watts.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07TYSP7KV/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_yHrSDbYAM7544

Anybody else have any other solutions for replacing the red reflector with a LED back up light?

Those lights look like knockoff KCs.... https://www.kchilites.com/industry/...ies-c2-led-backup-flood-light-system-519.html
I;m not sure if KC makes them in a flush mount application.

 

[BrichJeepUtopia]

OP here - This is what I ended up doing. I removed the reflector and cut some black aluminum diamond plate to fit the reflector location, used the original reflector bolts and nuts. Ordered the diamond plate off amazon, easily cuts with a sharp pair of tin snips. Surface mounted a set of KC C2 area flood lights, wired to one of the aux switches. The surface mounted C2 lights fit perfectly into the opening, they don't stick out at all past the front face of the bumper. Also, these C2's put out a LOT of light for as small as they are.

diamond plate
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00PIVTCTQ/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

KC C2 area floods
https://www.kchilites.com/light-typ...eries-c2-led-area-flood-light-system-328.html

 

[AJ-MJ]

The same C Series backup-flood LED light can be bought a bit cheaper if you buy it without the wiring harness.

https://www.kchilites.com/2-c-series-c2-led-backup-flood-light-1519.html

There are two different lights: one is a backup area flood and the other is an area flood light. I don't see any difference in the specification. I think this is a good solution!

 

[steffen707]

I have searched a lot for the perfect back up light to replace the red reflector...… I'm not sure there is one. I cannot find it. If anybody knows of one speak up and post some info. There are a lot of 4" flush mounted cube lights like the one steffen707 used that appear to be just a little too big.

Then there is the round, ridge industries light that is round and 12 watts. I like the look and fit of that light but not too sure of the brightness.
https://www.rigidindustries.com/ignite-series-ignite.html

I did find this light. A couple of different suppliers that have similar lights that are sold on Amazon for a reasonable price. It fits the space pretty good (may need a little trimming) and is 20 watts.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07TYSP7KV/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_yHrSDbYAM7544

Anybody else have any other solutions for replacing the red reflector with a LED back up light?

is this real? you used that light with the stock reflector and just trimmed it to fit? looks good! I may go that route, but put a piece of matte black finyl over the rest of the red.

FYI I didn't actually do the cube light idea, those were just photos of the bracket seller on facebook.

 

[steffen707]

Interesting!

Where did this pic come from?

I like the idea but if I was to use this light I'd want to install it from the back if possible and have a cutout the size of the reflector. I don't know how bright this light is or how well it works but this installation isn't any better looking than what I've seen so far.

The search continues...
(I'm sure there will be high quality lights made for this opening but who knows how long it will take)

This has possibilities for rear mounting. Either you could run bolts from the front of the reflector through the 2 bigger bolt holes, or you could even use the 4 allen head bolts that mount the light to the faceplace, but instead weld 4 nuts onto a piece of metal, so you screw the light directly to the metal, and no bolts sticking out to look funny.

at $30 for 2 lights, might be worth me screwing around with it to come up with something.

 

[AJ-MJ]

is this real? you used that light with the stock reflector and just trimmed it to fit? looks good! I may go that route, but put a piece of matte black finyl over the rest of the red.

FYI I didn't actually do the cube light idea, those were just photos of the bracket seller on facebook

I found the pictures somewhere but darn if I can relocate their origin. But it does look like someone use the red reflector. I have not fabricated anything yet. I plan to use some 16 gage steel painted black and mounting the light on that. I ordered the lights today. Like you said it at their price it worth tinker around a little.

 

[steffen707]

I found the pictures somewhere but darn if I can relocate their origin. But it does look like someone use the red reflector. I have not fabricated anything yet. I plan to use some 16 gage steel painted black and mounting the light on that. I ordered the lights today. Like you said it at their price it worth tinker around a little.

cool, can't wait to see what you come up with.

 

[canyonrat]

Can @BrichJeepUtopia or @Punkngladiator or anyone else comment on the best way to get wiring from the Aux wires under the hood by the battery back to the rear bumper? Punkngladiator I see you ran through the frame, did you just shove them along or use a length of coathangar wire or what? They are enclose for some good distances and I can see it getting hard to keep it moving in the frame.

It looks like I can drop them from rearward of their termination point under the hood next to the battery platform and they should show up toward the rear of the front wheel well. Then there are some holes in the frame where I might be able to snake them through until you get just forward of the rear wheels where the frame member bends up at an angle. Alternatively I could zip-tie them along just inside of where my rock rails bolt onto the body bolts.

In front of the rear wheel I see a fabric-wrapped set of either hydraulic or electrical connection that heads back to the rear diff area, I could piggy-back zip-tie onto that to get up over the axle. Once it's behind the rear axle I should be able to find things to zip-tie to. Open to any suggestions, I do have 2 wires enclosed in 3/8" conduit for 20 feet sitting here prepped and I don't want to do this twice.

 

[BrichJeepUtopia]

Can @BrichJeepUtopia or @Punkngladiator or anyone else comment on the best way to get wiring from the Aux wires under the hood by the battery back to the rear bumper? Punkngladiator I see you ran through the frame, did you just shove them along or use a length of coathangar wire or what? They are enclose for some good distances and I can see it getting hard to keep it moving in the frame.

It looks like I can drop them from rearward of their termination point under the hood next to the battery platform and they should show up toward the rear of the front wheel well. Then there are some holes in the frame where I might be able to snake them through until you get just forward of the rear wheels where the frame member bends up at an angle. Alternatively I could zip-tie them along just inside of where my rock rails bolt onto the body bolts.

In front of the rear wheel I see a fabric-wrapped set of either hydraulic or electrical connection that heads back to the rear diff area, I could piggy-back zip-tie onto that to get up over the axle. Once it's behind the rear axle I should be able to find things to zip-tie to. Open to any suggestions, I do have 2 wires enclosed in 3/8" conduit for 20 feet sitting here prepped and I don't want to do this twice.

I ran the wires, starting from the rear bumper, under the bed zip tied to factory wires up toward the back passenger Wheel. I continued behind the shock/spring tower (Making sure to avoid any moving parts), then down to an opening in the frame below the back passenger door. Then From a Hole in the frame just under the front passenger door, I Pushed a wire snake Back to the opening where the wires are under the back passenger door. Hooked the wires to the snake then pulled through To the front hole. Then repeated the process from the circular whole just behind the front wheel spring/shock tower. Once you have the wires pulled out through that circular hole Behind the front shock , you can drop a coat hanger or wire snake down from the battery area and pull them straight up behind the inner fender liner to the Aux switch wire bundle. There are also a couple factory ground points right there Where you dropped the snake down That you can use for grounding them.

In my opinion, running them up through the frame is your best option. It's very easy and they'll be well protected in there.

 

[canyonrat]

I ran the wires, starting from the rear bumper, under the bed zip tied to factory wires up toward the back passenger Wheel. I continued behind the shock/spring tower (Making sure to avoid any moving parts), then down to an opening in the frame below the back passenger door. Then From a Hole in the frame just under the front passenger door, I Pushed a wire snake Back to the opening where the wires are under the back passenger door. Hooked the wires to the snake then pulled through To the front hole. Then repeated the process from the circular whole just behind the front wheel spring/shock tower. Once you have the wires pulled out through that circular hole Behind the front shock , you can drop a coat hanger or wire snake down from the battery area and pull them straight up behind the inner fender liner to the Aux switch wire bundle. There are also a couple factory ground points right there Where you dropped the snake down That you can use for grounding them.

In my opinion, running them up through the frame is your best option. It's very easy and they'll be well protected in there.

Great, got it, thanks for the details man!

 

[mazeppa]

I'm in, so far I have just built mounting plates to replace the OEM reflectors in the rear bumper and have the wiring done, still deciding on what backup lights to use. I ran my wiring through the frame like @BrichJeepUtopia suggested. I will use one of my auxiliary switches to power the auxiliary backup lights with the reverse light signaling a relay to control the auxiliary backup lights, also whenever the reverse light is powered on the license plate light will turnoff (prevents glare on backup camera at night).

I tapped into the reverse light positive side at the trailer connector circuit. The license plate light has a 2-wire connector on the left side off the spare tire mounted to the frame that I cut the ground-side wire that the relay will control.

My rudimentary circuit drawing.

How my circuit works. While not in reverse the license plate light works as usual and the auxiliary backup light is always disabled. When put into reverse, the reverse light triggers the relay and disables the license plate light and enables the auxiliary backup lights (depending if +12 Volt is supplied to the positive side).

**** Note: I used a changeover relay with a diode, polarity is important across the coil on this type of relay (terminal 85 & 86). More than likely a standard changeover relay without the diode is sufficient.

 

[Punkngladiator]

Yes I used some wire. It was painful as I kept hitting something. But I would just pull back a bit and keep shoving it eventually will make it. I started in the front on the drivers side as I had ran my wiring through the hitch to that side. But either side should be the same. When you get to the back there is enough holes to maneuver the wires to the hole you want.

 

[Tim]

I'm in, so far I have just built mounting plates to replace the OEM reflectors in the rear bumper and have the wiring done, still deciding on what backup lights to use. I ran my wiring through the frame like @BrichJeepUtopia suggested. I will use one of my auxiliary switches to power the auxiliary backup lights with the reverse light signaling a relay to control the auxiliary backup lights, also whenever the reverse light is powered on the license plate light will turnoff (prevents glare on backup camera at night).

I tapped into the reverse light positive side at the trailer connector circuit. The license plate light has a 2-wire connector on the left side off the spare tire mounted to the frame that I cut the ground-side wire that the relay will control.

My rudimentary circuit drawing.

How my circuit works. While not in reverse the license plate light works as usual and the auxiliary backup light is always disabled. When put into reverse, the reverse light triggers the relay and disables the license plate light and enables the auxiliary backup lights (depending if +12 Volt is supplied to the positive side).

**** Note: I used a changeover relay with a diode, polarity is important across the coil on this type of relay (terminal 85 & 86). More than likely a standard changeover relay without the diode is sufficient.

I think I understand this. I have one question, though. If wired consistent with your schematic, is it only possible to power the aux lights when the truck is in reverse? It looks to me like the reverse circuit is what energizes the coil which provides the ground to the aux lights.

I am going to do this mod at some point but I would want to have the ability to use the aux lights independent of the reverse light circuit.

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