Thanks for the post!
Cab Lights Install for Lariat
3
I recently just installed Recon cab lights on my 01 F350 Lariat. I tried going by Motoman's instructions, however those instructions did not touch a whole lot on the wiring part. And if you have a Lariat, you won't have the "extra" plug behind the kick panel.
1st thing I did was lay down 3 strips of 2" masking tape, starting at the edge of the windshield seal. This gave me a straight edge to work with and help keep the paint from chipping (even though I'm having the roof repainted)
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Then to find center, I measured 5.5" from the seal of the windshield, then I measured 29" from each edge of the cab (total width of the cab is roughly 58"). You will probably still need to find center of 29" from each side. I used a tape measurer used to measure fabric, so it would curve with the roof and I double checked with a metal tape measurer.
Once all of the holes are marked, I then took the a-pillars, visors, computer cover, and kick panel out. The 2 panel fasteners holding the headliner in place are a pain at first to get out. But if you start with a flat head to pry into it, then finish it off with a claw hammer its MUCH easier:thumbsup:. And the computer cover really wasnt that much of a pain. Pull down on the backside first, then pull down on the front.
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Then its time to drill the holes I marked. I opted to cut the plugs that came on the harness and lights and go with regular connectors, because I do not have a knock-out set. I started with a small bit for a pilot hole then finished it off with a bullet bit. If you do not plan on having the roof repainted I suggest getting a knock out set. Now for marking the holes for the bolts I had made photo copies of the base of the cab lights (had to remover the bottom pad). I cut it out and put holes in the center of where the bolts go in. I lined the back screw hole (screw to hold the lense) with the center line of the hole, then I marked where I had made the two hole in the paper. Drilled those holes and then I was done drilling.
This is where I got stuck, on my phone reading forums and researching. I looked for an extra plug behind the kick panel, thinking "where could it be in such a small space!!!! GRRRR!!!!". Then on an old TDS post, I read someone mention using a wire off the plug that feeds the OHD. Looking at the plug, you have about 11 "ins" and 9 "outs". On one side of the plug there are 5 pins in a row. 2nd pin from the inside (brown wire) gets 13.8v when the lights are on. Cut this wire, or find the pin that goes in the male side of the plug. Cutting that wire will NOT affect the OHD. However, cutting the blue wire with the RED stripe (there is an Orange striped blue wire, DONT CUT IT!!) will make it to where your OHD stays bright all the time. I had done put the kick panel back, so I just cut it at the OHD.
Running the wire and bolting up the lights was pretty straight forward. The hardest part (other than talking my wife into getting on the roof) was getting the hardware on the bolt of the middle light. It's a tight space between the roof and the computer. I put some silicone on the washer to help hold it on there untill I could get the nut up there. Then I held the nut with a ratchet while my wife drilled the screw in. If had of thought about it at the time, I would have made the wires of the middle light a little longer, because of the tight fit with my hands.
PS, brown wire on the harness is the ground. Yellow wire is positive.
Hope this helps anyone in the future that finds themselves googling the internet because they can't find that extra plug:thumbsup:
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1st thing I did was lay down 3 strips of 2" masking tape, starting at the edge of the windshield seal. This gave me a straight edge to work with and help keep the paint from chipping (even though I'm having the roof repainted)
Then to find center, I measured 5.5" from the seal of the windshield, then I measured 29" from each edge of the cab (total width of the cab is roughly 58"). You will probably still need to find center of 29" from each side. I used a tape measurer used to measure fabric, so it would curve with the roof and I double checked with a metal tape measurer.
Once all of the holes are marked, I then took the a-pillars, visors, computer cover, and kick panel out. The 2 panel fasteners holding the headliner in place are a pain at first to get out. But if you start with a flat head to pry into it, then finish it off with a claw hammer its MUCH easier:thumbsup:. And the computer cover really wasnt that much of a pain. Pull down on the backside first, then pull down on the front.
Then its time to drill the holes I marked. I opted to cut the plugs that came on the harness and lights and go with regular connectors, because I do not have a knock-out set. I started with a small bit for a pilot hole then finished it off with a bullet bit. If you do not plan on having the roof repainted I suggest getting a knock out set. Now for marking the holes for the bolts I had made photo copies of the base of the cab lights (had to remover the bottom pad). I cut it out and put holes in the center of where the bolts go in. I lined the back screw hole (screw to hold the lense) with the center line of the hole, then I marked where I had made the two hole in the paper. Drilled those holes and then I was done drilling.
This is where I got stuck, on my phone reading forums and researching. I looked for an extra plug behind the kick panel, thinking "where could it be in such a small space!!!! GRRRR!!!!". Then on an old TDS post, I read someone mention using a wire off the plug that feeds the OHD. Looking at the plug, you have about 11 "ins" and 9 "outs". On one side of the plug there are 5 pins in a row. 2nd pin from the inside (brown wire) gets 13.8v when the lights are on. Cut this wire, or find the pin that goes in the male side of the plug. Cutting that wire will NOT affect the OHD. However, cutting the blue wire with the RED stripe (there is an Orange striped blue wire, DONT CUT IT!!) will make it to where your OHD stays bright all the time. I had done put the kick panel back, so I just cut it at the OHD.
Running the wire and bolting up the lights was pretty straight forward. The hardest part (other than talking my wife into getting on the roof) was getting the hardware on the bolt of the middle light. It's a tight space between the roof and the computer. I put some silicone on the washer to help hold it on there untill I could get the nut up there. Then I held the nut with a ratchet while my wife drilled the screw in. If had of thought about it at the time, I would have made the wires of the middle light a little longer, because of the tight fit with my hands.
PS, brown wire on the harness is the ground. Yellow wire is positive.
Hope this helps anyone in the future that finds themselves googling the internet because they can't find that extra plug:thumbsup:
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