Rear Facing Amber Install...Pics and some notes

[Phyguy]

Decided to mount up my removable rear facing amber today since installing Ducati's headlights didn't take as long as I had imagined.

I need a rear facing amber to cut through dust when offroading. But, I don't want to have it there all the time (even though now I kind of like the look of it). So, I decided to make up a permanent bracket (minimal eye sore) and remove the light with disconnects on the cables and easy accessibility.

So, I came up with a plan. I wouldn't do any hardcore highspeed offroading with my Bakflip F1 on the truck, but I wanted to be able to fold it all the way up in case the light was in place. And, I wanted the light on the left side of the vehicle when having to exit the trail to the right (so that the light is closest to the trail).

Here's what I came up with....

I decided to fab a simple bracket, mount it under the bed rail covers and leave that bracket there. I had to drill a hole in the bed rails, but not the bed rail covers and then grind off the top of the bolt so that the cover would sit flush again.

I started wiring, but it got dark and I ran out of beer, so I'll finish that up tomorrow and get some day and night shots of it on.



1. Bedrail tops were pretty easy to get off. use your fingers to push through the clips and then give a pretty good tug to get the inner clips to pop out. Nothing broke, but damn look at the dirt I brought back from the TRR (pre and post pictures):



after a little love





2. Here's where I decided to put the bracket. Mocked up, and then drilled.












3. I plasti-dipped the bracket after mockup (I need to do it again as the plasti-dip looks rough) and mounted the light after the trim was reinstalled. Notice bakflip folds up nicely (even though it may not be on when offroading at all times). I plan to grind down the bolt holding the light to the bracket when I finish this thing up. I don't want it smacking the cab during flexing.











I'm really happy with the way this turned out. I need to finish the wiring, re-plasti dip the bracket (or just paint it black) and grind down the bolt that holds the light to the bracket a bit.

Thanks, Treypal for the ideas.

Matt

 

[Squatting Dog]

Definately, grind down that bolt or turn it around so it doesnt hit the cab. The bed really moves around alot offroading!

-Greg

 

[BlueSVT]

Yeah, even with the bolt ground down, that might still be too close!

Nice mod, I love having the rear-facing amber too...

 

[Phyguy]

Thanks. Thinking of painting the cap black too with somehow keeping the logoing. Meh...something to do some other time. Wife is a little pissy I spent all day on the truck (minus coaching my son's tball game today).

 

[vanilla_gorilla]

I love it, I just got my rigid dually difused yesterday and am toying with a mounting location, I think i'm going to go your route for now, because I eventually want a custom bedcage that I can mount it too. Nice job, have a pic of the bolt attaching it to the bedrail after you grounded it down? Is there a bit o a gap to allow for the nut?

 

[Phyguy]

I love it, I just got my rigid dually difused yesterday and am toying with a mounting location, I think i'm going to go your route for now, because I eventually want a custom bedcage that I can mount it too. Nice job, have a pic of the bolt attaching it to the bedrail after you grounded it down? Is there a bit o a gap to allow for the nut?

Yep. Going to run the wires tomorrow hopefully. I plan to run them up the inner bed wall. It seems pretty accessible from the underside of the truck. I already soldered them and just need to run the positive from the engine compartment and then the ground to the mounting bolt under the bed rail trim piece. I'll put disconnects right there that I can stuff under the bed rail or even under the bakflip when the light is off.

Thanks for the compliments.

 

[Raptizzle]

Good advice from what the guys said about the bolt being too close to the cab. I have damaged my cab from the impact of the bed and have seen it happen on two other raptors too. Just a heads up...

 

[CrownOffroad]

Phyguy, looks really good! I like the install, simple yet very effective.

I was looking into running an amber light as well. I had been looking into the various aftermarket bumpers that are pre-made for various lights (such as the Rigid Duallys). I personally think that a pair of duallys for backing up is perhaps slightly overkill. Would running a single amber dually in the rear bumper be sufficient? Meet requirements for offroad night racing/courses like the TRR? My thought was so have one white dually tied to the reverse lights and one amber dually (both in the rear bumper) hooked up to a switch for night running.

 

[Aidan]

Nice idea! I like it a lot. Have you taken it out yet? Even with grinding the bolt down some, I think that bracket is too thin and will flex all over the place and make the light bounce a lot.

I'd love to hear how it works though, it's a slick place to put the light.

 

[vanilla_gorilla]

Yep. Going to run the wires tomorrow hopefully. I plan to run them up the inner bed wall. It seems pretty accessible from the underside of the truck. I already soldered them and just need to run the positive from the engine compartment and then the ground to the mounting bolt under the bed rail trim piece. I'll put disconnects right there that I can stuff under the bed rail or even under the bakflip when the light is off.

Thanks for the compliments.

Sorry, I didn't write my question properly. DO you have pics of the bolt that is holding the "L" bracket to the bed rail, under the plastic cap, after you grinded it down? Does that bolt/nut touch the plastic bed cap, or is there some clearance between the plastic bed rail cap and the bed?