Rock lights or bed lights?

8849 Views 62 Replies 19 Participants Last post by PiercedTiger, Dec 1, 2007

PiercedTiger

Discussion Starter · Jan 24, 2007

I know there's a thread on bed lights with no real solution yet. I ran across these today:
http://ledunderbody.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=4

$89.99 for LED underbody kits with wireless remote control. Seems like one of the cheapest ways to add lights to the bed. I first saw them with they were $150+ and decided there's no way in hell I was paying that much for bed lights! :lol:

Now I'm thinking these would work well if I mounted them along the sides just below the rails.

I'm also thinking about a set under the truck to light up the ground like rock lights, or so my wife and kids can see when getting out at night. Remote controls mean no extra wiring or switch placement! And I can kick them on before I get to the truck.

I figured white would produce a good amount of light, and would be street legal if I left them on "by mistake" with a cop around. :lol: In NY you can only have white or amber on the front, and white, amber or red on the rear. So I'm half tempted to leave them on and tell the cop they're legal if I get pulled over. :clap:

They seem VERY bright in this pic, so I can only assume the light would disperse more and light up more ground being mounted higher on my truck.

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Ricky Bobby

· #2 · Jan 24, 2007

Man I like that, I did the backup light mod, but those seem to add alot more!!!

PiercedTiger

Discussion Starter · #3 · Jan 24, 2007

aanderson said:
Man I like that, I did the backup light mod, but those seem to add alot more!!!

Tha'ts what I thought! Instead of 2 lights aimed to the back you would have one on each side and one behind the cab to light the bed/cap/under cover from three different angles. Only thing I haven't worked out is where to put the 4th one.

screeber

· #4 · Jan 24, 2007

Sorry PT, but I gotta say :rice:

maybe a different style/type of light would be better?

PiercedTiger

Discussion Starter · #5 · Jan 24, 2007

screeber said:
Sorry PT, but I gotta say :rice:

maybe a different style/type of light would be better?

eh... to each his own. Since no one has a better idea about lighting up the bed, this will work for me. Especially since no one has made an aftermarket part for the third brake light or any other way of mounting a light that doesn't run off AA or D batteries.

As for the ones under the truck, I really don't care wtf people think of them. :lol: I don't see anyone calling a rock crawling truck with lights under it to see it's route at night "ricey". Besides, they'll be tucked up under the truck between the frame rails so it's not like a Fast N Furious car where you can see the neon stick hanging under the body kit. :lol: All you'll see is light under the truck so it doesn't really matter what the source turns out to be. And with 2 tubes down each side it'll produce a nice distributed lighted patch under the tube steps or sliders so we can see what we're stepping into when we get out at night.

Fluxaholic

· #6 · Jan 24, 2007

PT, I remember a thread in which we were throwing around some ideas for bed lighting. I like what you've found here. I would like to see what the actual lights look like to get an idea of their quality and to decide how to mount them under the rails.

I also agree with you that a battery-powered solution just doesn't cut the mustard. And I'm not sure how white LED lights in the bed would qualify as "ricey."

PiercedTiger

Discussion Starter · #7 · Jan 24, 2007

Fluxaholic said:
PT, I remember a thread in which we were throwing around some ideas for bed lighting. I like what you've found here. I would like to see what the actual lights look like to get an idea of their quality and to decide how to mount them under the rails.

I also agree with you that a battery-powered solution just doesn't cut the mustard. And I'm not sure how white LED lights in the bed would qualify as "ricey."

I know the bed rails are held on with Torx screws about every foot or two so I'm thinking we could pull those out to mount the led's to. I had neons on my car a few years back that had a mount like this:

I'm thinking something like this would go around the LED tube, up under the rail, and let you put the screws back in. Would need one with a longer flat part to reach the screw hole though. Similar parts may come with the LED kits, but I'm sure you could find something better at a hardware store.

I plan on getting a couple sets along with my slider/bumper/bed cover buying spree after taxes come back so I can post how I do it and how they mount! :clap:

I also don't see the "ricey" bit either. Sure, if you're driving down the road with the flash-to-the-music crap going, but I have no plans for EVER using those options. Unless I get this crazy drunken urge to turn my back yard into a disco club! :lol:

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Fluxaholic

· #8 · Jan 25, 2007

Something like that would definitely work for mounting the LED tubes. If the included mounting straps/clips aren't long enough or the hole isn't big enough, it would be very easy to fabricate a better fitting version.

Don't knock it! I think the music flash option will come in very handy for the late night tailgate beach parties. :naughty:

And don't even talk to me about income taxes. I stayed out of that thread because it just depresses me. I'll be lucky if I don't have to pay over $4k this year.

PiercedTiger

Discussion Starter · #9 · Jan 25, 2007

ouch! 4k..... :ugh3: I guess kids ARE good for something afterall.... :lol:

If I had a beach around here, that idea might have come to mind too.... :naughty:

Depending how they throw light it might be useful while camping too, and have very little draw on the battery. I have no idea on the specs for the LEDs, but my neons had a 3amp fuse. Smallest one on the car! And yet the transformer took 12v and bumped it up to 9000v.

I'm thinking about putting 3 of the LED tubes around the bed, and the 4th one under the frame behind the bumper somehow. I'm wondering if it would illuminate behind the bumper enough so see while unloading. As in, see the hitch so we don't trip over it or step in mud under the tailgate. :thumbsup:

Hayduke

· #10 · Jan 25, 2007

PiercedTiger said:
I'm thinking about putting 3 of the LED tubes around the bed,:thumbsup:

I've been thinking about something along these lines. I want to find some 12v led rope light thin enough to tuck under the tie-down rails. Mount a piece under each of the 3 rails. Maybe wire it up with a switch in the bed and in the cab. . . . .

Anyone know any good online sources for the rope light??

PiercedTiger

Discussion Starter · #11 · Jan 25, 2007 (Edited)

Hayduke said:
I've been thinking about something along these lines. I want to find some 12v led rope light thin enough to tuck under the tie-down rails. Mount a piece under each of the 3 rails. Maybe wire it up with a switch in the bed and in the cab. . . . .

Anyone know any good online sources for the rope light??

http://www.sailorsams.com/mall/led-rope-lights.asp

Thing is, the white ones are $7.20/foot so if you figure 14-20 ft of them will run you $100.80-$144 for just the LED rope lights. No wiring or switches.

The red ones are a little cheaper (and brighter!) at $2.70/ft or $37.80-$54 before wiring and switch.

I was planning on getting the red ones myself since they are way cheaper and brighter, but I think the ones I originally posted would be better. They include the wireless remote (no switch to locate somewhere), wiring, and mounting hardware. I could add a wireless remote switch to the rope lights, but that's an extra $20 so that's nearly what I'd pay for kit and still not have wiring or mounting.

Edit:
Also remember rope lights don't focus or aim the light anywhere. They tend to scatter it in all directions so you won't have it directed towards the center of your bed where the load is that you're trying to find.

JUNGLEMAN

· #12 · Jan 25, 2007 (Edited)

I think that`s a kick ass idea. I`m sick of shining a flashlight through the back window or using the taillights of a big rig going the other way to see if my decoys/cart are hanging in there.
Thanks

Fluxaholic

· #13 · Jan 25, 2007 (Edited)

I'll definitely give it a shot if I can get a little more information:

1. What is the diameter of the tubing? I wouldn't want anything with a real large profile that would get hit loading or unloading stuff into the bed (this would be one nice thing about the rope lights).

2. I'd like to see a picture of the wiring harness to judge the quality.

Have you talked to them PT?

PiercedTiger

Discussion Starter · #14 · Jan 25, 2007

Fluxaholic said:
I'll definitely give it a shot if I can get a little more information:

1. What is the diameter of the tubing? I wouldn't want anything with a real large profile that would get hit loading or unloading stuff into the bed (this would be one nice thing about the rope lights).

2. I'd like to see a picture of the wiring harness to judge the quality.

Have you talked to them PT?

Actually, I just noticed that they have a live chat option on the site! Apparently no one's there now so I left a message. I included a link to this thread, mentioned how we were planning on using them in the bed, asked about mounting hardware, thickness, and if 1 remote could controll multiple sets of lights.

The last question was for me as I'm thinking about 2 sets: one set to illuminate my step bars (soon to be sliders) and ground below so my wife and kids can see to get out at night better, and another set in the bed. With the truck's key fob, 2 more for lights would be a lot so it would be cool if one remote can control 2 sets of lights. :clap: I could probably put the unused remote with my spare key. lol

JUNGLEMAN

· #15 · Jan 25, 2007

Good deal
Let us know what you find out
I need to get something back there
Is it REALLY that hard for someone to make a third brake/cargo light??????????

viet2100

· #16 · Jan 25, 2007

When I have time, I'm workin on this....

Take apart the 3rd brake light.
Remove the amber/red film from the ends.
Then wire it up to the dome light.

Anyone else think this will work?

Hayduke

· #17 · Jan 25, 2007

Thanks a ton for the link and info PT. . . .

nminute

· #18 · Mar 27, 2007

4

Finally got some lights installed in my bed so I thought I'd post up some pics. I used LED strips that were designed as running board lights. They seem to cast just the right amount of light in the bed and aren't blinding.

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viet2100

· #19 · Mar 27, 2007

Woah those are sweeeeet! Weather proof I'm assuming? (dumb question)

docindahouze

· #20 · Mar 27, 2007

cool as hell man. what brand are those? how did you wire them up?

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