[PiercedTiger]

There is one mounting screw on the ends of each LED strip...the bracket in the middle is for additional support. They probably aren't necessary. In fact, had I seen CBRBob's setup before I started, I would have excluded the middle bracket in order to get the strip closer to the bedrail.

I was thinking about using zip ties wrapped around the LED bar with the end sticking up between the rail and side of the bed. Then run another tie down that end so the locking part acts as a block keeping the tie from pulling down, and then cutting the extra off each one. 3M tape would work I suppose, but I haven't had good luck with it in the past. Temperature changes and water here tend to make it come loose. The zip ties would also elminate any screws that might rust or come loose.

 

[nminute]

I was thinking about using zip ties wrapped around the LED bar with the end sticking up between the rail and side of the bed. Then run another tie down that end so the locking part acts as a block keeping the tie from pulling down, and then cutting the extra off each one. 3M tape would work I suppose, but I haven't had good luck with it in the past. Temperature changes and water here tend to make it come loose. The zip ties would also elminate any screws that might rust or come loose.

That's a good idea...with the salt and winter weather we see up here, I could definitely see the screws rusting. Using rivets in place of the screws is another idea, and still relatively reversible if you ever wanted to change things.

 

[PiercedTiger]

That's a good idea...with the salt and winter weather we see up here, I could definitely see the screws rusting. Using rivets in place of the screws is another idea, and still relatively reversible if you ever wanted to change things.

no doubt! :lol: I snapped a bolt head off my passenger headlight mount on my car trying to change the bulbs a couple months ago.... Damn rust.... :disappoin

 

[Fluxaholic]

PT, correct me if I'm wrong, but those Striplytes that CBRBob used look a lot better than anything else I've seen online in terms of size, profile, output, and quality. Unfortunately, they only sell on ebay in 6 packs. I'm probably going to go ahead and get some for under my hood. Anybody want to split the purchase with me and take some or all of the other four?

 

[PiercedTiger]

PT, correct me if I'm wrong, but those Striplytes that CBRBob used look a lot better than anything else I've seen online in terms of size, profile, output, and quality. Unfortunately, they only sell on ebay in 6 packs. I'm probably going to go ahead and get some for under my hood. Anybody want to split the purchase with me and take some or all of the other four?

I was thinking the same thing myself. I was seeing prices of $200+ for some of the 6-packs in their store: http://stores.ebay.com/Acolyte-Indu...0QQcolZ2QQdirZ1QQfclZ3QQfsubZ13QQftidZ2QQtZkm

However, there are individual ones for ~$20. You could just buy a couple of those and not have to bother with repacking and reshipping.

 

[PiercedTiger]

Well I finally pulled the trigger and bought some today.

http://www.vminnovations.com/product/id/1166/Undercar_4_Piece_Car_LED_Neon_Kit_WHITE_%2b_REMOTE.aspx

Not the ones I originally found, but they were $42 cheaper (so damn near half the price) with shipping. AND these have 2 remotes instead of 1 so I can leave one with the valet key. Only going to be lighting up my bed (REALLY need them now with the canopy on the bed!), and maybe under the doors so we can see whats on the ground before we get out so I don't care if they are cheap. :lol: Even my weak LED flashlights would be enough to do the job so 36" and 48" tubes aught to put out some decent light regardless of the quality.

Edit: They should be here middle of next week so I'm hoping to get them installed and get some pics.

 

[dwmmatt23]

yea they look rice on that car but i would have to see how much light they put out on a lifted tacoma at night to see if it would be worth it. if they put out enough i would pick some up for trail lighting, but thats the only time they would be used. id buy a civic if i wanted the look of them on all the time

 

[PiercedTiger]

Why is it people can't read what I say and jump to "rice" immediately"? Maybe I shouldn't have posted a pic and make people use their imaginations to see what I was talking about.

OBVIOUSLY our trucks look nothing like that car so it won't be the same effect, they won't be going behind the grill, and they won't be on all the time. Who gives a fuck what they actually look like if you use them for what I posted about? If you're on the trail and hung up on something at night "rice" will be the last thing on your mind when these let you see what's wrong. Or maybe lights up a section of ice before your wife/gf gets out and breaks her neck.

Funny how no one said "rice" to this guy....

http://www.toyotanation.com/forum/showthread.php?t=161340

 

[DirtyTaco]

Hey PT, funny how you can't just get functional or practical opinions. Instead you get the unimaginitive general, "it looks ricey". I've been searching for LED stripe lights for the bed for a while. I was considering the StipLytes: http://cgi.ebay.com/LED-Light-Strip...308147QQihZ003QQcategoryZ116019QQcmdZViewItem

I'm concerned they won't have the intensity or pattern for the cost. I'm hoping the few people who have bought them will post pics and reviews.

 

[PiercedTiger]

Hey PT, funny how you can't just get functional or practical opinions. Instead you get the unimaginitive general, "it looks ricey". I've been searching for LED stripe lights for the bed for a while. I was considering the StipLytes: http://cgi.ebay.com/LED-Light-Strip-50x6-Ultra-Bright-White-DC-Instruments_W0QQitemZ130078308147QQihZ003QQcategoryZ116019QQcmdZViewItem

I'm concerned they won't have the intensity or pattern for the cost. I'm hoping the few people who have bought them will post pics and reviews.

Yeah I know....

Anyway, I think a few people have bought those lights. Look around for more auctions. They do sell individual ones, but $282/6 is still $47 per tube.... Plus you have to buy wiring, switch, etc. I forget how much the individual tubes went for but if you use the math above that's $94 for 2 tubes while the ones I posted just above are $64 for 4 tubes, fuse, wiring, and 2 wireless remotes.

Even if they're not perfect it's more light than I have now (none! :lol, AND a fraction of the price. I don't need a lot of light, but right now it's total darkness at night unless I back up to a porch light or something. I always just drive forward into my inlaw's driveway so their light never helps, and my mother in law always wants us to take stuff home.

I might even grab a second set at some point to put a set under the look like a few guys have, and maybe put the other 2 under the truck for extra lighting. Not sure yet though. Will see how the first set works out first though.

 

[PiercedTiger]

Well, I finally got them installed! :whatwhat: I must say, for the cheapest ones out there they are VERY bright! I was hard to tell with the flood lights on my barn coming on during the pics, but after a trip to the store we could tell they REALLY light up where you're stepping. They'll be great on those muddy access roads at night when I need to get out and look around! :thumbsup:


Need to get better shots, but here's some quick ones. Apparently my hands shake a little too much for the night mode of my camera when they're cold.


Side lights to tell if it's mud, water or hard dirt! (or dog crap at my inlaws.... ) Lights up the canopy real nice too.

Sooooo nice being able to see what the heck I'm unloading!

Close up of one of the tubes in the bed.

 

[PiercedTiger]

Ok so it's 9pm and WARMER than when I was installing these during the day... :whatthe: So I pulled out the tripod to get some better ones.

Front: (wife should be able to avoid ice and mud puddles now.... should anyway )

Side: (hmmmm.... I'm thinking I could actually change a tire without a flashlight now!) :whatwhat:

What I had to deal with while unloading before:

After:

 

[Chalkie]

I'll be curious to know how the under cab lights hold up to mud and/or snow and ice.

They look good and appear to be practical. After seeing them I got to thinking the undercab ones could be hooked up to the door light circuit and use the remote for the bed lights.

 

[PiercedTiger]

I'll be curious to know how the under cab lights hold up to mud and/or snow and ice.

They look good and appear to be practical. After seeing them I got to thinking the undercab ones could be hooked up to the door light circuit and use the remote for the bed lights.

Well, they're supposedly water proof and are in an acrylic tube. Same stuff they use around underbody neons, and the ones on my car survived a winter. Even sliding off the road into snow so deep the tires were off the ground. Also survived -29F temps that winter. They didn't break until I miscalculated where my jack was.... :hammer:

But, these are LED's not neon so even if the tube cracks I can just seal the crack with glue and be fine. The LEDs won't shatter like the neon tube did when my jack cracked the acrylic case.

Not sure about the dome light idea. I'd like that too, but there's a controller box with built in transformer (apparently, very short description on website). Each tube has 4-5 wires each in a plug so you'd have to figure out what they are for. My neons had a 9000v transformer. I have no idea what these would need.... I thought LEDs had low power requirements, but with so many LED's per tube (every inch or so) they might need to bump it up above 12V and split it to each segment. It seems the LEDs are grouped together in sets of 4 or 5. I didn't pay much attention when I stumbled on the chase function. Just enough to notice it was groups of LEDs "moving" down the tube rather than individual ones. Oh, and when I had the plugs at an angle 1 section didn't light up so I'm guessing 1 wire per section, plus a common ground.

Thinking about it now, you might be able to just wire them in parallel to the dome light circuit so each section gets 12v. :dunno: It was cold and I didn't wanna deal with any more wiring! :lol:

EDIT:
Oh, and the undercab ones are on the outside of the frame rails near the top. I'd have to bury the frame before they really get hit with anything. I'm mostly concerned with the bed lights so if the bottom ones die.... f'it.

 

[Pete78]

I have seen really nice LED bed lights at http://www.realtruck.com/productlin...sories_bed_rail_cargo_area_led_light_kit.html
They seem to be good quality.

 

[PiercedTiger]

I have seen really nice LED bed lights at http://www.realtruck.com/productlin...sories_bed_rail_cargo_area_led_light_kit.html
They seem to be good quality.

Think I've seen something like that before. But again, nearly twice what I paid for mine. Those are $118.36 with the cheapest shipping option. I paid $63.95 IIRC for mine, and I have lights under the truck now as well to light up the step bars and whatever you're stepping in/on.

Not sure how they turn on either. Claims to be a "no drill" install so it can't be a pin switch for when the tailgate is opened.

I kinda like being able to turn mine on before I get to the truck if my arms are loaded. :clap:

 

[thepush]

Looks really good PT. Did you go 48 outside, and 36 in the bed?

 

[PiercedTiger]

Looks really good PT. Did you go 48 outside, and 36 in the bed?

Thanks and yes. As it is, the 36's overlap the lip on the side pockets. I would've preferred 18 or 24" ones, but oh well! (18 or 24 inch ones would've fit between the curve at the rear of the bed and the pocket) They're held on with 2 zip ties looped through drain slots in the tie down rails so the thickness of the pockets don't bend the tubes. Actually mounted fairly solid for just 2 zip ties! I was going to use the screw holes at each end then decided not to bother after I tightened the ties down.

The plastic cleats can still be used (open them up a little more than norm to rotate over the tubes), and will help protect them as well I think.

 

[the.phantom]

that really looks great !!!!

one suggestion on tie wraps, the sunlight (UV) will affect them and they turn very brittle after a year in the sun, so might want to just hand paint them to protect the plastic? now you have the camper shell to protect those but someone just putting them in without a cover could get into trouble..
and the current draw on the leds is very low down in the miliamps ! i would be surprised if all the lights pull a amp !

 

[PiercedTiger]

that really looks great !!!!

one suggestion on tie wraps, the sunlight (UV) will affect them and they turn very brittle after a year in the sun, so might want to just hand paint them to protect the plastic? now you have the camper shell to protect those but someone just putting them in without a cover could get into trouble..
and the current draw on the leds is very low down in the miliamps ! i would be surprised if all the lights pull a amp !

Thanks! These are black zip ties that I've used elsewhere without any problems. I'll keep an eye on them though! Being under my canopy with tinted side windows I would think UV exposure would be limited.

Either way, they were ones I grabbed from my last job so if nothing else I'll just replace the ties if/when they break.

The whole system has a 3amp fuse.