Flush 3rd brake and back up lights in tailgate

[OrrieG]

I want to add some bright backup/loading lights and a 3rd brake light to my tailgate like this rough sketch. They will be flush mounted. Has anyone done this? Did you route the wiring out the side of the gate by the trunion or ?? Thanks.

[ChuckDriver]

Deleted

[ChuckDriver]

Found this one, but it's a step side.

[dwcsr]

Originally Posted by OrrieG

I want to add some bright backup/loading lights and a 3rd brake light to my tailgate like this rough sketch. They will be flush mounted. Has anyone done this? Did you route the wiring out the side of the gate by the trunion or ?? Thanks.

Can you smudge out my license plate numbers please?

[OrrieG]

Originally Posted by dwcsr

Can you smudge out my license plate numbers please?

It is smudged, I did not remember where I got the photo. It was a couple of years ago when I was looking for back shots of trucks with Fleetside bumpers.

[rhodog77]

orrie,

Just curious, are you planning on using jamb connectors??

http://www.streetrodstuff.com/Products/1553/

[dwcsr]

I think I would put the backup lights below the tail lights and the brake light in the cab.

[Dan in Pasadena]

You could weld these flush mount lights into your tailgate. $50 from Chev's of the 40's....(I'm still pissed at them..but that's another thread)

You've still got to figure out a way to route the wiring through the hinges in such a way that you can (somewhat) easily remove the tailgate when you need to.

[OrrieG]

Thanks for the comments. Rhodog, I don't know if those would hold up in an exposed location like the tailgate. The truck will be used in the rain and snow. Dave I thought about below the taillights but wanted them higher so they would shoot over my utility trailer. I think surface mounted back up lights were an option below the taillights. Back window cab third brake light is too. Dan, I was thinking of a armored cable connector but had not thought about removing the tailgate, the first 20 years I drove the truck I never did, thanks for the reminder. I could also build them into the bedcover back lip.

Keep the thought coming, guys.

[AndyL]

Just a thought - minivan sliding doors typically have a 4-5 pin connector that mounts to the jamb & leading edge of the door... Mounting one or two of those in the bedside jamb, or at the roll pan would be a pretty slick way to avoid a wiring harness...

No lights if the tailgates down or removed though...

[OrrieG]

Originally Posted by AndyL

Just a thought - minivan sliding doors typically have a 4-5 pin connector that mounts to the jamb & leading edge of the door... Mounting one or two of those in the bedside jamb, or at the roll pan would be a pretty slick way to avoid a wiring harness...

No lights if the tailgates down or removed though...

If the gate is down lights won't work, something else, I don't think I thought this out to good. dwcsr looks like I am back to below the taillight and in or on the cab. Thanks guys.

[Dan in Pasadena]

There is always the lights in the rolled ends of the bed sides. Not my cup of tea, but if you really want to do something somewhat unusual you can go with that.

[Mordachai]

Originally Posted by OrrieG

If the gate is down lights won't work, something else, I don't think I thought this out to good. dwcsr looks like I am back to below the taillight and in or on the cab. Thanks guys.

well, my thought is with the tailgate down, the lights won't do much anyways. they won't help you reverse in the dark or show the 3rd brake light much. I have thought about lights/plate etc in the gate again and again, but with the gate down (or off) they'd be useless.
So if you really want them there, I wouldn't worry about the pin type connections not working when the gate is down. kind of a moot issue(how can I power lights that have no function?)

Also you could look into a molex connector instead of those pin types. (some molex are weatherproof) and easy to connect/disconnect. looks up sealed molex connectors...