I've done my research, i just want second opinions. I'm going to bypass the deck light switch and run constant power to the deck light. That way I can switch the light on at its base at any time.

What do you think of me tapping into the constant hot wire to the tailgate key hole? Would that be okay, amp wise?

 

You gonna use the same light that's there? Cause that thing is junk. You're better off putting in something else, LED wise, to have hot wired. I'd tie into the rear wiper and attached the light off of the cover. Except you'd have to have the key in for that to work...

 

Yes and no. I'm gonna run an LED light in it...I just like to keep as stock of a look as possible on the inside. I was just wondering about the draw the light will put on the tailgate power source.

 

If you're going with LED, you won't have to worry too much about power draw, as long as you don't put hundreds in there or anything like that.

 

I put in an extra dome light I had and mounted it off the wiper cover and looks factory to me!

 

4crawler.com

Roger covers all of this in detail on his site. The master has already been there, and done that.

What Roger did was change the wiring for the switch at the front, in the dash, so that it works like a hallway light with two switches on it. Either one can turn the deck light on, or off, regardless of the ignition or the parking lights.

Also, Roger installed an LED light bar that is zip tied to the roll bar and plugged into a cigarette lighter plug in the cargo area that is wired into the deck light. Both lights come on/turn off with the flick of either switch. Also, with the top off, the LED light bar is still on the rollbar and usable.

Roger's write up on the mod:

http://www.4crawler.com/4x4/CheapTri...l#DeckLightMod