I want to hook up a rubber housing tractor utility light for a backup light.
I will fuse the light at the battery to a relay but want to trigger the relay when ever I put it in reverse. I'm wondering where do I find reverse switched power?
I could take it from the rear gate at the light but there has to be a better place.
Any ideas? I also do not see a fuse under the hood or at the drivers kick pannel for backup or reverse lights.
1991 4runner, 3.0, auto tranny.
thanks.

 

You think it would draw too much to just tap into the wire near the bulb?

 

My wiring diagrams are vague on where the wiring runs for reverse lights, but all the wires to the rear of my 93 Runner ran down the inside of the body, under the edge of the carpet. There should be a wiring bundle on both sides. The reverse light circuit shows the wire coming out of the switch on the tranny as either red/black or red/white, but it changes to red/white before is gets to the lights. You could tap it right at the tranny switch.

The wiring diagram I have is for a 95, the wire colour on your 91 may or may not be the same.

 

On my 94 4runner the negative is an 18 AWG white with a black stripe and the positive is a red with a yellow stripe. Often times the wires are run under the sill plates (threshold panel for each door) in a wire bundle on the drivers' and passenger sides. You could pull a plate and use a digital multi meter to check for switched when you take it in and out of reverse. I'd start with the driver's side since the wiring harness comes to the gate from the driver's side. You might get lucky and find it.

 

Trailer wiring harness or tail lights are the easiest places to get the 12V when the reverse lights are on and get a good ground. Nothing to it.

 

But can you run say a 55W bulb off that wiring, or do you need a relay?

 

Relays are always a good idea when adding additional lighting.

 

I didnt think most trailer setups had power for reverse lights, as I havent ever driven a trailer with reverse lights.

I would put a realy in back by the tail light, that way your not having a huge run on the power you draw from the backuplight circuit. Then all you have to run is the 12+ from the engine bay. Should be pretty easy.

 

i tapped into mine under the driver's seat carpet. i followed it back from the tail light and through a harness or two (always check voltage with a voltmeter to be sure) and spliced in for my relay and toggle

 

I spliced them into my reverse lights inside of my tailgate. There is a rubber gromet at the bottom of the tailgate and You can run the wires right up through there. I might of done my wrong but they have been working for the past 6 months with no problem. When I first installed them I left the cover off the tailgate for a week and would periodically go back there and feel the wires and none of them ever got hot or anything.

 

turn your key to power, put in reverse and use a circuit tester to find your reverse light wire.

 

I just spliced mine in. Have worked fine for 2 years or so.