95.5-2004 Tacomas & 96-2002 4Runners 4th gen pickups and 3rd gen 4Runners

How to wire up back up lights???

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Old Oct 7, 2005 | 03:34 PM
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From: Oxnard,CA
How to wire up back up lights???

How should I wire a set of fog lights as back up lights??? I would like the set of fog lights to turn on everytime I engage in reverse. I just have a cheap set I got from Autozone. How should I tap this into my reverse lights??? The fogs are H3 bulbs 55w, will that be too much stress on the stock reverse light wiring?? Well anything would be really helpful! Thanks!
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Old Oct 7, 2005 | 04:04 PM
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You will need to use a relay to power your lights. It will involve running a power line directly from the battery (with a fuse - of course) to the relay. Do a search to find out how to wire up a relay (if you don't know how to).
When it's all properly wired up, your reverse lights will trigger the relay to activate the lights.
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Old Oct 7, 2005 | 04:30 PM
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i spent 15 minutes drawing a wiring diagram in text on how to wire this. But for some reason it doesnt come out right. It reduces all my spaces to a single space.

Anyway. You take a relay and put it between neutral and hot on the reverse lights. Then take a new power wire to one side of the normally open contracts on the relay. Then take a wire from the other side of the contact to the fog light. Then run a neutral back. Remember to put a fuse inline with the new wire.

When the reverse lights come on it will energize the coil in the relay. This will close the contact in the relay an allow power to goto the light.
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Old Oct 7, 2005 | 04:35 PM
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Where will you mount them? I mounted mine to the hitch with an adustable swivel point so I could move them in any direction for more side lighting or a more direct lighting when towing. Like Lt. said you will need a relay and tap into your stock reverse lamp wiring. Search around here and you will find diagrams on how to run your relay wires.
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Old Oct 7, 2005 | 08:32 PM
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I did it like this: ground fogs to frame, find reverse light power wire that is running into the tailgate on the rear driver side of truck. Tap into that with the power wire from the fogs. Mount it on the hitch. Presto lighto. Make sure you have a fuse inline with the fogs.
I used some lights I think by Blazer that came with a fuse. No relay needed and they come on when the regular reverse lights come on.
Oh, to find the reverse wire I had to follow it from the inside of the tailgate, but I'm sure a ,manual would show you.
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Old Oct 7, 2005 | 08:54 PM
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From: Nor*Cal
Originally Posted by CynicX
i spent 15 minutes drawing a wiring diagram in text on how to wire this. But for some reason it doesnt come out right. It reduces all my spaces to a single space.

Anyway. You take a relay and put it between neutral and hot on the reverse lights. Then take a new power wire to one side of the normally open contracts on the relay. Then take a wire from the other side of the contact to the fog light. Then run a neutral back. Remember to put a fuse inline with the new wire.

When the reverse lights come on it will energize the coil in the relay. This will close the contact in the relay an allow power to goto the light.

if you put it in code, i think it leave the spaces
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Old Oct 7, 2005 | 09:12 PM
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http://www.4runners.org/articles/hella500
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Old Oct 8, 2005 | 05:19 AM
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From: Upsate SC
Originally Posted by hektikwon
I did it like this: ground fogs to frame, find reverse light power wire that is running into the tailgate on the rear driver side of truck. Tap into that with the power wire from the fogs. Mount it on the hitch. Presto lighto. Make sure you have a fuse inline with the fogs.
I used some lights I think by Blazer that came with a fuse. No relay needed and they come on when the regular reverse lights come on.
Oh, to find the reverse wire I had to follow it from the inside of the tailgate, but I'm sure a ,manual would show you.
The problem with this is you are drawing too much amps causing both lights to be dimmer than what the potential lighting could be. For full lighting power at both the factory and aux. backup lamps it's recommended you run a relay.
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Old Oct 8, 2005 | 11:01 AM
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Yea thanks for your help guys! Hey Cynicx when you said "take a new power wire to one side of the normally open contracts on the relay," Where is this wire going to be getting power from, the battery right? And where you said to put a fuse link with the new wire, which wire are you talking about, the power wire right and does it install before the relay or after the relay?? Well I tried the search but I couldn't find what I was looking for! Thats why I had to start up this thread.
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Old Oct 8, 2005 | 11:32 AM
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Sorry, you didn't search much. I found this information in about 30 seconds w/ a Google.

Go here:
http://www.kchilites.com/store/faq.aspx#WiringQuestions

Or more specifically, go here:
http://www.kchilites.com/store/faq/i...517_backup.pdf

Good luck.

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Old Oct 8, 2005 | 11:44 AM
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Originally Posted by JRunner90
Yea thanks for your help guys! Hey Cynicx when you said "take a new power wire to one side of the normally open contracts on the relay," Where is this wire going to be getting power from, the battery right? And where you said to put a fuse link with the new wire, which wire are you talking about, the power wire right and does it install before the relay or after the relay?? Well I tried the search but I couldn't find what I was looking for! Thats why I had to start up this thread.
dude, not to get pissy, but people here have given you plenty to read. as waskilly said, read what others have posted and for goodness sakes, read my writeup. all your quesitons have been answered in the various links if you read them.

bob
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Old Oct 8, 2005 | 12:47 PM
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Well your right I didn't search much I found your link after you told me what to search. Im just not that great of a searcher. But thanks for your guys help anyways!!!

Last edited by JRunner90; Oct 8, 2005 at 01:00 PM.
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Old Oct 8, 2005 | 01:05 PM
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Originally Posted by JRunner90
Well your right I didn't search much I found your link after you told me what to search. Im just not that great of a searcher. I was just asking a simple question and I didn't want to read through all kinds of pages just to find what I was looking for. But thanks for your guys help anyways I think???
Sorry, "not that great of a searcher"? The highlighted portion just says one thing to me...lazy...you want it spoonfed and want us to put forth effort while you put forth none. Most forums would have flamed you to start with for such a question BUT...pay attention...

You will find Yotatech MORE than accomodating to sincere questions...even ones that have been asked 10 zillion times...folks will still be accomodating to a certain extent...but when you are just too lazy to put forth some effort because you want a spoonfed answer...

Good luck w/ the wiring.

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Old Oct 8, 2005 | 02:34 PM
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Well said Wabbit....
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Old Oct 8, 2005 | 06:12 PM
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From: N43*27.220', W76*30.330'
Wal-Mart has an auxillary lighting kit that includes the relay, fused box/holder, on/off switch and all the wiring for $11. Has a wiring diagram on the back of the package too.
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Old Oct 8, 2005 | 09:20 PM
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Originally Posted by Dr.Feelgood
Wal-Mart has an auxillary lighting kit that includes the relay, fused box/holder, on/off switch and all the wiring for $11. Has a wiring diagram on the back of the package too.
https://www.yotatech.com/forums/f5/mods-not-waste-your-money-vs-mods-worth-money-67813/

FYI - many of people's worst mods were cheap lights...
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Old Oct 8, 2005 | 10:44 PM
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Man Waskilly, I don't know why your being a dick for, is it just one of those days of the month?? You didn't have too leave a comment on this thread anyways, didn't your Mama teach you anything, if you don't got anything good to say, don't say it at all!!!
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Old Oct 8, 2005 | 10:54 PM
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hes not 'being a dick', hes giving advice, and good advice at that. if you dont learn to search before asking VERY common questions, you will be ignored. people will read your post and just hit the back button because they're tired of answering the same question to everyone that joins the forum.

search button: learn it, live it, love it.
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Old Oct 8, 2005 | 11:07 PM
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Yea I know but if you don't want to leave a comment then don't leave a comment at all. I appreciate all the other people who tried helping me out!
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Old Oct 8, 2005 | 11:28 PM
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jrunner,

he gave you advice, other people gave you advice, yet you didn't head or read the advice that you were given. and then you admitted it too!

maybe his choice of words were not right, but he is right to say you were being lazy. speaking for myself, i put in about 4-5 hours documenting that writeup w/ pics for people to have a good guide to install hella lights---and you didn't even bother to read it! did you see the level of detail in it? complete with a re-drawn wiring diagram that answers your questions?!?! how lazy is that?!?!

just learn from this. people here are pretty cool and mellow here. more so than any other forum ive been on, so when someone gets on you, its pretty much justified.

now go install your shizzle!

bob
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