Installing Cab Lights

nate

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Apr 6, 2008
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Wondering if anyone has installed cab lights on their truck?

Was entertaining the thought of putting a set on my truck. Just seems that they belong there on a 3/4 or 1 ton truck.

Would I have to buy the lights from the dealer, or any aftermarket places have them? Anyone know of a templete that I could lay on the top of the roof?

Is any of the wiring run from the factory for them (under the headliner maybe?)

Thanks!
 
I put them on mine. Bought the lenses and wiring harness from the dealer. The lenses I think you can get aftermarket from Recon, not sure about the bases that go into the lenses. That's why I needed the harness.

As for a template, you can get one from the dealer, but it's not really needed. When you drop your headliner, you will see five holes in the brace for the front edge of the hood. You can use these holes to drill the main holes for your lights. Once you have those drilled, you can place the lights and mark/drill for your mounting screws.
 
A body shop installed mine for me for $50. I used the recon kit and made my own harness. The recon kit comes with lenses and light sockets. I have the superwhite ones.
 
Is it true that there is already a plug behind the headliner & the harness for the lights just plug into it? I want to get a set of cab lights & just wondering what is involved. Also, what is the cost of the dealer kit...more than the trucks value?
 
It wasn't true on mine. I've got the overhead console w/ trip computer, but there were no sockets on the harness for cab lights. I think they actually make separate harnesses for each configuration.
 
There wasn't a harness on mine, Gnd under headliner and run power to fuse panel per instructions. Used kit from dealer. Have friend that is parts manager at dealer, cost for kit $20.00.
 
I've seen most dealer kits run $90 retail for the harness/bulbs and all. Mine did not have a harness under the headliner.
 
There's no harness up there. The five holes are small enough to eyeball the center with a punch. Then use a uni-but for the hole. The recon kit comes with the covers, bases, and bulbs. The lights can be individually grounded under the headliner. I used the headlight switch to trigger a relay and ran power up the a-pillar, then daisy chained the +12v wires on each light.

Be sure to put a bead of silicone under each light to make sure you get no leaks.
 
My kit from the dealer cost $75 and included lights, harness, template, instructions, lenses, and gaskets. Not to bad a price I thought.

Piece of advise, if you get the kit through the dealer and want the lower profile one's (as opposed to the big triangular ones from the 12v's) get the kit for the 03's. If you order the kit for any year prior to 03 you'll get the big triangular lights.
 
Is that what you are using? I don't think I have ever seen cab lights on a 3rd gen, don't seem to be common around here.

I was helping out on a friends 2nd gen this weekend and he had the lights. I thought it really looked nice.

Also, if I put the cab lights, am I supposed to have the tailgate 3 red lights too?
 
Actually, if you get lights for an '01 or '02, you'll have the correct style as well. If you just go in and ask for the kit to add lights, they'll give you the old style triangular lights. When I pieced mine together, I made sure it was the '01-'02 style lights since they are more low-profile than the old style.

The three light bar on the tailgate is only required if you are wider than 80". You can add it if you want, but you don't have to. Personally, I did both...
 
Interesting justin. When I ordered mine for an 01 I got the old style lights.
 
I think I'll order the kit. I was also concidering getting some stainless low profile lights from the Peterbilt shop in town. I think they would look killer.
 
I was just thinking about this the other day. I didn't realize they were this cheap to do. Guess i'll have to order them the next time i'm at the dealership.
 
Interesting justin. When I ordered mine for an 01 I got the old style lights.

When the guy pulled the kit, it had the triangle lights. I told him I wanted the lights for an '01, then he found the lower profile lights. I think the difference between these and the 3rd gen lights is that the mounting screws on mine are on each side of the light. The new 3rd gen lights have the screws at the front and back.
 
What holds the light to the cab, is it a stud and nut? Hold many holes get put in the roof, 5?
 
this is a lot cheaper than i thought any one that does this needs to take pics during the install:poke:
 
My lights are on side by side also but I had the triangular ones. Interesting.

nate, they are held on with a sheet metal screw and you have 3 holes per light. 1 big one for the harness and 2 little ones for the screws.
 
My kit from the dealer cost $75 and included lights, harness, template, instructions, lenses, and gaskets. Not to bad a price I thought.

Piece of advise, if you get the kit through the dealer and want the lower profile one's (as opposed to the big triangular ones from the 12v's) get the kit for the 03's. If you order the kit for any year prior to 03 you'll get the big triangular lights.

Do you have a part # or kit #?
 
Tyler, I just realized the difference. If you get the kit for the pre-'03s, you get the old triangular lights. If you get the kit for the '03+, you get the new style lights. The difference was that I didn't get the kit, I got the lights by themselves and asked for the '01 style lights.

For some reason they switched the style, but didn't update the kit. I guess all of the leftover triangle lights went into the kits. LOL
 
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