Hello all. Planning on mounting some tractor lights under the bumper for extra lighting behind the truck. According to a diagram of the 7 pin trailor plug on Fritz's site, pin 7 (the centre one) is for trailer reverse lights.

http://dodgeram.org/tech/mods/electric/trailer_wire.htm

Any reason why I couldn't use pin 7 to power the relay for the lights and get power from pin 4 (on a 40 amp fuse)? Does that make sense, or am I out to lunch on this?

Thanks for your help, even if it is to say I am out to lunch!

 

Sounds like a great idea! Just make sure you "weather tight" where you make the connections.

 

Thats how I have mine setup. Used the backup light wire in the trailer harness to trip a relay. There is a decent sized constant hot 12volt wire along with it in the trailer harness that I tapped for power. I put fuses between the lights and the relay. So far no problem.

 

Here's how I did mine! Phil

 

Nice job,

How do you guys put all of the pictures and schematics on this site?

 

Where it says "Attach file:", press "Browse...", then find your file and attach it.

 

Thanks for the replies all.

Sixpack:
That looks great. Can you tell me where you got power? Where you tapped into the reverse light circuit to trip the relay? And finally, where you mounted your switch? Thanks in advance. Bigfish.

 

Hey sixpac,
thats zactly what I had in mind also, would really like to know where you tapped into the reverse light circut, I really didnt want to run a wire from the back to the cab and then back again to the lights. Also, what beam pattern did you use, I was thinking of using some thin profile driving lights, can get'em at Meijers for 29 bucks or so.Thanks for any help,

DuaneW

 

Sixpack,
that is great, just what I was thinking of doing. That way you don't have to be in reverse for them to work.
dave

 

I wanted to be able to turn them on or off at will and also be able to have them come on in reverse. I did most of the tapping of wires back at my 7 pin trailer plug wiring harness. I did have to run 2 wires up to the cab for my 3 position switch (I took power from my CB and backup lights) to trigger the relay depending on the switch position. I mounted my switch on my CB mount that is near the console and front edge of seat. I used 55 watt fog lights. $19.99 for the pair @ GI Joes. Phil

 

That sounds like exactly what I did. No extra wiring and switches to worry about and the load is better carried by the aux power to the connector than the lightweight back up light circuit.

 

Anyone know if the wiring is similar for the 04 Ram?

I need the "your high beams are really upsetting me turn them off" lights up here. A lot of people leave their high beams on all the time.

 

I used 2 relays under the bumper, and ran 1 wire to the cab. I tie the 87 terminal together on both relays, to the lights. I then ran the trigger wire from the trucks reverse to to 1 relay, and the wire from the switch to the other relay. I have e-mailed the moderator, 'cause I can't post the picture, or my web site, to show the switch mounting, among other things. Maybe they can help.

 

Firestorm,
You can place your pictures here in your photo gallery, then people can just click on that to see them. All photo's must be approved by an Administrator before they will show in your gallery.

 

I used sixpack's schematic (good stuff!). I mounted the on-off-on toggle switch in the gearshift housing, the relay under the dash, used a fuse-tap to get power from the cig. lighter fuse in the cab (and added an inline 15A fuse to the new circuit), and then only had to run two wires to the stern; one hot wire from the relay to the lights on the bumper, and another from the switch to tap into the wire of the factory back-up light. Works great. Took me a lot longer to do than it should have, but I have to have things pretty 'tiddly'

Thanks sixpack and others who replied.

Bigfish.