I've been looking for a clean way to add an auxiliary backup light. Putting one on the rear bumper is out of the question, given the number of times I drag it, or clip rocks. After looking at alternate locations, I started wondering if the stock driver side taillight housing would work? It's flat, up out of the way, and provides direct access to tap into the backup light wire, without having to drill into the tub and run longer wiring.
I happened to have an extra broken taillight, so I pulled the cover and was pleasantly surprised that not only could it work, but there was already a metal bracket on the inside that would serve as a mounting point and reinforcement plate. I removed the top bulb, middle divider plate, and went to work doing a mock up.
I marked two holes on the top, one for the mounting bracket and one for the wire.
I mounted the light and fed the wire through the housing.
The light and divider were reinstalled, with the LED light wire fitting perfectly under the slots in the divider.
Next step will be to splice into the factory purple wire, solder and heat-shrink the new power wire, then run the ground wire.
Once I get the working mock up, I'll install and test it. I'm holding off on repeating the process on the good housing, until I see if I like the location and light spread.
FWIW, since I already have a set of 4.5" round 27W LEDs, I'm using those to experiment with. There is a brighter 140W option, below, but I didn't want to go that bright.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07V52K41R/?tag=wranglerorg-20
I happened to have an extra broken taillight, so I pulled the cover and was pleasantly surprised that not only could it work, but there was already a metal bracket on the inside that would serve as a mounting point and reinforcement plate. I removed the top bulb, middle divider plate, and went to work doing a mock up.
I marked two holes on the top, one for the mounting bracket and one for the wire.
I mounted the light and fed the wire through the housing.
The light and divider were reinstalled, with the LED light wire fitting perfectly under the slots in the divider.
Next step will be to splice into the factory purple wire, solder and heat-shrink the new power wire, then run the ground wire.
Once I get the working mock up, I'll install and test it. I'm holding off on repeating the process on the good housing, until I see if I like the location and light spread.
FWIW, since I already have a set of 4.5" round 27W LEDs, I'm using those to experiment with. There is a brighter 140W option, below, but I didn't want to go that bright.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07V52K41R/?tag=wranglerorg-20