# Help needed with rear-facing floodlight install...



## fiveoboy01 (Aug 18, 2006)

I am tired of not being able to see behind me when backing up. I want to install a rear-facing light system of soome sort, just not sure what I should use. I'm going to be installing a back rack in the next few weeks and I want to mount them there. On the bumper is out of the question, as I back into snowbanks all too often. 

What are your guys' recommendations? I want something that will light up the night.. I'm a mechanic as well so mounting and wiring these up will be no issue for me, I'm also wondeirng if I should install a second battery in the truck or if the single battery will handle it. The plow and salter beat up the battery pretty good the way it is. 

Price really doesn't matter much, I want quality components that hold up to vibration and cold and I'll pay whatever for them.

Truck is an '06 F250 5.4 if that makes any difference. 

Thanks in advance.


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## lawnproslawncar (Dec 9, 2007)

I'm gonna throw out a smart a$$ comment and tell you to go buy a Ebling pull plow and mount the lights on there! Especially if you are truely into buying quality components. Haha

Seriously though, what about mounting them in the rear stake pockets? I guess I would suggest adding the second battery for the plow motors sake.


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## ShorePower (Dec 26, 2009)

*My rear lights*

Just an idea. I bought a cheap pair of 55 watt halogen fog lamps from Auto Zone. Installed them on a piece of 1 x 6 and wired them into a 6 way trailer plug. They come on with the reverse lights and the blue side markers flash with my hazards. I mounted the 1 x 6 to a hitch reciever with a toggle bolt. Even as I back into snow piles they just give either left or right since they rotate on the toggle bolt. When I'm done plowing it just unplugs and goes back in the garage. Works awesome. My truck has 20% tint and the back glass is covered by a semi-transparent company logo.


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## hitachiman 200 (Jan 17, 2010)

I run 4" rubber tractor lights mounted to my class 4 hitch where it bolts to the frame. been running them there for 30 years and never lost one yet. Just snug enough so if you do hit the snow they will fold back. another good spot is under the back corner of the cab or the running board. not a big fan of mounting on the headache rack as to much glare of the box or deck, down low is better


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## fiveoboy01 (Aug 18, 2006)

Thanks for the suggestions, again I am not going to mount them on the hitch, for one thing the salter mounts there, and I back into banks too often anyhow. Stake pockets is a good idea, I will look into that. 

I'm looking for something a little brighter than your standard tractor light...


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## grec-o-face (Jul 7, 2009)

I mounted mine to the factory tow hitch - out as wide as I could. They're safe from snow banks and don't look out of place. Up high and tight under the bumper.
Whatever you do, run a relay and take power directly from the Battery. Don't wanna take any chances with high powered - high amp lights.
I'll post a few pics if you want.


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## fiveoboy01 (Aug 18, 2006)

Please do. As I said I'm not keen on running them down low but who knows, besides I like equipment pics anyhow... 

I'll be running relays for sure


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## lawnproslawncar (Dec 9, 2007)

fiveoboy01;998915 said:


> Thanks for the suggestions, again I am not going to mount them on the hitch, for one thing the salter mounts there, and I back into banks too often anyhow. Stake pockets is a good idea, I will look into that.
> 
> I'm looking for something a little brighter than your standard tractor light...


Why not mount them to your salter? That should also give you a little extra sense of where the rear is if they are as far back as possible on the unit


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## Mr.Markus (Jan 7, 2010)

I agree with Hitachiman, mount them low and adjust your driving habits, backing into snow is bad for your bumper anyway. Anything mounted up high will catch the box and create glare negating the advantage of a good beam. I assume you already have lights (stock) for the back of the vehicle, if your new ones are angled back and sideways it helps light up stuff at a wider angle which (trust me) is what you're looking for. also see this thread: http://www.plowsite.com/showthread.php?t=97391


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## snowfighter75 (Mar 10, 2007)

Grote halagens. They are cheap and they are bright. You can see them on grote.com


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## grec-o-face (Jul 7, 2009)

All I have are a few quick pics from my Blackberry... And they're all daylight shots.


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## hitachiman 200 (Jan 17, 2010)

grec-o-face;999037 said:


> All I have are a few quick pics from my Blackberry... And they're all daylight shots.
> 
> I've put mine on the outside of the hitch so the don't get squished. Unless you back up at 100 MPH tractor lights work fine. Have mine wired through a relay and toggle on the dash so they are on all the time. That way when your coasting in nuetral you still have light.
> 
> With them tucked up under the box you won't be blinding people behind you even if you use say a... aircraft landing light, for when you do need to do a 100 in reverse


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## FisherVMan (Jan 5, 2010)

I am quite surprised how many guys on here tell this story about "Always backing into snowbanks"??
I am going to assume this goes hand in hand with always being in a big hurry to plow more driveways??? I dont know if I can compleatly wrap my head around people constantly backing into stuff; and smashing things off the back of the truck; but with that said ,I know there were some posts on this earlier and some outfit makes a 55 watt floods that have a "magnetic base" that will hold them right onto the tailgate ???? But once again; I guess that probably wouldnt work either, as I dont know how hard you are "backing into these banks all the time" but I guess back into the tailgate would not be outta the question??? . Although if it isnt; I am totally mystified how you would gage it so that you are only hitting the bumper? Stoping the extra 4" short sounds kinda tricky to me??? Still trying to imagine backing up around 40MPH and slaming on the brakes so that you only smash into the banks hard enough to stop but not bend the tailgate on impact and then burning out in a cloud of bluesmoke to get to the next driveway??? Maybe Prozac or just Valum would help???
I really think that a "headache rack" is your only option and be careful with that as it sounds like there is quite a few on here, that commonly back in "that deep" on occasion?









this is all we use but I have since added a "backup beeper" just for insurance , it works fine for us ........


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## RepoMan207 (Oct 7, 2008)

On your back rack there is accessory slots that you can put "L" brackets on. It's really the optimal position for them. You get an overall view of things as well as the immediate ground area.

You can get the light brackets for $20 or so. I went with the larger L brackets that were intended for the light bar ($42), then flipped them on there side and ditched the back bracket while securing it with only one of the two holes. I needed to do this due to the shape of my lights as well as it gets the lights further out thus gaining more coverage. I'm sure the smaller ones will do just fine though.

http://www.pickupspecialties.com/Headache_racks/BackRack_accessories.htm

http://www.awdirect.com/backrack-ca...armor-deck-br10502/pickup-van-cab-protection/

http://backrack.ca/en-us/accessories.aspx


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## no lead (Dec 10, 2008)

we sell this brand and have great luck with them. they are all led, low current high output.

http://www.soundoffsignal.com/newproducts/newproducts.htm


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## FisherVMan (Jan 5, 2010)

Repo,
That is one awesome looking light bar who makes that???? What a sweet setup that is!


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## snowfighter75 (Mar 10, 2007)

Thats where I got mine is up on the back rack. It keeps the snow of them. The same as Repoman207.


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## hitachiman 200 (Jan 17, 2010)

RepoMan207;999959 said:


> On your back rack there is accessory slots that you can put "L" brackets on. It's really the optimal position for them. You get an overall view of things as well as the immediate ground area.
> 
> You can get the light brackets for $20 or so. I went with the larger L brackets that were intended for the light bar ($42), then flipped them on there side and ditched the back bracket while securing it with only one of the two holes. I needed to do this due to the shape of my lights as well as it gets the lights further out thus gaining more coverage. I'm sure the smaller ones will do just fine though.
> 
> ...


I have a set in the same place. Just like yours I bet they make that snow on the toolbox light up pretty good and glare in your face. They also do a pretty good job of blinding anyone behind you up that high.


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## RepoMan207 (Oct 7, 2008)

FisherVMan;1000077 said:


> Repo,
> That is one awesome looking light bar who makes that???? What a sweet setup that is!


Thanks, that's the whelen mini edge with all the goodies.



hitachiman 200;1000503 said:


> I have a set in the same place. Just like yours I bet they make that snow on the toolbox light up pretty good and glare in your face. They also do a pretty good job of blinding anyone behind you up that high.


Absolutely! My first victim was an off duty cop. I don't know what pissed him off more, the blinding lights or me laughing at him when he followed me home to chew me out. Good thing he wasn't a local cop lol..


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## fiveoboy01 (Aug 18, 2006)

RepoMan207;999959 said:


> On your back rack there is accessory slots that you can put "L" brackets on. It's really the optimal position for them. You get an overall view of things as well as the immediate ground area.
> 
> You can get the light brackets for $20 or so. I went with the larger L brackets that were intended for the light bar ($42), then flipped them on there side and ditched the back bracket while securing it with only one of the two holes. I needed to do this due to the shape of my lights as well as it gets the lights further out thus gaining more coverage. I'm sure the smaller ones will do just fine though.
> 
> ...


Thanks, that's what I'm looking for. For the glare, I can use flags to kill light spill and keep it off the box(a photographer's trick).

As for the post filled with snarky comments about backing into snowbanks, my only reply to that is that it happens, and I'd rather not damage the lights if I can help it.


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## plowjeep420 (Nov 6, 2008)

*I know its a jeep*

but as far back as posible seemed best, up high is fine when the lights are bright. Make sure your alternator is strong, and 2 batteries for sure (optima).


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## RepoMan207 (Oct 7, 2008)

There is no need for a second battery. I'm running my plow, lightbar, and those lights off one with absolutely no problems. It wouldn't hurt to have the secondary....but it's not necessary by any means. 

Nice jeep plowjeep. My buddy's jeep is identical to that minus, the plow setup.


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## jb1390 (Sep 23, 2008)

The second battery just helps even everything out. When you get a huge draw from the plow motor (or electric spreader if you have one), the alternator can't put out that power. It's like in a water system, having an adequate pump and an adequate expansion tank. The expansion tank is your battery-an extra expansion tank (battery) lets it hold more water (electric power), which makes the pump (alternator) have to work a little less. A second battery is a good idea on any plow truck to help everything else last a bit longer.


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## jb1390 (Sep 23, 2008)

http://www.plowsite.com/showthread.php?t=99400

Here is a link to what I did-I have lights on the backrack, on the bumper, and under the front of the bed. It is a flatbed so that makes the bumper lights and lights under the bed farily easy. The low profile lights I got off of northerntool, they are 55w halogens and are quite inexpensive. (I am thinking 11-12 dollars for a 2 pack)


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## ETMegabyte (Nov 11, 2009)

I went with a combination approach... Whelen mini-strobe on a homemade headache rack, and tractor lights under the rear bumper.

Specifically, for backup lights, I went with standard, rubber, 55watt tractor lights. They're cheap (about $15/ea) so it's not the end of the world if I do happen to break one, but I haven't yet. I agree that occasionally it happens that you back into a snowbank, but the lights can be mounted in such a way that if you do, the lights just move to compensate. The way I currently have my lights mounted, there's limited movement available, but even though I've lightly backed into a couple of snowbanks, the lights have not broken all year... The lights themselves don't sit any lower than the trailer hitch. It hasn't been a problem so far...

My rear window is tinted, so without the lights, I can't see anything while backing. The tractor lights made a HUGE difference for me. They're angled slightly out to each side, so it gives me plenty of light where I need it... And, like I said, as long as I don't do plowing into a snowbank backwards at 40mph, they don't break. If, somehow, they do. No big deal. $15 gets another one...

Here's a pic of my truck with the lights on it... Yes, I know the truck's filthy, but when I took that pic, it hadn't been anywhere NEAR 32 for weeks...

NOTE: If you're concerned about putting lights under the bumper, I've seen a lot of people mount them on top of the bumper just under the taillights. You get the advantages of having the lights as far back as possible (less dissipation) and no glare off of whatever happens to be in the bed of the truck. It should also all but eliminate the backing into snowbanks problem as well...


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## fiveoboy01 (Aug 18, 2006)

Guys thanks for all your help and I just wanted to update this and show you what I did, and maybe someone doing a search will get some help too....

Lights on the backrack are double-55w Hella floods, lights on the salter are single-55w bulb units. The ones on the rack come on with the AUX1 switch in the cab(gotta love Ford's upfitter switches) and are on a relay. The lights on the salter are wired to a 7-way round plug that plugs into the truck and they come on with the reverse lights. I have them angled about 20-30 degrees to each side rather than straight back.

I'm very happy with how they work and the light patterns, the ones on top really light everything up good, even better than the headlights


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## RepoMan207 (Oct 7, 2008)

Very nice. God said let there be light.........


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