Exterior Lighting Upgrades - Looking for Input

[MadOgre]

Yep that's the one. A lot of guys on here say they do just do it themselves with heavier gauge wiring. But that for $35 is a definite upgrade over stock.

Have you heard of the BIG 3 or 4 upgrade ?

 

[kickdeez]

I have not heard of the BIG 3 or 4 upgrade. I am fairly uneducated on the body and electrical components of this truck. Short of rebuilding the top end of the motor when I bought it, I haven't spent much time tinkering with it. I only use it to pull my toyota to and from the trails. That being said, please enlighten me!

 

[MadOgre]

http://www.gmsquarebody.com/forum/showthread.php?t=3840

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K3EFGlHPFDk

http://www.danielsternlighting.com/tech/relays/relays.html

 

[kickdeez]

Thanks for the links. I have never heard it called that before. I already have new and upgraded battery cables and ground straps installed on the truck. I did this when I rebuilt the top end. I'm running a dual battery set-up and upgraded alternator. I have a Warn 9.5ti and a York on-board air compressor as well. I also intend to install a power inverter at some point, but the lights are higher on the priority list right now.

 

[MadOgre]

Ok you should be good to go then. Just install the relay harness and go from there.

 

[firebane]

Go pick up some #4 welding wire and a wire crimper and a few lugs and make your own cables.. Be cheaper and work 100x better.

 

[MadOgre]

Go pick up some #4 welding wire and a wire crimper and a few lugs and make your own cables.. Be cheaper and work 100x better.

An electrician I know told me that the welding cable doesn't have as good a jacket or temperature rating as the automotive specific cables. The automotive stuff is supposed to be more chemical resistant as well.

He also said that the extra braid count in the welding wire wont make any difference when going to a 1, O cable

 

[350runner]

Honestly I've been using welding cable for years without a problem. Unless you lay it on a header it'll last just as long as automotive grade stuff. Oil leaks and all.... mine's covered now.

Sent from the dust in front of you!

 

[77 K20]

Is this the upgraded headlight wiring harness you all are talking about when you say "upgrade your wiring"?

http://www.lmctruck.com/icatalog/csb/full.aspx?Page=79

That was what I installed on my truck. Then I ordered some Hella H4 euro spec 7" round headlights. These have a nice sharp cutoff to help prevent blinding people. The bulbs I got for it are 55W low beam and 100W high beam.

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[/IMG]

This pic of the light pattern was just ONE headlight installed.

I recently tried some 1157 LED replacement bulbs. I didn't like them. When just the taillights were on, they were ok. But when the taillights were on, then I turned on the turn signal or hit the brakes there wasn't that much of a difference in brightness. I still had the halogen bulb in the other side to compare. Halogen bulb was way brighter for brake/turn. Based on that, I'm not going to use them. If you do switch out to LEDs you would need to replace your flasher unit with an electronic one.

EDIT: The LEDs I ordered:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00HJEGQQ2/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

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[firebane]

Good welding cable has a very durable sheathing on it that has to stand up to oils and chemicals due to the areas its used in. If your welding cable is breaking down because of this your buying poor quality cable.

 

[kickdeez]

Thanks for the photos 77K20. Those hellas look pretty bright. And thanks for the info on the LED tail lights. That is something I will have to consider.

This is kind of a side note, but may end up being relevant later down the road. I am going to be rewiring my trailer as well, and I was thinking of going with LEDs all the way around. Are the trailer lights going to affect the brightness of my tail lights if I am going all LED?? Or vice versa??

 

[MadOgre]

Thanks for the photos 77K20. Those hellas look pretty bright. And thanks for the info on the LED tail lights. That is something I will have to consider.

This is kind of a side note, but may end up being relevant later down the road. I am going to be rewiring my trailer as well, and I was thinking of going with LEDs all the way around. Are the trailer lights going to affect the brightness of my tail lights if I am going all LED?? Or vice versa??

It shouldn't but will make it a lot easier for your alternator to keep up if you wire up LEDs for the trailer.

When switching out the truck lights to LEDs you may require the LED flasher relay but if keeping stock bulbs on the truck it doesn't matter if you run LEDs on the trailer, plus if you already have the LED flasher then it doesn't matter any way

 

[89Suburban]

It shouldn't but will make it a lot easier for your alternator to keep up if you wire up LEDs for the trailer.

When switching out the truck lights to LEDs you may require the LED flasher relay but if keeping stock bulbs on the truck it doesn't matter if you run LEDs on the trailer, plus if you already have the LED flasher then it doesn't matter any way

^^^^Exactly, could not have said it better myself. I have all LED's on my boat trailer.

 

[kickdeez]

I rewired the trailer this weekend because it was in desperate need of a good wiring job. Only one of the brake lights was working, and nothing else. Turns out the wires in the plug connector were shot. So I ran all new wiring (including a new plug connector) from the plug connector to the tail lights. I picked up a set of LED tail lights and side markers from Harbor Freight. Yes, I know they are Harbor Freight quality, but they are a vast improvement over no lights, and much brighter and sharper than the old incandescent lights that were on it. I am still looking for additional side markers and a red LED light strip for the rear, but it is looking much better. And you were both correct, the new trailer lights did not adversely affect my existing truck lights.

 

[kickdeez]

I started shopping around for truck lights after digging through all the information you guys have posted. I put together a shopping cart at LMCTruck.com, and by the time I was done picking out parts, I was up to $700 before taxes and shipping. I was ready to pull the trigger, but I had to take a step back and look at what I really need to spend that money on right this minute. I decided that since the truck is running well, the truck lights currently work with no problems, and now I have a well lit trailer, I am going to prioritize a little differently.

1st order of business will be to get the speedo working by installing a VSS into my NP205 using this kit http://www.northwestfab.com/NP205-40-Pulse-VSS-Speedo-Housing-Kit_p_1903.html. I would also like to install a tachometer in the gauge cluster. I saw a pretty trick OEM looking gauge that had a tachometer and a gas gauge that replaces the existing large gas gauge. Can anyone point me in the direction of that particular gauge?

Once I get that done, I will start picking away at the lights one at a time, starting with the headlights. LMC appears to have some pretty decent stuff. Have you guys had any problems with their parts and/or customer service?