Raptor Style Amber Grille Lights My Way For $20 (Updated with DIY install instructions)

[Old Man Higgins]

I realized I really dig the look of the 'Raptor' style amber grille lights, but the kits offered for the Maverick really didn't flip me; what with the surface mount with 3M tape and all. Seems sloppy to me. And they're expensive to boot. So, I decided to come up with a solution.

I found it in a nice little set of three-spotter-lights from E-trailer. BUT these were far from plug-and-play...but it wasn't the end of the world, just a few hours work after prep.

I think it turned out pretty well. I like the look and they only cost me $20. That's Optronics part #OPT89FR if you're tryna do the same.

Cheers.

UPDATED WITH DIY INSTALL INSTRUCTIONS:


Please note these instructions are for an XLT grille only!

Ok, first off the wire provided with the light harness isn't long enough to reach the spotter light on the driver side. No worries, you'll just need some similar gauge wire to run to both the hot and the ground on said light. Create your own wire harness about a meter long, making sure it's well insulated. The green wire on the light is hot, the black is ground. On the harness you buy for the lights, black is hot and white is ground. Mark the hot on your wire harness with a different color tape (I used red) and set aside.

Next, you'll need to pop the spotter light out of it's housing. It's only held in by clips so working back to front, use a PLASTIC tool to pop the housing out. Maybe take this time to upgrade the standard bulbs with LED. That's what I did. You'll need a straightened (curved) wire hanger or thick copper wire to fish from the hole in the light housing to the engine bay. Tape the bottom end of your harness to the fishwire and GENTLY pull down and outward.

Using a SMALL boxcutter or razor knife, GENTLY strip the rubber from each wire on the light assembly and splice in your harness being mindful of polarity. Wrap well with a QUALITY tape and seal with liquid electrical tape or silicone to keep the water out. Do it once, do it right. Splice your harness to your lights in whichever way you see fit. I used crimps and wrapped twice each then wrapped together.

This was the easy part. Loosening the grille wasn't easy but doable with the right tools. Now that I know how it comes apart, the second would be faster. You'll need to loosen the 7mm bolts, of which there are many, as well as the pop-rivets and larger bolts (I forgot to measure) that hold the upper grille to the air intake. You'll need a small socket extension for this task. Also you'll need to separate the center strip from the headlamps using a plastic tool. Now here's the rub:

The grille is in two parts. Outer and inner. GENTLY pull the upper part of the grille away from the truck and REMOVE the inner plastic grille support and set aside.

Once the inner grille is out of the way, you'll need to mark dead-center of where you're going to mount your lights. Your choice to run them three-in-a-row, spread em' out...whatever you like. The size you need to cut is 3/4".

I'll say it again. Three-quarters of an inch. I used a spade bit, but a hole-saw would have been cleaner. Push the bulb and the grommet through the hole you make, and I applied silicone to the grommet for a nice seal. Push the grommet and bulb into the hole and reassemble your grille.

As far as the wiring was concerned, I ran the ENTIRE length of it up to the three-way break in black-plastic tubing. Luckily there's enough space between the grille and engine bay to run your harness.

Hope I covered everything. Any questions, do ask.

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[AGW078]

Nice look, and sure beats the $$$$ out of most of those retail kits.

 

[Old Man Higgins]

Thanks for that. If anyone's interested, I can write up how I did it.

 

[MDmaverick]

Please do a write up. Nice job

 

[Gullzway]

Do those stay on all the time? I think I would move the outer two over one grill section.

 

[bsulliv2]

Please inclulde pictures at night

 

[Old Man Higgins]

Do those stay on all the time? I think I would move the outer two over one grill section.

I milled that over in my head wayyyy before I cut the holes. I taped them to the grille powered on to see how they looked and decided on three in a row. They're spliced to the Driver Spotter light so they come on when it does.

 

[AltoBAP]

Looks great!!!

 

[Dad]

I realized I really dig the look of the 'Raptor' style amber grille lights, but the kits offered for the Maverick really didn't flip me; what with the surface mount with 3M tape and all. Seems sloppy to me. And they're expensive to boot. So, I decided to come up with a solution.

I found it in a nice little set of three-spotter-lights from E-trailer. BUT these were far from plug-and-play...but it wasn't the end of the world, just a few hours work after prep.

I think it turned out pretty well. I like the look and they only cost me $20. That's Optronics part #OPT89FR if you're tryna do the same.

Cheers.

Good look! Thanks for sharing another approach to the Raptor look. Same question - are these on all the time as in daytime lights?

 

[Old Man Higgins]

Good look! Thanks for sharing another approach to the Raptor look. Same question - are these on all the time as in daytime lights?

Thanks! They're only on when headlamps are full on, not DRL. Also when you unlock, open door, etc.

 

[Old Man Higgins]

Please inclulde pictures at night

 

[AGW078]

Thanks for that. If anyone's interested, I can write up how I did it.

Yes please, a how-to would be helpful. Thanks.

 

[Old Man Higgins]

Yes please, a how-to would be helpful. Thanks.

Please note these instructions are for an XLT grille only!

Ok, first off the wire provided with the light harness isn't long enough to reach the spotter light on the driver side. No worries, you'll just need some similar gauge wire to run to both the hot and the ground on said light. Create your own wire harness about a meter long, making sure it's well insulated. The green wire on the light is hot, the black is ground. On the harness you buy for the lights, black is hot and white is ground. Mark the hot on your wire harness with a different color tape (I used red) and set aside.

Next, you'll need to pop the spotter light out of it's housing. It's only held in by clips so working back to front, use a PLASTIC tool to pop the housing out. Maybe take this time to upgrade the standard bulbs with LED. That's what I did. You'll need a straightened (curved) wire hanger or thick copper wire to fish from the hole in the light housing to the engine bay. Tape the bottom end of your harness to the fishwire and GENTLY pull down and outward.

Using a SMALL boxcutter or razor knife, GENTLY strip the rubber from each wire on the light assembly and splice in your harness being mindful of polarity. Wrap well with a QUALITY tape and seal with liquid electrical tape or silicone to keep the water out. Do it once, do it right. Splice your harness to your lights in whichever way you see fit. I used crimps and wrapped twice each then wrapped together.

This was the easy part. Loosening the grille wasn't easy but doable with the right tools. Now that I know how it comes apart, the second would be faster. You'll need to loosen the 7mm bolts, of which there are many, as well as the pop-rivets and larger bolts (I forgot to measure) that hold the upper grille to the air intake. You'll need a small socket extension for this task. Also you'll need to separate the center strip from the headlamps using a plastic tool. Now here's the rub:

The grille is in two parts. Outer and inner. GENTLY pull the upper part of the grille away from the truck and REMOVE the inner plastic grille support and set aside.

Once the inner grille is out of the way, you'll need to mark dead-center of where you're going to mount your lights. Your choice to run them three-in-a-row, spread em' out...whatever you like. The size you need to cut is 3/4".

I'll say it again. Three-quarters of an inch. I used a spade bit, but a hole-saw would have been cleaner. Push the bulb and the grommet through the hole you make, and I applied silicone to the grommet for a nice seal. Push the grommet and bulb into the hole and reassemble your grille.

As far as the wiring was concerned, I ran the ENTIRE length of it up to the three-way break in black-plastic tubing. Luckily there's enough space between the grille and engine bay to run your harness.

Hope I covered everything. Any questions, do ask.

 

[Mymaverick2021]

I realized I really dig the look of the 'Raptor' style amber grille lights, but the kits offered for the Maverick really didn't flip me; what with the surface mount with 3M tape and all. Seems sloppy to me. And they're expensive to boot. So, I decided to come up with a solution.

I found it in a nice little set of three-spotter-lights from E-trailer. BUT these were far from plug-and-play...but it wasn't the end of the world, just a few hours work after prep.

I think it turned out pretty well. I like the look and they only cost me $20. That's Optronics part #OPT89FR if you're tryna do the same.

Cheers.

UPDATED WITH DIY INSTALL INSTRUCTIONS:


Please note these instructions are for an XLT grille only!

Ok, first off the wire provided with the light harness isn't long enough to reach the spotter light on the driver side. No worries, you'll just need some similar gauge wire to run to both the hot and the ground on said light. Create your own wire harness about a meter long, making sure it's well insulated. The green wire on the light is hot, the black is ground. On the harness you buy for the lights, black is hot and white is ground. Mark the hot on your wire harness with a different color tape (I used red) and set aside.

Next, you'll need to pop the spotter light out of it's housing. It's only held in by clips so working back to front, use a PLASTIC tool to pop the housing out. Maybe take this time to upgrade the standard bulbs with LED. That's what I did. You'll need a straightened (curved) wire hanger or thick copper wire to fish from the hole in the light housing to the engine bay. Tape the bottom end of your harness to the fishwire and GENTLY pull down and outward.

Using a SMALL boxcutter or razor knife, GENTLY strip the rubber from each wire on the light assembly and splice in your harness being mindful of polarity. Wrap well with a QUALITY tape and seal with liquid electrical tape or silicone to keep the water out. Do it once, do it right. Splice your harness to your lights in whichever way you see fit. I used crimps and wrapped twice each then wrapped together.

This was the easy part. Loosening the grille wasn't easy but doable with the right tools. Now that I know how it comes apart, the second would be faster. You'll need to loosen the 7mm bolts, of which there are many, as well as the pop-rivets and larger bolts (I forgot to measure) that hold the upper grille to the air intake. You'll need a small socket extension for this task. Also you'll need to separate the center strip from the headlamps using a plastic tool. Now here's the rub:

The grille is in two parts. Outer and inner. GENTLY pull the upper part of the grille away from the truck and REMOVE the inner plastic grille support and set aside.

Once the inner grille is out of the way, you'll need to mark dead-center of where you're going to mount your lights. Your choice to run them three-in-a-row, spread em' out...whatever you like. The size you need to cut is 3/4".

I'll say it again. Three-quarters of an inch. I used a spade bit, but a hole-saw would have been cleaner. Push the bulb and the grommet through the hole you make, and I applied silicone to the grommet for a nice seal. Push the grommet and bulb into the hole and reassemble your grille.

As far as the wiring was concerned, I ran the ENTIRE length of it up to the three-way break in black-plastic tubing. Luckily there's enough space between the grille and engine bay to run your harness.

Hope I covered everything. Any questions, do ask.

Well the Raptor style LEDS from R3D Customs where 60 bucks and Super easy install no drilling no wire cutting and much cleaner!

 

[Braderick]

Well the Raptor style LEDS from R3D Customs where 60 bucks and Super easy install no drilling no wire cutting and much cleaner!

Too low in the grill.

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