Tailgate Led bar install using OPT7 lighting harness.

[Dmat]

Parts Used:
-Nilight 48" red/white light bar
-OPT7 Redline easy connect tail light harness for Ford F150 18-20 (6 pin connector)

So out of the box, this harness doesnt work. To make it work though was rather simple. On each Plug end. Remove the white reverse pin and insert it into the blank space without a pin. Then you remove the brown running pin and insert it to where the previous reverse pin was. After that, it will hook up and everything seems to work correctly.

Installing the harness wasnt the easiest, passenger side has a large tray blocking access below the tail light. I made a small fishing wiring with a hook to pull the harness through though. The driver side is wide open and easy to do.

As to installing the light bar. That was a lot of headache. There are only small gaps on the right and left edges of bumper under the tailgate to feed wires though. The only place to put the light bar where it can be directly seen will also block two bolts and the hole for lowering the spare. The Lightbar I used is thin and flexible so I was able to feed it through the gap from below because the 4 pin connector was too big to fit through. I feel like for any other light bar, cutting the wires and reconnecting them will probably be needed.

Both harness and light bare have a reverse wire not directly tied into anything so they had to be secured. After that it was just tidying wires up. I do want to rerun the wires so I can eventually get them farther from the exhaust. I'm curious to know what other lightbars people have installed so far.

On a side note, install one of these before you lower your truck if you're to do that. twas a little tight.

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[NixKo]

Just attempted this install I used your diagrams. However I did use an opt 7 light bar rather than the one you used - anyways when first connecting it I had my driver side running light on the tail lamp stop working until I manually turned the lights off and then back on. The light bars only working function was the running light while connected turns signals would kinda work. Just wanted to know if you had any issues with the driver side running light or maybe your light bar draws less power so it didn’t cause anything. Any help would be greatly appreciated!

 

[TRUCKHEF]

I had to use the opt power harness connected to the 12v aux in the back to work. There’s not enough juice to power the light bar I guess. All works normal now.

 

[NixKo]

I had to use the opt power harness connected to the 12v aux in the back to work. There’s not enough juice to power the light bar I guess. All works normal now.

Do you mind linking me to such box?
Also do you know if it matters that I already have the light bar or would I have to order one that connects to the harness?
Also if hard wiring that way is the case I’ll probably forgo the harness I purchased and altered and just run some wires for the turn signals etc if it’s getting power elsewhere anyways

thanks in advance!

 

[Dmat]

Just attempted this install I used your diagrams. However I did use an opt 7 light bar rather than the one you used - anyways when first connecting it I had my driver side running light on the tail lamp stop working until I manually turned the lights off and then back on. The light bars only working function was the running light while connected turns signals would kinda work. Just wanted to know if you had any issues with the driver side running light or maybe your light bar draws less power so it didn’t cause anything. Any help would be greatly appreciated!

I'm honestly not sure on the power draw. I did switch to LED bulbs in the tail lights. I'm also using probably one of the most low power options on the light bar as its fairly simple. So maybe the load was reduced enough to make powering the light bar a non issue.

 

[Montana]

It deserves a diffuser!

 

[NixKo]

Just to make sure I post my findings after playing around more I could not get the OPT7 bar to work correctly even after running a dedicated 12v switched supply from my battery.

I did however get the Nilight bar to work perfectly fine with the harness after speaking with a more informed technician about it he assumes it’s the resistance that the opt7 bar run at which is what upsets the truck on turn signal use.

https://a.co/d/2jktOR6

Here are some photos of the finished product for those interested - don’t mind it’s a bit dirty.

If anyone needs more details or assistance please reach out.

Next project are the fog lights!!

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