Tailgate Light Bar Possible Solution

[CTYankee]

It looks like we have a way to add a tailgate light bar without losing driver assistance features or having the truck go into tow mode.

Thanks to a post on FB and a comment within that post, I ended up talking to Curt Manufacturing product support about their Maverick T-connector 4-pin harness (P/N 56477). According to them, it plugs into the taillight harness (so no cutting or splicing) and terminates in a 4-pin plug similar to the factory 4-pin but it is independent of the factory tow system.

If you already have a factory 4-pin, the Curt one can be tucked under the bumper for the light bar to use, leaving the factory one available for towing.

That's the theory at the moment anyway. I'm going to order it and a Putco Red Blade and have the guys at my old shop hook it up and make sure it works. As soon as I know the answer, I'll post here.

Fingers crossed!

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[Stive]

It looks like we have a way to add a tailgate light bar without losing driver assistance features or having the truck go into tow mode.

Thanks to a post on FB and a comment within that post, I ended up talking to Curt Manufacturing product support about their Maverick T-connector 4-pin harness (P/N 56477). According to them, it plugs into the taillight harness (so no cutting or splicing) and terminates in a 4-pin plug similar to the factory 4-pin but it is independent of the factory tow system.

If you already have a factory 4-pin, the Curt one can be tucked under the bumper for the light bar to use, leaving the factory one available for towing.

That's the theory at the moment anyway. I'm going to order it and a Putco Red Blade and have the guys at my old shop hook it up and make sure it works. As soon as I know the answer, I'll post here.

Fingers crossed!

Great. That would have been a much cleaner installation for me and less time, but more costly I’m sure. However for my installation, I also hooked up the turn signals.

 

[Braderick]

Sounds like a winning solution.
Stalking this thread.

 

[Ottocycle]

Awesome. I have a putco bar on my f150 and had to wire it the hard way. Thanks for the info on the curt adapter. Putco bars are some seriously quality bars. Pricey but worth it. Will be putting one on mav when it shows up. Will be awaiting your results. Did you go with the 48" or 60" blade?

 

[CTYankee]

Awesome. I have a putco bar on my f150 and had to wire it the hard way. Thanks for the info on the curt adapter. Putco bars are some seriously quality bars. Pricey but worth it. Will be putting one on mav when it shows up. Will be awaiting your results. Did you go with the 48" or 60" blade?

I'll go with the 48". We measured and the 60" would be a bit too wide. At the moment, I'm trying to find out if there is a Red Blade version of the Wrangler 2-piece Blade since that would not require avoiding the spare tire crank access hole. The Fords and amber turn signal on the regular Blade don't seem to get along, as I recall.

 

[CTYankee]

OK, so there is a Red Blade version of the split 18" pair like I have on my Jeep. The advantage is that it won't interfere with the spare tire crank hole. The correct P/N is 92010-18-2.

I'm going to order that and the Curt T-connect harness for a bench test and possible installation. Will update when I have some results to report.

 

[theway-yay-ting]

Watching this thread!

 

[CTYankee]

Quick update with one part number correction:

The installation of the tailgate light bar and Curt T-harness is scheduled for Monday morning at the shop I used to own. There will be pictures taken.

The first step will be to install the T-connector and leave the 4-pin loose so we can effectively bench test the light bar before doing any further installation work. If it tests successfully, we'll finish the installation and hardwire the harness and light bar together, eliminating the 4-pin connectors to protect against corrosion.

The correct part number for the Putco Red Blade split bar is 9201018-04.

 

[theway-yay-ting]

Quick update with one part number correction:

The installation of the tailgate light bar and Curt T-harness is scheduled for Monday morning at the shop I used to own. There will be pictures taken.

The first step will be to install the T-connector and leave the 4-pin loose so we can effectively bench test the light bar before doing any further installation work. If it tests successfully, we'll finish the installation and hardwire the harness and light bar together, eliminating the 4-pin connectors to protect against corrosion.

The correct part number for the Putco Red Blade split bar is 9201018-04.

Dang, those Putco bars are pricey! Still think this is a great mod.

 

[SteveW12TCA]

Do you have any experience with the Putco clips that would allow for the installation of a 48” light bar blade? Would it be easy to temporarily pop the bar out of the clips so the spare tire access hole could be accessed and then snapped back into place after the spare tire is lowered? Was thinking of going with something like that if the Curt harness tests as a good solution. Thoughts?

 

[CTYankee]

Would it be easy to temporarily pop the bar out of the clips so the spare tire access hole could be accessed and then snapped back into place after the spare tire is lowered? Was thinking of going with something like that if the Curt harness tests as a good solution. Thoughts?

Once the light bar is installed, you may not have much room or slack to dismount the bar enough to clear the access hole. That's why I'm doing the split blade version, which also means I can mount it for the best visibility.

 

[CTYankee]

Dang, those Putco bars are pricey! Still think this is a great mod.

They are, but the light output and reliability have been phenomenal in my experience. The light bar on my Wrangler has been on it now for at least 5 or 6 years and works perfectly. I also have the Putco amber/white WorkBlade lights on my rear hatch and at each rear corner on the Jeep, which is outfitted for plowing. No problems with them, either.

However, for anyone whose budget doesn't allow for the Putco bars, Rough Country has a 49" bar that's $40.00. It doesn't have the light output of the Putco, so that's the tradeoff.

 

[TRUCKHEF]

This will definitely work, posted in another thread recently that even with the Curt harness you still need 12v from the module at least for amber light bars that don’t use the brake light for a turn signal. I went the cheaper route and got a generic power module since I had already T-tapped into my tail light harness.

As for mounting there is no need to use a split light bar, get the 48inch and mount with magnets. Metal plates attached to beveled edge on plastic bumper under tailgate and small neodymium magnets stuck onto the light bar only remove enough of the red tape back in to fit the magnet, voila! If you need to get your spare it’s a simple matter of popping it on and off. (Can’t magnet to the metal above the plastic bumper because then it sits too high, and no one can actually see the lightbar save for the reflections, definitely wouldn’t be noticeable during daytime)

 

[Ottocycle]

This will definitely work, posted in another thread recently that even with the Curt harness you still need 12v from the module at least for amber light bars that don’t use the brake light for a turn signal. I went the cheaper route and got a generic power module since I had already T-tapped into my tail light harness.

As for mounting there is no need to use a split light bar, get the 48inch and mount with magnets. Metal plates attached to beveled edge on plastic bumper under tailgate and small neodymium magnets stuck onto the light bar only remove enough of the red tape back in to fit the magnet, voila! If you need to get your spare it’s a simple matter of popping it on and off. (Can’t magnet to the metal above the plastic bumper because then it sits too high, and no one can actually see the lightbar save for the reflections, definitely wouldn’t be noticeable during daytime)

Great Idea with magnets. Secure but removable; I like it!

 

[TRUCKHEF]

Great Idea with magnets. Secure but removable; I like it!

I’ll try and post some pics/video of my setup later.

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