Baja Designs Squadrons installed on ‘20 4500 Tradesman

[Record]

Just a quick post to confirm that the Baja Designs Squadron kit to replace existing factory Tradesman fog lights kit purchased from CJC Off-road will in fact work on 4500. When I called them they said that the kit only specified 2500/3500 and we assumed there wouldn’t be any reason why it wouldn’t work for 4500’s. Installed last night and working great.

 

[delmoniCO]

How was the install? I assume everything is pretty accessable from underneath the front end? Did you have to remove the air dam or anything else?

 

[Record]

How was the install? I assume everything is pretty accessable from underneath the front end? Did you have to remove the air dam or anything else?

Super accessible and easy, did not have to remove anything except for the fog assemblies. Just unplug the harnesses, unbolt the entire fog assembly with 4 bolts, then do the light swap on the workbench, plug the adapters into the light plug, reinstall fog assembly onto bumper, plug factory plug into the adapter and done. Only difference between the two sides is on the left side there is one additional harness to unplug to allow you to completely remove the fog assembly. The instructions the kit comes with are very easy to understand.
I will say if I were going to do it again I would probably do the SAE version of the lights because these are crazy bright. I would like to be able to run them all the time while driving at night instead of just off road or desolate highway etc. Also, I didn’t even realize that when you turn, the fog light that corresponds with the direction you’re turning automatically comes on until the turn is completed.

 

[Rockcrawlindude]

nice! Looks great.

I added the squadrons to my tradesman (no fogs) when I swapped bumpers

 

[John Jensen]

I will say if I were going to do it again I would probably do the SAE version of the lights because these are crazy bright. I would like to be able to run them all the time while driving at night instead of just off road or desolate highway etc. Also, I didn’t even realize that when you turn, the fog light that corresponds with the direction you’re turning automatically comes on until the turn is completed.

I read that the only difference between the SAE and yours is the lens. And, they sell the lenses. An easy change if you want SAEs. Double-check with BD to be sure what I read is correct.

 

[Rockcrawlindude]

I read that the only difference between the SAE and yours is the lens. And, they sell the lenses. An easy change if you want SAEs. Double-check with BD to be sure what I read is correct.

I believe that’s correct. I did the SAE for the street legal fog pattern

 

[Rockcrawlindude]

Here is my headlights with the SAE squadrons. My driveway is a slight incline so that’s why the pattern is higher on the garage door.

but, the SAE squadrons fill in light under the headlights. The Jeep is in the way to show the width of the beam but I think the pic shows the general idea

 

[mr.robot]

Does anyone know if the squadron kit would work on a 2500 Limited? I ordered the brackets for the S2’s, since I had them from my Raptor, but I ideally would like squadrons. From my research, all I’ve found for the Limited 2500’s specifically are S2’s fitting in the foglight

 

[Rockcrawlindude]

Does anyone know if the squadron kit would work on a 2500 Limited? I ordered the brackets for the S2’s, since I had them from my Raptor, but I ideally would like squadrons. From my research, all I’ve found for the Limited 2500’s specifically are S2’s fitting in the foglight

I believe the squadrons replace the halogen fogs and the S2s replace the led fogs. That being said, I bet you can make it work with a bezel swap maybe more

 

[Rockcrawlindude]

Here are the parts I needed to make the squadrons work on my truck (plus wiring) I had no fog lights, just cover blanks. Hope that helps. You may already have the correct bracket. I’m not sure if the halogen and led use the same bracket

 

[delmoniCO]

Does anyone know if the squadron kit would work on a 2500 Limited? I ordered the brackets for the S2’s, since I had them from my Raptor, but I ideally would like squadrons. From my research, all I’ve found for the Limited 2500’s specifically are S2’s fitting in the foglight

CJC has a kit for squadron lights on higher trim trucks. It's very similar to the above parts except the bezel they use retains parking sensors.

 

[Rockcrawlindude]

CJC has a kit for squadron lights on higher trim trucks. It's very similar to the above parts except the bezel they use retains parking sensors.

Good point, my truck does not have forward parking sensors so I bought bezels that did not have them.

 

[dieselbeef]

nice! Looks great.

I added the squadrons to my tradesman (no fogs) when I swapped bumpers

how did you wire them?..i want to do the same..mine had none ad I have a ranchhand has the holes now

 

[Rockcrawlindude]

how did you wire them?..i want to do the same..mine had none ad I have a ranchhand has the holes now

I built a wire harness with a relay and they’re wired to come on whenever the parking lights are on. So, they work with the auto headlights, or they run with the parking lights. They also run with the high beams. I hate putting extra switches in the cab, so that was best for me

 

[delmoniCO]

I installed these (CJC kit) on my Laramie yesterday. Those "5 nuts and plates" for each bezel suck! I only reinstalled 3 on each side.the other 2 were just not going to happen without additional disassembly of the front braces behind the bumper. I got the SAE lenses. Very happy with the kit.

 

[Erwin136]

Here are the parts I needed to make the squadrons work on my truck (plus wiring) I had no fog lights, just cover blanks. Hope that helps. You may already have the correct bracket. I’m not sure if the halogen and led use the same bracket

View attachment 11083View attachment 11084View attachment 11085View attachment 11086

So these brackets and bezel work for a a tradesman then. I have blanks from factory just covers no fogs and I am doing the conversion from nothing to the Baja designs same thing just amber the front bezel on the outside worked for you along with the inside bracket to which the foglight screws onto? Also on the inside of the bumper does anything get attached to the bumper other than the bracket that goes inside and holds the foglight the holes are already there for the bracket ?

 

[Rockcrawlindude]

So these brackets and bezel work for a a tradesman then. I have blanks from factory just covers no fogs and I am doing the conversion from nothing to the Baja designs same thing just amber the front bezel on the outside worked for you along with the inside bracket to which the foglight screws onto? Also on the inside of the bumper does anything get attached to the bumper other than the bracket that goes inside and holds the foglight the holes are already there for the bracket ?

Yes, my factory tradesman bumper had provisions for the bracket. I bought stainless nuts and bolts to mount the bracket to the bumper.

The bezel mounts the same way as the blank that is already there, reuse that hardware.

 

[Erwin136]

Yes, my factory tradesman bumper had provisions for the bracket. I bought stainless nuts and bolts to mount the bracket to the bumper.

The bezel mounts the same way as the blank that is already there, reuse that hardware.

So the mounts that the foglight bracket mounts to already comes in these trucks even if they did not have the original foglights

 

[Rockcrawlindude]

So the mounts that the foglight bracket mounts to already comes in these trucks even if they did not have the original foglights

I answered that above. My truck did. If you’re still doubtful, slide under the truck, look behind your blanks and see for yourself.

 

[Brewbud]

I installed these (CJC kit) on my Laramie yesterday. Those "5 nuts and plates" for each bezel suck! I only reinstalled 3 on each side.the other 2 were just not going to happen without additional disassembly of the front braces behind the bumper. I got the SAE lenses. Very happy with the kit.

I am a big fan of BD. How much better are they compared to the stock LED fogs on the Laramie? Is it a huge difference?