What's new
By:
Ram Heavy Duty Forum

Register a free account today to become a member! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members through your own private inbox!

Wiring for headache rack

T

truck569

New Member
Messages
20
Reaction score
19
Points
3
Hey guys
I own a trucking company, and got a 2500 diesel as a pilot car/tax write off;)
I'm setting up the LED light bar to use the reverse, brake and turn signals, instead of the 3rd brake light which is now covered.
The reverse light/worklight is also wired to the controller, and I installed a blocking diode between it and the lightbar.
It does have the prep for the bed hitch, as well as the towing plugs in the rear bumper.
I'm anal about wiring, so not worried about cutting into it if need be, but I can't find any diagrams anywhere...even Alldata doesn't list it yet
Whats the best way to get to the turn signal, brake and reverse light feeds? The headache rack is mounted at the front of the bed, with those wires between the bed and cab
I ran power and ground to an inside fuse block through the oval plastic plug and grommets, and installed a 50 amp breaker for it in the engine bay. So the interior is sorted

Thanks guys

Martin
 
Curt T harness for trailer electrical plug at the bumper.

If you are anal you would care NOT to cut into wiring. That will allow for a truly reversible install.
 
I get stuff and keep it forever as a rule, selling/reversing is not an issue.
So besides a T harness, no idea on wiring location then?
 
T harness is not all about reversing. It's also about good clean connections. It's the complete antithesis to scotch loks. Most people will advise against them.

The trailer harness will be your most complete solution unless you route from fuse panel. Or you can grab from both taillights. If you are looking for short wiring solution then completely cut your rear harness just below front of bed and use a good splicing approach there but I would just run wires to the front or the back. Fuse box or trailer harness.
 
farmallboy said:
T harness is not all about reversing. It's also about good clean connections. It's the complete antithesis to scotch loks. Most people will advise against them.

The trailer harness will be your most complete solution unless you route from fuse panel. Or you can grab from both taillights. If you are looking for short wiring solution then completely cut your rear harness just below front of bed and use a good splicing approach there but I would just run wires to the front or the back. Fuse box or trailer harness.
Click to expand...
I can run some 3 core back to the trailer bed connections.
I don't use scotch lock crap lol....didn't realize they still made those?
Everything gets heat shrink connectors, with marine heat shrink tubing over the joint
 
truck569 said:
I can run some 3 core back to the trailer bed connections.
I don't use scotch lock crap lol....didn't realize they still made those?
Everything gets heat shrink connectors, with marine heat shrink tubing over the joint
Click to expand...
I still thing buying a harness that T's in behind the trailer plug is your cleanest and easiest solution. Buy a harness for the 5th wheel prep package and extend it up the the rack. Then you will have all the power/signal you need and its all fused accordingly. Hacking the wiring behind the 3rd brake light might work, but will leave you prone to water leaks into the cab which was already a problem on 4th gens with out extra wiring.
 
truck569 said:
Hey guys
I own a trucking company, and got a 2500 diesel as a pilot car/tax write off;)
I'm setting up the LED light bar to use the reverse, brake and turn signals, instead of the 3rd brake light which is now covered.
The reverse light/worklight is also wired to the controller, and I installed a blocking diode between it and the lightbar.
It does have the prep for the bed hitch, as well as the towing plugs in the rear bumper.
I'm anal about wiring, so not worried about cutting into it if need be, but I can't find any diagrams anywhere...even Alldata doesn't list it yet
Whats the best way to get to the turn signal, brake and reverse light feeds? The headache rack is mounted at the front of the bed, with those wires between the bed and cab
I ran power and ground to an inside fuse block through the oval plastic plug and grommets, and installed a 50 amp breaker for it in the engine bay. So the interior is sorted

Thanks guys

Martin
Click to expand...
Pull the bed 7pin out and tap in to those wires its a standard 7 pin so its easy to figure out what wire is what without a test light
 
All done, thanks guys
In case someone ;looks in the future.....I removed the 4 Torx bolts from the bed plugs and disconnected the harness from the plug at the rear of the frame. Then tied into the harness with the new 14/3 wire, using heat shrink connectors and marine heat shrink tubing over the joints. Then ran the wire along the OEM wires to the front of the bed where the light bar wires are.
I made the center console to house the VHF, CB, light bar controller, etc etc. I always use a Blue Sea aux fuse block on everything, so that I don't screw up factory can bus stuff lol.
Here are a few picturesconsole.jpgconsole1.jpgconsole2.jpg
 
truck569 said:
All done, thanks guys
In case someone ;looks in the future.....I removed the 4 Torx bolts from the bed plugs and disconnected the harness from the plug at the rear of the frame. Then tied into the harness with the new 14/3 wire, using heat shrink connectors and marine heat shrink tubing over the joints. Then ran the wire along the OEM wires to the front of the bed where the light bar wires are.
I made the center console to house the VHF, CB, light bar controller, etc etc. I always use a Blue Sea aux fuse block on everything, so that I don't screw up factory can bus stuff lol.
Here are a few picturesView attachment 13159View attachment 13160View attachment 13161
Click to expand...

Well hell. Now you gotta stick around a little longer. What did you build that out of ? And how did you mount ? My dual band is behind my seat but I need cb mounted. That's such a wasted space down there with nothing to work with.
 
farmallboy said:
Well hell. Now you gotta stick around a little longer. What did you build that out of ? And how did you mount ? My dual band is behind my seat but I need cb mounted. That's such a wasted space down there with nothing to work with.
Click to expand...
The console as I call it, is 16 gauge steel.
It's mounted to a 1/8" frame work, which in turn uses the fasteners that used to hold down that stupid little cubby box that was in front of the jump seat. I used some tube I had laying around, to level the mounting surface to the carpet154075BF-4175-426A-8C32-274E4063888D.jpeg
All the fasteners on the console are 1/4"-20 Allen bolts going into rivnuts that I installed.
Here are a few pictures, hopefully they make sense
294A5A55-6D75-4ECD-961D-898115EB154E.jpeg
6A21AEB9-E9E1-4394-9288-B8B2910D6F54.jpegE7287299-79E7-4D15-AAB0-4BC4A345A432.jpegEA257352-086F-444C-A28C-272DF7997E37.jpeg

I grabbed power and grounds for the blue sea fuse block from one of the batteries. I went though that oval shaped piece of plastic that has 2 @15mm nuts holding it on.
I couldn't get to the pass through thing that I found in a search, so used that along with two rubber grommets. Positive goes to that breaker, then to the battery.

Martin
 
I dimple died the side panels to let the heat out from the radios......And because I love dimple dies lol
 
Here is the headache rack I made. Front bolts go into some stale pocket mounts I made, second and third through the tip rail to flat plate with nuts welded on the bottom side
The overhead sign has two linear actuators to raise and lower. That's the ticket switch in the panel
B6655738-A238-4C80-9EE4-4A72CB312D64.jpeg
 
That's cool about raising the sign. And that's a great build on the console. I have thought about doing one like that. It's a great way to do it.


I like the headache rack too. Looks home built?
 
farmallboy said:
That's cool about raising the sign. And that's a great build on the console. I have thought about doing one like that. It's a great way to do it.


I like the headache rack too. Looks home built?
Click to expand...
Unfortunately, I make all my own stuff lol
 
truck569 said:
Unfortunately, I make all my own stuff lol
Click to expand...

I appreciate that ability. My welding ability is at the level of a high school shop student lol. I am thinking about trying it though. It doesn't need to be structurally strong. Mostly for light and antenna mounting
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top