I have been searching this forum and some others () and I can't seem to find what I'm looking for. I got some Hella 500FF lights for Christmas. I plan to install them behind the grill of course. My questions are:

1. Where is the best place to mount the switch? I was thinking on the little smooth plastic area between the steering wheel and the existing headlight switch or maybe on the smallish panel under the headlight switch and above the parking brake release. I'll be getting a different switch from the one that came with the lights because I want one that just has a small LED indicator instead of the whole switch lighting up when turned on.

2. Did y'all mount the relay for the lights someplace or did you use one of the spare relay outlets in the fuse box? I was thinking it would be a cleaner look to use one of the spare outlets, but I'm not sure how much trouble that would be and if it would be worth it.

 

Use the relay that comes with it. I mounted it under the hood near the battery. I mounted my switch on the panel that is normally for the adjustable pedals...but that is on the '06-'08. A lot of guys with your truck did just what you are saying.

 

mine is that smooth section just to the left of the wheel. the switch that came with it just has a small led on it, whole switch doesn't light. new relay mounted next to battery.

 

HERE's my install. I did the wiring differently, but the other stuff may help like the mounting area and dremel trick to get the lights aimed towards the ground rather than in the sky.

 

I actually used a longer bolt to support the lights and put a 1 inch nut between the bottom of the lights and the frame support. The lights sit up 1" higher and you can aim them more easily. You can see in my sig pic that they are a little bit higher....

I recently replaced my 500s with the 500ffs. But I might add the 500s back behind the grill as well, so I will have four....why not? LOL

 

Even with raising the lights, they still wouldn't angle downward because they were hitting their own bracket. lifting them up would do nothing. Check out my pic and you'll see what i mean. That square bolt that holds the lights down is what the bottom of the hellas were hitting. Installing a spacer under the mounting bracket would still allow the hella light frame to still touch and not allow it to lay forwards. maybe your design is defferent from mine? Made in Taiwan I wouldn't doubt it....lol


Here's that pic to make your life easier.
Using a smaller headed bolt or welding the bracket would eliminate this problem. bad manufacturer design flaw i say...

 

Thanks for all the feedback fellas. I already had your DIY bookmarked dirtydog. I knew about the need to dremel the casing to get it to aim down correctly. I can't remember where I saw that first, maybe RubberFrog.

The switch that came with my lights looks like the whole thing lights up. The entire rocker piece is translucent green. Something like what dirtydog used is more what I'm looking for. I think it will fit in with the rest of the interior better.

If I make it through tonight's festivities unscathed I may try to hook them up tomorrow. That may be a big IF though.

 

I got the rocker switch at Advance Auto. You can use any rocker switch even with the hella wiring as the relay transfers all the power rather than the switch like i have wired. I paid like $5 for it. The tiny blue light is pretty freakin bright. Couldn't imagine a whole button lit up...lol

Yeah, Rubber made a post over on DT here I buste his ballz a little. Although, i did do my install before he posted...He still posted before I did over here.

Take your festivities to the limit and worry about seeing another day...lol