I've recently acquired a strong hankerin' for some cab lights, and from what I understand, Recon is the only way to go. I really like the smoked lenses with amber LEDs...

For a '96 2500 without factory cab lights, how difficult is it to determine precisely where the lights go, drill the holes, and wire them up? Do they simply wire into the headlight circuit?

 

i'm sure the wiring on your 96 is much simpler, but I just got measurements from an 06 a truck at the dealer w/factory ones measured it out, used a laser to line them up (ghetto yes but it worked) then we drilled the front screw holes for all of them lined um up just how i wanted them and use a center punch in the back screw hole to mark it...drilled that and then did the big one right in the middle for wiring...

wired the drivers side light up right to the pos/neg and ran it to the next light crimping the wires from the last light to the ones outta the 2nd light and to the pos/neg goin to the next (kinda a series paralell combo) over to the passenger a-pillar which is where there is a wiring clip from the factory where they'd plug in for factory cab light...pretty simple one....any more ?s just ask...I was rushed so I only had pics of the drilling we were late for x-mas diner so I didn't have time to snap pics of the wiring sorry...

 

Thanks, Aero... Any issues with water leaks? What kind of seals are there on these lights, or did you add some sort of silicone sealant?

Is it a big chore to remove the headliner?

And can anyone else confirm that there is factory cab light wiring awaiting me in one of the A-pillars on a '96?

 

I ran outta time so I didn't put on the silicone I bought for it, but it never leaked so I never sealed it, there is a foam like pad on the bottom of the lights to give it a tight fit, there are little rubber washers you use on the screws make sure you only torque the screws to a point where they won't back out, if you over do it (which isn't hard) the rubber washer could pop off or deform losing it sealin ability

My headliner came off by removin the A-Pillars, visors, overhead display once I figured out how it all came off it was cake, Mine is a Q/C so I also had to remove the pillar covers where the front seat belts mount ya know.

Yours is 10years different then mine so its bound to be different several places, as for the wiring clip in the passenger a pillar I'm not sure it'll be in that truck, Your healights should be a less complex set-up from mine though, you might have to get a test light and find wires that come on for your clearence lights...

 

a run to the 2nd gen section lead me to....

Clearance Lights

all sorts of info on taking the head liner out....wiring it.. cutting the roof...good stuff

 

Hey, thanks Lilfroger for doing the dirty search work for me! [8D]

OK, next question... I've seen some where the lights are evenly spaced across the top, and others where the middle three are closer together. Any particular reason for one way vs the other, and/or anyone know what the "proper" configuration is for my year?

 

Middle three closer together is the right way and how they are from the factory and on big trucks etc. All spaced evenly looks sorta shadetree unless you have 7 cab lights spaced evenly instead of the usual 5.

 

Precisely what I needed to know... thankyaverymuch.

 

STOOOOOOP putting these ideas into my head !!!

 

Why not......there is nothing else in there