Lights Under Bedcover

I’ve done a ton of research on different types of lights for under my hard bed cover. I liked the ones on eBay the best cause they look factory installed but i’ve Installed swing cases where they would be mounted and it would block the lights. Also, cost, time and additional money. With that being said saw these at the UPS store the other day. Thought this might be a great cheap solution for under $20 bucks and there are two in a pack. Anyone using anything like this?

 

my buddy has something similar to that, its a nice temporary solution but the battery dies sometimes and its a pain in the ass. For my truck i bought a led strip from ebay for $7 and ran it around the bed rail and connected it to the car battery. I put a waterproof switch in the bed so i can turn it off and on easily without going in the truck. The whole thing cost me under $12 and its bright as fuck. It uses very little energy so u can have it on for hours. I've had them for 2 years now and no problems yet.

 

@mattgecko makes bed lighting kits also. Its on the shortlist for my truck, just haven't pulled the trigger yet.
It's a little more than what your looking to spend, but from what I've seen he makes quality stuff. As well, he runs sales from time to time, you may can get them cheaper on black Friday or around Christmas.

 

i got the led ones that mount in the rear corners. surprisingly bright and work well. currently triggered by the door but will be wiring to a switch instead.
https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/new-tacoma-tundra-factory-led-bed-light-kit.376477/

 

i just checked it out and those prices are out of control, i get that it comes with a kit so u dont have to buy things separately but if you buy all the supplies yourself, the whole project literally comes out to less than $15. thats considering you dont have any wiring, which most people do. sellers like that buy everything from ebay for dirt cheap and quadruple the price for a easy profit. we have a shop out here in NY and one of my customers went to a shop where they install lights and stuff like that, they charged him $300 for a kit that goes under the door that projects out the Toyota symbol on the floor. just to prove a point i looked at the piece they installed and found it on eBay for only $14. so all im saying is search around before you get ripped off

 

What all did you need to wire it up?

 

i found 2 matching leds with magnets they stick good right inside the tailgate before the storage compartments on the metal..cheap and easy no wiring required just 2 lights and a few AA's..Now i use it for my cap while it's on for the winter.

 

Any wire will do, even speaker wire works. I used about 20 feet of wire. 2 round connectors that go over the battery terminal, a switch that i bought from for $1 on eBay. And that's about it.

 

Yea if you cant run a wire thats usually the best next thing. I just hate batteries because when it gets weak the light is not as bright. And also if u live in a cold state like me, yhe cold kills the batteries

 

Nothing else in-line between the lights and battery just hard wired?

 

I understand what you're saying. However, Matt's kits are practically plug and play, with little additional wiring other than power and a switch. IMHO, I'll pay a few bucks for a kit that's ready to go when it comes out of the box if I don't have to crimp, solder, and stretch much additional wiring through my truck. Plus, he's a fellow TW member who stands by his work- why not give him a little support?

 

If you want to be safe you could throw a fuse in there, that's another extra dollar

 

Your absolutely right, for some people its worth it, it requires very little to no work. Being a mechanic im used to making my own stuff so its easier and cheaper for me to put together my own kit. But I definitely understand where ur coming from.

 

I did the LED strips, too. Powered from a switched wire at the trailer connector. About $20 including the toggle switch.

 

That's a good idea. You don't have to stretch wire to the battery. Which wire on the trailer connector did you tap into? Curious if the bed lights have constant power or only when your light switch is on.

 

It's been a while, so I don't remember exactly which one it was. Easy enough to figure out with a voltage tester though. I don't think the trailer harness has any constant power. I wanted it to be switched power so the lights can't be accidentally left on. The nice thing about it is you only have to run a few feet of wire up along side the bed.

 

No worries. Thanks man. I can figure it out. Just thought if someone already had the answer no need in troubleshooting it. I definitely plan on adding something similar to my bed soon.