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Another Bed Light Option?

Discussion in '2nd Gen. Tacomas (2005-2015)' started by Robman, Mar 15, 2016.

  1. Mar 15, 2016 at 3:33 PM
    #1
    Robman

    Robman [OP] Well-Known Member

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    Anyone try something like this? May not be as thorough as the 5050LED strips, more like the Tundra/Tacoma OEM Kits but hella cheaper. Thoughts?

    Amazon Turbo Flood Lights: (http://www.amazon.com/Turbo-Lights-...e=UTF8&qid=1458075216&sr=8-68&keywords=tacoma) I'm thinking of hacking these up a bit and flush mounting in the same locations as the factory kit for $21!!!
    [​IMG]

    Tundra/Tacoma Bed Light:
    [​IMG]
     
  2. Mar 15, 2016 at 4:39 PM
    #2
    george3

    george3 Well-Known Member

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    any pics showing more of the bed with the lights. Thanks.
     
  3. Mar 15, 2016 at 4:42 PM
    #3
    Robman

    Robman [OP] Well-Known Member

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    @george3: I haven't done it, wondering if anyone else has tried/failed thought it was crap etc.
     
  4. Mar 15, 2016 at 4:47 PM
    #4
    EdinCincinnati

    EdinCincinnati Well-Known Member

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  5. Mar 15, 2016 at 4:47 PM
    #5
    CO Ryan

    CO Ryan Well-Known Member

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    stuff
    Seems like unless you can find a way to point them into the bed and downward (like the oem ones) you will just be lighting up a small portion of your bed. How much did you pay for your truck? Couldn't you spring 100 bucks to get a proven quality product and be done with it? Just my thoughts. Mattgecko's led strip kit is the bees knees, by the way
     
    grdgz97 likes this.
  6. Mar 15, 2016 at 4:59 PM
    #6
    Robman

    Robman [OP] Well-Known Member

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    @CO Ryan: Good point about the angle, I'll have to look into that. For $20 it might be worth it to just find out. Cost factors into it but I'm not sold on the OEM kit either. The LEDs on this kit seem brighter(how could I know that) and have tons of reflective material(if they are as pictured) compared to the OEM. The Amazon kit is intended as rear bumper flood lights so I would expect them to be bright(plus they have turbo, or is that the brand). I've seen pics of the OEM kit installed and its not impressive.(pics of lights, thats subjective) I do like the OEM kit because it looks OEM and I have my reservations about the LED strips...reminds me too much of the NEON people used to put under the cars in the 90's. Even though I think it probably does the best job of lighting the entire bed.

    @EdinCincinnati: Sorry but that kit is not clean enough for me, all sorts of brackets and wires. Nope.
     
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  7. Mar 15, 2016 at 5:04 PM
    #7
    george3

    george3 Well-Known Member

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    Thanks for the reply - post some pics when you get the job done - which ever option you go with.
     
  8. Mar 15, 2016 at 5:17 PM
    #8
    CO Ryan

    CO Ryan Well-Known Member

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    stuff
    Yeah, I would agree that the oem kit doesn't look great. FWIW, here is the particular kit I was talking about, in case you haven't found this thread yet.

    https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/fs-waterproof-under-bed-rail-led-lights.253004/

    I have it, love it, and endorse it. Another plus that I have found with the strips is that when my bed is partially full, there is still light since they span the length/width of the bed. If you have something loaded in front of those lights; no light.
     
  9. Mar 15, 2016 at 5:31 PM
    #9
    Robman

    Robman [OP] Well-Known Member

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    Yup!!! Thats exactly what I dont like about all these other solutions. Only the strips are unobstructed by partial loads.
     
  10. Mar 15, 2016 at 7:54 PM
    #10
    mrkabc

    mrkabc Mall Crawler with a Locker

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    "OEM" kit here... they put out plenty of light. Decided against the strips after reading stories here about partial failures and lack of durability.
     
  11. Jan 23, 2022 at 12:47 PM
    #11
    igobyjoe

    igobyjoe Member

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    looks like this thread died many years ago. time to bump it back up!

    any suggestions for some bed lights? i wanted the matt gecko LED strips, but i also want to be able to use my yakima bedrock towers, which clamp onto the underside of the factory utility tracks. the yakimas would just smash the LED strips.

    the only other option i've been finding are light pods that shine straight outwards (and likely, into your eyes).

    is there an option out there for tacomas that somehow point downward, or include a shroud for the top of the pod so you don't get blinded?
     
  12. Jan 23, 2022 at 8:31 PM
    #12
    TacoTuesday1

    TacoTuesday1 Well-Known Member

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    what if you mount some pods using brackets attached to the bed rails if there’s any room using T slot nuts
     
  13. Jan 24, 2022 at 1:41 AM
    #13
    TACOMA2NDGEN

    TACOMA2NDGEN Well-Known Member

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    I mounted a cheap 16inch light on the front rail. And i also have the tundra lights there not bad for the 5 foot bed. Last pic is just the tundra lights . I have them wired to a pin switch so when you open the tailgate they come on B01BD592-52D1-4757-AD88-622F08C61260.jpgD3803D90-1A29-4B05-831F-C83D2F0E82A9.jpg3378714C-1D8F-4375-8801-5766B46466E3.jpg
     

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