DIY: Custom Reverse Lights for those with Red Overlays on Taillights

[Jdog_Si]

I installed those about a month ago and I do alot of backing up (apartment complex's tight parking spaces and parking lots). So I came up with a solution :]

I went to autozone and found these L.E.D. Bars (supposed to go in your grill as per packaging) but It was exactly what I was looking for!

* Thin
* Water Proof
* White in color

So I got some plexiglass and made the width just a bit longer than my license plate so I could tape the lights onto them (they come with double sided 3M tape - VERY sturdy)

Then drilled holes on the plexiglass where the screws for the license plate would go.

Ran the cables through one of the openings where the plastic cover for the license plate lights go. Wired it to my reverse lights, and viola!

To mount, I put the plexiglass, then the license plate, then the license plate frame. Here is the result: (dont mind my crappy pic)



Update

Here are some night shots. Sorry for the bad glare and not being able to take a pic of it head on (I had to set auto-timer)

Reverse Lights OFF




Reverse Lights ON




And the crappy pic of the lights I bought:



UPDATED 3/30/09

Some new pics at night. Crappy shots but maybe gives you a better Idea :]

[dnv]

Night pics? =)

[Jdog_Si]

I will attempt tonight. Will have to put timer on the camera since no one is around to take the pic while the car is in reverse :]

[dnguyen415]

in for pics

[Jdog_Si]

It looks REALLY Nice though. Real fancy, and its not blinding either so its perfect.

The only thing is traditionally, reverse lights are bigger and spread the light more, so at night, it lights up behind you decently. With this, its not that bright (the spread) so it won't light up behind you much. But the light itself is very bright and visible.

[Br3TT]

in for pics!

[Jdog_Si]

Bump for updated pics in the OP

[vingavina]

nice!

[Br3TT]

nice i think i might do this i have been wanting to do the red outs but didnt want to lose my reverse lights

[chaotik]

very good diy
might have to do this

[Jdog_Si]

I'll try to take better pics of the wiring etc tomorrow. But the install (wiring) was really easy. The lights come w/ a basic setup:

3 wires:
black
red
yellow

*Ground the Black
*If you want the lights to be 'chasers' (think knight rider), then you just hook up ONE of the wires (any one, doesnt matter) to any power source. In my case, it was any of the 2 cables for the reverse light.
*if you want the lights to just be fully on, then hook up both wires. Can be to the same cable. As long as they have a current running through them.

That was it!

[chaotik]

holy god i never noticed how epic your license plate was.

and whats chasers?

[Jdog_Si]

LOL thanks.

And by chaser, I mean when you have a string of lights and they go from one side to another. Bad example, but like this:

[treal512]

thats smart. my dad suggested this to me, but i thought it would look tacky. im in for night pics!

[chaotik]

I might have to do chasers...and hope it looks nice

[Jdog_Si]

Yea, I thought it would look bad too (depending on what kind of lights they were)

But these are very discrete, and look really nice when they are on :]

[IceMurder]

pretty neat, good job man

[asdfasdf011]

In for pics. Been wanting to do the red outs but worried about reversing.

Any idea if these would make red out tails legal?

[FG geek]

wow, i love it!

[luvmyhondas]

Originally Posted by Jdog_Si

I will attempt tonight. Will have to put timer on the camera since no one is around to take the pic while the car is in reverse :]

just set the parking brake, put the car in reverse and walk around back...car doesn't have to be running, just have the key in the 'ON' position.