Reversing light for GU

Submitted: Thursday, Feb 01, 2007 at 21:40

ThreadID: 41866 Views:5561 Replies:6 FollowUps:5

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tonka toy

I'm getting sick of backing in the dark with my reversing light on my 1998 GU.
I Have looked around in the automotive shops for a flood light to mount on the rear end but without success. Can ssome one give me some advice about where to find a suitable light and how to wire it in?

Thanks

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Reply By: Markymark - Thursday, Feb 01, 2007 at 22:11

Thursday, Feb 01, 2007 at 22:11

I bought some cheap driving lights from Supercheap over christmas (haven't fitted them yet), small oval shaped with metal body, 55w. Tested them on my spotlight battery at the back of the car and they'll do the job well for reversing. Can't remember price other than under $50. I keep thnking $25 but seems too 'cheap'! In the past I hooked up a single fog light under the back of my old Cruiser and that was great, picked it up at a swap meet for nothing.

I believe you need to have them hooked in to your reversing lights now - I didn't and used a relay, fuse, 6mm wire etc same as normal fog light set up. If you haven't got the right electrical tools it may be easier to pay for installation but that's have the fun isn't it? I'm sure its been covered on here before if you do a search.

Cheers,

Mark.

AnswerID: 219103

Follow Up By: Member - Roachie (SA) - Thursday, Feb 01, 2007 at 22:25

Thursday, Feb 01, 2007 at 22:25

I use 2 (but one would be okay too) rubber-cased worklights that I got from a local auto leccy place. They're pretty common and are better than normal driving/spot lights, because the beam/s are more difused/spread out etc. I have them wired up through a ON/OFF/ON switch in the cab. In one position the lights are ON, regardless of anything else (ie: I can have them on when the truck isn't even going......this is useful when setting up a campsite at night etc). The other direction "ON" has the lights only operating when reverse gear is selected (to comply with the law). I can have the switch set to OFF for daytime reversing.

The lights are hooked up through a relay which gets it's power from my 2nd battery, mounted in the tray/box on the back of the Patrol.

Wiring is dead easy.

Relay has 4 pins. One goes to the BATTERY via a fuse. Two goes to EARTH. Three goes to the LIGHTS. Four goes to the 3 way switch (centre post/pin thereof). The switch has 2 other posts/pins. Of these, one goes to the back of the truck and is spliced into the reverse wiring. The other goes to a permanently live wire. These 3 wires that go to the switch do not need to be of heavy gauge; they only have switching duties, not heavy current-carrying duties.

Hope this helps.

Cheers

Roachie

FollowupID: 479585

Follow Up By: Moggs - Thursday, Feb 01, 2007 at 23:42

Thursday, Feb 01, 2007 at 23:42

Yep, bought the same lights as Mark from Supercheap. They were $25 for two. I have one mounted to the rear wheel carrier. It is wired via a relay into the reverse loom behind the passenger rear light cluster. Works well - and if it ever breaks I have a spare waiting!

FollowupID: 479626

Follow Up By: Camoco - Friday, Feb 02, 2007 at 09:44

Friday, Feb 02, 2007 at 09:44

Hey, I use the same lights on my mower. Work a real treat without killing the alternator. Brighter than they look. (unlike me)

If the lights are mounted high and pointed downwards, they should not be an issue with a demand switch. If they are mounted low, the authorities might not like them. Should be like front Fog Lights. Hard to clarify, if they "Dazzle" you they are illegal when using with oncoming traffic, if they don't "dazzle", they are fine. That depends on how sensitive your eyes are I suppose.

Cheers Cam

FollowupID: 479684

Reply By: Bilbo - Friday, Feb 02, 2007 at 00:28

Friday, Feb 02, 2007 at 00:28

I used to have 100 watt Hella up on the roll bar of the tray back Maverick. It was wired in "very simply" -not through the reversing light switch, just simple "on/off" via a HD relay.

It was very handy at night when hurtling home after a prospecting trip - to get to work after a month in the bush - to switch it on and make sure everything was still in the back of the ute!!

Also handy, as Roachie says, for setting up at night.

Bilbo

AnswerID: 219133

Reply By: 3.0turbob - Friday, Feb 02, 2007 at 07:10

Friday, Feb 02, 2007 at 07:10

I believe there are replacement rear lenses available for the GU (you can do a search or someone will know more about them). However I have a GUIII and had the same problem; until one day my wife was backing down the driveway and the gate swung shut. She didn't stop in time and broke the LH rear lense. I bought a new one to replace it and used the reversing gobe (still intact) on the RH rear lense assembly. Just drilled a hole where the globe should go (forthe clear section) filed it out to receive the bayonet fitting of the globe, ran some wires from the other side and presto! now I have 2 reversing lights and can see in the dark.

Rob

AnswerID: 219146

Reply By: Member - Troll 81 (QLD) - Friday, Feb 02, 2007 at 08:56

Friday, Feb 02, 2007 at 08:56

I wired in 2 little 55w round lights on the bar where the tow comes out off. It protects the lights from low angles and it works a treat. I just tapped into the reversing light wire but I don't think that is the best way to it but it works for me

AnswerID: 219160

Reply By: Member - Coyote (SA) - Friday, Feb 02, 2007 at 09:04

Friday, Feb 02, 2007 at 09:04

ARB Sell a light (cant recall what the wattage is but it comes as a complete kkit with three way switch (on/off and with reverse )comes with instructions on how to wire it up. Hardest thing you have to do is work ourt which wire is the reversing lamp so that it it works in al lthree modes (not real hard if you have a V Meter) or if you have access to the back of the original lamp you can see what color the wire is and then connect up to it behind your dash.. tooo easy

AnswerID: 219162

Reply By: rolande- Saturday, Feb 03, 2007 at 21:38

Saturday, Feb 03, 2007 at 21:38

G'Day,

I bought a set of non-genuine "arab-spec" tail lights for my series 1 GU from Roo Dog spares on Ebay. cost $195 the pair

In the reversing lens I fitted LED globes from Bright Lights auto Parts on Ebay. (Bought a 3 globe kit for $15).

I also fitted surface mount clear lights from a place in Dandenong whose name escapes me right now. Anyhow, they were fitted with incandescent globes to the rear step to keep them out of harms way.

Finally I fitted a twin globe worklight to one of the Kaymar brackets that space your spare tyre out and made a tube out of stainless to raise / lower.

Now when reversing I have four lights come on automatically, and can switch the work light on from the dash if more light is required. Can get a pic for you if interested

Regards

Rolande

AnswerID: 219537

Follow Up By: Member - Kevin H (WA) - Sunday, Feb 04, 2007 at 09:11

Sunday, Feb 04, 2007 at 09:11

Hi Rolande

I would be interested is seeing some pic's if it is possible, i have been trying to find outhow to improve the reverse lighting on my GU patrol for some time now.

Thanks

Kev

FollowupID: 480146