06+ tails in a '99 stepside

ok so 01-05 tails are interchangeable with 06+ as far as fitting in the hole goes, so they would work in my stepside bed correct?

also, this pic is of a 01-05 tail wired with brake at the bottom, turn in the top, with a smaller bulb rewired in and put in the clear part for reverse lights. (on TRS)



would this work for 06+tails?
this would be the only way id swap tails, dont want to mess with the trailer harness way

thanks!!

 

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Let's clarify something first...

93-99 = 3 bulb tails* (1 brake/tail, 1 signal, 1 reverse)
00-current = 2 bulb tails* (1 brake/signal/tail, 1 reverse)
93-current = The housings themselves are all interchangable*.
*Only talking of Rangers.


Yes you can wire it up as pictured, but I'd prefer the 100% stock functioning tail. Some folks make due with what's pictured, just be sure to run an amber bulb in the reverse spot of the '06+ tail...that way you're legal. You may have to trim or dremel the holes in the tail or the bulb holder that screws into the tail to allow the pigtail to screw into the lamp.

Another tip if you do it the way that pic shows, I suggest using a 906 bulb in that T10 wedge base holder for your new reverse lamp. Their wattage is higher than that of a 194.

Yet another note: 01-05 tails are more foggy/thick as opposed to totally clear on the 06+. Hiding your plastic shavings from drilling your holes for the relocated back-up lamp may be somewhat difficult to do. Definitely do your best to minimize shavings inside the housing. I drilled into my 06+ housings behind the reflector many years ago and you can still see shavings at the bottom of the housing.....and I didn't drill in a crystal clear portion of the lense. Just something to keep in mind...



Good luck and be sure to post pics and maybe even a vid!

 

Yup they will fit fine if you convert the wiring, I had them once.

 

As said before, they should physically fit fine...

Another alternative to re-wiring to a 2 bulb setup is to do what I did to my 01 tails.
I made a 2nd oem bulb socket opening in the brake section for my turn signal bulb/led.
Now I have 2 3157 led's in each side for brake/turns and the stock 3156 white bulb/led in the reverse section.

A little work with the dremel, some jb weld to flatten out the housing where the bulb socket connects & pow! 01 tails on a 96.
I might have gone with 06 tails but they're more expensive & I like the look of the 01 tails better.

Those small t10 base bulb holders (like the ones from the 3rd brake lights) won't allow you to use a very high powered bulb or led due to the constraints of the hole opening. By using a stock 3157 bulb socket, you can use the larger t25 base bulbs/led's for more light output.

I currently have a pair of 120 white led's in the reverse lights & 2 pair of 105 red led's (only able to get a couple pair of them due to the cost) in the brake/turn sections.

If I need to remove the tails for some reason, all I need to do is twist out the bulb sockets like normal.
I did have to extend the wires for my reverse sockets as they were a little too short to reach, but the 06's should be closer & not need to be extended.

 

OR....he can axe all that work and questionable end result(on the lenses he wants to work with...more on that later) and convert to a 2 bulb setup. Either do what's shown above in the OP(keeping separate signal), some splices into the trailer harness, or swapping in a 00+ tail harness @ the end of the left frame rail.

Ideally, I suggest the OP axe the stock back-up's all together...just unplug 'em. Run his tail/brake bulb holder in the red of the '06 tail and run his signal in the reverse of the '06 tail.......and run aux backups and have the factory hot for backups trigger the new lamps' relay. This will do a couple things: prevent any black plastic shavings from being really visible in the reverse section of the lamp; upgrade your reverse visibility at night; epic clean stock-like end result in appearence with much more visible signals(amber).


The problem with him doing as you've suggested is the fact that 01-05 lenses hide alot of what's actually behind the lense. '06+'s don't. It might not look very well with two 3156/57's in the top red part if there's even the room. Even then, if you're on the brakes AND have the signal on (with both bulbs behind the same "section" of the tail) and both bulbs on their brightest filament, is there enough of a difference of intensities to see the signals are on??

He's not needing anything high power....if he wants high power, aux back ups is the way to go. A T10 base lamp(like a 921/906 whatever....not an 194) would get the job done in informing others he's in reverse, while not getting overly large in the housing making it look out of place. Won't help much for actually seeing at night, but these trucks stock suck for back up light. Aux lights out back is the way to go if you wanna see.





Buggman...not tearing up your post or advice or things you've done. Just adding more info to the thread and putting in my two cents. :icon_wink:

 

No problem, just different ideas :thumbsup:

I didn't realize the 06 tails were that transparent... but if you can get over the look of 2 bulbs/led's they actually work pretty well.

Here's a quick & cheap video I did a while back:


I tried the 3 to 2 bulb conversion with an 01+ wiring harness but the connectors on the bulb sockets were different & I didn't want to deal with finding new ones or splicing them in so I came up with the other idea.

There's always more than one way to skin a cat

 

putting them in my step side, I had to break the little fiberglass bar up inside. The socket orientation was different. And the top plug hit the bar.

 

thanks a TON guys! i really like the ideas thrown around. that aux reverse lights is something i really like. so i could use the tail and turn in the 01+ tails and then run my reverse lighting to under the bumper area with a couple aux reverse lights. think that could work?

what year tails were they? your 99?

 

I sent you a pm dude

 

Make sure you post pictures when you get them installed. Did you ever get your truck lowered bro?

 

i definitely will, got to find some tho lol and have lowering to do! got the date set, starting next friday night!! so pumped man!

 

Me to man Imma pm you my number so you can send me pics first when u get it done lol.

 

lol you bet man!

 

WORD, friend!

I'd still rather prefer a larger difference in intensities. Your setup really helps having those strips between the gate and bumper. If those weren't there, at least with what the vid shows, it may be hard to differentiate. Then again, in person may be different. I know behind the wheel vids of my projectors look like I've driving a '47 Merc. lol.

 

Ok. So the 06 tails should fit. I put 01 tails and the reverse went to the top, and the orientation of the socket is what hit the bar thingy. But the 06 has the reverse plug toward the bottom. You should be good to go.

 

oh i gotcha, whew lol. yea i think ill just be on the look out for 06+ tails and run aux reverse lights

 

ok to run some aux reverse lights, could i just use the hot thats going to the reverse bulb now into my aux lights power for a light thats say 55 watts? or do i need to run a relay for something that big? or whats a good size light to use?
Thanks!

 

well i did some looking, i probably will have to run it relay way like your fog lights but instead of running a wire to the headlight switch run it to the reverse wire. right?

 

I'd run a relay powered & fused from the battery that's triggered by the reverse power wire.

2x 55w lights would draw about 10a and I don't know if the stock wire would handle that amount of current without getting hot eventually.

You could get a little fancy & run a switch in the cab also so you could isolate the reverse light power from the switch power triggers... that way you could turn on the lights from in the cab whenever you wanted or just have them triggered by the reverse lights.

Check out my thread HERE for some wiring diagrams.

 

ok yea thats what i was thinking after i did some research, yea ill have to think that over on the extra switch, theres already a hole in the lower dash from a previous owners switch lol. thanks for the diagrams!! im definitely gonna have to get some more wire, i only have it in one size. its like 16-18 ga. i believe