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Hi all.

Looking for someone on NCKA that could help out with wiring up my Craigslist-purchased LEER camper shell on my old Ford Ranger. Looking to get the camper shell brake light working, as well as having an always-hot 12V line in the back that I could later add some LED truck bed lighting to.

Anybody out there with some knowledge and skill that I could hire (money/beer/swimbaits/etc.) to make this happen? I'm in the Sacramento area.

Thanks!

How far you willing to drive  I did just that to my father in laws truck toggle switch and in line fuse for the leds.

Google it dude.
I did the same thing to my old ranger a few years ago. I don't own it anymore.
I had to run a wire from the shell to the wiring harness in the cab below the drivers side seat or quarter panel. Had to splice into a particular colored wire there to make the brake light function correctly and not blink with the turn signals. mine was a '05. Don't remember the wire color. Seemed to be it was striped. Done burnt them brain cells up already.

I'm not positive but if you just tap into the trailer lights you should have a 12v hot and the break light is right there also then with a test light you can isolate and run to appropriate locations

Pretty easy to do.  A wire stripping tool, volt meter, and soldering kit are your best friend.  All can be had from harbor freight for cheap.  Less than $20 total, just make sure you get the right type of wire stripping tool:




Strip the shielding back mid-wire on the brake lights for one side.  Test with the volt meter to confirm your positive/negative by testing voltage while someone has their foot on the brake pedal.  Weave the strands from the shell into the brake light wires, solder over, and wrap with electrical tape.

An extra hot is a little more involved because you'll likely run it from under the hood, along the chassis, and then up into the bed somewhere, likely near the brake lights.  I'd run a dedicated ground alongside it too, if only for diagnostic/isolation purposes.

You could try to do it with quickie crimping kits, but in my experience they all eventually fail.  If you want to come down to Hollister I have everything you need.

Tap into the trailer connector for 3rd brake light, run a 12 volt wire along the frame  from the battery to a rocker switch for camper inside lights... might as well put an auxiliary and inverter inside also.. sounds feasible.

Thanks for the tips and ideas. Jeremy, I might roust you for some help sometime soon if it would work for you. Love to get it sorted for the summer of fishing.

Yeah, no problem! Just PM me and we'll figure it out.


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