How To Wire a Camper Shell
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- Опубликовано: 5 сен 2024
- Wiring a camper shell isn't hard, but companies will charge you to do it. If you buy your shell new, and its included, great. However, if you buy it used, don't waste money on paying someone to do something that is easily done yourself.
In this video, I show you how to wire your truck camper shell yourself. I wired the third brake light, as well as the dome light. Thanks for watching, and don't forget to subscribe!
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I installed my 2007 Leer cap on my new 2015 Tacoma, like you did. There's a cleaner way to run the wires between the cap and taillight, which keeps wires out of the bed space:
1) Remove the Leer cap, or if you don't want to, prop it up with a vertical 2x4 between the bed floor and cap ceiling near the dome light
2) Just above the driver's-side taillight, pop up the horizontal, plastic trim.
3) Run the wires through the rectangular hole under the trim and down into the taillight space
4) Snap the trim back in (it all fits).
5) Make your wiring connections.
6) Reinstall the cap.
7) Use tape or zip ties to gather excess wires hanging in the cap corner
8) Loosen small screws holding the interior metal trim near the awning window.
9) Stuff wires under the trim and tighten the screws.
Wires are concealed and out of the way.
I’m gonna do my own wiring on my Taco shell too. Thanks for the heads up!
Hey there, just wanted to give a big thanks for the video! Failed my first inspection because the 3rd break light didn’t work on my camper shell. Watched your vid and got it to work again. Great stuff, thanks for sharing your knowledge with others
Thanks so much!!! Just hooked mine up whilst watching this video! Need more wire and the inline fuse for the dome lights buuuuuut all ready to go!!! Thanks again!!!
Thanks for the upload. Having a cab light would definitely be convenient.
And I guess a third brake light makes it a bit more safe on the road. Will have to look into trying this myself.
It's also a legal requirement since you are covering the one on the cab with the cap
@@codykees6584 can’t you take a feed from that cab light?
Thanks! Needed all this info. Also, by far the most helpful thing I saw in this video was how you soldered! Love it! Never thought to hold the soldering iron behind the wires. Duh! Love RUclips for stuff like that.
the newer rams have a third brake light wire in the harness to tap into that is in the center above the spare tire. much better than tapping into the left turn signal/brake light.
I did this and the left turn signal works the third brake light. Turn your left turn signal on & watch it , You must get into the wiring harness & find the 3rd. brake light wire which is green stub on my f350 at the rear by the spare tire. f150 it's up by the drivers door, still a green wire stub just ready to hook onto .
Or you connect the third brake light to the brake light in the tail light assembly instead of the turn signal. C'mon.
The brake light and turn signal are the same circuit.
Know your stuff before you run your mouth.
Nice truck and shell setup. I got my camper shell with my truck... at first didn't like it, glad I kept it its very useful. Its already wired up just wanted to say it was a good instructional video.
THANK U FOR THIS. WIRED MY BRAHMA CAMPER SHELL TO MY RANGER USING THIS AS REFERENCE
Thanks for the Tutorial - I have been needing to do this to my Truck Cap!! Much appreciated!!!
Nice tutorial, thanks! Right to the point with no fluff.
I’m a no fluff kinda guy haha! Thanks man!
good on you to solder all connections, I own a boat as well, all my wiring is soldered, I don't trust crimp connections.
Great video. You will be cutting the power to the dome light the second time you forget to turn it off. Dead battery. You will.
That is why you should spend a few more minutes and run the power wire along your chassis up into the cab of the truck and tap into your interior lights! Or you can just tap into 12 V wire that only has power when the key is on! Because most lights that are going to be installed in the cap are going to be LED you do not have to worry about it drawing much power! You can get very creative, Don’t follow these idiots in these videos use your own mind!
thank you!
Just bought a used cap as well, thanks!
Thanks dude! I followed this tutorial and it worked great.
Very helpful thanks
I'm curious where you got your canopy painted. I got a quote for my Leer and it was around $2,500 which seemed outrageous.
In my dad's car you could already choose if you wanted the lights on or not so i don't think this setup is required but it's good to know this incase i need it in the future 👊
Wth u even talkin bout kid 😂😂😂
Great job bro
Thanks Steve! I appreciate it!
What amp fuse did you use for the dome light wire?
I watched this for a different wiring question I was looking to answer. But 1 why didn't you have the harness come up through the hole in the bedrails. It's perfect to tuck down out of the way when you don't have the cap on and it keeps the wire clean running above the bed rail so there's much less chance of catching it with something going in and out of the bed and ripping the wires out. And 2. You have a button inside the truck to turn on your rear cargo light already there. Why wouldn't you tie into that for your power source since it's useless with the cap on. Furthermore there is way to have it like a 3 way so you can turn it on from both inside the cab or the truck as well as at the light itself. This is the info I was looking for. Through use of a diode or relay I'm not sure but I know it's possible. But mine will be run with those two things in mind keeping the wire away from where it can be damaged and so I can illuminate it from wherever I happen to be at the time. Inside or outside the truck.
If I had to run wire down and along the frame I'll be securing it with zip ties and running it through some sort of loom for added protection from road debris salt etc. That can chew through wire insulation shorting out your wiring in no time. Which is why all factory wiring is protected in the same manner.
Good video. You don't have to make excuses for soldering. I would prefer that the connector and wire be running through the bed wall rather than hanging inside the bed. Is that doable? Also the wire running underneath the truck to the battery should be secured with cable ties. If friction rubs off the insulation, there is sure to be an unpleasant motion stopping short.
I’m sure it is possible to run it though the bed wall, I just looked for an easy path as the shell is usually only on periodically and through the winter. And don’t worry, I secured the extra wire with cable ties :)
Link to the inline fuse or one similar?
hey man, idk if you still use your youtube channel but for me, whenever I have the dome light connected directly to the battery, my battery will die (even though the light is rarely on) is it because I have a bad ground? or I don’t have a power surge or whatever that thing is that you showed at 3:40. help is appreciated
Good for ppl that know what they need and have a general knowledge.....for someone like me that is an absolute beginner, not much good info here to start off. Thanks anyways.
thank you for the good tutorial man. Lucky that I found you because of jerry
Heeeyy thanks man! Jerry is a boss! Glad he was able to get you over here 🙌🏼
Couldn't you combine the 2 negative cables and go with a 3 pin connector?
Yes you can definitely do this and just run a single ground either to the frame or the brake light ground wire!
All of you need to know that this only works on Toyotas and some Nissans that have the turn and brake on separate bulbs. I’ve been a camper shell dealer for 36 years, trust me on this.
On most American made trucks such as Ford, Chevy, and Ram the turn and brake are on the same bulb. This can cause electrical issues with your truck computer in addition to the brake light blinking when you turn on your blinker. In some models of trucks this can actually cause transmission problems and failure. Do NOT attempt this style install on any truck that uses the turn and brake on the same bulb!
Trucks that use the same bulb for both the turn and brake have very specific locations you must use for a brake light only feed for the camper shell brake light and it is NOT the tail lights or the trailer harness. This specific location varies depending on the truck, model, and year and could be under the hood, inside the cab, under the truck, or by the rear bumper.
You can also void any electrical warranties your vehicle has left if you unknowingly hook to the tail lights on the wrong truck.
If you are unsure if you have both turn and brake on the same bulb, just have someone hold the brake when turning on a turn signal. If both come from the same place in your tail light you’re truck can NOT be wired this way.
Thanks for the insight as it is very important and essential! I will be doing it with my 2014 Ram and I just found out today that they have a 3rd brake light wire under the spare tire area where the wiring harnesses are located. However, my next question before doing the install is, does that same single wire control the dome light as well or will I need to route it to a different wiring harness?
Aaron Elder , the power for an interior light is separate. If your trailer plug has a hot wire that is hot with your truck ignition turned off you can hook up there. If not, you’ll need to run a wire to your battery.
Based off your model of Dodge, something else to be aware of is the fact your transmission gears still turn while the truck is running in park, but the transmission pump isn’t running. This issue has been corrected in later models but this is the primary reason Dodge has always had a bad transmission reputation. If you are letting your truck warm up or run for any length of time without driving, put it in neutral to engage the pump. Extended periods of your truck running in park does damage. Most Dodge owners do not know this fact.
What’s the best way to connect your dome light cable to the car battery? I saw the same attachment you used to ground the yellow cable however im curious how you connected your white cable to the car battery with that same ground attachment
1/2inch 8gauge ring terminals? do they connect to the hardware on the battery terminal?
Could the wiring be spliced into the trailer hitch wiring underneath? I already have voltage regulators wired into my tail lights due to switching to LEDs and not sure if I have enough room to add more wiring
Should be fine, all you need is a positive wire that illuminate when the brake is pressed, and a negative ground for the third brake light to work. Not sure on the dome light tho, I ran it to the battery so I would have constant power to it
@@BraxenMcConnell thanks
@@masta7441 Not sure that works with the flat 4 trailer harness because no dedicated brake light wire?? I have been trying to figure that out myself...
Can you get any of this wiring at home depot or anything ir will i have to order online?
Does the third brake light not blink with the turn signal light?
No, I wired it to the brake light, so it only turns on with the brake
Awesome vid keep it up 🔥🔥 I can't wait to see what the truck looks like when ur Finished its like waiting for Christmas to see what vid is next 😂 have a good day
Haha thanks man! I’m excited to see how it all turns out too. I though I was done, but I keep finding new things to do to it 😂
@@BraxenMcConnell there will always be something to think of 😂 I bet when u r all finished the project u will sit down in it and think damn I could have added something else in here😂
Haha yeah, you’re probably right. If that happens then I guess I’ll just have another project to do 😂
@@BraxenMcConnell then I hope that happens 😂
I wired my camper brake light to my right taillight and it works, but when I turn my right turn signal the brake light also flashes any help?
Carlos Chaires you wired it to the wire that controls the blinking.
You probably have tail lights like mine that have one bulb that show brake lights and blink, so there should be another wire that is just brake light.
What nopi98 said haha!
Ditto, except the light is only supposed to be on when you hit the brakes. It's not a running light, so you have to tap into whatever light either turns on or brightens when you brake
Add lights to the Jeep? Connect them to the subs? I think you should
Lol you know I did that in high school? I had a blue led strip on them and they would flash with the beat
Braxen McConnell yeah sooooo uhhhhhh you wanna do it again 😏
Why not wire to constant on trailer harness
Great content thanks dude
Braxen,
Looking to do this exact same thing on my 2012 Taco but with led strip lighting instead of the dome light. To get it to the battery was that green wire already there or did you have to add that? Thanks man!
I added the green wire in with the connecting harness and then ran it to the battery. I’ve thought about adding some LEDs to it as well!
@@BraxenMcConnell What guage wire did you use? im assuiming around like a 14-16?
Yeah it was something like that, I think 16 gauge
I have a question about your connection. Should you not have used a relay at least for the dome light. I don't know a lot about circuits and I'd like to connect my shell lights as well, but when I bought my foglights and the harness for them, it came with a relay I just don't wanna burn my car if I miss something. Why or why not should I include a relay?
Relays are used to reduce the amount of electrical current in a circuit. Relays use a low amperage switch/button to turn on the higher capacity relay on/off. That’s why you use it for the light bars and such. But for the dome light, you’re basically just wiring an additional dome light inside the cab. It doesn’t draw a lot of current, so you don’t need the relay. Just a on/off switch would be sufficient. I did install a fuse to protect the rest of the circuits tho. Just in case there was any kind of shortage.
There should be a wire underneath in your harness for the third brake light so you dont have to cut into the wiring.
I am trying to wire my third brake light with minimal splicing/cutting. Could you guys elaborate on what wire you’re referring to ?
does it work properly with a flat 4 trailer harness? been trying to figure that out cuz no dedicated brake wire...
Where did you get the fuse line from and what amp of fuse do you use for the dome light
I just went to the hardware store to grab one, it doesn’t really matter what kind you use for this, the light is so small and pulls such little power you won’t really need to worry about. But I used a 12 gauge wire on the fuse line, and a 5A fuse. It’s worked perfect so far. Here’s a link to some 12G inline fuse holders if you wanna make it easy! Just make sure to get some fuses that go with it.
www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0002KR88A/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B0002KR88A&linkCode=as2&tag=braxen-20&linkId=cc5cccdae9983bf726e4605e64cc73f8
The inline fuse to your battery for the third break light and dome light ....what size fuse do you use in it ? 15? 20?
I ask because I had mine done at the place I bought mine ans I was having a battery issue on a 8 month old stock battery in my truck but ensure it wasnt the new shell and its wiring the shop disconnected the plug in the shell ans pulled the fuses out of the inline wire ans he pocketed them ...so I never got to see what size they were (it holds 2 in it ). Got the battey issue resolved dealer replaced it for me so now I can re plug in my shell but ...lol the fuse to inline wire I dont know what size to put there to get it all back on
It doesn’t use a whole lot of power, I just have a 10A fuse in there, but I honestly think I’d be okay with a 5A haha
This guy looks like David Hogg
How do you ID which wire is what on that driver side rear harness going to the rear truck lights? Can anybody make a quick list for me what each colored wire is doing?
That’s likely going to vary for each make. google for wiring harness info on your specific vehicle if and as necessary. For the 2nd gen Taco the Green wire with red stripe is the brake signal. Not necessary to tap into the negative as the poster did for the brake light, you could use self taping screw as he did for the dome light or just back off a body panel bolt in the area and use that as your ground. remember to tighten the body panel bolt after connecting a wire!
👍
Where did you get all the wires and connections? I’ve been to three auto stores, the Home Depot and Walmart and no one has anything.
I think I just went to an auto zone or something, but you could probably find them on amazon too
4 pin trailer harness is what he used for the connector. Cheap at Hr Freight in US or Princess Auto in Canada,or online at amazon anywhere. Similarly with connector, wire shrink wrap etc.
Do you test turn signal?
Yes, the brake light only illuminates with the brake. It doesn’t flash with the turn signals beside I didn’t tap those wires.
Good explanition, But I cannot understand fully...
is it necessary to have a third light on the camper shell?
No, it’s all up to your preference. I wanted the lights to be wired, but you could just do the interior dome light if you wanted, or just the third brake light, or none of them. All up to you.
Braxen McConnell is there a camper shell without third and dome light?
I think most have them whether you want to wire it up or not, but I’m sure there are some types out there without the lights.
Without jerry we won't find you
I’m glad you did! Now I just need to get on Jerry’s level haha!
Yeah
How did you know which pair of wires were for the 3rd brake light, and which were for the dome light?
I traced the wiring back to each light
@BraxMcConell
What's your plan about putting a light inside your camper shell?
Still kinda working that out, but my initial thought is to get a couple led type lights and mount them to the top of the shell (maybe bolt in) on each side. It should provide a ton of light inside the shell. Then I’d run a switch by the back of the shell so I could reach it from the inside or outside of the shell.
Braxen McConnell Ohh!!! It's good for your camper shell
I think it’ll turn out pretty cool 😎
Braxen McConnell Wew!! Thats cool
if "i CaN dO iT mYsElF ChEaPeR" was a video lol
smh
Are you related to zach
Yeah.. I stole all the good hair genes 😂 haha jk man, no, we aren’t related. But we are roommates
@@BraxenMcConnell 🤔
@@BraxenMcConnell you are a really good instructor
Thanks man! I appreciate the support!
Hey what’s tell jerry I said hi in a video
Cant see what color u connected with what cause ur finger/tape cover the other end colors 🤦🏾♂️ I'm deaf cant hear none of this
Wtf... wack AF .... having the wires like that going into the box.
Where would you suggest they go eh Big Shot?
Can you say dead batterys lol
None so far :)
Can you give me a shout out in your next video
Clearly your a newbie, I'd say it looks like a child did it but it's obvious that a child did it, watch some videos that the pros did and start from scratch, two words, loom and zip ties.
That is 3 words
@@jasonedwards5175 zipties, lol 2 words
First lol
Haha I thought you might be 🙌🏼
Oh my god what a horrible job! Nice ground wire, Maybe next time you should probably scrape the paint and then use a ring terminal that is actually the correct size! Also you could have just ran the power wire up into the cab and tapped into any one of the power wires that run along your floor! You can either tap into your interior lights or you can tap into constant power or switched power! Also you should have either protected your wire with wire loom or you could have at least wrapped it with Tessa tape, As well as that crappy trailer wiring harness inside the bed! Every time you do a job you should think yourself, Would this vehicle leave the factory like this? And the answer is Hell No!