Discussion Thread: How To: Install KC 130 Watt lights on a WAAG bar


Note- The pictures you see were taken after the lights had been installed for about a year.

Ken

This how to illustrates the installation of a set of 130-Watt KC Daylighters on a WAAG bar. Most aftermarket light installations will be similar. When in doubt, refer to your manufacturers instructions.

Tools needed

Wire strippers
Solderless lug crimpers
Drill motor
Volt-ohm meter or 12Volt test light
Appropriate size socket and ratchet wrench
Phillips Screwdriver

Supplies needed

2 or 3 # 10 screw hole 16 to 14 gage un-insulated Sta Kon lugs ( or equivalent )
Tye Wraps (wire ties/zip ties)
Rubber Splicing tape
2 or 3 #10 self-drilling sheet metal screws
1 14 gage wire, ¼ inch bolt hole insulated Sta Kon lug

KC lights come with all required wire, a switch (with “on” LED indicator, wire taps, plastic split wire loom material, a relay, the lights themselves, and detailed installation instructions. If you are using another brand of light, or have bought yours used, you may have to purchase these items separately.

The first thing to do is read all of the instructions. If you do not understand, stop and ask for help! This may save you lots of heartache and frustration later.

Safety Warning!!
It is always good practice to disconnect the battery negative cable whenever working on the electrical system of your truck. Shorts to ground from a hot circuit can fry your truck’s computer, among other damage. It’s not fun to have a very large, very heavy, relatively expensive paperweight sitting in your driveway!

OK, lets get started. I mounted the lights on the bar first, because it was right there in front of me. The mounting bolt on the KC lights is the same size as the holes WAAG punches in the bar and caps with a plastic cap at the factory.

The pic below shows what comes in the kit.





This is a pic of the wiring diagram from the KC instructions. This should be typical for any make or model of off road lights.





The next pic shows where I mounted the relay. The relay supplied was watertight and the lugs on the wiring came with soft plastic “boots” so the unit is fairly water resistant as shipped. I chose a location on the inner fender, just under the fender to wheel tub flange. I felt this would keep it out of harms way and still be accessible. The mounting location is entirely up to you, just be sure that you have enough wire to reach all the necessary connections.





The relay will have a ground lead coming from it. I chose to lug the ground wire coming from the relay and use a self drilling screw to create my own ground point. Some folks may feel the need to remove the paint under the lug, I didn't find it necessary. If you do remove paint, you may want to coat the area with some kind of anti oxidant or conductive paste (available at electrical supply places including chain stores such as Lowes or Home Depot). Regular axle bearing grease will work as well. Use just a small amount. The idea here is to reduce the amount of rust/ corrosion that will form.

Now a couple words about Scotch 23 splicing tape. This is a self-vulcanizing rubber splicing tape. What that means is that as you wrap the tape (it has no adhesive or glue on it) around what you are trying to seal, stretch the tape out. It can be stretched to 33% of it’s original length. The tape will “stick” to itself and form a watertight seal. Overlap the wraps by ½ the width of the tape and you will have an excellent water tight covering over your electrical connections.
This stuff is available at electrical supply houses and may not be cheap. However, it is pro quality stuff and a roll should last for years. I have personally used this stuff on 800 amp, 440Volt AC connections at work that have been exposed to the elements in all seasons with no problems.

click here for a link to 3M's website about this tape.

That is the tape you see in the following picture of how the lights are connected to each other. One is simply "tapped" into the wire for the other. This single wire then goes back to the relay. This connection is in front of the radiator and right behind the grill.

The pic shows the wire tap connection covered in rubber tape, and the wire loom on the wire. The plastic wire loom is split on one side so it is easy to push it apart with your thumb and slip the wire inside.





KC provides a generous amount of both wire and wire loom. I simply cut the wire to fit.
I used black Ty wraps. They are black to resist ultraviolet light degradation. White Ty wraps become brittle over time because of this.
Ty wraps (zip ties if you like) are available in a host of colors for decorative reasons. The black ones actually are that color for a reason, lol. I use Thomas and Betts products because in my years of experience on the job, their product is of just about the highest quality on the market. Good enough for our boys in the Fleet, good enough for me!

T & B website link

This is the ground point for the lights themselves, on some of the structural support for the hood latch. The lights need a separate ground because they are mounted on a rubber resilient mount.





The 12VDC wire from the relay need to go to constant (battery) power. I simply ran it (inside of wire loom) up to the battery positive post, lugged it with the 14 gage, ¼ inch bolt hole lug and put it on the battery cable clamp bolt with a second nut.
The clamp bolt is a metric size and unfortunately, I have no idea what size it is. I just rummaged through my stash of nuts ands bolts until I found the right size. The bolt is roughly ¼ - 20 size, but it is metric.

Now we have to get into the cab with the switch wire. I chose to go “through” the grommet that the clutch cable goes through. I pushed aside the grommet with a Phillips screwdriver on the outboard side and forced the wire through this “hole”.
Many people use a straightened out coat hanger to make a hole to get wire into the cab from the engine compartment. Anything small and sharp will do if you choose to make a hole in the grommet.
By pushing the grommet to one side, I didn't need a hole and do not have an air leak into the cab. I just don’t like cold air on my feet!


Below is a pic of the loomed wire to the lights and to the battery all tied up nice and tight. The other wires you see that are not in a loom are from "professional" stereo installer types. I should have bitched!




I wanted to mount the switch on the radio bezel so it would be easy to reach. Removal of the radio bezel has been covered many times and will not be covered here.
The spot in the bezel that the 4 X 4 switch mounts in worked great for me, as I have a 2WD truck.
For those of you with 4 wheel drive trucks, you will need to find a different spot on the bezel or a different location entirely.

I used a 3/8 drill bit to drill the hole for the switch, it fit perfectly.
Locate the right spot to drill by looking at the back of the bezel, there are molded "ribs" that you will need to avoid.





The switch needs to have a ground and a power wire hooked to it, as well as the wire that came from the relay. This is to provide a circuit to light the LED. Any switch with a seperate indicator light will need to be set up the same way. The wiring method for using an unlit switch will be different and will not be covered here.

One terminal of the switch will need to go to ground and the other to constant 12VDC power. I simply spliced into the wires from the cigarette lighter for these. The center conductor of the lighter socket is 12VDC and the wire that connects to the PC police have been here terminal on the lighter socket is ground.

The next two pics are of the finished product. Note the black ABS stone guards that I bought separately from KC.