Rear door lights

[Mudrunner]

I have been toying with finding a way to add door lights to my rear doors. So far my idea was to use a set of light out of the front doors of a donor sport, but the other day I had a better idea!

My idea was to use the ashtrays in the rear doors and make them into lights. I will just flip them over and they will point down and then I just have to figure out a good way to mount the light bulbs into the ashtrays. Which is where I get stuck...any suggestions will be greatly appreciated.

 

[Jay Ayala]

I know Big Blue installed a really really bright light on a door switch in his 87 Montero SS. He pulled a door switch from the front door of a junk yard 88 SWB. He installed that switch in the Montero's rear door jamb. Then he placed a couple of aftermarket lights with extra bright bulbs in the above the cargo area.

Every time he opened the door the light would come on. It was a nice system and a small detail that other vehicles have that our older rigs don't. At some point, I plan on performing this upgrade at some point and writing up a nice little forum post and procedure.

 

[Mudrunner]

My sport has a light in the middleish and in the cargo area. I was thinking for my son to be able to see the step rail at night a little better.

 

[off-roader]

You can probably mount something in the rear door panel maybe? It could be triggered by the same door pin/needle switch that triggers the main interior lights. If you want it to be bright w/out consuming a lot of power then consider using LED's.

 

[Mudrunner]

You can probably mount something in the rear door panel maybe? It could be triggered by the same door pin/needle switch that triggers the main interior lights. If you want it to be bright w/out consuming a lot of power then consider using LED's.

Yeah the ashtrays are in my rear door panels, I was just going to flip the over so they open facing down instead of up. I was just trying to find something to house the lights. But then I thought maybe find some thing from like VW that went in the head liner over the door that would just fit in there and then mount it up with a door switch.

 

[Jay Ayala]

Hey can you take a photo?


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[java]

I have used the LED strip lights from amazon wiht good luck. They will run on 12V, and have 3M tape on the back and are water "proof", could you stick them to the bottom of the door itself? Rather than go through the trouble of repurposing the ash trays?

 

[Mudrunner]

Hey can you take a photo?


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Had to send my Sport with the wife today, had to take her car to the body shop because they messed up. I will get a photo taken tomorrow or Wednesday as I will be checking out my T-case shifter and installing my HD-Tuner.

 

[Mudrunner]

Hey can you take a photo?


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Ah totally missed you are from Portland! I will be moving back soon I miss the rain!

okay so here are the pics, like I said (at least I think I did) I was going to yank the lights out of a donor sport front door panels and put them in the holes left by the ashtrays. But now I just think I will turn the ashtrays upside down and fill them with some sort of small lighting device. Also I must apologize I had no idea how dirty the speaker mesh is...

Front Door:

Rear Door:

 

[Jay Ayala]

Oh see now. That looks like a simple upgrade.


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[Mudrunner]

I mean there are really a bunch of options I could find a dome light that fits in the hole and just angle it down a little, or make a whole new light box of some sort. But I think I could find something that will fit at a u pull it type of place. That is my hope at least then just figure out the Sports lighting system because right now the door lights come on only when each door opens.

 

[Mudrunner]

So here is my rough idea an old sun roof Shim JB Weld it in place and use it as a mount for lights. Thoughts?