 | Home > Modifications & Maintenance (L663) > Another reverse light upgrade option |
 
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| DaveCNB Member Since: 15 Mar 2022 Location: So. Cal Posts: 63  
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After removing the plastic corner trim panels, we were then able to remove the cubby hole trim panels (pictures 2 show the space opened up for the light, picture 3 shows the cubby hole trim panel). We fished out the rear light factory harness after unclipping it from where it was anchored to the black plastic body work.
We then clipped in the Y harness and re-attached the half of factory harness w/ the protruding clip back to the black plastic body work. We had to carefully tuck in the added wiring and plugs to make sure they weren't in the way. We then fitted the lights into the space opened up for them (make sure to get them in the correct side as one side of the space is angled and corresponds w/ the angled aspect of the light module to get a flush fit). The wiring needs to be routed carefully to avoid impinging/interfering w/ the corner panel locking in. We then re-installed the corner panels last. I hope I described that well enough. Hope you can get the corner panels back in by re-adjusting the wiring placement. |
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17th Mar 2023 11:26am |
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| DaveCNB Member Since: 15 Mar 2022 Location: So. Cal Posts: 63
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Also, this PowerfulUK video was really helpful: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=khZHaLj4XWc Make sure you line up the peg down low on the lower part of the corner panel into its alignment hole on the plastic body work mentioned in the video. That may be key to reassembly. |
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17th Mar 2023 7:09pm |
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| Buz1500 Member Since: 07 Jul 2020 Location: Cumbria Posts: 150 
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Thanks Dave 👍 2019 Range Rover SDV8 Autobiography
2023 Defender 110 P400e X-Dynamic HSE - gone 2020 Defender P300 SE - gone 2019 Jaguar F-Pace SVR - gone 2013 SDV8 Autobiography - gone 2011 L322 TDV8 Vogue SE - gone 2006 L322 3.6 Vogue Se - gone 1999 P38 4.0 se - gone 199? Classic 3.5 - gone |
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18th Mar 2023 8:12am |
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| Nashvegas Member Since: 25 Dec 2021 Location: Portland, Oregon Posts: 40
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Hey @daveCNB - I just added these to my 110 X as well. They are awesomely bright, and install went swimmingly. Pretty sure I have the exact same set (off Alibaba, about $300 USD, made by Royce or Sal-Man or something of the sort)?
I did want to "snip" the 2 wires leading to the red surround (brake and tail) on the new reverse light. I also just want the white. But I was hesitant to snip the wires since I was worried about corrosion or shorts in the harness. I'm pretty adept at wiring & depinning connectors -- but couldn't seem to find the right depinning method (I have 100's of little connector depinning tools) --ie one that worked on that little 4 wire white connector setup on these lights. Any tips. Ie how did you de-pin wires? |
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21st Mar 2023 3:21pm |
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| DaveCNB Member Since: 15 Mar 2022 Location: So. Cal Posts: 63
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Hi Nashvegas (lol love that user name BTW, my good friend from school who lived in Nashville used to refer to the place as NashVegas)
Yes the box my lights came in had Sal-Man stenciled on it in a cheesy gold font. All these lights are probably from the same manufacturer and resold by various stores/vendors on AliExpress and eBay. Before you try to do any modifications, make sure your connector/wire arrangement are the same as the picture below. Also try to confirm the wiring is as I say and check that the light still works after modifications. I did it by feeding +12V to the blue wire and 0V/Ground to the black to test. I had to fashion a wiring harness for testing using a 12V wall wart power supply with bits of wire and shrink wrap I had lying around to connect to the black pin to ground, and then I could touch a bare wire tip that was carrying the +12V to each pin to see what powered what.  Click image to enlarge Black is ground, Blue is +12V for the white reverse LEDS in the center, Red and Green are +12V to the red surround. Red is from the brake lights, Green from the running lights. Sorry I don't have any pictures from that effort. But maybe these crude cartoons will better illustrate what I did. Click image to enlarge I don't have a de-pinning tool. But I tried to de-pin manually by brute force...I basically grabbed the green wire in the picture below and pulled, hoping the wire would detach from the pin but instead I got the whole pin out. That would've been fine but in the process it kinda pulled on the squishy blue rubber that the green pin/wire were potted in and I didn't want to try that again on the red wire lest it disturb the blue wire next to it that powers the white center reverse LED's. So instead, I just cut the green and red wires right at the connector as close as I could to the surface of the blue rubber potting. Click image to enlarge I also cut back the red and green wires by 5-6 mm so that no contact could be made accidentally. It's just 12V so I wasn't worried about arcing if there was sufficient distance. Click image to enlarge For weatherproofing, I put a big messy blob of black silicone sealant over the two holes where the green and red wires were amputated and some on the tips of the cut red and green wires (probably not necessary as now that they're disconnected from the connector, they carry no current or voltage). I then wrapped the white connector with electrical tape from where it tapers to several inches up the wiring loom to take the strain off the 2 remaining attached wires. That might be at least as water resistant as the factory wiring? It's not a perfect solution but should work well enough given that it is 12V and ideally, that part of the car should never see full prolonged water immersion....hopefully. When I had the corner panels apart, that section where the wiring connectors lived was pretty dry and it had been storming pretty hard here for the prior 2 days before the install. I don't think you need 100% waterproofing for the wires in that area but YMMV if you're regularly fording rivers or deep salt water it may have issues. After putting in the lights, I've been driving it around in pretty rainy/stormy weather for several days (no immersion, but I did hit some really big puddles for fun : ) and the lights stayed working. Someone w/ more electrical knowledge and car electrical expertise please chime in if you have any observations or critiques. Good luck! |
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21st Mar 2023 4:55pm |
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| Nashvegas Member Since: 25 Dec 2021 Location: Portland, Oregon Posts: 40
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Brilliant.
Wow I really appreciate this level of detail. I too was pulling on wires and worried about mangling the connector's waterproof capabilities. Q -- These pics / diagrams are on the "lamp end" pigtail that comes off the revering lights, yes? (not the jumper harness that T's in to the car harness). Just making sure. This is what I was thinking I'd do -- snip the wires and then silicone them up. I shall report back. |
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21st Mar 2023 5:44pm |
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| DaveCNB Member Since: 15 Mar 2022 Location: So. Cal Posts: 63
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No problem, I'm a fan if pictures/diagrams so hoped it helped better describe how I did the modification as you have one shot to get it right, no warranties on these Chinese made accessories!
Yes, that is the connector on the wire that comes off the lamp module itself (not the connector that is on the Y-Harness that taps into the factory wiring). If I recall correctly, the other female end connector that comes off that Y-Harness had the corresponding/matching wiring color. I thought it would be more problematic in terms of water resistance to cut on that side of the harness as it would be the side that carries the +12V. I was thinking better to have the light module side clipped and the cut part flush in the waterproof connector and sealed over, basically capping off the bits carrying +12V w/ silicone. Let me know how it works out for you! VR, Dave |
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21st Mar 2023 6:39pm |
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| Nashvegas Member Since: 25 Dec 2021 Location: Portland, Oregon Posts: 40
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Dave, so helpful. 1000 thanks.
Got the job done today -- now they are only white reverse lamps which is, IMO, all they need to be. You were spot on in your wiring diagrams. I cut the green/red wires flush with the lamp side pigtail, leaving black and blue in place. Then siliconed the ends. Cut the remaining ends of wires a bit shorter. And even after my soapy water technique, and extremely careful prying, one of the stupid clips broke on the rear end cap. I give these cheap trim pieces another couple times of being removed before I'd have to buy new ones and have them painted. Or the cheque plate ones, sigh. Click image to enlarge Click image to enlarge Click image to enlarge Click image to enlarge Somewhat comical trying to prove the modification without a helper, confirmed all working properly by leaving lamp unmounted but plugged in, setting on a stool, and looking in the rear views. Click image to enlarge Click image to enlarge Click image to enlarge |
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21st Mar 2023 8:58pm |
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| Moo Member Since: 01 Oct 2021 Location: UK Posts: 1398 
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Necessity will always be the mother of invention.
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21st Mar 2023 9:53pm |
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| DaveCNB Member Since: 15 Mar 2022 Location: So. Cal Posts: 63
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LOL, looks like you had quite an adventure and good for you for tackling it on your own, you're brave than I am! Yes, I'm afraid broken clips are the norm, exactly why I recruited the help of my detailer for $150/~ 1 hour of shop time (cheaper than me screwing it up by myself!). Very creative use of the rolling stool too.
Glad the wiring modification hack worked out. It'll look really nice on your Defender having only the white surrounds light up especially with the non colored rear light setup. Much cleaner : ) I really like how your clear/non colored tail lamps match your grey/silver paint color. You notice how much brighter the rear view camera is in reverse? Send a pic of your final result if you can. Dave |
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22nd Mar 2023 12:47am |
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| Nashvegas Member Since: 25 Dec 2021 Location: Portland, Oregon Posts: 40
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Absolutely nice and bright at night, correct. The rear camera is now useful, the reversing camera image on the Pivi screen is good, and I can see the wall running both sides of my driveway.
Click image to enlarge Click image to enlarge Click image to enlarge |
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22nd Mar 2023 1:17am |
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| DaveCNB Member Since: 15 Mar 2022 Location: So. Cal Posts: 63
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That looks great! They really look like they belong on the car.
BTW what tires are you running? Any rubbing w/ the size you have (they look bigger than stock)? How do they ride and how is the road noise? More sidewall durability/protection than stock? They look pretty bad ass. -------------------------------- "Chonky" 2024 Defender 110 X-Dynamic SE P400, Pangea Green, Air Suspension, Off Road Pack, Urban Pack (exposed recovery points), Factory Side Steps |
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22nd Mar 2023 1:30pm |
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| Nashvegas Member Since: 25 Dec 2021 Location: Portland, Oregon Posts: 40
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@DaveCNB ... to answer your tire question:
I went with 275-60-20 BFG KO2's on my stock 20" rims. I wanted a bit of extra sidewall & they look great. These are 33" as opposed to stock tire size which is 32". Note: I'm on a 1.5" rod lift. Rubbing: Front: very slight in access height only at the very forward edge of front wheel arch plastic liner. Very very slight. Right where the cooler is and it's why people do the cooler relocation: Rear: No rubbing in rear in any height Although, I did run these tires for 2 weeks for a dealer appointment where the rods were off (my dealer politely asked me to put the stock rods back on before they diagnosed a warranty suspension issue ... ,I disabled auto access height, and got zero rubbing. If I had to do it again, I'd get same size but in Wildpeaks because I have them on 2 other Rovers, and they are noticeably less noisy with what seems to be similar onroad/offroad performance. |
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22nd Mar 2023 5:15pm |
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| walfy Member Since: 29 Aug 2007 Location: Frome Posts: 2661 
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Sorry to jump on a thread, but are these the lights that Hunters Prestige are now offering? 110 D250 SE HT
110 USW SOLD RRE HSE Dynamic Gone, wife killed it VOLVO XC60 R Dynamic with some toys Polaris RZR 900XP SOLD |
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25th Apr 2023 12:55pm |
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