HOW TO: Install Bumper Lights

[54warrior]

HOW TO: Install Hella 500 Series Fog/Driving Lights

Difficulty: * of *****

Time: I would set aside at least 4 hours to do this. It sounds simple, but there are alot of extra little things that had to be done, which I certainly wasn't expecting. I thought I could do it all in about 2 hours, I was wrong.

Materials:

1- Hella 500 Series Light Kit (Fog or Driving Lights)
1 Roll- Electrical Tape
--------Optional:
--------10'- 16 Guage wire (should be more than enough)
--------1- #10-24x1/2" LG Bolt w/ washer & nut
--------1- Hella 500 Series Driving Light
--------Assortment of Electrical Connectors

Tools:

1- Metal Coat Hanger
1- 3/8" or 1/2" Drill
1- 7/16" Drill Bit
1- 1/4" Drill Bit
1- Wire Stripper/Cutter
1- #2 Phillips Screwdriver
1- Slot Blade Screwdriver
1- Long Slot Blade Screwdriver
1- 17mm 3/8" Drive Deep Well Socket
1- 13mm 3/8" Drive Deep Well Socket
1- 10mm 3/8" Drive Socket
1- 8mm 1/4" Drive Socket
1- 3/8" Drive Ratchet
1- 1/4" Drive Rathcet
1- Pocket Knife or Carpenter's Knife

Introduction:

The bumper grille opening on all 2004-Present Titans is equipped with three existing holes that are used to attach the black plastic insert via typical plastic body plugs. This provides for a convenient location to mount two or three fog/driving lamps. I chose to utilize each of the three holes. I had to acquire a third lamp, and modify the harness that was provided with the Hella kit. This required some additional length of wire as well.

Instructions:

- Disconnect battery
- Remove battery
- Mount Relay to battery tray using screw provided in kit
--------OPTIONAL: Drill 1/4" hole in battery tray and use #10-24 bolt to mount relay as shown below




- Connect provided wires to relay as shown on the instructions provided by Hella
- Remove the two bolts which secure the battery tray to the passenger side inside fender
- "Group" the red, yellow and blue wires together. Run them behind the battery tray
- Ground blue wire from relay to existing grounding location 'behind' where the battery would be. You will have to cut the wire to correct length and attach the provided (blue)ring terminal. NOTE: I used the extra length of blue wire to ground the third light that I installed



- Install two bolts that secured the battery tray to the inside fender
- Install Battery, but do not reconnect + and - terminals.
- Cut red wire to correct length and attach the provided (yellow) ring terminal.
- Attach red wire to + terminal on battery as shown below




- Route yellow wire towards rear of truck along passenger side inside fender then across the firewall from PS to DS. Fasten to existing wiring via zip ties.
- Remove 'upper' grill using the short and long slotted screwdrivers, be sure to reinstall the grill ‘clips’ into the backside of the grill for proper installation later on.
- Route provided black wires from the relay down to the bumper grill opening
--------OPTIONAL: Splice in an additional length of wire to the provided black wires to power the third lamp
- Remove the lower dash panel beneath the steering wheel using the Phillips screwdriver
- While still in the cab of the truck, locate where the hood latch cable goes through the firewall and shove a piece of metal coat hanger through the firewall
-Now, back in the engine bay, attach green and yellow wires securely to coat hanger with electrical tape. You may have to do them one at a time though. NOTE This is in a location that is a royal pain to get to. I have a few 4" long bloody scratches on my arm to prove it. If you have short arms, it's gonna be even harder. If you can get your arm in there and bend the coat hanger downward, it can be reached much easier once the DS inner fender liner is partially removed. You'll need only a Phillips and Slotted screwdriver to partially remove that piece.
- Pull green wire and yellow wire through the firewall into the cab. These will be connected to the switch later on. You will have to cut off the provided terminal ends that come on the Hella harness to accomplish this.
- I chose to have these lights operate off of the Hi-Beams as directed in the instructions. You will need to splice the provided green wire into the positive wire that powers the hi beams. I found the easiest location to do so was near the light socket in the headlamp. The green wire provided was not long enough to do so, so I extended it.. The + wire for the hi-beams is cleary marked in the plastic socket that the light fits into.
- Remove DS headlamp to gain access to hi beam + wire. There are (3) 8mm bolts and (1) 10mm bolt securing the headlamp. Two of the 8mm bolts can be reached easily from the front of the truck. The other 8mm bolt and 10mm bolt can be reached from underneath the truck in the fender well area, which again, is tough if you have large hands like I do.
- Once headlight is removed, splice the green wire into the hi-beam + wire.
- Install headlight, do not install grill at this point
- Locate where you want the switch and install it. I chose to utilize an empty port in the lower dash panel, beside the rear window up/down switch. I used a 3/8" bit and slowly reamed it out larger until the switch would fit through the hole snugly.
-Connect green wire and yellow wire to switch once you have installed your own (blue) terminal ends. The switch does not need to be grounded. Make sure to leave enough wire so that the panel isn't tugging on the wires. See photo below:




- Install lower dash panel






OPTIONAL: (Image and information courtesy of AgTitan06) Nissan Part Number 999F1-6E000 can be used as a replacement for the provided switch as shown. Price is approximately $22. Well worth it in my opinion. I will be adding this to my setup later on.



- Remove the three plastic plugs in the upper portion of the bumper grill opening
-The holes will need to be enlarged. Use the 7/16" Drill bit to do so
-Install lamps onto the grill opening and tighten with 17mm socket/wratchet combo.
-Install 'upper' grill assembly. Be sure to install the plastic clips back into the grill prior to reassembly.
- Remove driving/fog lamps from the housings and connect wiring as shown on the Hella provided instructions
- Ground lamps. MAKE SURE THEY ARE GROUNDED SUFFICIENTLY!! I tied the three wires together and grounded them to the radiator support. I had to lengthen these wires also to reach that grounding point. I may change this location later on.
- DOUBLE CHECK THAT ALL WIRES ARE ROUTED AND CONNECTED PROPERLY.
- Connect Battery
- Turn on Hi-Beams
- Turn on Switch for the Fog/Driving Lamps, they should light up.

-DONE....Finally!!!!



I think that covers it. If you notice an error, please alert me via PM so that I can alter the original post.

[Yeti77]

Good write up. Makes me glad I bought my PIAA's though. A lot less wiring involved.

[dragonhead08]

now if someone could figure out a way to do it on the XE's the would be awesome. Nice write up though.

[Yeti77]

Originally Posted by dragonhead08

now if someone could figure out a way to do it on the XE's the would be awesome. Nice write up though.

Why wouldn't this work on an XE? Lower grill looks the same and I wouldn't think anything would be wired different.

[DeadRiver]

no pics of the front end with final install... tease!

[54warrior]

Originally Posted by DeadRiver

no pics of the front end with final install... tease!

Sorry, is this better??

[DeadRiver]

Originally Posted by 54warrior

Sorry, is this better??

yeah but it just reminded me how mangled my lower grill is.. i'll put that on the list too..

[beermunk]

Originally Posted by 54warrior

Sorry, is this better??

that looks REALLY nice!

[54warrior]

Originally Posted by beermunk

that looks REALLY nice!

Why THANK YOU!!!

[firefighter55cassidy]

Ok well i had a set of these in my dakota and i didnt use the relay. you dont need to use it so that way you can hook it just to the switch and go. i liked this so i didnt have to have my headlights on to use the driving lights.

[rb40]

lights look great. Im going to give this install a try. this is exactly what I was wanting to do with my truck. I did not want to install bull bar. thanks for the info RB40

[dragonhead08]

Originally Posted by Yeti77

Why wouldn't this work on an XE? Lower grill looks the same and I wouldn't think anything would be wired different.

Wirings no problem, its the mounting. XE's dont have a removebale center piece in the bumper. On non XE's when you remove the bottom grill there are 3 holes you can mount lights too that are normally used to hold the insert in. Our plastic bumpers dont have these.

[RyBo]

^ Its not just XE's, ANY Titan that does NOT have the chrome bumper is not able to mount any aftermarket fog lights =( Found out the hard way this weekend

[gabriel c.]

heres my xe with fogs.

http://www.titantalk.com/forums/atta...g?d=1194321704

[54warrior]

Originally Posted by gabriel c.

heres my xe with fogs.

http://www.titantalk.com/forums/atta...g?d=1194321704

How bout some info on how you did it instead of JUST the teaser pic??