Headlights flickered off last night

[Trevtron]

The headlights only turned off once for about a second, so today I’m gonna tackle the headlights relay mod.

While I’m at it I figured I should replace and the dimmer switch on the floor and I’m not sure if it’s necessary to do the actual headlight switch to.

Would you guys do the headlight switch? I have one on hand but wanted to wait and replace it if it was absolutely necessary after the relay mod.

 

[Macrobb]

Check the floor switch; I've had several corrode clear through, and that was the only issue.

 

[Trevtron]

That seems to be the general consensus, I’ll do the relay mod to just for the brighter lights and peace of mind

 

[chillman88]

Check the floor switch; I've had several corrode clear through, and that was the only issue.

Yup! Mine acted up not long after I got the truck. Turned the brights off and no headlights. Luckily they came back after hitting the switch again.

Good luck bud, let us know how you make out!

 

[Thewespaul]

Well there’s a 10 year difference between our trucks but when my headlight switch started to fatigue and started flickering the issue went away when I added the relays and didn’t have to replace anything, hopefully you’re just as lucky!

 

[Trevtron]

Right on! I enjoy improving the ol girl even when it’s not broken, going to grab the relays and wire right now.

 

[Trevtron]

Yup! Mine acted up not long after I got the truck. Turned the brights off and no headlights. Luckily they came back after hitting the switch again.

Good luck bud, let us know how you make out!

Will do!

 

[Mulochico]

I would check the headlight switch for burnt plug, housing, etc. If it's burnt, replace it. That happened to mine and I did the relay mod and a new switch great lights!!!!!! About a year later the floor switch went bad. haven't had a problem for a few years now.

 

[Trevtron]

I would check the headlight switch for burnt plug, housing, etc. If it's burnt, replace it. That happened to mine and I did the relay mod and a new switch great lights!!!!!! About a year later the floor switch went bad. haven't had a problem for a few years now.

Ill check the switch to, glad it’s worked out good for you.

Got the dimmer switch in yesterday without tearing the floor up, and there was no rust underneath there which was nice to see. Greased below the switch for good measure.

I’m using 12g wire from the relay to the lights and will be making my own headlight connections with standard 3/8 female plugs.

Couldn’t find a light plug harness with a large enough gauge to want to use, so making one that is heavier duty.
(Maybe I can use the old plug body still with new 12g wire soldered to directly to the plugs.)

I’m going to jump off the harness from each respective wire at the headlight to the plug on the other headlight. High and low beams will be on their own relay of course.

Starting with the harness today (looks like the project will take me a few days as time allows).

Researching where the best place to tie into the factory wiring harness at still, looks like passenger and driver side wiring for the lights come out of separate harnesses.

Going to probably cut the old plugs off at the headlights and tie the relay in from that point for simplicity’s sake, and have a relay on both sides of the engine compartment mounted cleanly.

Might be making this more of a project than necessary but don’t want to have to go back to it twice.

 

[79jasper]

If you search around, you might find some diagrams to use.

Sent from my SM-G892A using Tapatalk

 

[Trevtron]

Definitely

 

[DrCharles]

Couldn’t find a light plug harness with a large enough gauge to want to use, so making one that is heavier duty.
(Maybe I can use the old plug body still with new 12g wire soldered to directly to the plugs.)

Don't overthink this Just leave a couple inches of the new pigtail and connect your 12 ga. wire to it. The very short length of (16 ga?) wire remaining won't add anything significant to voltage drop, you won't have to take the plug apart and get new crimp pins, and it'll be easier on the plastic connector not to have the heavy leads pulling on it.

 

[Trevtron]

Good to know, thank you! Will make my job easier, I figured I’d doom the whole project by connecting my 12g wire to the 16g pigtails on the headlights.