Separate Brake and Turn Signal Lights

[jhenegh]

As currently setup with a pickup bed, when the turn signal on a certain side is on, it uses the same bulb/filament as the brake light. This gets rid of the brake light on that side while it is flashing. Right?

I am putting a flatbed on my truck so I can use as many lights as I need/want to on the back. I'd like to use separate brake and turn signal lights. Can this be done with existing wiring or is the same wire used for both the turn signal and brake circuit?

I like how GM uses separate tail, brake and turn lights and I'd like to do the same thing on my truck.

Pictures for example of GM taillight and what I'd like to do on my flatbed with light arrangement.

 

[Bashby]

I'd want to study the wiring diagram to be sure, but you should just be able to come straight off the brake light switch to those lights, then use the factory wiring to go to the turn signals.

 

[KZF250]

It's been a while but I have made custom stop/turn signal lights for motorcycles using a trailer light controller.

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Tow-Ready-119130-Trailer-Light-Converter-Trailer-Light-Relay/41941525

 

[Bashby]

That's to go from 4 lights to two, not the other way around.

 

[IDIoit]

as the power to the brake lights is fed from the brake switch to the turn signal then fed through each turn signal,
i believe you would have to run another wire from the brake switch to the lights, and then run both brake lights off that wire.
this should not effect your signals. and give you exactly what youre looking for.

 

[BDCarrillo]

You oughta be able to tap individual signals from the trailer wiring.

Use some LED tails and the factory trailer wiring will handle the low amp load all day long from a bunch of lights.

 

[jhenegh]

You oughta be able to tap individual signals from the trailer wiring.

Use some LED tails and the factory trailer wiring will handle the low amp load all day long from a bunch of lights.

I think the trailer signals work the same as the truck taillights in that they feed the brake and turn through the same circuit, so the turn signal flashing cancels the brake light on.

 

[franklin2]

as the power to the brake lights is fed from the brake switch to the turn signal then fed through each turn signal,
i believe you would have to run another wire from the brake switch to the lights, and then run both brake lights off that wire.
this should not effect your signals. and give you exactly what youre looking for.

The above would work if you snipped the wire going from the brake switch to the turnsignals. That way the amber lights would not light up when you hit the brakes.

But someone said something about trailers, and that brings up another point; If you are going to tow with this truck, you need the conventional combined wiring since that's how most trailers are wired.

The easiest way to do it I think, is to keep the original wiring, but run it down and feed the trailer plug. Then run 3 extra wires to the rear. #1 and #2 wires will be left and right amber turns, you can wire them directly off the front grille turn wires. #3 wire will be the brake light wire, and it will come directly off the brake switch, just like the high mount 3rd brake lights do.

Most European cars and trucks use the separate amber turns, and some of the Ford Rangers and most of the Explorers used the amber turn system.

 

[The Warden]

I think the trailer signals work the same as the truck taillights in that they feed the brake and turn through the same circuit, so the turn signal flashing cancels the brake light on.

Correct...the only trailer plug I've ever seen that had separate circuits for the brake and the turn signals is the 7-way round plug that semi tractor-trailers use. The 7-way "flat" RV plug uses one circuit for the left side brake/turn and a second circuit for the right side brake/turn.

I think, if you want dedicated turn signals, you'll need to tap off the wires going to the front turn signals, unless you can find the junction point (I don't know if it's a control box or how that works) where the rear turn signal and brake functions are integrated into one circuit going to the back of the truck.

For what it's worth, someone's actually done this before...he put amber light bulbs in the reverse light housings and wired them up to be dedicated turn signals, with the brake lights being dedicated for brakes only. IIRC it was user "F350camper", and i think he did a write-up when he did it...you might want to do a search and see if you can find it...

{on edit} Found thepost where he's discussing it: http://www.oilburners.net/forums/showthread.php?4266-Rear-orange-turn-signals

 

[jhenegh]

I got an idea.

I'll have 2 rear led red lights on each side. One will be "normal". Comes on bright with brakes but a turn flasher cancels the brake flasher. The other I'll just run new feeds off the 3rd brake light! Dedicated brake only that stays on. Gets me 4 bright brake lights on back and also dedicated turn signals when they're activated.

Ya?

 

[The Warden]

I got an idea.

I'll have 2 rear led red lights on each side. One will be "normal". Comes on bright with brakes but a turn flasher cancels the brake flasher. The other I'll just run new feeds off the 3rd brake light! Dedicated brake only that stays on. Gets me 4 bright brake lights on back and also dedicated turn signals when they're activated.

Ya?

I'm planning to install a headache rack on my truck and was planning to do exactly that with the brake/turn lights on the back Certainly, I see no reason not to do this!

 

[dunk]

It all goes through the turn signal switch, a complex animal if you start trying to rig things up. Maybe a separate run of wire off the brake light switch but you'd probably need a couple diodes.

 

[franklin2]

I got an idea.

I'll have 2 rear led red lights on each side. One will be "normal". Comes on bright with brakes but a turn flasher cancels the brake flasher. The other I'll just run new feeds off the 3rd brake light! Dedicated brake only that stays on. Gets me 4 bright brake lights on back and also dedicated turn signals when they're activated.

Ya?

The third brakelight wiring does come directly off the pedal switch. This would work, you are just ditching the amber colored lenses idea which would make it easier.

 

[KZF250]

That's to go from 4 lights to two, not the other way around.

Sorry I was in a hurry this AM. This should work...

http://www.etrailer.com/Accessories-and-Parts/Tow-Ready/118158.html

 

[BDCarrillo]

Both of my trucks have two 7 pin Ford round connectors, thought they were stock sorry!