Amber dust lights with tail lights

I'm going to install an amber Diode Dynamics SAE/DOT lightbar kit as a fog/dust/snow driving light. My intention is to use this in place of the headlights when conditions necessitate, so I'd like the tail lights to come on as well, just as if I have the headlights on. For installation, I see two options:

1. Wire the LED bars and the tail lights directly up to a switch in the cab. When I want to use the LED bar, I would manually turn off the headlights and flip this switch.
2. Put a relay in-between the headlights and the LED bar and wire the relay up to a switch in the cab. When I want to use the LED bar, I would keep the headlights on (on the stalk) and flip this switch.

Does anyone know if someone has done something like this before? I searched this forum and couldn't find anything. Would there be any ECU / CANBUS issues with the latter method? These draw 4.2A.

Thanks!

 

No issues with CANBUS with either of your methods. I like the idea of having more light when you need it...or the "right" light when you need it...as long as your placement of the light bar is not "inside" your grille, you could effectively turn he OE headlights off without too much issue...the deeper it's recessed in the grille area, the more you're going to need the OE lights too...what about placing them in the lower bumper location where folks often place their 30"/40" light bars? you get the light low and placed ideally for less-ideal weather conditions...I have a bulge bar and use it daily unless it's snowing and blowing...I than use my upgraded DD fogs to disperse light to the far edges of the road...

 

You probably can, but, my question is why? On all tundras, LED or Halogen lights, you can already turn on the tail lights on with the headlights off. In fact, 2020 and 2021 made this even better because you can run fog lights only with the headlights off now without modifying the wiring.

 

Thanks for the responses.

I didn't know you could do that! How do you turn on the tail lights with the headlights off?

EDIT

Google AI says that the tail lights remain on when you set the headlight switch to "parking lights." I'll try this out later. Definitely the simplest solution!

 

I'm installing the RCI Arapaho front bumper with a 30" white light bar for off-road driving and SAE compatible fog lights. Unfortunately, there's no space for amber dust lights on it. According to Baja Designs' videos about lighting zones, you don't actually want a ton of light output for a dust light, and having driven through a few blizzards, I'd agree with them. Hopefully, enough light makes it past the grille to be useful!

 

That is 100% correct. The more intensity the more glare you get. This is also the reason why we include a dim feature on our lights with the highest outputs.

Best,

Brahian Herrera| Forum Sales & Support
Email: brahianh@bajadesigns.com | Phone: (760) 560-2252

 

Yes, this is a stock function. I thought this was common knowledge so sorry if I sounded dismissive. There are only 3 or 4 possible positions (this depends on if you have the auto headlight posistion which may be standard now) that you can set the headlight stalk to so I'm sure you can figure that part out but one of the positions is to turn the parking lights and tail lights but not the headlights. I believe it is also on all of the 2020 and 21 trucks now, if you have the parking light position selected you can also use the fog light switch without the headlights being on.

 

I can do this with my 2018 as well.

 

Which part? The tail light portion or the fog light portion?

The tail lights without headlights is all tundras back through 1999 so I know that part

 

I can turn the headlamp switch to "Parking Lights" to which I can run just my forward foglights, but it also puts on the rear tail lights. Weirdly, it doesn't dim the LED ring around the headlight like you think it would.

I'm trying to figure out wiring to work with the Hot Tails kit to run what use to be the rear turn signals as a rear fog light, but I'm lazy.

 

Interesting. I bought the SS3 SAE/DOT Pro White kit for the fog lights, but they haven't shipped yet. I wonder if I should switch those to the yellow ones. Currently, I use the stock fog lights fairly regularly at night because we live in a rural area, and they help spot deer on the side of the road. My initial plan with the White Pro SS3s was for those lights to put out some extra light towards the sides for regular driving and then get the behind-the-grille lights for inclement weather. But I guess they could pull double duty, and I could always put in ditch lights if I felt I needed more.