Sequential Turn Signals (How To)

Alright, I was not the first to mount a second fuel tank in the spare tire location, the guy from Austrailia beat me.

I was not the first to get a rear tire carrier, Phunkeydude beat me.

I also was not the first to get a "Get Lost" front bumper.

However, I bet that I am the first to have Sequential Turn Signals on a Commander.

I was concerned that my right turn signal and brake light might be obstructed by the spare tire on the rear carrier. I looked at several LED lights online and finally selected the same light that I installed on my old motor home a couple of years ago. I ordered the lights, but since they will take a few weeks to get here, I removed the ones from the motor home to use till the new ones come in.

They have three wires, the white is ground, the red is turn signal and the black is for the brake light.

Here is the link for the lights:

http://www.buytruckstuff.com/product...=61&p_gpID=233

Here are some pictures:

https://theultimatejeep.com/images/i...06/00121-2.jpg

The wiring for the lights comes directly from the tail lights.

The Dark green wire from the bottom light is for the turn signal and goes to the red wire on the light, the Yellow green wire from the middle light is for the brake light and goes to the black wire on the light.

I also tapped into the tail light because I will add a small round red LED light later so I ran the wire now. It comes from either the white green wire from the little clearence light or from the green wire from the middle light.

The wiring for the right side is the same.

All the extra wiring is from my Blue OX towing wire. They allow the motor home wiring to feed thru diodes to my rear lights when the Commander is towed.
https://theultimatejeep.com/images/i...06/00222-2.jpg

The three wires come thru holes that I drilled into the tail light housing area and then the wire goes into a loom and up the sides of the open tailgate gasket.

There is a large black wire in the bundle at the top of the door where the wiring goes into the door that I used for all the grounds.

https://theultimatejeep.com/images/i...06/00321-2.jpg

https://theultimatejeep.com/images/i...06/00417-2.jpg

This is where the light will be mounted in a rubber grommet.
https://theultimatejeep.com/images/i...06/00514-2.jpg

First I drilled a hole after removing the third brake light to check to see what was behind and how deep it was. I then used a jig saw to cut out the hole smaller than I needed. I carefully enlarged the hole with a small grinder to approach the correct size, checking with a test fit several times.

https://theultimatejeep.com/images/i...06/00714-2.jpg

https://theultimatejeep.com/images/i...06/00911-2.jpg

Here is the first one installed and recessed in a grommet

https://theultimatejeep.com/images/i...06/01011-2.jpg

https://theultimatejeep.com/images/i...06/01112-2.jpg

The turn signals will also both come on with the emergency flashers and it looks like a highway service truck with arrows directing you both ways around.

The brake light lights both up with a steady light unless one of the turn signals is on and then the turn signal over rides the break light.

https://theultimatejeep.com/images/i...06/01112-2.jpg

https://theultimatejeep.com/images/i.../06/0129-2.jpg

When you are a little to the right and behind you can see all the lights.
https://theultimatejeep.com/images/i.../06/0138-2.jpg

However, If you are directly behind or a little to the left the tire blocks the lights.

https://theultimatejeep.com/images/i.../06/0146-2.jpg

You have to see them in motion to get the full effect. There is certainly no doubt about your intention to turn with these lights. I wanted to keep the option of using my backup camera and that is why my tire is offset. It coould be a few inches to the left and I could still use the camera. I would hate to run over some kid or old person in the parking lot. I have spotted people crossing behind me as I was attempting to back up.

I mostly did them for safety. I wish that they were smaller, but the arrows are large enough to see for a distance. I could visualize someone not seeing my right turn signal and passing me on the right if I were stopped in the road. I don't think that will happen with these industrial size turn signals. They will also work when I am towing the Commander behind the Motor home. I also would not have installed them if my spare tire did not block the lower LED turn signals.

I am also going to take A49er"s suggestion and add two small red tail lights to the frame of the tire carrier. I can actually run them off the same wire as the license plate light. If it would stop a rear end collision I would put a billboard back there.