Squadron Pros Installed!
I installed my Baja Designs mounting bracket and Squadron Pros over the weekend. The mechanical part of the installation went very smoothly. The electrical part would have been simple if not for Ford’s confounded upfitter switch wiring design. Hopefully Ford will at least install connectors on the bare wires for 2017. Without further ado, here's my notes on the installation process and some photos.
Mechanical Install: 1.5 hours / zero bandaids / zero ibuprofen.
Electrical Install: 3 hours / one bandaid / get the chewable ibuprofen and make a meal out of it — completely Ford’s fault.
Results: awesome and bright
The mechanical install of the lights was dead simple using a few simple hand tools and the included instructions. Unfortunately, Ford was brain dead when they designed the upfitter switch wiring harnesses so the electrical part of the job was tedious, frustrating, and took at least an hour longer than it should have.
Some notes on tools used and the installation:
• For removing the existing screws, you'll need a 10mm socket wrench and a 10mm combination wrench. The innermost screws are easily accessible with a socket wrench but the outermost screws are easier to access with a combination wrench or a ratcheting combination wrench.
• For installing the new screws provided with the brackets, you'll need a 6mm hex key and a 6mm hex socket driver. I used the key to get the screws started then finished the job with the socket wrench.
• For installing and aiming the lights, you'll need a pair of 9/16" combination wrenches and a 4mm hex key.
• I found it easier to mount the hanging brackets from the lights on the fog light bracket before installing the fog light bracket on the vehicle.
• Once the brackets are mounted on the truck, install and aim the innermost lights first. The outermost lights block access to the hex screws on one side of the inside lights.
• I cut the cables with the connectors off the wiring harnesses provided with the lights and used those to connect the lights to the upfitter switch wiring. The relays and switches ended up in the spare parts bin.
• I started routing the wires at the main chassis ground next to the battery then between the side of the truck and the washer fluid container. From there, the passenger side wires dropped directly down to the lights. I routed the drivers side wires across the wiring harness on top of the radiator and dropped down to the lights once the wires were at the drivers side of the vehicle.
• The shorter wires were long enough to easily reach from the ground screw to the passenger-side lights. The longer wires could have been a foot or two longer but they did make it.
• I connected all the (-) wires to the main chassis ground lug.
• I cut two two-foot long wires to go from the under-hood firewall passthrough wires to the (+) wires for the lights.
• I used crimped-on quick disconnect terminals and heat shrink tubing for almost all the connections.
And thanks again to Bailey at Baja Designs for the forum discount and the follow up call a few weeks ago!
-Glen
