Recon flush mount reverse lighting system

[One Black SVT]

So I've seen a few posts about these lights and I was very interested. Except when cutting (2) 2" holes into my rear bumper. After much internal debate, I broke out the cutting wheel and went to work. I must admit, .... they really add a bit of ruggedness to an otherwise plain jane oem bumper. Glad I did it. I haven't wired them up yet but probably going to just add them to the reverse lights..... and before anyone points this out to me, no... I do not know if it is legal or not to add them to my reverse function. I tested them before installing them and they are bright! I didn't specify spot or flood when ordering and received spot..... Gonna just roll with it.... I will post a day and night photo soon after I wire them up.... Sorry for the bad photos but at least it's something.... Garage is small so I had limited room.

 

[Harblar]

When did Recon buyout M&R?

Nice job on the install. Go ahead and wire away to the reverse lights. I doubt anyone would ever give you a ticket for them. (They're bright, but no more so than an average headlight so there shouldn't be any legal issues)

I wired mine to the reverse and the aux 4, that way I had two options for turning them on.
Here's a write up I did on my install that shows how and where I tapped into the factory wiring.

They really make a difference when backing up at night! You're gonna love em! ;-)

 

[SuperRaptor]

Why do you say that? Rigid/M&R/Recon all seem to look just alike.

 

[Raptor Embroidery]

Why do you say that? Rigid/M&R/Recon all seem to look just alike.

This is very true. The lights made by rigid were taken by companies that wanted to sell them on the cheap (like most products) and so they bought them, opened them up, and copied/changed design on them to make them cheaper. Now there are 100's of companies selling these clones. Only difference is the look of the rigid bars. The optics are a little different mostly because one company tried to copy their exact design ie optics, military breather, coating, and electronics. Etc. Rigid basically sued that particular company and i'm not sure what the outcome was.

---------- Post added at 04:15 PM ---------- Previous post was at 04:12 PM ----------

So I've seen a few posts about these lights and I was very interested. Except when cutting (2) 2" holes into my rear bumper. After much internal debate, I broke out the cutting wheel and went to work. I must admit, .... they really add a bit of ruggedness to an otherwise plain jane oem bumper. Glad I did it. I haven't wired them up yet but probably going to just add them to the reverse lights..... and before anyone points this out to me, no... I do not know if it is legal or not to add them to my reverse function. I tested them before installing them and they are bright! I didn't specify spot or flood when ordering and received spot..... Gonna just roll with it.... I will post a day and night photo soon after I wire them up.... Sorry for the bad photos but at least it's something.... Garage is small so I had limited room.



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If you can, i'd buy the rigid industries harness. Don't waste money on their overpriced lights. The harness is pretty sweet. Basically the is a 3 position switch on the inside of the truck. Constant on/Off/Reverse mode

The reverse mode allows the lights to be forced on when the truck is shifted to Reverse (the + on the reverse light wire acts as an activator of the relay)

Then the constant on allows you to switch the lights on anytime for lets say loading the truck or lighting up a camping area. Very convenient.

 

[One Black SVT]

Harblar, ..... Yeah.... It was a long night installing those lights and I guess I had recon on my brain... But yes.... Those M&R lights are really helping that ole' oem looking bumper look a little better.... I used birdmans install instructions as I didn't have a plasma cutter or a template like you..... Btw.... Are yours the flood lenses? I'm pretty sure mine are the spot lenses as they are not textured like others that I've seen.... (Pics of yours and birdmans) ..... I'm gonna wire these up tonight and see how they do. I'll post a pic or 2 afterwards to show the results.

 

[Harblar]

Those are M&R's. Rigids have raised lettering and the M&R's have the grooved channel on the left and right of the lens. As far as Recon goes, I can't even find where they make one... Maybe I'm wrong, I just can't find it.

Why waste money on the rigid harness when you have a Raptor? You've already got a switch in the cab, why futz around with a separate one and a relay? I just wired both lights to the center wire on the trailer plug and then ran another wire from there to the aux 4 switch wire in the engine bay. Lights come on automatically in reverse or whenever you turn on the aux 4 switch and all it costs is a 10-15 foot length of wire. Much simpler.

---------- Post added at 05:05 PM ---------- Previous post was at 04:45 PM ----------

Harblar, ..... Yeah.... It was a long night installing those lights and I guess I had recon on my brain... But yes.... Those M&R lights are really helping that ole' oem looking bumper look a little better.... I used birdmans install instructions as I didn't have a plasma cutter or a template like you..... Btw.... Are yours the flood lenses? I'm pretty sure mine are the spot lenses as they are not textured like others that I've seen.... (Pics of yours and birdmans) ..... I'm gonna wire these up tonight and see how they do. I'll post a pic or 2 afterwards to show the results.

No worries. In hind sight I wouldn't have used the plasma cutter. It didn't do anything to help the powder coating! Doh!

Honestly, I'm not sure if they are floods or spots. (Got free pair in exchange for the write up/how to.) They've got a clear lens so and don't seem to spread much so I'm assuming they're spots. Can't see anywhere where it says for sure.

I only have two issues with mine.
1.) the required hole size for the light and the size of the mounting bezel are very close. As a result any little error or discoloration from cutting the hole (thanks plasma cutter) are hard to cover up.

2.) the bumper angles just enough so that when the light is mounted flush it angles downward. (At least it does when you are at mid perch)

Not big issues, but they are nagging at me so I'm going to fab up some custom angled spacers in the next couple weeks to give it a more flush, slightly bigger footprint, and level the light.

 

[One Black SVT]

Harblar, I'm gonna wire mine up like you suggested .... Just makes sense. Thanks for the link to the wiring thread.

 

[Tommysyko]

Looks great. I wasn't as bold and cut into the center plastics. Not as bright for direct reverse. Need to be redone where you placed them.


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[Dawgfan54]

Those are M&R's. Rigids have raised lettering and the M&R's have the grooved channel on the left and right of the lens. As far as Recon goes, I can't even find where they make one... Maybe I'm wrong, I just can't find it.

Why waste money on the rigid harness when you have a Raptor? You've already got a switch in the cab, why futz around with a separate one and a relay? I just wired both lights to the center wire on the trailer plug and then ran another wire from there to the aux 4 switch wire in the engine bay. Lights come on automatically in reverse or whenever you turn on the aux 4 switch and all it costs is a 10-15 foot length of wire. Much simpler.


^thought about doing this same thing, my main concern though is that what if you flip the switch for more light and then you put it in reverse for some reason?
Do you not run the risk of giving to much power to the LEDs and blowing them?

 

[Harblar]

I'd thought about that, but I don't think that's the way it works, electrically speaking. (Don't quote me on the that, though. I'm certainly not an electrical genius)

Personally, I've turned them on while in reverse and never seen any change in the light they put out. Out of curiosity I'll throw a voltage meter on the trailer pin this weekend and see if there is any actual change.

The one thing you will see wired like this, however, is your trailer's reverse lights come on with the aux switch (providing you have a trailer hooked up at the time, of course.)