If you've ever had to search for a small tool or the loose bolt in the back associated with your truck with night, you know the stock 2019 ram 1500 bed lights can sometimes leave a bit to become desired. While the particular 2019 redesign introduced a lot associated with fancy tech plus a much better interior to the Ram lineup, the valuables area lighting didn't always have the memo, especially around the reduce trim levels. Actually if you have the factory LEDs installed, they have a tendency to sit tucked away within the corners, which is fine until you kit some equipment that completely blocks the sunshine source.
Upgrading these lights isn't just about making the vehicle look cool with a tailgate—though it definitely does that as well. It's really about functionality. Whether you're a contractor completing up employment after sunset or a van trying to set up gear in the particular middle of no place, having a well-lit bed makes lifestyle significantly easier. Let's dive into what makes these lights tick and how you can make your own much better.
Why the factory set up often falls brief
The 2019 Ram 1500 has been a bit of a bridge year. It was the launch from the "DT" generation (the new body style), but these people were still offering the "DS" (the Classic) alongside it. If you have got the newest body style, you likely possess the small DIRECTED pods near the tailgate. They're decent for seeing what's right in front of you, but they don't do a great job associated with illuminating front side associated with the bed close to the cab.
The main issue could be the placement. Due to the fact they are located low and toward the rear, as soon as a person put a tool kit or a few storage space bins in right now there, you've basically made a wall of shadows. Another common complaint I listen to from owners is that the factory lights don't stay on longer enough, or they only trigger along with the interior dome lights. If you're working out of the back of the truck to have an hour, you don't want to keep walking back in order to the cab in order to hit a switch or cycle the doors.
Choosing between LED strips and pod lights
When you begin looking at aftermarket replacement options for your own 2019 ram 1500 bed lights , you'll generally see two main styles: versatile LED strips plus individual light pods. Have their pros and cons, and a lot of it comes straight down to how you actually use your truck.
LED strips are probably the most popular choice these days. A person can run them all the way throughout the underside associated with the bed bed rails. Because the light is distributed more than a long distance, it fills the entire bed a lot more equally than a solitary bulb would. This gets rid associated with those annoying shadows. Most of these kits come along with an adhesive support, but a quick tip: don't have confidence in the cheap tape that comes on them. Purchase a move of high-quality 3M VHB tape in case you want all of them to stay place during a warm summer or a freezing winter.
Pod lights , on the particular other hand, are usually usually brighter in specific spots. In the event that you do a lot of weighty hauling and you're worried about ripping a flexible strip, pods are usually a bit more rugged. They're encased in hard plastic material or metal plus can have a bit more of some sort of beating. However, you'll need more cabling for connecting multiple pods together, which may make the installation a little even more tedious.
Working with the wiring and the CAN bus system
The 2019 Ram 1500 is the smart truck—sometimes a tad too smart for its own good. This uses a MAY bus system that will monitors the volts and resistance of just about every single bulb on the particular vehicle. In case you simply tap into the random wire in order to power your brand-new bed lights, there's an opportunity the truck's computer will think there's a short or an unexpected draw and throw the code or shut down that signal.
To avoid this, a lot of guys choose to run a dedicated power wire straight from the battery pack (with an in-line fuse, of course). This keeps the particular bed light signal completely separate from the truck's sensitive electronics. If a person want the lights to turn upon automatically when a person open the tailgate, you can use a magnetic reed switch. It's a simple little device where one item goes on the tailgate as well as the other on the truck entire body; when they shift apart, the lights kick on. It feels very high-end and saves you from needing to fumble intended for a toggle change in the dark.
If you do need to tap into the factory wiring, the safest wager is normally the movie trailer wiring harness or even the existing valuables light circuit, yet you really have to be cautious with the load you're adding. LEDs draw very little power, so you can usually get away from it, yet it's always much better to play it safe with the relay.
Weatherproofing is everything
Your truck bed is definitely an outdoor atmosphere. Even if you have a tonneau cover, humidity, dust, and grime are going in order to find their method in there. When shopping for 2019 ram 1500 bed lights , pay shut attention to the IP rating. You would like something that will be at least IP67 rated. This implies it's dust-tight and may handle being sprayed with a hose or even getting caught inside a downpour.
I've seen plenty associated with cheap light kits from big-box suppliers that look great for about per month. Then, a little bit of bit of sodium from the road gets in there, or the humidness causes the inner connections to corrode, and suddenly a person have a flickering strobe light within your bed. Spending an extra twenty or thirty bucks on the kit with solid weatherproofing and water-proof connectors will conserve you the headache of ripping it all out and performing it again in six months.
Making the particular installation look clear
There will be nothing worse compared to a beautiful vehicle with messy wires zip-tied all more than the place. In case you're adding lights to your 2019 Ram, take the particular time to hide the wiring. The Ram's bed style actually has some great nooks and crannies under the bed rails where you can tuck wires away of sight.
Using split-loom tubing is a superb way to protect the wires and make all of them look like these people came from the manufacturer. If you run your own wires along the particular frame rail up to the engine bay, make certain to stay aside from the exhaust system components and moving parts like the drive shaft. It sounds such as common sense, but you'd be surprised how many people forget about that things obtain hot and proceed around under presently there.
The "Cool Factor" and useful uses
Past just seeing your own groceries, upgraded 2019 ram 1500 bed lights open up up some fun possibilities. Some men go with RGB kits that permit them to improve the color of the particular lights using a phone app. Whilst neon green bed lights may not be everyone's cup of tea, being able to dim the lights or switch all of them to a soft amber can be great when you're going out at a campsite and don't want to be blinded.
For all those who use their particular Ram being a mobile workshop, these lights are a video game changer. If you have the RamBox cargo management system, you curently have some lighting, but including extra strips may help illuminate the middle of the bed that the RamBoxes sometimes obstruct. It turns the back of your truck into an workable workspace at any kind of hour during.
Final thoughts within the upgrade
At the end of the day, upgrading your 2019 ram 1500 bed lights is one of the most cost-effective mods you can perform. It's a project that most people can finish in an afternoon with simple tools. You don't need to be an expert mechanic to determine out how in order to stick a several LED strips below the rails and run a few of wires.
The is night time and day—literally. Once you have a completely illuminated bed, you'll wonder how you ever managed with no it. No more holding a torch between your teeth while trying in order to tie down the motorcycle or making use of your phone's screen to see in case you left your jacket in the back again. It's just a single of those simple improvements that can make an already great truck even better. Just remember to take your time with the wiring, make use of good tape, and choose a package that can deal with the elements. Your shins (and your sanity) will thank you the next time you're launching gear in the dark.