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NRALIFR's avatar
NRALIFR
Explorer
Apr 20, 2014

Added Lights to My Front Hitch Box

I've had the parts for this at least a year, and finally got time to work on it today.

The box is a truck bed toolbox that was given to me. It a shallow version, which I think is why it was given away.

The corner markers are Bores Bumper Guides. I installed those a year or so back. They light up with the marker lights, and blink with the turn signals.

Because the box sits just below the headlights, it casts a shadow on the road. I bought a couple of Hella 450 driving lights to help with that.



The lights and bumper guards plug in here. The lights are controlled by one of the upfitter switches in the cab.



Better view of the wiring and the mount.



Light covers on.



On it's "custom cart" I dug the old Lance bumpers out of my junk pile and put them on the cart so I can push it up against the wall and not damage the lights.



Can't wait to try them out! The boss sez they're Hella-cool :C

:):)

5 Replies

  • I've got a scanguage hooked up specifically to monitor the coolant and oil cooler temps. I haven't noticed any ill effects when the box is installed. Yet.

    :):)
  • Looks good. Be aware that the new cooling design for the type of Ford Truck you have gets the large part of its air is from below and from the space opened in your bumper. Keep an eye on your temperatures as well as warranty.

    b
  • Some great ideas.

    Here is the one I built, similar shallow box that came free with my F250. I made a internal mounting system to lower mine so it didn't block the turn signals by taking apart a Harbor Freight aluminum rack for the extrusion. Ended up selling the rest of the rack to a friend that wanted to make a roof rack for half of what I paid. The 2" HF rack receiver was cut to fit the box front to back with a square hole cut on each side of the box. I added a plate to the bottom of the box for more strength for the receiver mount. The license plate has a mount for the hitch receiver and just gets moved to the front when the box is on. The straps hook into brackets I made for the front hooks that stabilize the box, the straps hook into the brackets and on to the top of the bumper. I added small steel feet like office desks have to the four corners to slide it around on hard surfaces.