BrowningSCrew

I found this little trick on YouTube looking to do my side markers on my 75 F-250. It was originally intended for LED tail lights on motorcycles, but it works the same for this setup also.

The basic concept of the modification is to make LED bulb in the mirror light up half way when the marker light is on, then come on full brightness when the signals are on. There's a diode and a resistor on the wire from the park lights, and a diode on the wire from the signals. The diodes prevent back flow from one circuit into the other, and the resistor drops the power to the bulb from the signal.

The parts you will need for this are as follows
-2 560ohm 1/2 watt resistors from RadioShack
-4 IN4005 Rectifier diodes from RadioShack
-a few various small size pieces of heat shrink tubing to insulate the leads on the components and keep them protected
-2 red 194 LED bulbs from eBay or superbrightleds
-electrical tape
-solder
-coat hanger
-3 or 4 small zip ties
- 1 scotch lock wire tap

The first thing you'll need to do is change the mirror bulb to an LED, attached is a video link on how to do that by forum member blupupher

Next you will need to put together the diode/resistor assembly

This is he basic layout of it, the side with the diode and resistor is the marker light circuit, the side with just the diode is the signals. You have to make sure the silver bands on the diodes are on the side where the single wire to the bulb will go or they will not work.


After they're soldered together you'll use a small piece of heat shrink to isolate the marker light circuit from the signal


Then you'll do the same on the signal side after adding some 20ga wire leads to each one. Noting which color represents signals, and which is for park lights


Now you'll heat shrink the whole assembly to keep everything together and secure


The next step is to take apart your door panel. Attached is a link to another writeup of mine that explains disassembly.
https://www.f150forum.com/showthread...480&styleid=20

Now you will remove the speaker

4 7mm bolts hold it in place, then you simply unplug it


Now you'll pull back the weather guard at the top of the door to gain access to the mirror plug.


Next feed the mirror harness out the speaker hole and split open the plastic sheathing. you'll find the white wire with blue tracer on the passenger side, and green wire with white tracer on the drivers side.


Cut that wire and attach the single end of the resistor diode assembly to the mirror side, and the signal wire to it on the plug side using solder and heat shrink. Add a 2-3' length of 20ga wire to the marker light wire now as well.

Now put the sheathing back together by wrapping it all with electrical tape to keep everything secure and out of the way of the window track and plug the mirror back up.

Next carefully remove the kick panel trim piece to gain access to the door wire harness boot


Now for the fun part. Cutting up about a 8-10" length of coat hanger and bending a small loop in one end you will tie the end of your marker light wire on, and fish it through the boot in the door to the cab.


Now you will attach another piece of 20ga wire long enough to reach the drivers side kick panel, and run it through to that side of the dash, hiding it behind the trim panels along the way.

Repeat the above steps for the drivers door

Once you have both park light wires from each door to about the emergency break bracket, you'll want to twist them together.

Remove the headlight switch and use the wire tap and about a 1"-2" piece of 20ga wire to tap into the the dark brown wire coming from the switch. This is the marker lights.

Now run that wire back down to the two mirror wires and solder them all together and heat shrink it.

Reinstall the headlight switch after that and turn on the park lights. The mirrors should both be lit up. Now turn on the hazards and they should both flash as well. See the video

If everything is in working order you'll now reassemble the door panels and dash pieces and enjoy your new lights. It's really just a cool simple mod that will set your truck apart from the rest.

95FordMN

Awesome idea, thank you for doing the write-up on this (as well as the puddle light install)

Happen to have any pictures from the rear of the truck where you can see both marker lights? -the view someone driving behind you would have

BrowningSCrew

Thanks, and thanks for adding to the FAQ thread. Here's one of it from behind with them on...

w0lvez

I think it will works better if it's not connected to the Park Light. Is Park light visible inside the truck?

BrowningSCrew

No you can't see it inside the truck because of the way the mirror is made. But it works great like this IMO, they only light up at half power when the park lights are on, which is as bright as they were stock. Then when the blinkers come on they flash twice as bright so it's really more noticeable than stock.

sherwind2010

I was thinking of putting my 18w LED flood bars on each of the Side Mirrors & have them come on with High Beams. I can have the mirrors folded in & have 180° lighting!

BrowningSCrew

I guess you could but it would look kinda goofy. Not really on topic with the mod thread either lol

sherwind2010

I think it would look cool with little LED light bars on the mirrors...

redknight1

pretty sweet project

BrowningSCrew

Thanks