Cab Light Install

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adray96

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This is something I'm interested in doing to my truck sometime down the road. I was just wondering though, has anyone done this with white LEDs? If I were to do this, I'd do white cab lights with white running lights, but after going through the entire thread, everyone that posted pictures used the amber bulbs.
 

Z71Hobbs

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That is because amber is in most areas the legal color.

Ok, I've got a question that I can't find an answer to. I went and grabbed a complete cab light harness off of a 95 or 96 3500 HD and they were plugged into the spot labeled gray on the convenience center under the dash.

I came home and plugged it into the same spot on my 96 K1500. I then plugged an led and a regular bulb in and they came on immediately without me turning the headlight switch on.

So then, I turned my headlight switch to the parking light position and the headlight position. In both cases the bulbs turned off. I even held in the dash to door pin in the side of the dash for the cargo lights in to see if that would matter-no change.

Not sure why!!! I know the quick answer would be to cut off the connector and just tap into the parking light wire at the switch-but I wanted a factory setup. Any help would be greatly appreciated!!

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88GMCtruck

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Ok, I've got a question that I can't find an answer to. I went and grabbed a complete cab light harness off of a 95 or 96 3500 HD and they were plugged into the spot labeled gray on the convenience center under the dash.

I came home and plugged it into the same spot on my 96 K1500. I then plugged an led and a regular bulb in and they came on immediately without me turning the headlight switch on.

So then, I turned my headlight switch to the parking light position and the headlight position. In both cases the bulbs turned off. I even held in the dash to door pin in the side of the dash for the cargo lights in to see if that would matter-no change.

Not sure why!!! I know the quick answer would be to cut off the connector and just tap into the parking light wire at the switch-but I wanted a factory setup. Any help would be greatly appreciated!!

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There were some big changes to the wiring in these trucks mid bodystyle. When I first performed this write-up it was when I installed the lights on my 88, and had yet to do anything with a later style truck.

88-94 things were largely the same, 95 was an oddball year and 96-00 stayed largely the same.

95 is a very odd year because the TBI ODB1 stuff combined with the newer interior. There are lots of one off wiring related things. I haven't owned a 95 so I can't say for sure, but I do know that the later trucks had a plug behind the instrument cluster/steering column for the cab lights and other harnesses (center rear view mirror also is in C271) that the early trucks once had in the convenience center.

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Z71Hobbs

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Thanks for digging that up. I am assuming that is a 96 diagram?? Also, both my truck and the donor truck are 6.5 diesels - not sure if it makes much difference for the cab lights.

Maybe someone can come up with a pic of the plug for behind the instrument cluster. Surely the plug is the same for 96-98 burbs, tahoes, and all 1/2, 3:4, and 1 ton trucks???

I was hoping to find a spot in the convenience center to plug the cab lights into. I went yesterday and got a bunch of plugs from a 97+ burb from the conveience center with the hopes of swapping pins.


There were some big changes to the wiring in these trucks mid bodystyle. When I first performed this write-up it was when I installed the lights on my 88, and had yet to do anything with a later style truck.

88-94 things were largely the same, 95 was an oddball year and 96-00 stayed largely the same.

95 is a very odd year because the TBI ODB1 stuff combined with the newer interior. There are lots of one off wiring related things. I haven't owned a 95 so I can't say for sure, but I do know that the later trucks had a plug behind the instrument cluster/steering column for the cab lights and other harnesses (center rear view mirror also is in C271) that the early trucks once had in the convenience center.

You must be registered for see images attach

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88GMCtruck

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Thanks for digging that up. I am assuming that is a 96 diagram?? Also, both my truck and the donor truck are 6.5 diesels - not sure if it makes much difference for the cab lights.

Maybe someone can come up with a pic of the plug for behind the instrument cluster. Surely the plug is the same for 96-98 burbs, tahoes, and all 1/2, 3:4, and 1 ton trucks???

I was hoping to find a spot in the convenience center to plug the cab lights into. I went yesterday and got a bunch of plugs from a 97+ burb from the conveience center with the hopes of swapping pins.
Thats for my 98 but should apply to 96-00 at least.

Engine or chassis size shouldn't matter.
 
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