I didnt know where to put this so please feel free to move if needed.

I searched last night under "aux. lights, aux. reverse lights, backup lights, backup light sin bumper, backup lights in rear bumper...."

You get the point, I am looking to see if anyone has cut out slots for the KC backup/flood lights in their stock rear bumper.

I know many have wired them to their roof rack, and someone even welded some to the rear hatch(not to bright). I am looking to mount them in the bumper itself. Also, what are the pros and cons on having them low in the bumper vs. high on the roof rack.

Thanks

I'd say parts/accessories myself.

I recall a couple of examples of people cutting holes in the stock bumper and putting lights in them. Not worth the hassle in my opinion, and I prefer the lights mounted high so that you can use them as area/work lights without having them blinding you when facing them, but the one drawback is you can't use 'em with the hatch open.

Start with this:
http://www.globalsoftware-inc.com/coolerman/CoolKit2ReverseLight.htm

I mounted my lights on the rack:


Here's a progression: tail, brake, brake+reverse, brake+reverse+back-up



Here's one thread discussing bumper-integrated lighting:
http://www.xterraownersclub.com/ubb/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=4;t=002991

thanks, that was the type of picture that I was looking for. Searched for about 2 hrs yesterday to no avail.

Site states only for '99-'03, I'm assuming it is the same for an '04.

I used MightyMounts from xterraparts.com to do something similar to Offroadx with a couple 55W ProComp lights.



Okay - this is a crappy pic of a bad idea (the tires-on-the-hitch-hauler) and the lights are pointed way too far down (so I can get in and out of the garage without whacking them on the door) - but you can at least see where they are mounted::



Anyway, I took a little piece of 2" wide steel and drilled two holes in it - one to go through the Mightymount, and one to hold the mounting post of the lights. It works pretty well and didn't require me to mod/damage the truck in any way. OffroadX's idea is cheaper and just as good, though.

No pic

Also, i am only looking for them to be on with the reverse lights. But I guess having an option to have them on at the flick of a switch would be nice as well.

I'm pretty sure it is a good link/host (I use it for everything)... maybe you just caught it at a bad time. It's not important anyway - you can just see two rectangular lights sticking off the rear roof rack crossbar.

Be careful when wiring them in - if you draw too much current from the backup light circuit it does some bizarre thing that puts your tranny in limp-home mode or something (I remember seeing posts about something weird like that happening - but I don't remember exactly what). It's definitely something you'll want to use a relay for (so you'll only draw a tiny amount of power from the backup-light circuit and the power to run the lights comes straight from the battery).

I did mine as a super quickie install and I just ran the wire to a cigarette lighter plug... so when I want light I just grab the plug from under my driver's seat and plug it in

One of these days I might do a real switch install... then again - this has worked fine for quite awhile

FYI, they're Pilot Automotive back-up lights, from a PL-250 model kit I found at Autozone for $30 a while back. Pilot's website is kaput, but I found 'em on Amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0008D6NXC/qid=1147114957/sr=1-119/ref=sr_1_119/002-7259045-2016865

I just picked up a couple of U-bolts at the hardware store to mount them.

Brent

Okay, here's the deal. This has been covered many times in the Parts/Accessories section. So do a search over there for "backup lights" and you'll find all the info you could ever want. Here's a link to one thread that should be helpful:

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Backup Light Mod
-

A couple of thoughts though. First, you need a relay. I've posted on this many times and the reasoning is simple. The switch in the tranny is only meant to carry the 26W/2Amps the stock lights use. When you add another 110W to the circuit for an additonal 9Amps (11Amps total), it will eventually blow that switch and that will cost you a couple hundred bucks to get fixed. A $5 relay is pretty cheap insurance to do it right in the first place.

As far as putting them up high or down low, it's up to you. Personally, I put mine down low. I didn't want to try and run wires up to my rack when I put them in. Second, like Brent (OffroadX) said, the hatch is in the way if you want to use them as a work lights. Which only brings up another issue that you may/may not be concerned with. In most states (Michigan I'm positive on), white lights on the back CAN ONLY come on when actually in REVERSE. That is, legally, you CANNOT have them wired to a switch so you can turn them on at will. Sure you can have a switch in place so you don't have to use them, but in most states, they can only come on when actually in reverse.

Okay, the legalese is over. There's advantages to both up high and down low. The choice is up to you and how you intend to use them.

Hope this helps!

-G-

I did do a search. And, as my other posts stated, I was looking for a pic of them mounted in the bumper and OffroadX led me to another topic that had a pic like what i was looking for.

That's motion seconded, can a mod move this now?