LED Rope lights in ARE cap

rjgvt · February 2

My last ARE cap had dealer installed LED rope lights on both sides that I could access from either win-door and from the back. One of them from either side was bright enough to root around in the bed for stuff.

I ordered my new cap before my truck arrived and had it installed a week ago. It came with a battery powered LED light in the rear center. The owner wasn't in the shop the day I ordered the new cap and the son-in-law that works there didn't let me know that ARE now factory installs Rival LED lights. I saw them on the ARE website but prices for the rope lights. Thought they were still dealer installed until I stopped at the shop this week and talked to the owner. He informed about not installing them anymore and only at ARE. I was disappointed.

Owner had some 48" LED rope lights that had 3M tape on them and gave me a deal on them. I unrolled them at home and tested on a 12v battery. I wanted to mount them to the carpet like the old cap had. Bought some 48" x 2" Velcro at Michaels craft store. I cut them into 1/2" strips and put the sticky side to the sticky side of the lights. Mounted them in the same location as the old cap had and wired them to the 7 way connector in the bed with a 5A micro fuse holder and a 2 pin connector. Getting the Velcro on the lights was kind of a pain as the lights were rolled up forever. I think it looks ok from wherever anyone from here could see them!

I checked everything during the day and then checked tonight. Surprisingly, the center mounted battery powered LED is pretty bright. One use of the rope lights at night is when it's dark, it's bright enough behind the truck with the rear cap door open to see the crossbow discharge target to shoot at.

Pics in order: 7 way connector with harness, ARE center LED light, right LED rope light, left LED rope light, both LED rope lights, LED rope light switches

Kerry Pulaski · February 4

I had the same issue. Had a A.R.E. 2016 cap I ordered with optional Dual LED Strips on carpeted headliner . Worked great.

New 2024 LEER cap, I ordered the same option, Dual LED Strips, as shown in current brochure. Delivered with a small Puck

LED at each end of the headliner. Not what I needed to light up for my bed slider & tools.

Dealer said, oooooppss. All LEER and A.R.E. offer now, are these pucks.

I had a heck of a time getting the Best 3M Double Face Tape, to adhere to the headliner carpet. Would start falling down after a day or two, on a warm day.

Resorted to Spotting every 2", Gel Super Glue on the 3M to the carpet. Says put now.

FYI, I also put a LED Strip on the Cap Lid Bottom between the catches, to also light up my bed slider tray when it's pulled out. Ran the wire up the lid left side, to the piston, then to the cap 12v. conecton point.

Can't post more pix due to a Bose Stereo project I did with "sswails", his '24 GMC, as I must have used up allotted mb of attachment postings.

Kerry Pulaski · February 4

On 2/2/2024 at 6:21 PM, rjgvt said:

My last ARE cap had dealer installed LED rope lights on both sides that I could access from either win-door and from the back. One of them from either side was bright enough to root around in the bed for stuff.

I ordered my new cap before my truck arrived and had it installed a week ago. It came with a battery powered LED light in the rear center. The owner wasn't in the shop the day I ordered the new cap and the son-in-law that works there didn't let me know that ARE now factory installs Rival LED lights. I saw them on the ARE website but prices for the rope lights. Thought they were still dealer installed until I stopped at the shop this week and talked to the owner. He informed about not installing them anymore and only at ARE. I was disappointed.

Owner had some 48" LED rope lights that had 3M tape on them and gave me a deal on them. I unrolled them at home and tested on a 12v battery. I wanted to mount them to the carpet like the old cap had. Bought some 48" x 2" Velcro at Michaels craft store. I cut them into 1/2" strips and put the sticky side to the sticky side of the lights. Mounted them in the same location as the old cap had and wired them to the 7 way connector in the bed with a 5A micro fuse holder and a 2 pin connector. Getting the Velcro on the lights was kind of a pain as the lights were rolled up forever. I think it looks ok from wherever anyone from here could see them!

I checked everything during the day and then checked tonight. Surprisingly, the center mounted battery powered LED is pretty bright. One use of the rope lights at night is when it's dark, it's bright enough behind the truck with the rear cap door open to see the crossbow discharge target to shoot at.

Pics in order: 7 way connector with harness, ARE center LED light, right LED rope light, left LED rope light, both LED rope lights, LED rope light switches

"rjgvt". You should take a look at a "Bed Slider" product , to mount all these to. This will slide out way past the tailgate for easy access for all items. Mine is a 1500 lb. capacity for tools, but lighter capacity units available.

Bad knees , can't crawl into the bed area as I used to.

Kerry Pulaski · February 4

5 minutes ago, Kerry Pulaski said:

"rjgvt". You should take a look at a "Bed Slider" product , to mount all these to. This will slide out way past the tailgate for easy access for all items. Mine is a 1500 lb. capacity for tools, but lighter capacity units available.

Bad knees , can't crawl into the bed area as I used to.

Forgot to mention, those "Bed Slider" options, are also pictured in on line brochures on the A.R.E., and LEER websites.

Not a A.R.E. or LEER product, but I guess they help promote dealer sales, as a package deal.