How To: Front Light Bar on Lightning Pro

[ZSC100]

Are you going to try to add the rear light bar too?

No definitely not, as others have pointed out the rear lights and actual tailgate are different. I have considered building strip of some kind very similar to the front lightbar, but red that matches the PRO/XLT tail light accent light stripe. FMC wants like 3k for that rear light bar and best I've found/heard is it has something to do with the red color and DOT testing. I guess the front light bar isn't subject to that since it's not NHTSA red

I purchased a bad (water damage) light bar from a guy in Canada and he's shipping it to me. When I get it I plan to cut the red part off and try to pot in an aftermarket led strip. I'll post pics when I get to this project once the weather gets a bit nicer.

Sponsored

 

[BhamDCam]

If someone with a base Pro could hit the pins with a multimeter we'd have a definitive answer.

Can you explain this more? I've got a Pro with Pro Power Onboard, but I don't have the tow tech package. I'm really interested in adding a light bar, but I really want to make sure I could do it with my setup.

So when testing the pins what exactly am I looking for? How much voltage?

 

[shoopg]

Can you explain this more? I've got a Pro with Pro Power Onboard, but I don't have the tow tech package. I'm really interested in adding a light bar, but I really want to make sure I could do it with my setup.

So when testing the pins what exactly am I looking for? How much voltage?

Mine had 2 volts on pins 6 and 10 (I think those were the pins)

 

[BhamDCam]

Mine had 2 volts on pins 6 and 10 (I think those were the pins)

Okay, if I get some time soon I'll check that out. After reading this thread I've wondered if there are any differences between the wiring harness for a Pro without tow tech package and an XLT without tow tech package. If not, then I wouldn't think it would matter if one doesn't have the tow tech package or not. More just thinking out loud now.

 

[Draughn]

2023 Base Pro ER lightbar addition works with the firmware provided. Thanks again for the effort on this @shoopg and @KurtsRPMGarage

 

[WhiteBolt]

Congratulations on figuring this out. Looks like a great team effort.

Now your PRO's will be just as ugly as the rest of the Lightnings.

Just send me your "ugly" lightbar/grille combo and I'll send you my "beautiful" Pro grille.

 

[BhamDCam]

2023 Base Pro ER lightbar addition works with the firmware provided. Thanks again for the effort on this @shoopg and @KurtsRPMGarage

I’m assuming yours is without the tow tech package?

 

[Draughn]

I’m assuming yours is without the tow tech package?

Yep. I don’t have a single option outside of the extended range battery.

 

[joeles]

I did mine over the weekend and I couldn't be happier. I used a standard handsaw because it was handy and was surprised at how well it worked. The cut was fast, clean, and straight. Required very little sanding when I was done.

Thanks @shoopg and @KurtsRPMGarage!

 

[Mcfly]

@shoopg and @KurtsRPMGarage , I don't see the module firmware update option listed in forscan. Am I not on the right screen or wrong version of forscan?

 

[KurtsRPMGarage]

@shoopg and @KurtsRPMGarage , I don't see the module firmware update option listed in forscan. Am I not on the right screen or wrong version of forscan?

Looks like an older version of forscan. I had version 2.4.10 when I did it. See if you can update it. Should appear after that.

 

[Mcfly]

@KurtsRPMGarage pm sent

 

[Mcfly]

Success! I had to use a pay Forscan account and update to the 2.4 beta version. Thanks @KurtsRPMGarage and @shoopg for putting this thread together and the install video.

 

[azzano00]

Finally! With the help of both @Livnitup and @Jesse-Infotainment we figured out why the light bars don't immediately light up when plugging them into a truck that isn't equipped with the light bar from the factory. As far as I can tell, every truck should be prewired, but its very possible that extreme base model Pros without any options might not be prewired. If you're worried about this, take a multimeter and probe the pins in the connector for voltage and ground. (There's a diagram further down in the post)

Shoutout to the thread by @KurtsRPMGarage - I learned a lot of things that set me on the right path to figuring this out.

Things You'll Need:

• ForScan v2.4.9 Beta + high quality USB OBD adapter (OBDLink EX)
  • https://forscan.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=13&t=23971
• LDCM Firmware
  • https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1afF1H8dauD_N60RJcghW8cFrhdubqXV0
    • I've reuploaded files provided by Jesse into a single folder, and added file format extensions to the LDCMB firmware files. This way you can just download the files and program. Forscan wouldn't find the files until I added the file extensions but if you want the original firmware straight from Jesse, here you go. LDCMA LDCMB
• 2x M6 Nuts - W712232S450B
  • The dealer wants $11 for each one. If you're a purist, the part number is above.
  • I used this $5.99 kit on Amazon with one day shipping and came with 53 extra.
• 5x M6 Spring Nuts & Bolts - W520802S439
  • The dealer sells these in packs of 4 for $11. You need 5 so you'd need to buy 2 packs, and it doesn't come with bolts.
  • I used this $16.99 kit on Amazon that came with 10 spring nuts, washers, and bolts.
• 1x Plastic Trim Clip
  • I bought a kit of trim tools awhile ago that came with extra clips. The one I ended up using was around 8mm.
  • You can probably skip this, I don't even know if other Lightnings have this clip, but it made sense to me and I had extras so I did.

Tools:

• 10mm socket and ratchet
• Plastic trim tools
• Dremel/Rotary Tool to cut the fake/blank light bar from the stock grille

Notes:

• Make sure the truck is unplugged from the EVSE before programming.
• If you have the light bar plugged in prior to programming, you may need to clear codes in the modules before programming.

Installing the Light Bar:
Removing the grille is fairly easy. Pop the frunk, and remove 10 plastic push pins, 5 from each side of the grille.

Next, remove 8 bolts from the grille, 4 on each side

Now pull forward on the grille to disengage the retention clips.

Be careful here. The grille will have some wiring connected to the forward camera (1) and frunk release button (2). You also might have a hose connected to the front camera washer (3). These should all be fairly easy to remove but I did break the locking clip on my camera connector so go slow and take your time. Once you get everything disconnected you can set the grille aside.

Now, lets mount our new light bar. Grab your 5 M6 spring nuts and insert them into the slots on the grille reinforcement. The spring nuts should be oriented like the picture below, with the nut behind the grille reinforcement. These just slide in to these 5 positions:

We can now bolt up our new light bar! There are two studs mounted in the light bar that slot into the grille reinforcement be careful not to ding your paint and to align these into their home while mounting the light bar.

Thread your 5 M6 bolts into the spring nuts, but don't tighten everything, keep things loose so you can make sure the light bar is straight and aligned. I used the ~8mm push pin in the center mounting location.

Then secure the studs on the light bar to the grille reinforcement. Slowly tighten things down as you make sure the light bar is sitting nice and aligned with the hood.

Now use your trim tools to get rid of the empty light bar connector, push the connector from the light bar into the grille reinforcement and connect your light bar to the truck!

Programming:
The light bar is directly connected to the back of each headlight. Each headlight has a module behind it called the LDCM. These step the voltage up to 36v to run the DRLs in the headlights as well as the light bar. By default if your truck isn't equipped with a light bar it just won't output the 36 volts needed to run the light bar.

If you want to double check the wiring to make sure you're prewired before you buy a light bar, put a multimeter between pin 10 and pin 6 on the connector and you should have some small voltage (mine was at 2 volts.) Pin 10 should have continuity to ground.

Now on to the actual programming. If you suspect you have a low 12 volt battery, it may be worth your time to connect the truck to a 12v battery charger. If voltage goes too low during programming you risk bricking the modules. These modules don't take long at all to program but don't say I didn't warn you. Make sure you have the files I've linked above downloaded and extracted somewhere on your computer. Using Forscan, jump into the module firmware update section, and start with LDCMA. The screen will look like this. Switch the "Available" box over to custom, and using the boxes with the 3 dots, select the firmware file, one at a time corresponding to the correct number. Forscan should only show you compatible files, but I would double check everything. Once you have 3 green boxes hit the program button.

Half your light bar should now be lit up! If it isn't, try performing a forced module reset on the module you just programmed.

Repeat the same steps for LDCMB and you should have a fully functioning light bar. You may need to clear codes in both modules, you can do so with Forscan. I had 2-3 codes in each module.

Work On The Grille:
This is arguably the most tedious and annoying part (its not that bad) or you can spend the $1000+ to buy an OEM XLT/Lariat/Platinum grille lol. My dremel kept dying so if you have the choice between a corded dremel and a cordless, go for the corded. Start from the front side and begin making a cut just under the fake/blank light bar. I tried not to get too close to the edge of the grille. Once you have a solid cut going I found it easier to cut from the back side. You'll have 4 retainer mounts to contend with and if you can see what you're doing around the area it becomes much easier.

Once you've got it separated, at each end of the grille make sure you completely remove any remnants of the mounting tabs. I left a little bit at each end and when I went to test fit the grille, those tabs hit the light bar. A quick zip with the dremel took care of them.

Knock off any plastic slag from the dremel work and start mounting the grille back up. It should snug up just like it was when you first took it off. You should only be left with a dummy plug, and two coarse threaded screws from the grille.

Now sit back and admire your work!

hello, I am getting set to perform my own installation of the light bar in my '23 Pro and I have a couple of questions for you. I've never used Forscan before, is it pretty straight forward if I have codes to clear? Also, my truck is new, bought in Nov with 3k miles. I am really nervous to "brick my truck"! What is a sufficient voltage of my 12v battery?

 

[mwdietert]

Big thanks to @shoopg and @KurtsRPMGarage for the tutorials. Just completed my 2023 Pro ER today and happy with the results. Only hiccup I ran into was that Forscan wasn't recognizing the files from LDCMB. It took me an embarrassingly long time to realize the .VBF file extension was missing.

Sponsored