Mystery Wire

[BernieB]

Shows? This is a work truck, not some gussied up show truck covered with supermodels in string bikinis... half nekkid... lounging on the hood... Hmmm... Wonder how much a nice set of rims and some custom paint would cost?

[BernieB]

Originally Posted by crabtruck

Here's an idea my crazy brain burped up previously:
I sneaked a relay to the headlights to control the b/u alarm.
No headlights = run silent run dark.
Figured headlights were for going the other way.

Not a bad idea, but there's times during the day I'd like to be able to shut it off too, and I'm not sure how the relay would work with the DRL's...

[crabtruck]

This is a 99 gmc what again?
Maybe I can spot a different point in the schema
for getting the same sneakiness.

You are wondering about the costs of
a nice set of rims and some custom paint ??
Obviously never shopped for supermodels before.

Did you stop to consider the increase in
heath care costs for when the gf finds out?
Given the skill set, price funerals while you're at it.

[BernieB]

Ah Crab... The g/f knows I look but don't touch, and she's fine with that.

And, don't knock yourself out trying to figure where to put the relay. A simple switch on the dash will do nicely, and I have plenty of room for it. Heck, I could just reuse the existing "Cargo Light" switch, since there's no need for one of those with the utility back. Heck, I think the bulbs in it burned out years ago, and no way to change them without taking the utility back off. Oddly though, the brake light back there still works.

[BernieB]

Spent most of the day either under the dash or on my knees outside the doors but I managed to get the old mirrors off, the new ones on, and fixed the lights in my switchbox. Didn't add the switch for the backup alarm yet because I only had one, and used that for the heaters in the new mirrors.

Only made one dumb mistake today, and I'll fix that tomorrow... I wanted the mirror heaters on a circuit that was only hot with the key on, so I wouldn't forget (even though the switch is illuminated) and leave them on. Somehow I screwed up and hooked them to the parking lights. Oh well!

[Wyley87]

hey bernie i just found some heated mirrors for my truck but they are off of a 98, how difficult are they to install as far as wiring?

[BernieB]

Originally Posted by wyley87

hey bernie i just found some heated mirrors for my truck but they are off of a 98, how difficult are they to install as far as wiring?

What kind of mirrors do you have now? Mine are West Coast style, so the wiring is pretty simple and straightforward. If you have the standard type, that go in the corner of the window, there's not a lot of room in there to work.

The inner panel over where the mirror mounts just pulls off, then there's a hunk of foam you can just pull out. Getting in to loosen the bolts on the stock mirrors will be a chore because there's not much room and you can't get a straight shot at the nuts. Figure on a 1/4" drive with a universal and a wobble extension. The heaters themselves only draw about 10 watts each, which is about 1.5 amps at 13.8vdc for the pair. What I did on mine was mount a switch in one of the blanks on the dash to turn the heaters on/off. I intended to power that from an ignition power terminal, but screwed up and hooked into the parking lamps. I wanted the heaters to turn off with the key out, in case I left the switch on.

The heaters are a simple two wire setup, one hot and one ground.

[Wyley87]

yes the ones i have now are the stock ones and i have taken them off before when i had to replace my driver side door with one that did not have a mirror. i have a 96 so its the same style mirror so im not worried about if it will fit or not but im more concerned about how your wiring them and all that more than anything(diagram?).

[BernieB]

The wiring, at least on aftermarket units, is pretty simple. Like I said, one hot and one ground. Low current draw so you'd be fine with 18 gauge wire.

[Wyley87]

oh ok so basicly i just run a wire off the fuse block and put in a switch hmm sounds promissing. What about what you said about making it hot only when the key is on or somthing? well actually i have a remote start installed so id have to check with that i guess