Shadow/Puddle Lights

[Angelo Voltura]

For anyone who doesn't know what I'm refering to in the title, these are those little lights that turn on and display a picture/logo on the ground when you open the vehicle door.

Anyone ever install these on their trucks? I've always liked how they look on the Mustangs and Raptors, so I figured they'd look neat on these trucks as well.

Looks like aftermarket offers a host of different ones, wireless, led etc. I was thinking about ordering some factory ones for an Edge through work, looks like all that needs to be done is drilling a hole in the bottom of the door and they just pop into place, and then run a wire to the door jam switch (if I opt to hardware it, I'd rather not change batteries all the time). They ground through the mount.

If you any of you have, I'd love to see some installation pictures.

[salans7]

I think you're on the right path buying the ones from Ford. I had some Ford logo ones for my Ranger quite a few years ago, but I never installed them because I questioned the quality as they were only like $20.

[Angelo Voltura]

Everything I have seen aftermarket has been very cheaply priced which made me question quality as well. After talking to a few friends that have those cheap ones they seem to be holding up well, but I would personally rather have Ford ones just to take that question right out of the equation.

[kramttocs]

Subscribed.

Interested to see what you end up doing here.

[Danny G]

My explorer had factory puddle lights, no logo that came on when you unlocked the doors, but they were on the underside of the mirrors.

[Gary Lewis]

TheScatch wrote

My explorer had factory puddle lights, no logo that came on when you unlocked the doors, but they were on the underside of the mirrors.

That's what Blue has.

[Angelo Voltura]

I looked at the mirror ones but there is no way to really make those work on the standard swing lock mirrors. That's kind of why I was opting to mount them in the doors.

[myrl883]

I've thought about doing that as well. I have some really thin LED lights that are surface mount with foam tape. I may put them on the bottom of the doors. There's just enough clearance between the door and the body to make it work.

[Gsmblue]

My LR3 had factory puddle lights in the bottom of the doors. I changed them for the led projector ones that show an outline of the LR3. Everyone woes at them them, $9 a pair and had them for over 5 years no issues.

Now I want them in my bronco!

[Danny G]

I think there could be a viable alternative approach here.

If you have solid map pockets, or maybe just he door panel. On the underside of the map pockets pop a few holes in there for some LEDs. The wire harness hides in the map pocket.

Punch a hole through the door then run the power through where everything else would run after the fact.

Tie it into the door switch and it would come on when the doors are open.

[Angelo Voltura]

You wouldn't even have to run the wire through the map pockets, you could follow them up the speaker wire through the factory door jamb boot and then fish it down to the jamb switch.


The biggest problem I have is with drilling a new hole in an otherwise perfect door, but that's the price to be cool I guess!

Glad to hear the cheap ones have held up, that makes me feel a little better about getting them.

[Angelo Voltura]

So I went ahead and ordered a pair of these bad boys just now. The install on the ones I ordered looks clean and simple and won't hang down too far where it causes interference with the door and rocker panel. These ones have a Cree LED chip so that in itself is quality I like. It also comes with the drill/hole saw bit for installation. Seems to look well made. Cost me $25.

[salans7]

Hmmm, I need to reinvestigate whether my door panel has enough meat to mount them on my Ranger. I like the idea of the door panel better than the doors.

[Angelo Voltura]

The door panel would work great if you don't have map pockets down there. You could run the wire up through an existing hole in the door.

These door panels are almost 3" wide in spots if I remember correctly. You should be ok.

[Gsmblue]

Very interested in how the install of those lights go, I really like the look of them.

Please post your methodology and pics so I can copy! 😎

[6.9-250]

Here is a pic of the ones I installed in my 85.  

Amazon.ca - 2 of docooler 5W Car Projection Light LED Door Welcome Ghost Shadow Light Logo for Ford
Sold by: docooler
CDN$ 10.52

Ran the wires through the factory door loom, and made my own ground (sand bare spot of metal inside kick panel, ring terminal and screw with lock washer) and power to the floor lamp on each side.  If I recall correctly, the lamp only has one wire (power) and the lamp mounting bracket is the ground.