How to Install Putco 60 in. Blade Tailgate LED Light Bar on your Sierra

The Blade Tailgate LED Light Bar is intended to be installed on the bed of most trucks between the tailgate and bumper.

Read These Instructions Carefully Before Continuing with the Mounting and Wiring Options for your Specific Vehicle

Tailgate Light Bar Installation

1. Verify the kit contents above. Remove any protective wrapping. 

2. Clean and dry the vehicle thoroughly in location where light bar is to be installed. 

3. The vehicle surface temperature must be a minimum of 15°C (60°F). 

4. Read through the following options for installation. Determine which method is correct for your application. Place tailgate light bar in position with or without brackets. Check the following before determining position: 

i. Will the tailgate interfere with the light bar when opened? If it does, the light bar will need to be repositioned. 

ii. Is the tailgate light bar visible from the rear when tailgate is closed? 

Note: Tailgate light bar is easier to install if tailgate is removed.

There are two options for mounting the light bar:

Installation Option 1 – With Brackets, Removable
Installation Option 2 – Without Brackets, Non-removable

1. Install 3M tape on back of black plastic brackets. Brackets are more useful if there are any obstructions on truck where light is to be installed. Brackets will hold light bar away from truck. Use promotor packets to prep surface on bracket where tape is going to be applied. Refer to Figure 1.

2. Use at least 90% Isopropyl Alcohol to prep surface on vehicle where light bar is going to be installed. 

3. Install black plastic brackets with tape onto the back of tailgate light bar. One on each end, then evenly space out. 

4. Remove tape release liner on all brackets. Place light bar in chosen position on the bed of truck. Do not stick tape to truck until light bar is in correct position. Light bar wire should exit toward driver side of truck. Refer to Figure 3

1. Install 3M tape on back of light bar. Use promotor packet to prep surface on light bar where tape is going to be applied. Place the four tape strips evenly across the back of light bar. Refer to Figure 2

2. Use at least 90% Isopropyl Alcohol to prep surface on vehicle where light bar is going to be installed. 

3. Remove tape release liner on all tape locations. Place light bar in chosen position on the bed of truck. Do not stick tape to truck until light bar is in correct position. Light bar wire should exit toward driver side of truck. Refer to Figure 3

Wiring Option 1 (For trucks with towing packages and without trailer detection)

1. Plug the 4 pin connector on tailgate light bar into the 4 pin trailer connector on truck. 

2. Wire reverse light (white wire) into the reverse light on 7 pin trailer connector (Middle Pin) or into factory reverse light (White Light) using a supplied Scotchlok.

Wiring Option 2 (For trucks without LED taillights)

This option is recommended for Dodge trucks, some Dodge trailer plug flasher do not flash at the same rate as the flasher in the taillights. If your Dodge truck has LED taillights refer to Wiring Option 3

1. Cut trailer plug connector off of tailgate light bar. Note: If you do not want to cut off the plug and want to wire the bar in this way, an additional harness can be purchased through Putco, Part# 8726F, to eliminate this step. 

2. Wire the white, brown, yellow, and green wire into taillights wiring using supplied Scotchloks. Refer to Figure 3.

3. Wire reverse light (white wire) into the reverse light on 7 pin trailer connector (Middle Pin) or into factory reverse light in taillight (White Light) using a supplied Scotchlok.

1. Follow Steps 1-3 in Wiring Option 2 

2. Cut red wire on loose heat shrink side about 2 inches from the black driver box. Move heat shrink up over the short end of wire and use a heat gun to shrink it. Press the end of the heat shrink sticking off of wire together when still warm to seal it up. This is to keep moisture out of the wire. Pull out red wire for black PVC rap.

3. Wire 12V power wire (RED wire pulled out of PVC) into the 12V power on 7 pin trailer connector (Labeled with ) using a supplied Scotchlok. If wire is too big for Scotchlok (Bigger than 14ga), wire may need to be spliced in. Be sure to cover the splice with electrical tape or heat shrink (not included).(Some trucks do not provide a constant 12V unless a trailer is plugged into the 7 pin trailer connector. If this is the case, a separate 16GA or bigger wire may need to be ran from the positive on the battery, additional Instructions for the 2015 F150 and 2017 Super Duty have been added to account for this issue below) 

Note: For both Wiring Options 2 and 3 the wires can also be wired into the 7 Pin trailer connecter wires. This is not recommended for trucks with trailer detection.

Additional Wiring For 2015 F150 and 2017 Super Duty Only

Note: This step is to get a constant 12V back to the 7 pin trailer connector since these trucks disengage the 12V power when the 7 pin trailer connecter is not in use. This is to only be done if the 12V red wire on the Blade light bar is being used. See Option 3 Step 3

1. Cut a 6” piece of 16GA or bigger wire(A 6” piece may be cut off of red or white wire on tailgate light bar if the full length of those wires are not needed) for F150 and 12GA or bigger for Super Duty (This is not supplied with kit). 

2. Under dash on drivers side. Find trailer tow module. Locate both Orange wire (Pin 3 on C2498C Connector) and Green-Red wire (On F150) or Red wire (on Super Duty) (Pin 1 on C2498A Connector). Refer to Figure 5

3. Attached 6” wire between Orange wire(Pin 3 on C2498C Connector) and Green-Red wire (On F150) or Red wire (on Super Duty) (Pin 1 on C2498A Connector) using Scotchloks (For F150 supplied Scotchloks can be used, Super Duty are not supplied, recommend using 3M 902). This will activate a continuous 12V to the 12V power pin on the 7pin trailer connector. Refer to Figure 6