How to install led whip lights

If you're an off-roading enthusiast, you're probably used to being different. Wherever you travel, whip light is a way to show off your talents. They are LED lights, erected like flags on SUVs, ATVs, UTVs, RZR, SXS, 4x4s, motorcycles and even trucks. Even if you don't have much mechanical experience, they're not hard to install. Connect the whip lights to your vehicle's battery then you can show off your colors when you're out.


1. Install the base of the light

A. Find a hole in the rear end of the frame. Today, many vehicles, including trucks and ATVs, have a location for the whip light installation. Go to the back of the car and look for holes along the bumper. They may be covered with bolts, but no wires or other parts run through them. Most vehicles have several different points that you can use to quickly install cool new lights.

Another option is to drill a hole in the frame. For example, if you have a truck, you can drill through the bottom of it. Place the whip light on top of the hole with the power light hanging below it.

If your vehicle does not have accessible frame holes, use mounting brackets instead. Find a place to attach the bracket to the frame, such as on an ATV roll cage.

Many SUVs have flagpole holes. If your vehicle has one, then it is the ideal place to install a whip light.

base bracket for installing whip light

B. Remove the bolts covering the holes using a socket wrench. The hole will have a metal bolt through it with a lock nut at the bottom. Reach below the hole to obtain the nut. Turn it counterclockwise until you are able to slide it off the bolt. Then, move the socket wrench to the top of the bolt and turn counterclockwise to remove it as well.

If the rear bumper is in your way, unscrew it. Look for a series of bolts at the edge of the frame that you can remove using a socket wrench.

C. Remove the base from the whip light by turning it counterclockwise. Each whip light has a black plastic base at one end. Remove it by turning the base counterclockwise by hand. Set the whip light aside for later use. The base is easier to install and wire, and light won't get in your way.

Place the light on the ground, such as on a clean towel, while removing the base. Although the base is not difficult to remove, take care to keep it safe so as not to drop anything.

base bracket install whip lights

D. Place the whip light base on top of the hole to install it. Pick up the power cord at the bottom of the base and thread it through the hole. Make sure to connect the base and put it flat on the frame quickly. Then, reattach the nut to the bottom of the base and turn it clockwise to tighten it.

The base should be located on top of the hole, so the lights are located above your vehicle. The power cord will also be underneath it, so it can be hidden along the frame.

E. Hang clamps to the frame as an alternative location for mounting whip lights. There are different types of brackets available, but a common one is a ring which can be clipped onto different parts of the vehicle. Remove the screws from the clamps, then secure them to the roll cage or another exposed bar on the frame, etc. Slide the whip light base into the mounting seat and replace the screws and nuts to secure it in place.

One possible location for mounting clamps is on the ATV's roll cage. Hang the clamps on the outside edge of the frame right above it.

Most mounting clamps hang vertically, but some can be placed horizontally. Use horizontal clamps if you plan to connect lights to horizontal bars. When you use the clamps, the lights will still rise into the air.

2. Running battery wiring

A. Strip 1⁄2 inch (1.3 cm) from the end of the light's power cord. The wires may be too short to connect to the vehicle's battery, but you can fix this by splicing additional wires. The base usually has a red wire and a black wire. Clip wire strippers to the end of each wire to pass through the casing, exposing a small section of underlying copper wire.

Please note that the correct wiring will vary greatly depending on the whip light you purchase. The Settings are similar no matter where you set up the lights, but you should refer to the user manual that comes with the whip light for more information.

Some whip lights come with wiring harnesses, so you don't have to splice individual wires. Some of them have 3 wires instead of 2.

wire harness diagram for whip lights

B. Insert the stripped power cable into the quick connector for splicing. Quick connectors are small plugs that both cover exposed wires and help you easily connect them to other wires. To simplify electrical wiring, use a pair of terminals for quick disconnection to insert the wire. Push the bare copper wire from the cable into the terminal.

There are other ways to splice wires together, such as by welding them and covering them with heat-shrink tubes. As long as the power cord is well connected, it doesn't matter what technology you use.

Connectors are usually not included in the whip light. Other components, such as additional wiring, must also be purchased separately online. Check online or visit your local hardware store.

C. Connect an 18awg power cable to the other end of the connector. Choose the one that matches the color of the power cord leading from the whip light base for wiring, usually black and red wires. Strip the 1⁄2 inch (1.3 cm) casing from the end of each wire and insert them into the connector. Make sure the wire color matches the color of the whip light base.

For example, place the new red wire in the terminal corresponding to the red baseline, and then do the same for the black wire.

D. Measure the distance from the light to the battery for wiring. 18awg wire powers your lights, but cutting it to the right length may be harder than what you expect. To ensure you get the correct length, use a tape measure to estimate the length of the vehicle. As a general rule, you'd better cut the wire longer than what you think. When you're done wiring and tying it along the frame, it won't stretch as much as you expect.

If your whip light comes with a full power cord, you don't have to make any measurements or cuts. This is only necessary when you use additional wiring to connect the power cord to the battery.

You won't be able to fit the entire coil of wire through the hole in the back end, so you'll have to cut it to connect it to the battery in front.

E. Use pliers to cut the 18awg power cable shorter. Use something strong, such as a lineman's pliers or wire cutters, to disconnect the wire. Cut the red and black 18 AWG wire to the same length. To protect the actual wiring, do not strip the casing until you have finished threading them through the vehicle.

Ensure that the wiring is intact and the length is correct. Once you cut it, you can't take it back. You will have to replace wires that have been cut too short from scratch.

F. Connect 18awg wire to the battery of the small ATV. Your vehicle will have batteries installed in the rear. Look under and behind the seat. The battery may also be exposed, so you don't even have to remove anything to get to it. Simply connect the wire directly to the battery to power the lights.

To prevent damage to the wires, wrap them around the frame and tie them down before attempting to connect them to the battery.

G. If you have a larger vehicle, run 18awg wire through the rear end. Check under the vehicle to see if there is a small opening leading to the rear seat. Thread the wires through the opening and allow them to enter your cab. Check inside the cab to make sure the wires are all the way through. If possible, you can remove the bumper to better track the wire.

If your vehicle has exposed batteries, such as some small single-seater ATVs, connect the wires directly to the battery.

H. Pull the wire along the side of the vehicle to the front end. Reach into the cab to find the wires and pull them forward. Let them lean against the side of the vehicle. If the wires are exposed, try running them along the frame. If your vehicle is carpeted, pull up the carpet to hide the wires underneath.

For example, if you have a truck, you can pry away the plastic trim along the door to lift up the carpet.

If you are installing multiple lights, run wires along opposite sides.

3. Remote control Settings

Whip lights are supported with app remote control or controllers. all details setup come with detail manual.

For Nilight led whip lights, pls visit this link to download the remote control manual for your reference.

You can isntall led whip lights on your nice ATVsUTVsRZRSXS4x4s

To meet different customer's need, nilight offer range sizes from 3FT to 6FT led whip lights and also the rock lights.

led whip lights sizes

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