Anyone have a DIY rear light on a Cabbed Grand L?

[Brahmus]

Lights in the front are fine, but reversing in the dark proves a bit harder!! Anyone fab up a light in the back?

 

[KennyV]

Like these?...
They are 55 watt quartz flood pick them or at about any auto parts place. Even Wal Mart has them around $20 easy install my Grand L4200 had wiring already in the roof of the cab, I just picked up another Kubota lighted pushbutton switch like the one for the front work lights. KennyV.

 

[LRH]

Lights in the front are fine, but reversing in the dark proves a bit harder!! Anyone fab up a light in the back?

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Not on a Grand L, but on all the other tractors I have had in the last 26 years. Kubota does offer a light kit, but if you only want it for occasional backing you could save a bit and just add 1 light down low vs the 2 on the rear cab upper. I have a good source for lamp assy's through TruckLite, but on my NH I purchased the "Speaker" brand that supplies NH and others as I liked how they look and work. These use rectangular sealed beams vs H3 bulbs and I replaced the supplied sealed beams with 65W halogens; one with a 70 x 30 spread and the other with a 20 x 80 spread. Whatever you get, get a flood beam or a trapezoid beam; don't buy automotive fog lamps or driving lamps, as one is too wide with no height, and the other is too concentrated where if you shine it close to the tractor all you will get is a 2-3' diameter spot. On my B3030 cab, I just added 2 front, and 2 rear US made LED lamps; they are just rigged in place now, wiring just taped up to test workability and placement before I produce better brackets for the rear for permanent mounting. I have been planning on asking a question similar to yours for a while, but pertaining specifically to the B3030 HSDC, and you have prompted me to do so, thanks

 

[txkevin]

I used a magnetic flood light from Gemplers attached to the under side of my ROPS recently. It cost $28 and did great. I liked that it can point forward, rear or can be moved around such as to illuminate a flat tire or to check under the machine. It produced plenty of light for me. I was worried about it falling on my head so I got a piece of velcro and ran it around the ROPS and the lights magnetic base. This worked fine. There was no real annoying strobe effect from the light moving around either.

Here is description of the Magnetic Flood Light.
Flood light features a 4"x6" lens and black, ABS plastic housing with a 3-1/8"-dia. magnet. Ideal for temporary placement on your tractor or vehicle. High-performance, composite light is powered by a bright, 55-watt halogen bulb. Includes a 15-ft. cord with a 12-volt cigarette lighter plug. Light measures 4-1/2"Hx6-7/8"Wx3"D. Total exposed height is 5-3/8". Imported.

 

[Brahmus]

Like these?...
Even Wal Mart has them around $20 easy install my Grand L4200 had wiring already in the roof of the cab, I just picked up another Kubota lighted pushbutton switch like the one for the front work lights. KennyV.

Is there wiring under the headliner and just tucked away? all I need to do it plug and play?

 

[texasjohn]

I installed a pair of rear lights high on my cab... the roof is relatively easy to remove, just a few bolts. It is light but best to have an extra hand to take it off and replace it... just because it is large and difficult to handle. There ARE wires in the headliner... i didn't find a real simple plug where I could just "plug and play" but using a voltmeter I was able to find 12 Volts available and install a separate switch in one of the blank spots next to the other controls.

Recommendation.... don't do like I did... I installed two lights that have a point beam... wish I had installed a couple that were more of a broad beam. However, they work and are just the ticket when it's dark and you need to see back there.

 

[KennyV]

Brahmus:
The factory wiring was under the outer covering. Also the fused power line was already ran from the fuse panel to the location to the right of the radio. All I had to do is pick up the square green pushbutton switch shown in the attached photo. There is another set of wires going to the rear, I assume they are for the rear windshield wiper option that I do not have. KennyV.

 

[forester2]

Question for LRH on his B3030; did you use the plugs in place at the back of the cab or just cut and splice? If so, how are these switched or did you run a seperate line? The plugs aready there seem like an odd fitting.

 

[LRH]

Question for LRH on his B3030; did you use the plugs in place at the back of the cab or just cut and splice? If so, how are these switched or did you run a seperate line? The plugs aready there seem like an odd fitting.

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The fronts I mounted and used the front lamp plugs, tested for corect light dispersion/aim/clearence from windshield etc, the rears I just mounted on the factory amber flasher bracket with the amber lamps present and removed using several straight and 90 degree brackets I have from past projects. I also checked for clearance issues but and did hook up to a 12V battery pack from a drill to test aim; but there is so much room in the rear that no problem exists as far as aiming the lamps correctly, but I am trying to keep them as far inboard as possible to keep from the small tree limbs. The only real rear mounting problem is a fully open rear window. As for wiring; the poster "ductape" shows the harness he thinks is the rear lamp harness; I have not yet pulled it down from the headliner to test. The 2 wire harness under/behind the seat is hot with ign on, it is listed as an aux plug, to use as you want, buy primarily for just a cig lighter/power point. The unused plugs at rear of cab are the same as the front lamps, and are a very small gauge, but the B3030 lamps are only 35W, not 55W as some/most, and that is one reason I am using the high dollar LED's; mostly for the performance, but it also keep me from having to re-wire as the lamps only draw very little amperage. My B3030 only has the 40 amp alt, and even above idle speed front factory lamps dim as the flashers flash with the A/C on. The LED's, besides drawing little amperage, also give the same light output from ~7 up to 14 volts, with overvoltage protection above 14 volts. Kubota designs and builds good equipment, but it appears the wiring is on the thin side which creates a lot of resistance/voltage drop; and as far as a quick look goes, it appears that there no relays for the lighting system nor the aux plug(s). In my other post I was asking for someone who has a tractor purchased with the rear lamps, or purchased a kit and installed, as I do not know anymore than you where the switch mounts, nor whether or not the above headliner wiring is actually the rear lamp harness or not.

EDIT: At present, none of the lamps are functional; the fronts need shorter bolts that look better, as well as the bullet connectors installed, and for the rears I need to locate the harness, I want the install to look and function well; and have it look like a factory install to the average person, not like something half rigged. Also sorry to have used so much space on Brahmus's original post.

 

[RFB]

I installed the Kubota OEM rear lights on my 5030HSTC.

The switch and lights are plug and play, but I had to call my wrench to find the wires in the rear.

Like Tx John said, you lift the cab lid, and install the switch; it just snaps into an open slot, and there is a plug connector ready for it right there.

The wiring at the rear is not intuitive. It concealed in black electrical tape and taped to the rear flasher bracket. If you did not know it was there, you would not unwind the tape to find it.

With all of that, I am disappointed with Kubota work lights. They are dim candles.

I am thinking of switching to these: OPTRONICS COMPETITION SERIES DRIVING LIGHTS - CarParts Quality Discount Parts and Accessories

Regardless of the page info (I did independent research on the product.), these are actually MR16 bulbs (like JD uses on their construction line) and quite bright. 12 volt MR16 bulbs in all degree spreads are easy to find for small $.