Jeep 3rd Brake Light Install

During my aftermarket rear bumper install, I realized I needed a third brake light. Check Your state's 3rd brake light law. 

My new rear bumper. 

Maryland law states -- 

"Section 22-206(a)(1): Every motor vehicle registered in this State and sold as a new vehicle after June 1, 1967, shall be equipped with at least two stop lamps."   

I went with the Barricade Adjustable Brake Light Bracket with LED Light

3rd Brake light. 

Install Steps

This install was pretty simple once I figured out the wiring. First, I needed the factory wiring harness, which I had all ready removed from the old brake light.

Using an allen wrench to tighten the mount 

With an Allen Wrench, I removed the LED light adjustable bracket from the mount. 

3rd brake light mount

Then bolted it to the pre-drilled holes for the factory spare tire mount.  

3rd brake light and wiring harness 

Now it was time to wire up the LED light to the factory wiring harness.  I needed to cut the factory brake light wires at the plug and connect those wires to the LED wires. However, I was a little puzzled. The LED has three wires and the harness has too. 

The directions stated -- Connect the black factory wire to the white LED light wire and the white/orange factory wire to the red LED light wire. There was still the third black wire. I didn't know what to do with this wire. I was told to just secure it with heat shrink and leave it so that is what I did.

3rd brake light

I'm told by a fellow Jeeper that this is a standard STT trailer light used with this application. That is because they are inexpensive, readily available, and mount easily with the grommet. These lights have a circuit for running lights and turn signal/stop. Hence the name STT - Stop Turn Tail.

My solder set up. 

You can attach these wires with butt connectors.  I decided to solder, heat shrink, and liquid tape them together. Just like I learned when I wired up my Raxiom LED Lights

Once all the wires were connected, I inserted the LED 3rd brake light into the adjustable bracket with a firm push. Then attach the brake light bracket to the mount attached to the tailgate.

Wiring harness on the 3rd brake light. 

I had to get creative with the wires by running the wiring harness down the bracket to the hole in the tailgate. Then plugged the wires back into the brake lights. 

Lighted 3rd brake light.