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How-To: Install '07.5+ Cab Lights on '01-'07 Silverado

141K views 202 replies 71 participants last post by  hstechfl 
#1 · (Edited)
I couldn't find a good how-to to install cab lights on my '01 so I decided to write a in-depth one for anyone else who is looking. I had to use multiple threads, pictures, and dimensions to get them right. Hopefully this helps someone in the future.

This will work on all '01+ Silverado trucks. The dimensions used here are specific for the '01-'07 trucks. I'd assume the '07.5+ trucks will be a little different on the dimensions, but the theory is still the same.


Difficulty: 7 out of 10.

I give it a 7 out of 10 because of the drilling of a perfectly good cab roof is a little nerve racking.


Install Time: 3 hours

I did the install by myself, including all the measuring. The only help I got was a second person to measure to make sure the templates I made were taped in the correct location.


Tools Needed:
- #2 Phillips Screw Driver
- 1/4" Drive Ratchet
- 1/4" Drive Extension, 6"
- 1/4" Drive T15 Socket
- 1/4" Drive T20 Socket
- Drill (corded or cordless with a low speed setting)
- 7/64" Drill Bit (for metal)
- 5/8" Drill Bit (for metal)
- Touch-up Paint (to match truck color)
- Black Automotive Silicone
- 2" Painters Tape


Parts Needed:
- '07.5+ Driver Side Cab Light (GM Part #: 20966091)
- '07.5+ Passenger Side Cab Light (GM Part #: 20966092)
- '07.5+ Center Cab Light (GM Part #: 20966093)
- '02-'07 Cab Light Wiring Harness (GM Part #: 15846970)
- '08-'12 Cab Light Wiring Harness (GM Part #: 22823370) <-- This is for those wanting to do this to their '08-'12 trucks and make it plug and play



Prior to Install:

Prior to starting the install there is a couple things you can do to get ready.

First thing is fairly simple. The cab light wiring harness needs the wires swapped. The LED cab lights for the '07.5+ trucks are polarity sensitive. That means the positive and negative must be on the correct pins for them to work. The '03-'07 cab light wiring harness has them backwards to work with the '02-'07 lights. To do this, remove the blue keeper with a small flat screw driver. Once it is removed, you can pry the clip up that is holding the wire pin in and pull the pin out; do this for both pins. Once both pins are out, swap their locations with each other.

Next, you will want to cut the ring off from around the plug on the outer lights. This ring serves no purpose and will just cause you to have to drill a larger hole on the outer lights. I used a hack saw to cut the rings off with.

Next what you want to do is to make a set of templates for the cab lights. Since the cab lights do not come with a removable gasket to use as a marking point, making your own template is the only way to go.

Cut a 11/16" square hole in a section of card board. Now center the wiring portion of a light in that hole. Once it is centered, press the light down and trace the outline of the light on the cardboard. Use a sharp box cutter or a good pair of scissors to cut the outline out. Once it is cut out. Place the cutout under the light and screw the OEM screws into the card board. They should suck the cardboard up tight against the light.

Repeat the above for each light until you have 3 templates; one for each light.










Prepping the Interior for Cab Light Installation:

Now you can get the interior of the truck read for the cab light install. To do this you will need to take the sun visors, overhead console, and A-pillar trim pieces off.

To remove the sun visors (this will be the same for both visors), pop them out of the hold and pivot them towards the door. Use the T20 socket to remove the screw holding the clip to the cab. Now use the T15 socket to remove the 3x screws holding the actual sun visor to the cab. Repeat this for the opposite side.


Now, take the #2 Phillips Screwdriver and remove the single screw in the overhead console. This screw is located towards the windshield. Once that screw is removed, pop the console clips from the cab. Unplug the wiring going to the console and set the console out of the way.




Grab the top of each A-pillar trim and gently pull out. Once it is pulled out, you will be able to slide the A-pillar trim up out of the dash and lay it out of the way.




Remove the passenger side portion of the dash (same spot as the fuse box, only on the passenger side) to revel the distribution block the wiring harness will plug into.

Feed the dash end of the wiring down from the top of the dash by the A-pillar. You can follow the wires once it is down from the dash and wrap it into the distribution block. You can plug the wiring harness into the only open slot.





Feed the other portion of the wiring up the passenger A-pillar and across the roof to the driver side light area.



Cab Light Layout:

Now let's prep for the cab light install on the cab.

Take your 2" Painters Tape and cover the cab area. You will want to cover an area from the windshield up to about 10". This will give you plenty of room for the template layout and to keep from scratching the cab. The painters tape is there to help keep the paint from chipping around the area you are drilling and to make it easier to layout the templates.






Now you can start laying out your templates in their area. We will layout the outside lights first as the center light will be measured off each of the outer lights.

The driver side template goes 3.5" from the first ridge near the door to the outside portion of the light. The front of the driver side light goes 5" from the top of the black windshield trim. Make sure you measure the front of the light on both sides as the light needs to be curved to flow with the window. Use some of the painters tape to secure the template in its location once you have the measurements correct.

The passenger side template goes 3.5" from the first ridge near the door to the outside portion of the light. The front of the passenger side light goes 5" from the top of the black windshield trim. Make sure you measure the front of the light on both sides as the light needs to be curved to flow with the window. Use some of the painters tape to secure the template in its location once you have the measurements correct.

The center light goes 11" from the inside edge of each outer light to the outer edge of the center light. The center light also goes 5" from the top of the black windshield trim. Make sure to measure the center light to windshield trim in 2 places to make sure it is square with the windshield. Use some of the painters tape to secure the template in its location once you have the measurements correct.


In the picture below, you will see the ridge the outer lights are measured too.




In the picture below, you will see the dimensions as they pertain to the templates/lights.




Now is the spot where you start double, triple, and quadruple checking your measurements. It is a good idea to have someone else check the measurements. Tell them where to measure to and have them tell you what they measured. If they get the same as you, then your ready to start drilling.








Drilling the Cab:

Now you are ready to drill the cab.

I started by drilling the largest hole for each light. Start with a smaller, pilot bit and work your way up to the 5/8" bit. When drilling the cab, make sure your drill is on the lowest speed. Doing the step up and the low speed drill will ensure that your drill bit doesn't catch and distort the cab. Center the smaller drill bit in the square you cut out of the template. It is best to step your way up 5-6 times.

Once your are done with the larger hole, use the 7/64" drill bit to drill the mounting screw holes. With your template in place, you should be able to go through where the screws went through the cardboard. Again, make sure your drill is on its slowest speed.

Once your are done drilling all the holes (there should be 10 holes), remove the painters tape from the roof. Once the tape is removed, double check to make sure your plugs on the lights will fit in the large holes; make any adjustments to the hole as needed to make the light fit.

Once you know the plug fits, use your touch up paint to cover the bare metal. This will help prevent the bare metal from rusting.




Allow the touch up paint to dry for about 30 minutes.



Installing the Cab Lights:

Now you are ready to install the cab lights.

Start by taking the black automotive silicone and running a 1/8" bead around the large hole and putting a good dab on the screw holes.


 
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#2 ·
Now take and put the light down on top of where it will go. Use your #2 Phillips Screwdriver to screw the screws. You will want to screw the screws in until the rubber gasket under the screws starts to compress. This should pull the lights down flush with the cab.





Do this for each cab light until all 3 are installed.



Plugging the Cab Lights In:

Now go back into the truck and plug each cab light in. There should only be 3 plugs on the wiring harness you already stretched across the inside of the headliner.

Once they are all plugged in, turn the parking lights on and make sure the cab lights come on.






Reassembly of the Interior:

Now re-install the interior trim pieces in reverse order as you removed them.



Finished Product:

Now other than the color of the truck, your should look like this when done.











Enjoy!
 
#3 ·
this is amazing, exactly what ive been looking for!! no leaks yet??
 
#5 ·
No leaks yet. I just did the install today. I'd assume that with the silicone and OEM lights I will not have any leaks.
 
#65 ·
I was just wondering, I ordered the kit to do the install, did you use the plastic tabs for the screws that I see in some of your pictures when the lights are on the table. I didn't see that you used them in anyway in your pictures but just wondered if you ended up using them and just didn't get any pictures? Thanks in advance.
 
#6 ·
Awesome!

Sent from my MB865 using AutoGuide App
 
#9 ·
Thanks.

I'm trying to talk my brother into doing these on his '08 LMM, but he is hesitant to doing it. Maybe I can talk him into it.

You could go to a dealership and get the dimensions. Everything else should be the same other than the dimensions.
 
#10 ·
Maybe!

I got quoted 400 out the door with the recons


Before I was quoted 280 by the guy that did my lift but when he jumped off into it he said it wouldn't be right since the sunroof motor is there!?!? Idk. And every other shop I call where I live don't want to do it due to warranty

So I have to drive like 40 miles to a well known shop that boss had his lift and cab lights done on a new super duty sooooo I might just go that route

I'd chop a half ton to bits but cut my own roof ummmmmm idk!!
 
#12 ·
The local dealership body shop quoted me $140 to do the install if I had the parts (3 hours labor). I paid $218 shipped for the OEM lights from eBay and $32 shipped for the wiring harness from GM Parts Direct.

That would put me right at the $400 mark like your quote was only with OEM lights.

I don't like the Recon lights because they are not plug and play as advertised and they have multiple LED's in the center light instead of the 3. I like just the 3 lights, not the multiple lights in the center.



Great write up and even better looking truck..... That's one of the nicest obs trucks I have seen!
Thanks. I like doing write ups on modifications.

I appreciate the comments.
 
#13 ·
Ok, so i did this mod last night and your write up helped me tremendously! It took about an hour to make the templates and about 2 hours to install. The only thing i did different was i used the tinted LED NBS Recons instead of the OEMs but i still used the OEM harness which made the install a breeze.

Thanks again!!!!
 
#14 ·
Thanks for the feedback. Glad to see it helped someone.
 
#17 ·
I don't see why not. There are trucks from the factory with cab lights that use the same dimensions that have the sun roof.
 
#18 ·
Ok was jst curious. Was mentioned earlier in this thread something bout the sunroof motor being in the way. Also on my truck it looks like the onstar antanna and not sure what the other one is, maybe outside temp and compass, are positioned where the driver and passenger light would be, but i havent measured them out so i could def be wrong.
 
#19 ·
The other antenna is the XM antenna.

I don't think you will have a problem with the dimensions in the how-to interfering with the antennas.
 
#22 ·
I got the lights from a Chevrolet dealer located in Cincinnati, OH. They have them on eBay. All 3 lights were $218 shipped. If I wasn't on my phone I'd post a link for you.

I got the wiring harness from GM Parts direct for $32 shipped.

My local dealer wanted $375 for the lights and $250 for the wiring harness. They are a huge rip off. On all their parts they usually charge 2-3 times list price. I usually drive 50 miles to another dealer when I need GM parts in a hurry.
 
#23 ·
#25 ·
It took me a while to find them also, kind of finicky.

It will be under BODY HARDWARE/CAB/ROOF LAMPS

There are a few harnesses depending on your set up...

Cale
 
#26 ·
Question for MJONESJR or anyone else...does a load equalizer need to be installed since we are putting LEDs into a system made for incandescent lamps? Thanks for the write up, my parts are ordered and at my dad's, I am going to plug them in for a lights test tomorrow to be sure they work before I drill me some holes in the roof... :)

Cale
 
#27 ·
any leaks yet??
 
#28 ·
There isnt any reason for them to leak. Clean surfaces and proper sealant will keep them from leaking
 
#30 ·
The part numbers are listed near the top of the diy, fyi
 
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