GMT 800 LT, LS and base model fog light upgrade...

Martinjmpr

Wiffleball Batter
Hey, I just wanted to add to the knowledge base here - I read about a mod over on the Tahoe/Yukon forum that might be useful to those of us with LT/LS/Base model GMT800 trucks (won't work for the Z71s). Should work for most Yukon and Yukon XL models, too. As for the Silverado/Sierra, not sure if this would work or not since I'm not as familiar with them.
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The factory fog lights on these vehicles, quite simply, suck. They really look more like "marker lights" than anything that is actually designed to project a beam. Additionally, I've noticed it's quite common for the light covers to break off, probably due to road debris since they sit so low. When I bought my 'Burb in December, the lights worked but the light covers were missing.
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I figured there must be a better solution and sure enough, over on the Tahoe/Yukon forums, I found one that is simple, easy to install and best of all - pretty darn cheap!
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I'm not going to do a step-by-step because I think it's pretty obvious: Remove the factory lights (you turn a plug and pull the bulb carrier and bulb right out), remove the metal "reflector" with a pair of snips, cut the end off the cable to leave a pair of bare wires, and replace with this:
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http://www.amazon.com/autvivid-Floo...a_nav_t_1?ie=UTF8&refRID=105BEMQT4596WSZ1DX22
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The one thing you will need to do is get a longer mounting bolt - the bolt that comes with it is only about an inch long, and you will need 1 1/2" minimum. You will also need a large fender washer, about 1" or so in diameter, maybe a bit more.
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The mounting bolt goes through the hole that was previously occupied by the bulb and then I'd recommend drilling a 3/8" hole in the light housing to pass the wire through so you aren't trying to pass the wire and the bolt through the same hole (you can do that, but it makes the light slightly crooked - if you look at my pictures you can see the light on the driver's side has a slight tilt because I ran the wire and the bolt through the same hole. By the time I got to the passenger side I was smart enough to drill a separate hole for the wire.)
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Wiring couldn't be simpler, just connect the wires to the existing ones for the fog lights using your preferred method. I just taped mine, then wrapped the whole thing in more tape and finally covered it in wire loom, which I zip-tied up and out of the way.
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Here's the final result:
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2016-04-24 17.13.58_zpsxjigtide.jpg

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Note the slightly crooked look of the one on the driver's side.
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Light output seems impressive, especially compared to the stockers. Here's the output with low beams only, no fogs:
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2016-04-24 20.22.18_zpsoyxpqbhf.jpg

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And here it is with low beams and the fogs ON:
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2016-04-24 20.22.30_zpsfiyxgshu.jpg

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This one is fogs ONLY - no headlights (I do think the DRL's come on automatically with the fogs, though):
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2016-04-24 20.22.41_zpsqtb2obzg.jpg

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And here's what they look like from the left front:
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2016-04-24 20.23.00_zpsroatowgh.jpg

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This is an easy afternoon mod and well worth it for the additional light. Best of all my total cost was under $30. :wings:
 

ZMagic97

Explorer
Nice write up! My 06 W/T model doesn't have fogs, but I may add them in this location.

Thanks for sharing! :smiley_drive:
 

Burb One

Adventurer
I used to have something very similar to those down there, but that valence was just asking to get ripped off off-road.

I ended up adding two lights up front on top of the bumper and removed the valence.

Saying that, great job on the clean install!
 
Last edited:

rayra

Expedition Leader
I've been looking to add something like them, but placed in the two molded grooves in the bumper skin over the license plate. Nestled in there is good enough, but I haven't found any thin / narrow enough yet.
And the big round low 'driving lights' on the Z71 suck too.
 

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