Trans reverse switch not wired

[DaddySniper75]

My CJ7 , has not had reverse lights that ever worked. I crawled under the jeep today and seen the switch is not wired at all. It has two wires coming off with a plug on the end. The CJ was rewired before i purchased it so I have no idea how it was wired or if it was correct. I'm trying to figure out how to wire in independent reverse lights (not linked to brake lights) that come on when the manual Transmission is placed in reverse. I'm not a smart electrical guy, any ideas?

 

[Captainlance]

Hi,
If you wish to add independent reverse lights, it's simple. From the backup switch, connect one wire to the new lamps "hot" lead, ground the other. From the second pin of the reverse switch, connect a wire to switched 12 volts (hot lead). if you use a test lamp, you will find this switched 12 volts at the back of the ignition switch and at various places on the fuse block.

 

[DaddySniper75]

CPT Lance, thanks for your help. Greatly appreciate it

 

[DaddySniper75]

CPT, I wired them up but they do night light. The reverse switch is working and have juice to the light. When I hook it up, the hot and grounds are both become hot. Is this normal and my ground is not good enough? Am I doing something wrong or is it possibly the wire gauge that's not allowing enough juice to light up the halogen bulb?

 

[Torxhead]

Check for any short and any weakness in the connection and any continuity between the positive wire and ground. You could check your grounds by running a jumper wire from the housing to the battery negative to see if the light gets any brighter. AMC used as small of a wire they could get away with to save money, I do feel the existing wire is good enough.

 

[Captainlance]

Your ground is not a ground, clean the area of paint, grease, etc. make it shiny.
Then if that does not help, run a separate wire from the neg. side of the light to the neg. terminal of the battery as a test. you may need a new ground strap from the neg post of the battery to the body.

CPT, I wired them up but they do night light. The reverse switch is working and have juice to the light. When I hook it up, the hot and grounds are both become hot. Is this normal and my ground is not good enough? Am I doing something wrong or is it possibly the wire gauge that's not allowing enough juice to light up the halogen bulb?

 

[JR74CJ5]

Are these switches side specific? Basically is there a in and out or doesn't matter as it just connects posts together when reverse gear is selected?

I only ask because I rewired my jeep and this was one of the only things that didn't work. I haven't taken the time to pull the Transmission cover off and check it out yet...

I assume it doesn't matter which is source and acc post wise, but just in case...

 

[Captainlance]

The switch will work either way, it is not polarity-sensitive.

Are these switches side specific? Basically is there a in and out or doesn't matter as it just connects posts together when reverse gear is selected?

I only ask because I rewired my jeep and this was one of the only things that didn't work. I haven't taken the time to pull the Transmission cover off and check it out yet...

I assume it doesn't matter which is source and acc post wise, but just in case...