Need some advice on Topper / Camper / Cap / Shell installation & wiring

snipped-for-privacy@gmail.com wrote: "I just purchased a fiberglass topper for my 97 dakota to replace my dying tonneau and add some cargo-room. I made the mistake of ordering it while on vacation (in the town where I'm vacationing) but got a good price straight from the factory (in town). However, they can't install it for me as it will be finished this Thursday and they only do installs on Wednesday. I'm sure I'll be able to get the thing up on the box, but I'm unsure of exactly how to wire the third brake light for the topper. Can anyone tell me about where a ground post would be located at (to keep the wiring clean), and whether I should tap into one of the truck's brake lights or rather to the trailer wiring connector? Any advice on installing these things would be appreciated :)"

Ask them how they wire it up when they install it. They may sell a wiring kit that will plug inline with your existing tail light wiring.

Sarge

the last time i had a topper professionally installed they wired it directly to the left brake light. that was done by a topper specialty shop (thats basically all they did, tops and slide-in campers)

that and a few clamps and they were done, 15 min tops

Wouldn't your center brake light flash with the left turn signal on?

I suppose that would be likely.... hmmm... I wonder if the same would be true for tapping into the tow plug...

Then again, it wouldn't really harm anything to have it blinking. Unless there are laws against it.

The trailer plug has separate left and right turn signal wires too. My brake light was wired by the company that I got my cap from. I never really looked to see how they did it. It might be tapped off the wire for the center brake light on the back of the cab or from the brake light switch under the pedal. I guess either of those wires would work.

i thought the same thing and never tried to verify but none the less thats what they did.

The wiring for mine comes out of the left rear stake pocket into the bed but I never thought it was wired from the turn signal wire. I'll have to pull the tail-light lens one of these days and see if that's how they wired it. My center brake light only comes on when my foot is on the brake and does not flash with either turn signal. I never looked at it with the hazard flashers on so I don't know if it flashes with them or not.

that sounds like how they did my 96 s15. straight to the left brake light and run the wires out the stake pocket up to the CHMSL in the top. like i said i wondered about the flash deal but then never actually had anyone look or looked myself as it wasnt gonna bug me *grin*. i couldnt see the light from the driver seat anyways!