Cali Raised Ditch Light Bracket Kit For 3rd Gen Tundra – Install & Review

Cali Raised Low-Profile Ditch Light Brackets & LED Light Pod Kit For 3rd Gen (2022+) Tundra – Install, Review & Overview

It’s time to add some lighting to the Tundra. While the factory lighting is adequate for street use – those who take their rigs camping, down trails, or to the local meet up are always in need of that next accessory. So let’s add some ditch lights.

These lights are mounted higher than the headlights and mounted at the hood hinge area and point at a 45 degree angle away from the centerline of the vehicle. The reason for getting the light up high and angled is it illuminate a large area and fill in the sides of the road where ditches are – hence being called ditch lights.

Ditch lights are great for filling in the lighting gap that the headlights and fog lights cannot cover. This comes in hand when off-roading or just seeing what’s happening on the side of the road (like animals). The kit I chose from Cali Raised came with two side projecting LED pods, low profile brackets, factory style switch and a wiring harness. You do have other options to choose from for lighting as well. I highly recommend the OEM-style switch.

Required Tools

• Fish tape
• 12mm & 13mm socket/wrench

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• Cali Raised Ditch Light Bracket Kit For 3rd Gen Tundra: Check Price

Step 1. Disconnect Hood Hinge

I like to install the brackets first. Mostly because I hate wiring projects.

Begin by opening the hood. Then use the 12mm socket or wrench to loosen ONE of the hinge bolts on the hood side of the hinge. If you remove both bolts, the hood will completely disconnect. You may damage your truck or have issues with alignment. Just be careful.

I started with the top bolt (closest to the front of the truck).

Step 2. Install Brackets

The Cali Raised brackets are labeled with a P and a D for passenger and driver side so you really can’t get it wrong.

Put a rag over the hood by the hinge to protect the paint while doing this step.

Slide the bracket, under the hood from the windshield side, long flat side first. Then align the bolt bracket with he bolt hole you removed in step on and reinstall the bolt. Tighten it down and back off a quarter turn so you can still rotate the hinge.

With the second bolt removed, rotate the bracket so the holes line up and reinstall the bolt. Tighten this one down good and snug. Then tighten down the first bolt so it is tight.

Now repeat these steps on the opposite side you started from.

Step 3. Assemble LED pods

To assemble the pods you will use the supplied Allen key and long hex screws, washers, and nuts that came with the lights.

Slide the mounting bracket into the light with the rounded side facing the lens side of the light. Then drop a nut into the nut slot next to the mount towards the middle of the light.

Once you have the nut in place put a washer on the hex screw and put it through the light from the outside going towards the middle and into the nut. Repeat on the opposite side of the light.

Do this again for the second light.

Leave the nuts loose enough to still move with a little pressure so you can adjust them before final tightening.

Step 4. Attach Lights To Brackets

Close the hood and place a rag between the bracket and the hood once closed.

You will need the supplied washers, lock nuts, and two 13mm or 1/2” wrenches.

Place the bolt through the light mount and into the top of the mounting bracket and a place the washer and lock nut on the bolt shank and tighten down then back off a little bit so you have some play. Repeat on the opposite side.

Step 5. Route Wires

Open the hood again and run the light wires into the engine bay.

Everyone has their own ideal wiring solutions so this part may be deviated from as you see fit for your aesthetic.

I ran the wires from the light under the corners of the wiper tray. The inside corners pop out and are pretty flexible which wont pinch the wire and still seal the hood.

Fish the wire harness for the switch through the firewall grommet. I used a razor blade to puncture the grommet. There us no need to make a huge hole, about 1/2″ is enough.

Then I pushed a fish tape through the opening from the engine bay to the cab.  Then attached the wires to the tape and pulled the wires though. Be sure to leave about 24” in the cab.

Step 6. Install OEM Style Switch

To install the factory style switch, use a nylon pry tool or a flat blade screw driver and place it between the edge of the small accessory switch panel and the dash on the top side of the switch panel.

The reason for this is that it is soft and less likely to mar your dash. The panel will pop out pretty easily.

Then select the blank location you want to use for the switch and pop it out using a small screwdriver and placing it between the switches and gently popping out the blank. These blanks do have wires on the back side, disconnect them since you have no need for the connection.

Step 7. Wire Switch

Then feed the switch wire from the front side into the panel, connect the switch and pop it into place.

Then push the panel back into place by lining up the tabs on the bottom and rotating into place. You should feel and hear a click when it is back in place.

Step 8. Connect Wiring To Battery

Forgive my messy wiring. We will work on it.

Using the supplied harness connect the terminals to the battery, red to positive and black to negative. Next, mount the relay. I didn’t want to drill any holes in the truck just yet since I plan on running a Switch Pros panel in the future, which will eliminate the relay.

I tried to mount to relay to the bolt that holds the battery down, but that didn’t work, so for a temporary install I zip tied the relay to the battery tie down bar. Then ran the leads from the relay to the lights and connect the switch to the main harness. Now you can activate the switch and see if it all works.

Step 9. Clean Up Wiring

This will be personal preference and pre-planning for other mods. I coiled the extra wire on the driver’s side and tucked it down by the wheel well under the brake booster by the wheel well ensure it wont hit the turbo.

Then I ran the wires across the top of the engine bay and zip tied them where I could to keep them off of anything hot or fuel related. This will eventually all be cleaned up and wrapped into one harness to give it a factory look. Once your wires are routed and secured you’re done. Now go light up some ditches.

Review – Light Output

These little pods put off quite a lot of light! Look how well the side of the road is illuminated.

Another angle from behind the truck and above the roof.

Final Thoughts

The Cali Raised ditch light brackets are some of the lowest profile ditch lights I’ve seen to date. This give the lights a clean look that flows well with the body lines of the truck.

The light output is more than enough to light up the ditch and the side shooting LEDs provide a nice wide light pattern to cover more than just the ditch. One could easily use them illuminate a decent sized camp site. No one said they could only be used for ditches.

I love the factory style switch that blends seamlessly into the dash, yet, is still easy to locate among a sea of white witches with its blue backlight color.  The kit was easy to install and wire taking a total of about an hour. What are you waiting for?