Versatility is one of the biggest advantages of owning a pickup truck. Even in their base form, these workhorses are loaded with features that make them incredibly useful for day-to-day life—whether you’re hauling gear, towing a trailer, or navigating rough terrain. Their real potential, however, lies in their adaptability and with a wide array of aftermarket options at your fingertips, you can customize your truck to perfectly suit your unique needs.
While many people picture truck customization as a big lift kit and oversized tires, these are often just cosmetic upgrades for most owners. If you truly want to get the most out of your truck, focus on upgrading the bed.
There are many ways to elevate your truck bed’s utility, from toolboxes and tonneau covers to bed slides and drawer systems. However, we’re here to remind you not to overlook the impact of truck bed lighting upgrades. In fact, out of all the possible enhancements you can make, bed lighting might just offer the most significant improvement to your truck's overall performance and usability.
What is Truck Bed Lighting?
When it comes to vehicle lighting, everyone has a different idea of what it means. Some people think of aesthetic lighting for style, while others consider lights for visibility, and in the case of pickup trucks, utility lighting often comes to mind. So, where does truck bed lighting fit into the mix? The truth is, it can cover all of these bases.
Truck bed lighting is a broad category—and a versatile upgrade that caters to a range of needs. Whether you’re looking for cargo lights to help you see what’s in the bed, tailgate light bars for added visibility on the road, or work lights to illuminate the job site, there are plenty of options available from a long list of manufacturers. Before you dive in, let’s break down what each type of lighting has to offer, so you can make the best choice for your truck.
Types of Truck Bed Lighting
Truck bed lighting comes in various forms to suit your needs. Below, we explore the most popular types and recommend top products and trusted brands to help you make the right choice.
Tailgate Light Bars
One of the most popular aftermarket upgrades for truck beds, tailgate light bars are all about making your truck more visible to others on the road. They connect to your truck’s taillights and provide additional lighting to signal when you’re turning, braking, or using hazard lights, ensuring that other drivers can clearly see your actions. As an added bonus, they add a touch of style to the rear of your vehicle, giving it a more customized and eye-catching look.
Check out Parts Via’s selection of tailgate light bars from top brands like Anzo, Putco, Rampage, and Recon. With options to fit any truck, you’re sure to find the perfect match for your vehicle.
Cargo Lights
Cargo lights come in various types to suit different needs but ultimately serve to illuminate your truck bed and make it easier to see what's inside. You can enhance factory-installed cargo lights by upgrading to brighter LED options, or you can add extra lighting with tube lights or LED strips. These additional lights can be installed around the truck bed, under the rails, or along the tailgate, providing light right where you need it.
Warning Lights
Warning lights enhance safety by alerting other drivers to your vehicle’s presence, making them essential for work trucks that operate in high-traffic or low-visibility environments. While they are commonly mounted on a vehicle's roof, they can also be installed on truck bed upgrades like headache racks for added visibility.
Whether you're on the job or just looking to boost safety, warning lights are a key addition to any vehicle in demanding conditions. Parts Via offers a range of high-quality options, from flashing LED beacons to low-profile strobe lights, from trusted brands like Holman, HELLA, Buyers Products, Star Warning, and ECCO.
Work Lights
Truck beds offer versatile mounting options for work lights, making it easy to illuminate your workspace. Many aftermarket LED work lights come with pedestal mounts, allowing you to position them precisely where they’re needed. This setup is perfect for enhancing visibility at job sites or boosting campsite illumination when overlanding. Whether you're working on a project or setting up camp, work lights mounted in your truck bed ensure you have the perfect light right where you need it.
Underbody Lighting
Don't overlook the undercarriage when considering truck bed lighting. Underbody lighting adds a personalized touch to your vehicle, a favorite among custom builders for years. If you’d like to enhance style while also boosting visibility, rock lights are a great option. Mounted under the truck’s body—typically on the chassis or wheel wells—rock lights help illuminate obstacles and improve visibility during off-road adventures or nighttime driving.
Parts Via can help make your truck both stylish and functional with underbody and rock light kits from top brands like ORACLE, RaceSport, Rigid, and more.
Lighting Specs to Consider
It's one thing to dream of an effective lighting combination; it's another to properly plan one out and install it. In an effort to familiarize you with all aspects of truck bed lighting, keep these important factors in mind when shopping:
Lumens: Lumens are a rating attached to all lights. It's a unit of measurement that refers to how bright a light actually is. The higher the number, the brighter the light. It's a good number to reference, but be aware that some manufacturers may exaggerate their claims, particularly in lower-quality products. Reputable brands usually provide accurate ratings, but it's always wise to check reviews and product details to ensure you're getting the brightness you need.
Power Source: All aftermarket lights require electrical power to work, but how they get it differs from model to model. For example, tailgate light bars often plug into the trailer harness for a simple installation, while other lights might tap into the vehicle's 12-volt supply via hard wiring. Some lights might operate independently of the truck altogether. This is a detail to pay close attention to when shopping, since it determines how difficult it will be to install the lights and if it's something you want to do on your own.
Mounting Style: When choosing truck bed lighting, consider how each light mounts. Work lights, for instance, often use pedestal mounts that require drilling holes for installation. On the other hand, warning lights might need additional upgrades like headache racks for proper mounting. Some lights simply use adhesive backing or fit into existing slots, requiring no modification at all. In any case, this is something you want to read into ahead of time to avoid surprises. While it may make no difference for a work truck, it is something you want to be careful of if you're trying to uphold the resale value of your daily driver.
Shop Parts Via for Quality Lighting Solutions
Whether you’re looking to enhance safety, improve visibility, or add a touch of style, Parts Via’s wide selection of truck bed lighting options includes trusted brands and reliable products designed to meet your needs. Explore our collection today and find the perfect lighting solutions to make your truck both functional and standout. Shop now at Parts Via and brighten up your drive!