Installing Underglow Neon

Installing your own underglow neon kit is a fairly straightforward process. There are a few things you should know before taking on this project that can make or break your results.

The first thing to do is to get the car up on sturdy jackstands. Unpack all your materials, and go ahead and get some good zip ties and small wire conduit, as they will help in the installation. Look under the vehicle on each side. We will start by placing the 2 largest bulbs on the sides. You want to find a good spot centered on the side of the car, but clear of the jack points. There is usually a small lip just behind the side skirts or the side of the underbody. That is usually the best placement for the bulbs. Some kits come with a reflective background. Make sure there is adequate clearance to mount the bulbs and the reflective background without being able to see the bulbs from outside the car. The bulb harnesses will come with self tapping screws that you can drill in place to secure the bulbs to the vehicle. Line up the bulbs and drill in the center harness. If you don't have self tapping screws, drill some small pilot holes about 1/4 inch deep. Secure the ends in place in the same manner and the side bulbs are secured.

The rear and front bulbs may be a little more tricky to find the right place to anchor them. You can usually place them under the bumper cover, but I have found great success attaching them to the subframe using a couple of zip ties zipped together. This allows the light to project forward from underneath the bumper. If the light is secured under the bumper cover, the bumper prohibits the light from shining outwards from underneath. Either way will work, but the former method will give a better result.

The rear should be treated just like the front. Try to mount it in a location facing outwards where light will be able to get outside of the bumper, but where you won't see the bulbs. Zip ties work well here too. Once this is secured in place, its time to run the wires. I like to use small conduit for this as it gives a professional, clean installation. Zip tie the wires along the frame and bring them together underneath the car. attach them together (not the actual wires, but just bundled together) and run them up through the engine compartment in a slightly larger conduit so all 4 wires will fit. If you plan to mount the control box inside the car, you can run them inside the car as you would an amplifier primary cable. Otherwise, find a flat spot to mount your controller under the hood. Secure it in place, and trim up any excess wiring. Attach the wiring, and run the primary power wires to the appropriate sources.

There is a switch that is mounted inside the vehicle. You can use the given switch, or choose to add a fighter style switch or other aftermarket switch. The provided switches will look really nice recessed into the dash, created a factory finish. I have been able to drill the right sized hole in the dash and place the switch next to other factory switches, which really makes for a great install.

Majestic Modifications is the complete car customization concept, specializing in car accessories, cold air intakes and performance upgrades, auto parts, body kits and exterior accessories, glow gauges and interior accessories, wheels and tires, mobile video, car audio and electronics.

By Matt Brooks