What Are the Best Tailgate Light Bars?

When the tail lights don’t provide enough illumination for your truck’s rear, get a tailgate light bar. The lighting accessory makes your truck easier to see at night and improves its rear end’s appearance. But what are the best tailgate light bars in the market? What should you look for in a new tailgate light?

Best Tailgate Light Bars

Dorman 923-025 Tailgate Light Bar

You can’t go wrong with this tailgate light. The Dorman 923-025 tailgate light bar combines rugged practicality and an appealing appearance. Rated for 50 watts, it makes your truck more visible during the night, reducing the chances of getting rear-ended by the vehicle behind you. In addition to improving road safety and awareness, It also touches up your truck’s rear end.

A direct-fit design, the Dorman 923-025 has the same fit and functionality as the stock tailgate light bar on certain Dodge Ram and Ram trucks. Installation is a breeze because it can use the same connection ports and runs at the same voltage. The Dorman 923-025 can perform the same roles as the old tailgate light.

The Dorman 923-025 tailgate light bar isn’t just some pretty assembly of lights. Made of quality materials and assembled in a world-class facility, this lighting part can shrug off bad weather and handle sharp jolts when driving off-road. You can depend on the Dorman tailgate light to last a long time and deliver good performance throughout its service life.

Compatible With:

• 2010 Dodge Ram 2500
• 2010 Dodge Ram 3500
• 2010 Dodge Ram 4500
• 2010 Dodge Ram 5500
• 2011-2012 Ram 2500
• 2011-2016 Ram 3500
• 2011-2012 Ram 4500
• 2011-2012 Ram 5500

Mictuning 60-Inch Triple 504 LED Tailgate Strip

The Mictuning light-emitting diode (LED) tailgate light bar is a rugged, versatile product. A whopping 5 feet in length, the tailgate strip features more than 500 LEDs arranged in triple rows. Furthermore, the strip is flexible, enabling it to fit in various spaces and follow the contours of the truck’s tailgate.

Thanks to its large number of LEDs of different colors, the Mictuning tailgate strip goes beyond mere running lights that augment the tail lights. It can operate as low red running lights, bright red braking lights, amber turn signal lights, white backup lights, and amber emergency strobe lights that flash repeatedly.

But don’t assume the Mictuning tailgate strip will break easily just because it’s flexible and capable of handling multiple functions. The tailgate light bar boasts an Ingress Protection (IP) rating of 67 for keeping dust and water out of its internals.

Tough silicone seals both ends of the Mictuning tailgate light bar, preventing the entry of moisture and solids. If water somehow gets into the strip, an inline fuse protects the device from damage caused by short circuits. The protections ensure the tailgate light runs no matter how hot, cold, dry, or wet it gets.

Designed for plug-and-play installation, the Mictuning tailgate strip features a 4-pin flat plug. Installing the tailgate light is as straightforward as plugging its connector into the appropriate port. It has self-adhesive tape that can stick to any smooth surface.

The Mictuning tailgate light bar is compatible with practically all popular truck models. It can also be fitted on many SUVs. However, some European vehicles might not support the lighting accessory.

LIGBT 60-Inch LED Trunk Tailgate Light Bar

The LIGBT tailgate light bar is the choice for drivers who desire the functionality and benefits of a larger lighting unit at a budget-friendly price tag. While it has only one row of LEDs, its 90 diodes deliver the same functions. The LIGBT light strip can serve as running lights, backup lights, brake lights, and sequential turn lights.

Furthermore, the LIGBT tailgate light bar has an IP68 rating. Its silicone housing keeps all dust out and can withstand immersion for long periods as long as the water doesn’t reach a certain pressure level.

The main downside to the LIGBT tailgate light bar is its brightness. Make no mistake–LED lights shine brighter than halogen lights of the same size. However, the LIGBT part has fewer LEDs than other, larger equivalents. It produces less illumination, making it less bright than a tailgate light with multiple rows containing hundreds of LEDs.

A flexible strip design ensures the LIGBT tailgate light bar can fit in various vehicle types and models.

Nilight TR-04 60-Inch Tailgate Light Bar

Last but not least is the Nilight TR-04 tailgate light bar. With a total of 504 individual LEDs, the TR-04 shines clearly. Its triple rows enable the part to display sequences indicating your vehicle is braking, backing up, turning in one direction, or running normally. It can also operate in strobe mode to indicate an emergency with your truck.

The Nilight tailgate light bar is sealed tight against dust and moisture. It uses strong adhesive tape to attach itself to the tailgate. There’s no need to drill holes into body panels to act as mounting points.

Hooking up the Nilight tailgate light bar to the electrical system is as simple as plugging the flat 4-pin connectors into the standard receiving ports. Once the tailgate strip has plugged into the vehicle, it’s good to go.

Compared to costlier tailgate light bar products, the Nilight TR-04 has a shorter service life. However, it still lasts longer than its non-LED counterparts, especially since its LED bulbs are expected to last up to 34,000 hours. It’s also more affordable than other tailgate light products.