The Cab Light Cure For Aging OBS Fords

In the age of $100,000 Super Duty’s and in an atmosphere where the witch hunt for emissions violators is unceasing, many diesel owners are holding onto their older trucks—and boatloads of others are actively buying up the pre-DPF workhorses. Such is the case with old body style (OBS) Fords, especially the ’94.5-’97 Power Strokes. But age isn’t often kind to 30-year-old vehicles, and cosmetic and mechanical issues are inevitable. Luckily, there are companies like Complete Performance, an operation specializing in ’92-’97 F-Series trucks that’s built a reputation for offering high-quality, OEM-replacement parts for them.

With a ’97 F-350 in dire need of fresh cab lights, we sourced a direct replacement set from Complete Performance. Unlike the cheap Chinese knockoffs you’ll find elsewhere online, these cab lights feature both a fully sealed lens-to-base design and a base that matches the curvature of the roof—meaning moisture will never be a problem thanks to a good seal. They match the appearance and quality of the OEM units, and they install in minutes. We commend Complete Performance for all they do to keep these trucks on the road and looking good.

Face it, the cab lights mounted to the roof of your truck are part of its identity. When they crack, fade, lift, or blow a bulb, the entire look of your pride and joy is changed, and not for the better. After 26-plus years, this one had seen better days. In addition to the cracked base, notice the multiple hairline cracks present throughout the lens. With the internal foam seal also deteriorating, any moisture making it into this cab light had the potential of reaching the mounting hole in the roof. Out of all five cab lights, this one was in the worst shape, but it was definitely time for all of them to go.

And even though none of the other cab lights looked as rough as the one pictured above, all of them were lifting away from the cab, not to mention the fact that each cab light was also extremely brittle. Combined with a shrunken foam seal that is no longer adhering to the roof (and that is likely disintegrating), it practically invites any precipitation you encounter to infiltrate the cab. This lifting effect is common on aging cab lights, and if it goes unaddressed, you’ll eventually notice a drip-drip inside the cab…

The Complete Performance amber cab light kit features five replacement cab lights, which fit all F-series trucks (and Broncos) built from 1973-1997. Also available are smoked, black, and clear versions, as well as a set with chrome bases. In this photo (and especially on the three left-most cab lights), you can see that the Complete Performance units aren’t flat. This is because an OBS Ford’s roof isn’t flat. The Complete Performance cab lights have a curved base to perfectly match the curve in the truck’s roof, which means a long-lasting, leaf-proof seal.

There is no question the factory OBS Ford cab lights are tough, with this one (right) having endured plenty of abuse from the elements over the course of the last 26 years. That said, in a side-by-side comparison with a Complete Performance replacement (left), the Complete Performance cab light equals OEM in every way. The base is strong, the lens is thick, and it’s the same exact dimensions. We’ll note that the mounting holes are exactly like the OEM units as well, where the fastener is recessed and completely concealed on each side (i.e. no screw head protruding out at the top). For folks that don’t use stainless steel mounting screws this is a big deal, as the condition of the fastener (usually rusty) won’t be visible.

Inside the brittle plastic makeup of the truck’s original cab lights (left), the foam seal was visibly breaking down, especially at the front (and along the outer edges). It was also apparent that, if the OEM foam had once been as tightly fit into the cab light base as the Complete Performance units (right), the foam seal had shrunken in size, too. While difficult to see here, the holes for the light sockets between the OEM and Complete Performance cab light are the same size. This is not the case with the cheap, Chinese versions floating around at some online retailers, where the socket is often way too small and leads to fitment issues during installation.

The double layer foam seals used in the Complete Performance cab lights match the thickness of the one employed in the OEM versions—something that also isn’t the case with cheap, knock off lights, where the seal is often double the thickness in order to compensate for utilizing a flat base. As soon as we pulled the first factory cab light assembly off the truck, we noticed the Complete Performance unit’s foam seal had a similar mounting surface. Their use of a similar thickness and foam material leads us to believe that they too might last a quarter of a century.

With the cab lights removed, it’s an opportune time to replace a bad bulb or start over with all fresh bulbs. Additionally, it’s a great time to inspect the wiring harnesses. Well aware of this, Complete Performance offers cab light wiring harnesses and replacement (LED) bulb kits, both of which can conveniently be added to your cab light order via drop down menus. Regardless of what you do with the wiring harness or bulb, each cab light mating surface has to be cleaned up before installing the new one. Take care not to damage the paint when you do this.

Thanks to the fit and finish of the Complete Performance cab lights, the installation was straightforward and performed in a matter of minutes. The OEM light sockets easily (yet firmly) went into the new light housings and the cab light bases sit perfectly flush on the roof. This precise fit is the exact result we were after. As we alluded to earlier, other aftermarket options are flat, and not only do they leave a gap once installed but they allow the light to rock back and forth. Last but not least, Complete Performance gives you the option of adding a cab light screw kit when you order a set of its cab lights. They’re made of high-quality stainless steel to resist rust and corrosion.

Fair warning, if you’re going to browse Complete Performance’s website, you’re going to end up with more than one item in your shopping cart. This little device helps shine a light on something else the company is known for: offering interior products that make life more tolerable in the cab. For any OBS Ford owner rocking the factory 40/20/40 front seats with the flip down center console (which happens to be equipped with the world’s shallowest cup holders), this custom cup holder provides added support for drinks. Complete Performance even offers additional inserts for the tallest of beverages. Its contoured base effectively matches the curve of the factory center console’s design, and it even comes with the pilot hole drill bit you need to install the five supplied mounting screws.

Written by Mike McGlothlin