Baja Designs S1 Hitch Light?

[KD2MYW]

Has anyone installed or tried to install a Baja Designs S1 Hitch Light. Looked like a really straight forward install and all was working as I tested it but after I dilled the hitch pin holes I realized that the hitch pin holes are are blocked by the light fixture. I have seen some install videos and the difference is that hitch pin hole is not located far back enough.
The only option I can see is glue the fixture in place about 1/4 inch sticking out.... or return it to Amazon!

Anyone else try this light with better results?

Thanks!

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[Franco]

I tried that set up on my Ranger Raptor and didn't like how far it stuck out past the end of the hitch.
With my 4Runner I went with the S2 Reverse Light Kit from Baja Designs and love it. Simple install, option for a switch or with reverse and works great

 

[KD2MYW]

Thanks!

I guess we just have a very non standard reciever!

By default it sticks out about 1 inch, if glue it in place where it needs to be, it will stick out about another 1/4 inch. An alternative is shave off a bit of the cooling fins on the light. It's not like it will every get hot considering it's only a reverse light.

 

[Twisted]

I tried that set up on my Ranger Raptor and didn't like how far it stuck out past the end of the hitch.
With my 4Runner I went with the S2 Reverse Light Kit from Baja Designs and love it. Simple install, option for a switch or with reverse and works great

Do you have some pictures of the setup? I have the hitch pod and have looked at the S2 setup they have but can't decide if it looks too out of place for me. I've already prewired for them but can't decide if I want to install them.

 

[Franco]

Do you have some pictures of the setup? I have the hitch pod and have looked at the S2 setup they have but can't decide if it looks too out of place for me. I've already prewired for them but can't decide if I want to install them.

View attachment 42199

 

[Twisted]

I've had the hitchpod since early 2021 when it was a MESO product. When I drilled mine I had the exact same issue on my 5th gen. Talked to MESO and they were boggled as it was not that way with other 5th gens they installed on. Not sure if it was a variance in hitch design or what but I simply drilled the hole big enough using a step bit that there was room for the hitch pin. I have since moved that exact same unit to my 6th gen and it only sticks out a little bit. I've been meaning to draw something up to 3d print for the gap but it hasn't bothered me enough to take the time.

 

[KD2MYW]

Ahhhh I drilled my hole when it was in flush. If I would have drilled when it was out a bit that would have worked.

Now that I drilled my hitch pin hole, I cant re-do that do I can either glue it in the sleeve sticking out a bit, shave cooling fins or just return it with the bad hole!

Thanks for the photo!

 

[ScoMay]

I have the Baja Designs S1 hitch light. I installed it July 2025. I don’t really remember encountering any problems. But I must’ve seen the same obstruction that you see BEFORE I drilled any hole in the included hitch adapter. Consequently my light sits about 3/8” out from being flush with the end of the adapter.

The photo from Twisted shows his as flush. I like that look a little better than mine, but I’ll live with mine as is.

 

[KD2MYW]

From the photo above, how did you secure the liught in the sleeve? The little holes line up with the little holes when the ligth is flush. I was thinking of glueing it place while it sits like yours?

i drilled while it was flush.

 

[ScoMay]

Memory is a little foggy as it was a year ago, but I think I moved it back out of the adapter far enough to be able to drill a hole where I needed one. Hence the 3/8” bump out.

No glue involved.

(Can you mark and drill a new hole when it is bumped out? Just make sure it is not too close to the first hole you already drilled.)

 

[KD2MYW]

It would need to be close enough to make it an oval but the pin would hold it in place at that point. That may be the solution!

 

[ScoMay]

Another thought, and bear with me here because it’s been a year since I did this project, is you could pull the light out of the adapter, rotate the adapter half a turn (180 degrees), reinsert the light, and then you’d be drilling a hole into the adapter on a clean face with no hole already drilled there.

…or would that not be possible as it would move the larger hole for the security pin out of place??

It’s hard for me to know if it does make sense without actually being there and looking at it.

 

[KD2MYW]

No dice. The light only fits one way.

and I can't re-drill the way I was thinking it would work.

 

[KD2MYW]

After speaking to someone at Baja Designs, the reccomedation was to use a new sleeve and drill a new hole about a half inch out and deal with the gap sticking out of the reciever or grind down the cooling fins on the back of the light fixture. Unsure of which way I am going go, but they are sending me a new sleeve.

Way too much trouble for a 5 min install!

 

[ScoMay]

Agreed, it has turned into more of a project than expected.

Before you grind down a fin… when you spoke to Baja Designs did you run that option by them? Curious as to what they would say.

If you do grind it, I think you would have to touch up paint the ground areas to protect from rust (unless it is aluminum).

Nice that they are sending a new sleeve though.

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