Brighter tail lights revisited

Lane! Did the led flasher come from ths same supplier?

Bob - It's 4" diameter, and yes, it would look nice.

Barry - I didn't need a flasher. The LEDs plugged right in and the turn signals and emergency flashers work just fine.

Lane, Dumb questions. The tail light lenses won't slip out???? What am I doing wrong?
Bob

Not sure I get the question. The flat edges of the lens are larger than the opening in the chrome bezel. If that doesn't help, please post pics of the situation so the folks here can let their wisdom floooooow.

thanks, the bezel needed to be jarred a bit.

Bob

And finally, some pics when it's almost dark outside. The first is the running lights only. The second is both running lights and flashers. The third is flashers only. It was a long exposure as I had to catch the duty cycle just right. That's why the garage seems brighter and everything is blurry.

I think the results are great, particularly given how easy it was. All hail Mike McKelvey!

You don't need to hail me. I'll just look forward to collecting my egg sammich and enjoying it with all the good company.

Personally, I would be a little Leary of running amber brake lights. Might just be me, but my mind says amber is caution, while red is Stop! No matter that you have other third brake lights, if the amber ones cause confusion behind you for even a second it's too much (IMO)

If they were mine, I would rework the lamp sockets such that the amber was directionals only (like Europe and later model US cars), and the red would be running and stop combined (flipping the dual and single filament bulb sockets).

But that's just me.

I strongly agree with Gordon. I think amber brake lights are dangerous. People won't know what they are.

With the pigtails you probably wouldn't have to switch sockets. If the pigtails were not long enough to cross to the other side you could extend them.

I hear what you both are saying, and have been thinking about going back to all-red tail lights. I can't swap clusters as the amber one is too large for the running light side, and the LED are colored and wouldn't work well on the "wrong" side of the lens. I can pretty easily re-wire things to move the running lights out to the amber side, which I may do, although that would be confusing to those behind me.

I've been running...Brake Lights=Red Segment....Turn/Tail=Amber for many years and haven't been hit yet(knocking on wood)!
This is the same way I did with the 914 Euro lenses.
The amber running lights at night are much more effective IMHO. I followed Karl Macklin a few years ago with amber brake lights and besides being a bit odd, didn't yell STOP quite the same. He switched the lenses after that, I think.
It should be noted that some German and European cars of the fifties, Porsche included, used amber stopping lamps.
If I tried these LED's, I think I'd try the 1.25 size with White LED's behind the red lens.
I'm currently looking to replace the light bar over my license plate with superbrights. Having trouble finding what I want though.

~WB

WB-license plate frame/light-bar:
http://ledtrailerlightkits.com/LED_Trailer_Licence_Plate_Light.htm
(scroll down to lower part of web-page, in center. Unsure of dimensions)

Oops, thanx Scott, I wasn't to clear. I have a red bar on the license plate as a 3rd brake light. Lookin for a brighter one. They would work but they only come in blue or white.

~WB

Did a quick search just for curiosity's sake:
http://www.chromeglow.com/store.asp?pid=12590&catid=19650

Wild Bill, if you use white LEDs it will be dimmer. The lens will filter out everything but red - some of the light from the LEDs gets filtered out.

It is better to match the LED color to the lens color.

Anyone know if these would these work with Beehives?

I would think so. You MIGHT have trouble with the size of the 1157, dual mode light, but probably not. That would be a real improvement and it would also remove the worry about melting.

Repeat of an earlier post, very bright:

My front turn signals are probably just like your rear bee hives.

I used Eagle Eye 5 LED bulbs from

http://autolumination.com/1156_1157.htm

You have to scroll down a bit.

They are $20.

Get the red ones. I used amber behind clear/white lenses on the front.

Mike, looking for front led turn signals. Can't find any Eagle "5" designation on the site you listed. Would you mind being a bit more definitive????

Bob

They're there...scroll slowly...they're after the Spider light bulbs.
I also found some tower LED bulbs I use in the M/home for interior lighting. Real battery savers!
~WB

Bob, as Wild Bill says, they are there. Scroll down carefully.

As you can see in the side view, there is a little plastic piece over the center LED to disperse the light. I broke that off on one. Handle them a little carefully.

This LED bulb had a big one in the center and 4 little ones surrounding it.

I had dual filament front turn signal bulbs so I used the 1157 replacement. It uses the big one for turn signal and the 4 little ones for running light.

The 1156 would be brighter because it uses all 5 LEDs at once.

Thanks guys, I found it.

Bob

Updating my rear tail lights will be on my 'to do' list this winter.

Just swapped the brake and running lights so that the brakes are now red. I'll see how this works before doing any more.

Lane, Just received Genesis Cluster with pigtails. The diameter of the base of the genesis product is a tad smaller than the receptacle that housed the original incandescent bulb. Consequently, the the genesis base will not stay seated in the receptacle. Is that the application for your coke can??? Any info would be helpful. Thank You

Bob

If I understand your description correctly, yes. The coke can, AKA high-tech aluminum cluster mounting plate, also ensures that the LED cluster is held in the proper, fixed position relative to the tail light.

Is the high-tech aluminum cluster mounting plate held in place by getting clamped under the rubber seal?

Yes. I refer that as an elastic, friction-enhanced pressure mounting system. Or something like that.

Jeez, I think I need a cigarette....

finally installed the led lights. So much brighter. Thanks, Lane and Mike. Works well with the Coke can.

Bob

Installed a 4 7/8" 3rd brakelight in rear grill. Cutdown internal braces for custom fit. Easy peazey.

Bob

I plan on doing the LED upgrade for my tail lights and came across these LED bulbs at Superbrightleds.com. Here's the link:
http://www.superbrightleds.com/cgi-bin/store/index.cgi?action=DispPage&Page2Disp=%2Fspecs%2F1157-x24.htm

What would be the disadvantages with these lights, compared to the LED clusters? t
Not as bright? (note that These bulbs also shine to the side)
Bulb may be too long and make contact with the lens?
Thanks
Ron

They don't look to me like they would produce as much light, and I believe Carey Hines has tried them with disappointing results.

Thanks Lane. I took off a tail light lens and much to my surprise my bulb base is at the bottom, so the bulbs I mentioned wouldn't work anyways. I guess the cluster setup would still work, right?

Edit: I just reread part of this thread and noticed that Eddie has the same setup as mine. Looks like I'll go with the LED cluster.
Ron

Here's a photo of my rear light assembly. Eddy, do you have the same light assembly? If so, how did you install your LED clusters?

My lights are the same assemblies, but when I mounted them I realized they could go in either way. I thought that there would be the possibility of water getting in the lens and it would then collect in the sockets, causing corrosion, so I mounted them with the bulbs pointing down. The LED cluster will fit either way, as will the Superbright LED lights. The latter looks kinda directional to me, and both ways of mounting the taillight assemblies would have them pointed somewhere other than immediately rearward. That's why I like the clusters.

Thanks Lane. Swapping sides to put the sockets at the top is a great idea!
Ron

Just came across these..

http://www.sierramadrecollection.com/store/cart.php?m=product_detail&p=6958

They also have led instrument lights:

http://www.sierramadrecollection.com/store/cart.php?m=product_detail&p=6954

Tim

Not exactly WalMart priced, are they?

Not at all, but I would think when they become more common and the big players like GE and others start to produce them the price will go down..

Tim