Brighter taillights & knockoffs(spinners) on rally wheels?

[my 85 gmc]

Help

Does anyone know how to make the taillights & brakelights a little brighter on these trucks? Can I use LED bulbs without the clear taillights(since I really don't like the look of the clear tails)? If so do what do I have to do to make thers bulbs work?

My next question is has anyone added knockoffs(sninners) to their rally wheels centers and which ones fit better, I mwould like try this since I have two sets of wheel centers?

Thanks Rob

The reason I would like the taillights & brakelights a little brighter is tailgaters are starting to make me nervous.

[apstguy]

With the stock lamps, I took out the interior part that was painted with a very dull silver. I spray painted mine with chrome spray paint and that made them and the back-up lights way brighter. LED bulbs are brighter, but look a little weird with stock taillamps because it mostly throws out a circle on the lens. The LED bulbs are plug in, no modifications nessesary.

Knock-offs are easy to add, just get the towers. Most all knock-offs are the same the only difference is how it mounts. A bolt, threaded tower, or one other way. Forgot how. Most common is the threaded bolt (except it really isn't a bolt because it has no head - just threads.)

[Mike76251]

I did the bright silver paint to my lens backing surface (three times in ten years) and it does help quite a bit.
I also got the plug-in LED bulbs and while they aren't as bright as I like, they beat the stock bulb.

[loweredd]

I just painted mine with Dupli-Color Chrome this weekend. It helped out 214392834% more.

[LOHRTBT]

Mike did the spinners and they looked really nice.

[BigRed]

The best chrome I've found is the Bumper chrome color. It's very shiny. I did my guage cluster this weekend in that color. Very bright. Try that and I'm sure you'll be happy.

[C-10volvo]

i saw thoes led lights on the show "trucks" but i can only find them for older style chevy's. does anyone know where i can find them for a 84?

[loweredd]

toucan makes an 1157 LED light. We have them at work, but I am kinda weary of using them.

[N2TRUX]

Early Classics makes LED panels to fit the 60-66 and 67-72 lights. They aren't making them for 73-87's yet, but I bet we could make them work. Maybe if we get a request going to guarentee a few sets sold, they will build them for us too.
Here's a pic of the panel-



Here's a pic of the cargo light converted to a third brake light-


This is the best part. No wiring hassle. They just plug and play.
Of course the LED's don't pull a load, so you will ned an electronic flasher unit too-

[bigd65]

what do you mean electronic flasher unit ?

[loweredd]

instead of a regular flasher, (for the blinker or emergency lights), there are electronic ones. You can also check out hzengineering.com. He has flasher load kits that work when you have a lot of LED's. I had those on my S10. That might be for the newer vehicles though, the ones that make all the others blink faster when you have one out.

[N2TRUX]

Originally posted by bigd65
what do you mean electronic flasher unit ?

Your plug in flasher relay requires a load to work. The clicking you hear when your blinker or flasher's are going is a relay that's activated by the amp draw from your bulbs.

Since LEDs have the same voltage requirements (12v) but only draw milliamps, instead of amps, they do not create the draw needed to activate your flasher relay.

They sell a replacement unit that has an electronic circuit that pulses off/on to create the same effect. It plugs in where your flasher relay does now...

[apstguy]

Originally posted by C-10volvo
i saw thoes led lights on the show "trucks" but i can only find them for older style chevy's. does anyone know where i can find them for a 84?

Simply get a 1157 LED bulb. They sell them at stylinconcepts.com and just about everywhere else. They even seel them at the local Autozone.

[N2TRUX]

Originally posted by apstguy
...Simply get a 1157 LED bulb.....

Those are nice, but not enough. They are better than a standard 1157, but don't come close the the LED panels shown above.

There was a compant that made brighter replacements for 1157/1156 bulb too. The LED panels will still be much cleaner if we can get one that will work....

[my 85 gmc]

Thanks for the tip using the DupliColor chrome paint I will try this on the weekend if I get a chance. Also what number bulbs are the best choice to use for the dash lights?

Thanks Rob

[loweredd]

On the dashes, use a 168 bulb.....they push in the same as a 194, but they are 50% brighter (3cp compared to 2cp)

[Mike76251]

You can put a halogen bulb in your tailight.
Buy a couple of spare lenses while you are at it........those halogens melt the lense in no time.

[lofat]

Originally posted by apstguy
With the stock lamps, I took out the interior part that was painted with a very dull silver. I spray painted mine with chrome spray paint and that made them and the back-up lights way brighter.

did this this past weekend. good tip.

[apstguy]

I think this and the dash brightening should be the "automatic" things we tell new owners.

[my new 72]

I can get direct replacement five LED bulbs that fit in place of the 194's in the dash. A little expensive, but wayyyyyy brighter. PM me. I am also in the process of making led panels for 67-72 stepsides and can make them for anything on the road. Pricing to come soon.

[Russell]

Hmm, so what is the reason why we can't be putting any LED panels into our taillights? Is it just the curvature of the lense? Cause a guy could get past that by buying a little chip board from Radio Shack, then carefully slicing it into a couple of skinny panels, then solder some wires between the panels so you can easily bend it to where you want it. It'd have some streaks where the panel bent, unless you used a set of bulbs with a long set of leads and used the bulbs as the pivot points. Those high intensity output LEDS only cost a buck for like 10 of them at radio shack, I betcha that if a guy wanted to, he could probally make a panel for under 30 bucks... I'm thinking I might have to try, lol

[N2TRUX]

Originally Posted by Russell

.....I betcha that if a guy wanted to, he could probally make a panel for under 30 bucks... I'm thinking I might have to try, lol

Russell you are correct. If you wanted to take the time to make a panel, or in this case a series of strips with leds mounted on it, it could be done pretty inexpensively. Design time and labor is what costs the most for these.

Since you like playing with electronics this would be a perfect project for you. Would you like me to send you a spare tail light housing to play with or do you have one already....

[kballan]

Originally Posted by N2TRUX

Early Classics makes LED panels to fit the 60-66 and 67-72 lights. They aren't making them for 73-87's yet, but I bet we could make them work. Maybe if we get a request going to guarentee a few sets sold, they will build them for us too.

I think that's a great idea! Only thing is, how many on the board would get 'em? I know I sure would!

[ocbaud]

i am interested in the led 3rd brake light.

how much trouble would it be to buy that led panel and mount it in one of our cargo lamp areas?

[Russell]

Originally Posted by N2TRUX

Russell you are correct. If you wanted to take the time to make a panel, or in this case a series of strips with leds mounted on it, it could be done pretty inexpensively. Design time and labor is what costs the most for these.

Since you like playing with electronics this would be a perfect project for you. Would you like me to send you a spare tail light housing to play with or do you have one already....

If you are seriously interested -- I'll try and make a set...