Bulb socket upgrade?

[kev2809]

has anyone tried to swap out the stock bulb holders in the tail lights and reverse lights to accept a different style bulb, or anything else that upgrade the stock one? i found something on youtube of what i am trying to explain, i just want to see what others have done. the link is just for the taillight socket, not the reverse socket. im having a hard time getting my bulbs to set correctly for the ground to work right. always have to wiggle them or push them in again. would rather look for something that uses an actual ground wire and not the housing for ground.

https://youtu.be/ANbzZ7HUgn0

[72SB]

for bulb socket replacements, I use AAW. They are not the cheap $3 auto part store ones. Summit, etc. has them. You can get LED 1157 type bulbs if that is your thing vs the conventional tungsten bulb

[kev2809]

Originally Posted by 72SB

for bulb socket replacements, I use AAW. They are not the cheap $3 auto part store ones. Summit, etc. has them. You can get LED 1157 type bulbs if that is your thing vs the conventional tungsten bulb

well I don't think it's the actual socket, it's the fact the bulb grounds inside the bucket. so if the bulb isn't contacting exactly right it won't light. I'm trying to avoid that style socket all together

[dmjlambert]

There is a lot of surface area on the bulb bayonet body to make good contact. I cleaned up my sockets and they work well. A little bit of bulb grease keeps them working well. I suggest use a dremmel tool to get in there and get it all cleaned up. I would be surprised if you continued to have trouble.

If I were inclined to not use the 1157 style socket, my approach would be different depending on what type of bulb I was getting ready to use.
1. if conventional bulb or LED direct replacement for a conventional bulb, I would get a plastic twist-to-seat 3157 holder out of a junkyard or new like this:



Then I would glue it to the back of the tail light assembly after removing the old bulb holder. Use machine screws and strap of metal across the back of the socket to reenforce the mounting of it. I think you will want the socket to be entirely behind the tail light assembly just like it is with the 1157 socket, so filament of the bulb is held at the right depth in the reflector. Then just stick a 3157 bulb in there.

or
2. if using one of those LED conversions where the LEDs are part of the red lens and it has a wire with 1157 plug on it, like in this example, just cut the plug off and directly wire it. Run the wires through a small hole in the back of the tail light assembly and use a grommet to protect the wiring where it goes through that hole.

[kev2809]

Originally Posted by dmjlambert

There is a lot of surface area on the bulb bayonet body to make good contact. I cleaned up my sockets and they work well. A little bit of bulb grease keeps them working well. I suggest use a dremmel tool to get in there and get it all cleaned up. I would be surprised if you continued to have trouble.

If I were inclined to not use the 1157 style socket, my approach would be different depending on what type of bulb I was getting ready to use.
1. if conventional bulb or LED direct replacement for a conventional bulb, I would get a plastic twist-to-seat 3157 holder out of a junkyard or new like this:

Attachment 2258260

Then I would glue it to the back of the tail light assembly after removing the old bulb holder. Use machine screws and strap of metal across the back of the socket to reenforce the mounting of it. I think you will want the socket to be entirely behind the tail light assembly just like it is with the 1157 socket, so filament of the bulb is held at the right depth in the reflector. Then just stick a 3157 bulb in there.

or
2. if using one of those LED conversions where the LEDs are part of the red lens and it has a wire with 1157 plug on it, like in this example, just cut the plug off and directly wire it. Run the wires through a small hole in the back of the tail light assembly and use a grommet to protect the wiring where it goes through that hole.

Attachment 2258263

i used a really small dremel and ground it clean in there, and went in with a small round sandpaper bit and cleaned up the barrel part where the bulb goes. still, same thing. when i have the lights on, and hit the left blinker, the passenger side tail light goes out completely. and its dim with just the lights on, or just the blinker on. pushing the bulb in with my finger cures both of these issues, which leads me to believe ground is the issue. im sure i can fiddle with it to get it work, but i really dont want to keep messing with this. i wonder if there is any sockets like the video i posted, but actually run a ground wire you can ground somewhere. the one in the video also grounds with contact to the bucket.


also want to avoid using a whole entire LED board. i like the idea of just using bulbs. but i will switch to LED bulbs at some point when it gets closer to hitting the road legally

[HO455]

I've done socket replacement on my Burban and on several sets of 68 GTO and Lemans taillights like the video shows. I differ in that I solder the sockets to the housing and on one set I soldered a ground wire to the sockets and ran it to the frame.

[kev2809]

I went ahead and ordered the ones in the video along with the single wire socket for the reverse. I got one together but I'll snap some pics for the second one and post them here to help someone else.

do you have any pictures of how you soldered the ground wire? I was thinking of doing the same thing

[HO455]

Unfortunately I don't have a photo of one with a ground wire attached. It was over 10 years ago I did them.