Having Trouble With LMC Backup Light Wiring

[NoNeck]

Has anyone else had trouble with the LMC wiring insert for backup lights? No matter what I do, I can't get the bulbs to turn and seat in the housings. I am using 1156 bulbs with plenty of Bulb Grease, but it's almost like the rubber insert, spring and extra thick contact terminal is too thick.

I experimented with removing the spring entirely, but the bulbs still won't seat. At this point I think I need some factory wiring.

Does anyone have a picture of a GM pigtail so I can compare the two?

Thanks guys!

POP

[NoNeck]

Oops, here is a photo for reference.

POP

[Andy4639]

Check the bulbs themselves. Are the small tits aligned. One should be deeper than the other one.
You know you can buy those at any parts store right.

[NoNeck]

Are the 1156 (single element) bulbs supposed to have one deeper tit than the other? My 1157 (dual element) bulbs are like that, but the 1156's that I have are aligned and very low on the bulb. You can see the one in the photo above and it has another in the same place on the other side.

[davepl]

Should be easy to look inside the socket to see if the cutouts are the same depth, and then verify that the pins are also the same depth. Or if the bulb is offset that the socket is too.

Doesn't matter what we all remember the bulbs having, it matters if the bulbs you have match the socket!

As I remember, though, the 1156 are aligned, single filament, one pickup tab on the bottom. 1157 are staggered, two filaments, two pickups on the bottom. They need the staggered pins to ensure you don't put the bulb in backwards, but it doesn't matter for the single filament bulb.

[CC69Rat]

Pop -- I'll check and see if we can get some original wiring. I wouldn't spend any more time on the LMC stuff. I seem to recall the reason we had that wiring is LMC sent us 67 stuff instead of what we had ordered (?) something like that .. anyway it wouldn't work on the other truck we were working on at the time.

[jeh]

Chad/Pop, I had some problem also with the backup pigtails on my truck. I can't remember for sure but I think I couldn't get the ones from American Auto Wire to work. If I recall correctly I got some from Southern Kentucky Classics to work.

[Andy4639]

The black plastic part looks very long for the housing. I would be cutting that off and see if it worked.
NoNeck,
Can't remember right off which is which but it was my first thought about the tits. You maybe right though.

I have never seen that black plastic part on those before it looks like it would keep the bulb from inserting all the way in to twist.

[DaHos]

Just went through this on a customers K5, Be sure the black rubber is fully seated in the bottom of the housing then what I had to do was shave the fiber ring so it would seat properly in the bottom of the housing.....as it was binding on the inner and not allowing the spring to compress enough....

[NoNeck]

I have never seen that black plastic part on those before it looks like it would keep the bulb from inserting all the way in to twist

Andy, that black part is actually rubber and it goes through the hole in the housing and bottoms out. Then the spring sits on the rubber and the fibre ring with terminal top it off. My first thoughts were that the spring was way too strong (and thick when compressed) to allow the bulb to seat. I completely removed the spring, but still the bulb would not go deep enough to twist and catch.

...what I had to do was shave the fiber ring so it would seat properly...

DaHos, I didn't think of that. So, you shaved just a little from the circumference of the fiber ring? I'm gonna' try that.

Thanks guys

POP

[NoNeck]

Chad, I think you are right... I remember now that these didn't work on the last truck. Maybe we can find some OEM pigtails.

POP

[DaHos]

Just a little off the edges did it for me. ...

[Andy4639]

I have bought mine at local parts stores before. Here is a link for them also.

http://www.wiringdepot.com/store/c/1...kets.aspx?pi=2

[NoNeck]

Thanks Andy, but I think I'm going to get some OEM pigtails from DaHos.

Thanks for help too DaHos.

As an update, after shaving a little off the fiber disc that came with the new pigtail the wiring ALMOST fit. I was able to get the bulb to twist into the socket, but the fiber disc broke into tiny little pieces. Lesson learned about certain repro stuff I guess.

POP

[Andy4639]

Originally Posted by NoNeck

Thanks Andy, but I think I'm going to get some OEM pigtails from DaHos.

Thanks for help too DaHos.

As an update, after shaving a little off the fiber disc that came with the new pigtail the wiring ALMOST fit. I was able to get the bulb to twist into the socket, but the fiber disc broke into tiny little pieces. Lesson learned about certain repro stuff I guess.

POP

Yea that's how things go for me a lot of times to!

[Howitzer]

i see i'm not the only one having this issue. I was going to try using a socket and clamp and stretch out the back of the housing to create the extra room for the fibre disk and light to sit in...

[NoNeck]

These repro pigtails were really bad...

The springs have way too much resistance, and even when they are completely compressed they are too thick to allow room for the fiber disc.

The fiber discs are much thinner than OEM and don't have the little reinforcing threads embedded in the material.

The rubber grommet that the wires go through was too hard and wouldn't allow any compression.

The little nib (see arrow in photo) was too thick and stuck up about 1/16th of an inch more than stock. The OEM nibs are more rounded and flatter where the bulb makes contact.

When you add up all the things that were off "just a little"... well you get the idea.

POP

[CC69Rat]

I sent that $ to Dave, we'll see how good originals work for us I guess.

Do we have side marker light housings at your house?

[NoNeck]

I'm not sure on the side marker lights, but I will look and see.

POP

[DaHos]

Originally Posted by CC69Rat

I sent that $ to Dave, we'll see how good originals work for us I guess.

Do we have side marker light housings at your house?

Just left the PO, heading your way !!!

[NoNeck]

Just left the PO, heading your way !!!

Thank you sir! I appreciate your help.

POP

[lkt1954]

Same issue as several others, the bulb will not fit the pigtail in the socket.

I got a set of pigtails for Classic Industries and I have spent at least 1/2 day trying to get the pigtail to compress for the bulb to fit.
Were is the best place to get pigtails that fit and work??

[PbFut]

FYI. American Auto Wire produces nearly all the wire harnesses on the market. Often rebranded to other names. Some of the plugs and sockets are NLA. AAW bought much of the final runs of those sockets and will not sell unless on their own harness. No individual sales of these parts. Once the part is used up, if no replacement has been found they may start using alternatives.
As far as OP's issue this may be starting to happen with these socket pig tales. Was the entire socket replaced or just the base and wire. Will the bulb seat with socket out of the housing. As recently noted by me in another post, the harnesses are becoming less and less accurate as the suppliers are starting to cut corners on base parts.

[dmjlambert]

So, cutting a couple coils off the spring will not resolve this?

[lkt1954]

PBFut- I replaced the entire backup light assembly, which didn't come the the light pigtails.
The bulb will seat if the spring is out of the socket, but will not make contact with the pigtail ( maybe an 1/8" +-) of touching the pigtail.

I've thought about cutting the spring down, just haven't done it yet.

Thanks