L.E.D. tail lights on the cheap!

[Longhorn Man]

I'll see if I can't re-enact the process and document it all on digi-film. It was pretty simple, and my cost was just shy of 50 bucks, but i do get a discount from the shop. I figure it can be duplicated by anyone anywhere in the U.S. (and maybe up north too, depending on your local laws) for less than 70 bucks. These already have D.O.T. aproval and no one can say anything about them.
On a bad note, suburban and panel owners need not apply. I tried mocking this up on cheesewagon's rig and it wouldn't work. Sorry guys/galls.


They aren't as bright or as cool as the real conversion from another member, but at this price, I think there may be more than a hand full of us running to Indy for the board meet (can we call it a truck ralley instead?) with L.E.D. tail lights.


Now I need to get my hands on step side tail lights to see if I can do the same for the step side crowd.

Here is just the tail light.


And a brake light.


Now in stereo...(brake lights again)

[72MARIO]

Um... is this a how to thing or are you going to sell them ? I might be interested. Either way. I have to make a LED board fit cause I made a flip down tail light filler and ther is no room for a Bulb.

Later Mario

[Longhorn Man]

This will be a how to. I have no interest in selling them. There is no room for profit, and the kit would be nothing more than a couple light assemblys. You would still have to do a little mmodification to get them in.
I don't think this will help you with your space issue, these actually take up more room.

[72longbed]

I Like them alot!!!

[72MARIO]

Frig.

Oky thanks

[dinnut]

looks sweet.

[dtlilly]

Thanks Andy

Can't wait for your ideas about the led for the step side croud.

[fatfords]

Longhorn Man,
That looks great! I've started to tinker with those myself a couple of times but do not have a finished design yet. I look forward to seeing how you did yours so maybe I can finish mine!
Good Luck!

[rcorkren]

To all,

I have at my disposal some very good Electronics Technicians. I will speak to them about working up some cheap LED lights that will save us all some space.

I will let you all know.


Robert - Houston

[chevy_fatman]

They look great Andy! I'm glad you got them working, that's just what my blazer needs

[Gee_Emm]

How bout some pics of the guts

[70c10]

Andy, They look killer!.

[Longhorn Man]

Well, some idiot (me) left my digi-cam in the rain last week and it has gotten very tempermental, and it did not want to work today. So I will try to explain it the best I can. If I can get the camera to work again soon, I will folow up with pictures (obviously it worked yesterday, so it may work again tomorow)

Here is the main part of the set up. For $25 each, (discounted a little) I bought 2 of these lights. Mine are a no name generic brand, and I am finding that this may make it hard to duplicate, but the light looks something like this. Napa should be able to get you something very similar.

Any U-haul place should be able to get one. The one I used had a hard plastic outer flange instead of the rubber grommet seen in this pic. The main thing was the lens. It was totally flat where most lights of this shape are kinda domed. (mod 60 is the shape/size) I had to cut off the flange, and when I did that, the light assembly fit right into the stock unmodified tail light lens. The edges of the lens held onto the LED perfectly. If it were a little loose, I would have used a dab of clear sillicone to hold it in place. DO NOT USE SUPER GLUE, it will discolor the lens.
Then, I removed the tail light bucket (or what ever they call the metal backing plate that has the actual light socket) It is held to the bed with 2 5/16 inch bolts. Once you have it unbolted, pull it out (with harness) untill it hangs down enough to access the entire tail light hole.
Cut the plug off of the harness.
If you were to place the LED lamp and tail lens assembly into the light hole on the bed, you'd see the lens is about 1/4 to 1/2 inch from setting where it belongs. I used a 5 pound hammer and a 1/2 inch drive, 10 inch extention (My drift is at the shop) and proceded to beating the offending sheet metal out of the way. (it didn't take very much) Make a few blows to the metal, and try to fit it in. No need in pummeling it more than needed.
Once it fits in the hole to your liking, use a long skinny punch, and reach through the two mounting holes of the lens to mark the inner sheetmetal for drilling. You'll need some screws about 2 - 3 inches long. (about 2 1/2...but I didn't actually measure) Drill the holes, and test fit the lens and LED lamp assembly. These screws will be used to hold the lens in place since the buckets or backing plate will not be re-used. With some carefull pounding, it should fit fine, and the pressure from the screws will hold the led lamp against the sheet metal. So even if it was a tad loose (Which mine was actualle a bit too tight) in the lens, the lamp will be 'sandwiched' inbetween the lens and the metal.
Now for the electrical. The wire colors on the LED may well look odd. Mine had a red, white, and black. Luckily, mine was also labeled. The white was ground, which I crimped an eyelet on there and used one of the original 5/16 inch bolts to ground it. Then the tail light wire goes to the brown wire from your stock harness, and then the brake/turn wire would go to the green/yellow wire (depending on which side of the truck you are working on) Use good crimp on connectors and heat shrink to keep the nasty crap out of your connection. I used the crimp ons that have head shrink on them already. They can be found at NAPA, but they are a little spendy.
Now re-install the LED/lens assembly, and test it out.
As for the blinker issues that some people have reported with LED lights, you may or may not have issues with this.
I got lucky. My truck's turn signals will blink even if there are no lights installed. I don't know why it does this, or even if I like it like that or not. But that's how mine works. (It should not work like that. The indicator should stay on, and the remaining light (with one removed or burned out) should lite and stay lit) I do have electronic flashers on mine, and that may have something to do with it, but I do not know.
I DO know that NAPA has a small LED blinker unit that can be purchased, and is supposed to cure the non-blinking singnals from the reduced load that the LED will put on the blinker.
Now do the other side and enjoy.


I'm not joking, the very first time I drove it with these lights in there, some one at an intersection yelled asking where I got the LED conversion for my truck. He was driving an old camaro, but said he had a truck at home he was restoring.
This put an even bigger grin on my face.

[O'l Buck]

I'm gonna have to try that on my stepside Andy, have the price of the round L.E.D's for semi trailers come down any? they used to be about $45 each, but that's been a few years ago.

[dtlilly]

Bingo!!!

That's the info I was waiting to hear I never thought of going to a truck stop for the round led lights. Thanks, That's awesum

[jorgensensc]

I never thought of that either!!!! As many times as I look at those dang lights. What size do you think they are. Anyone got any pics and dimensions?

[O'l Buck]

I think I'll mock mine up with the regular sealed beam round lights before I go and spend the money for the L. E. D.'s. You can buy the sealed beams for about $5 each. I think they are 4" diameter.

[70c10]

My neighbor did this on his F#@d. He used the same LED's but he cut an oval in the lense itself so they protrude thru. I don't like that look. I think yours looks better mounted behind the lense. They sell these LED's at Carlisle for $40 a pair. Thanks for the post!

[sactoC10]

Well, for not too many dollars more, aren't these the same idea, already made...and can just be plugged in?

http://www.earlyclassic.com/ledtaillights.html

[72longbed]

70c10,
Who sells them at Carlisle? I'm going up there tomorrow, (Saturday), and would like to pick up a pair. Thank for your help!

72

[70c10]

There are usually 2 vendors at Carlisle that sell these. They have a big display board with all the varieties setup under a tent. I don't recall the names but they have been at every show I have gone to.

[bobs409]

I'd be interested in a universal, build your own type kit. I am considering making my own bowtie shaped tail lights someday and would love to use LED'S in them.

Keep us posted!

[smitty62]

I haven't used them, but what's wrong with these? They have 12, 19 and 30 led's.

www.superbrightleds.com/1157

[dtlilly]

Originally posted by smitty62
I haven't used them, but what's wrong with these? They have 12, 19 and 30 led's.

The ones sacto posted a link to, has 160 individual led bulbs per light panel. I think longhorn man has the same principle with his cheeper home made version.

[sactoC10]

Yeah, don't get me wrong. I like doing my own work too. I just thought that for those of us who have the extra cash or are limited on time, buying some already made might be the easier way to go.

The Carlisle seller have a catalogue or website???