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Tail Light Bulbs

the hammer

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the hammer Enthusiast

the hammer

Posted
Posted

I have a new pair of clear OEM tail lights. SHould I buy the red colored glass 3157's or LED replacemets for my lights? I don't want electrical issues if I switch to LED', so anyone with advice please help.

 

Josh

Draenor Senior Enthusiast

Draenor

Posted
Posted

Don't know the vehicle laws in FL., but here in LA, you must have red rear facing lights.

As for the incandescent vs LED, it will be you preference. If you choose LED you will need a new relay or place a resistor in line to adapt to the new current draw.

BigJayDogg3 Senior Enthusiast

BigJayDogg3

Posted
Posted
Don't know the vehicle laws in FL., but here in LA, you must have red rear facing lights.

As for the incandescent vs LED, it will be you preference. If you choose LED you will need a new relay or place a resistor in line to adapt to the new current draw.

 

 

Well if I understood it right when it was told to me, even in LA, all you need is for the end result to be red, whether that be the bulb being white and the glass red, or the light red and the glass clear. I could be wrong, because the person that told me that is a known :D spewer, and it has been a few years since I was told this.

 

As for the look of the lights, I say go with some kind of colored glass. LEDs just look too ricer for me.

the hammer Enthusiast

the hammer

Posted
  • Author
Posted

I was thinking along those lines also. The lights I bought for $10 are the older OEM tail light style from the 99-03 trucks. You won't be able to see any LED look if I get the LED's, I just didn't know if they would actually be any brighter than the colored glass or even the chromeed-over red glass bulbs. I just want my lights to be as bright and as red as factory or better.

 

Also, the good news is the lights I purchased have a red reflector section at the bottom, so hopefully I won't get hassled about the rest of it being clear.

Draenor Senior Enthusiast

Draenor

Posted
Posted
Don't know the vehicle laws in FL., but here in LA, you must have red rear facing lights.

As for the incandescent vs LED, it will be you preference. If you choose LED you will need a new relay or place a resistor in line to adapt to the new current draw.

 

 

Well if I understood it right when it was told to me, even in LA, all you need is for the end result to be red, whether that be the bulb being white and the glass red, or the light red and the glass clear. I could be wrong, because the person that told me that is a known :D spewer, and it has been a few years since I was told this.

 

As for the look of the lights, I say go with some kind of colored glass. LEDs just look too ricer for me.

 

 

RS 32:304

Tail lamps

A. Every motor vehicle, trailer, semi-trailer and pole trailer and any other vehicle which is being drawn at the end of a train of vehicles, shall be equipped with at least one tail lamp mounted on the rear, which, when lighted as required in R.S. 32:301, shall emit a red light plainly visible from a distance of one thousand feet to the rear, provided that in the case of a train of vehicles only the tail lamps on the rearmost vehicle need actually be seen from the distance specified. Every vehicle or trailer listed in this Subsection, other than a motorcycle or motor driven cycle registered in this state and manufactured or assembled after December 31, 1962, shall be equipped with at least two tail lamps mounted on the rear, on the same level and as widely spaced laterally as practicable, which, when lighted as herein required, shall comply with the provisions of this Section.

the hammer Enthusiast

the hammer

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Can we install a new flasher unit to control the new load produced by led light bulbs? I don't know if I could install a correctly designed flasher for turn signal LEDs or if I have to install the load resistors on each light I install.

 

If I can just install a turn signal flasher unit that will probably be easier and cheaper, so which flasher does my truck use and where is it? Iooked for it last night but couldn't find it easily on the interior fuse box.

Bob_fromLA Enthusiast

Bob_fromLA

Posted
Posted

I tried some of the after market LED bulbs and was not happy with the result. Unfortunately, the majority of the lens / reflector designs are optimized for the placement of a standard bulb with filament and the sturture of the LED bulbs prevents some light traveling back toward the bulb base that is normally reflceted. I found that the LED bulbs installed in my 2001 Sierra (stock rear lens assemblies) did not generate a very bright light in either running or brake state and in fact it was difficult to distinguish between the two states. I tried both red and white LED bulbs, noting that I did this several years ago. I ended up back to standard bulbs.

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