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sonny_drake's avatar
sonny_drake
Explorer
Sep 26, 2015

LED tail light upgrade

My tail lights need to be replaced. The red lens cover snap pins on the mounting bracket are broken and to keep the lens cover secure, I use grizzly tape. I just replaced the tail lights on my utility trailer with waterproof LED kit I see that CW has a LED upgrade that may be surface mounted, though not sure, but I don't want something that is connected via the bulb socket. Has anyone made such upgrade, cutting the bulb socket connector off and hard wiring the new lights to the existing wires?

5 Replies

  • I would try to obtain a lamp that has an SAE number attached to it. My bus has a four foot wide third brake light that is impossible to miss because it is higher than the roof of the toad. Down here "uninsured driver" takes on new meaning :( "
  • j-d's avatar
    j-d
    Explorer II
    For those rear stop/turn/tail lights, best to ID the manufacturer and get their LED version. That way the holes all line up, you can seal them back again, and you know your lighting is compliant with motor vehicle codes.
    For indoor lighting, do what you want. Mix, match, swap. Maybe even clearance lights... but the main ones, nope. Get legitimate replacements.
    Our Class C uses Bargman. They offer kits to replace the incandescent with LED within the original housing. LED elements plugged into the original light sockets. The sockets were much of the reliability problems we were having. Also, the kits added up to more than the price of full replacements. The replacements go hard wired to the coach, eliminating those problem sockets.
    Eastern Marinehas a lot of trailer and RV lighting products.
  • Beaker wrote:
    ChooChoo wrote:
    I just swapped out the guts of the lights and called it a day.


    Could you tell or lead me to "swapping out the guts". I just converted my kitchen overhead fluorescent to LED keeping fixture. Would like to change out taillights.


    My Tail light manufacturer, Optronics, has the same light available in both Incandescent and LED. The base and the lens are the same, with the exception, the left one has an White LED Insert for the plate and the incandescent has just a clear lens portion.

    Here are some photos of my swap.











    And here is the youtube video of my LED Lighting and Safety upgrade before I travelled 3500 miles this summer.
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sTKXnr0-Hx4
  • ChooChoo wrote:
    I just swapped out the guts of the lights and called it a day.


    Could you tell or lead me to "swapping out the guts". I just converted my kitchen overhead fluorescent to LED keeping fixture. Would like to change out taillights.
  • Try and get something that is similar size, so you can cover up any holes. Also, some companies make LED versions of their products (My Roo, for example). I just swapped out the guts of the lights and called it a day. Check eTrailer.com for surface mount lights.

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