Replacing taillights

[jarata1]

I have an older trailer and I want to replace the stock tailights with LED or something brighter.Is there a problem putting a different light then what was stock on an older trailer or is it just plug in a new one

[Ed-N-Dani]

I just went through and replaced all of my running lights, along with tail and back up. I found everything on Amazon fairly easily and inexpensive. I did end up getting the brake and backup lights from E trailer. I just couldn't find what I wanted in these on Amazon. One thing that did bother me a little about all of the new lights is they are a LED circuit board. If it goes out you cant just replace the board. You'll end up needing to take the entire light off and replacing it. The technology in the ones I bought were old school diode as well where most leds are turning toward SMD technology which has proven to be much more reliable. My interior lights I used all cannon base replacement bulbs rather then doing the entire light and these were SMD. The back ups are so bright they almost look like floods









Ed

[APT]

These LED taillights should work fine. Seal everything. The only problem is lights for the license plate.

[Allworth]

Here is another example of trying to make one answer fit all questions.

If you tow vehicle has a BCM (Body Control Module) computer or something similar and the turn signals and flashers are "timer controlled" then the flash rate is set by the program and will not go fast.

If you have an older TV with a current sensing flasher module (The round ones that click) then a low current draw bulb will allow faster flashing, just like a burned out turn signal bulb.

[wa8yxm]

Sam Spade wrote:
If they also serve as turn signals, putting in a high output, dual use LED (expensive) will probably result in the turn signals flashing too fast.......and they may not be any brighter at all viewing angles than your originals.

Actually this is wrong

If he is doing a trailer the change over will make NO DIFFERENCE on how fast the lamps flash.. Not one bit.

Now if it is the tow vehicle.. Then perhaps.. however when I changed my Motor homes.. No difference... I still have standard lamps in the front.. now if they fail.. BIG DIFFERNECE, but they do not often fail. More likely for the right front on my car to fail.. But I think I've fixed that. (And again the symptom is fast flashing).

[Sam_Spade]

4x4van wrote:
If your trailer turn signals are simply wired in to your tow vehicle's turn signals, the "fast flash" likely won't be an issue since there will still be sufficient load on the turn signal circuit because of the tow vehicle's lights.

OOPS....the word "trailer" didn't sink in with me I guess.

Absolutely right if it really is a trailer and the lights are bridged to the towing vehicle. LEDs should work fine.....either replacement bulbs OR replacing the fixture with an LED strip made for that purpose. (as was mentioned in the previous post I now see)

[rbtglove]

I just went to Harbor Freight and bought their trailer leds for a few bucks and wired them in in place of the old bulb burners and then sealed around to keep dry. Everything worked as before just brighter.

[DrewE]

4x4van wrote:
If your trailer turn signals are simply wired in to your tow vehicle's turn signals, the "fast flash" likely won't be an issue since there will still be sufficient load on the turn signal circuit because of the tow vehicle's lights. If, on the other hand, the trailer turn signal circuit on the tow vehicle has it's own separate circuit/flasher, then the "fast flash" could be an issue, although it can easily be solved by wiring in a resistor to add load and fool the flasher unit.

While the trailer lights may be a separate circuit (and indeed not infrequently are), I would be very surprised if any vehicle uses a separate flasher for the trailer turn signals. That would mean that the trailer and tow vehicle flashes would not be in sync with each other, which at the least would be confusing to drivers following (who might quite reasonably think it to be two separate vehicles).

[braindead0]

Or changing the flasher...

[4x4van]

If your trailer turn signals are simply wired in to your tow vehicle's turn signals, the "fast flash" likely won't be an issue since there will still be sufficient load on the turn signal circuit because of the tow vehicle's lights. If, on the other hand, the trailer turn signal circuit on the tow vehicle has it's own separate circuit/flasher, then the "fast flash" could be an issue, although it can easily be solved by wiring in a resistor to add load and fool the flasher unit.

[Sam_Spade]

jarata1 wrote:
sounds good ill probobly just put a new led light in then was just wondering if the wiring was the same

YOu still haven't said if these are dual element bulbs or not.

If they also serve as turn signals, putting in a high output, dual use LED (expensive) will probably result in the turn signals flashing too fast.......and they may not be any brighter at all viewing angles than your originals.

And if the brightness problem is due to a fogged lens, a brighter bulb won't really help that much.

I suggest that for about $2.50 per side you get new bulbs, clean out the reflector, lens and bulb socket and see if that helps.

P.S. Most tail lights really don't look that bright in the daylight.

[aguablanco]

I did this just this year. Installed Bargman LED's. Took a couple of hours but was not hard. PM me if you want more info.
RichH

[wa8yxm]

Depends on what you are replacing.
If you are replacing JUST THE BULB, no problem in most cases.. However SOME LED lamps are kind of fussy as to HOT and Common (Ground) leads.. Some tail lights on trailers MIGHT be "odd" but I would expect this to be very very very rare.

(Dual element lamps like the 1157 MUST have the "Shell" grounded or they do not work properly)

Page 2: If you are replacing the ENTIRE lamp assembly.

ONly problem is making sure the new one is as large as or larger than the old one. so it does not show that you swapped them.

[jarata1]

sounds good ill probobly just put a new led light in then was just wondering if the wiring was the same

[Alabama_Jim]

You can pull the old ones off, cut the wires and replace with the taillights you want. Splice the wires to the new unit and seal the edges to keep water out. Bingo you are ready to roll.