LED Taillights Questions....

[shami02]

Ok folks, I posted in Detroit and didnt get an answer so how about it any help available.... I got the factory plugs and sockets for the four 3157 bulb wiring harness and along with my trusty dremmel routed out my taillight buckets to accept the extra bulbs... I would like to use LED 3157 replacement bulbs instead of regular 3157's but the LED's cause the turn signals to flash really fast... I know someone sells sometype of a plug in current normalizer (at least I think I have seen such a thing somewhere) but I am wondering if any of you electronic guru's have any knowledge you would like to share.... Can I just solder a resistor or something inline to increase the load at the lights? If so what would the value (or whatever it is called) of said resistor be? Any help would be great I like the additional light brightness but I don't care for the rapid flashing to much. BTW if there is any interest I can post pictures of taillights before and after as well as well as during the dremmeling process steps. I await your thought on the resistors gentlemen, please respond...
Have a great Christmas!

[Raudermaster]

Will the LED's just make it much brighter?

[larryo340]

The LEDs will not illuminate the reflector in housing as much as a filament bulb resulting in small lit up area. Those replacement bulbs will look nothing like OEM LED tail lights. It will probably look like small spots of light.

I think you would have to add rows upon rows of individual LEDs facing rearward in the same angle to make the LEDs effective as brake and signal lights. That would be something I bet most of us would be interested in.

[grampaws]

It is acting as if there is a blown bulb. Because you have
less load on the circuit.Sometimes using a heavy duty flasher
that has a better internal timing circuit and is not reliant
on the circuit load can cure this problem. This sometimes is a
cure when hooking up a trailer and they flash too slow.
It's worth a shot before making drastic mods to your wiring.
solid state style flashes will probably work in this manner..

[fastblackmerc]

Ok folks, I posted in Detroit and didnt get an answer so how about it any help available.... I got the factory plugs and sockets for the four 3157 bulb wiring harness and along with my trusty dremmel routed out my taillight buckets to accept the extra bulbs... I would like to use LED 3157 replacement bulbs instead of regular 3157's but the LED's cause the turn signals to flash really fast... I know someone sells sometype of a plug in current normalizer (at least I think I have seen such a thing somewhere) but I am wondering if any of you electronic guru's have any knowledge you would like to share.... Can I just solder a resistor or something inline to increase the load at the lights? If so what would the value (or whatever it is called) of said resistor be? Any help would be great I like the additional light brightness but I don't care for the rapid flashing to much. BTW if there is any interest I can post pictures of taillights before and after as well as well as during the dremmeling process steps. I await your thought on the resistors gentlemen, please respond...
Have a great Christmas!


I added 2 sockets per side and filled those sockets with LEDs instead of adding all the resistors. So now I have 2 incandescents & 2 LEDs per side. As you already found out, if you go the full LED route you'll have to add a a 6 ohm, 50 watt resistor to each socket. The resistors go for about $5.00 each so your looking at $40.00 to do all 4 sockets.

I used a 1 1/8" hole saw to cut the hole for the new sockets and use a dremel tool to cut the indentations for each socket. The hole saw you need may be the same size or not depending on the size of the socket neck.

Check out www.superbriteleds.com for good information. I changed all my lights to LEDs - front turn signals (had to add the resistors), front markers, license plate, reverse lights, trunk lights, map lights, courtesy lights, under hood lights, door lights & makeup mirror lights. It's an expensive proposition but I like to look.

[03SILVERSTREAK]

I added 2 sockets per side and filled those sockets with LEDs instead of adding all the resistors. So now I have 2 incandescents & 2 LEDs per side. As you already found out, if you go the full LED route you'll have to add a a 6 ohm, 50 watt resistor to each socket. The resistors go for about $5.00 each so your looking at $40.00 to do all 4 sockets.

I used a 1 1/8" hole saw to cut the hole for the new sockets and use a dremel tool to cut the indentations for each socket. The hole saw you need may be the same size or not depending on the size of the socket neck.

Check out www.superbriteleds.com (http://www.superbriteleds.com) for good information. I changed all my lights to LEDs - front turn signals (had to add the resistors), front markers, license plate, reverse lights, trunk lights, map lights, courtesy lights, under hood lights, door lights & makeup mirror lights. It's an expensive proposition but I like to look.

I am also going the same direction as you with adding an additional 2-LED bulbs per side in the lower part of the tail light assembly that is not being used , then convert the looks of the tail lights into the S55 look...

[shami02]

I added 2 sockets per side and filled those sockets with LEDs instead of adding all the resistors. So now I have 2 incandescents & 2 LEDs per side. .......


Did you use the 3 Watt Luxeon LED for the 3157 or the 19/25 LED element 90 degree bulbs for the two LED's... Netx question instead of adding the resistors would it work to buy the special flasher and not mix and match? Thoughts gentlemen...

[fastblackmerc]

Did you use the 3 Watt Luxeon LED for the 3157 or the 19/25 LED element 90 degree bulbs for the two LED's... Netx question instead of adding the resistors would it work to buy the special flasher and not mix and match? Thoughts gentlemen...
I believe all the lighting functions are controlled by the LCM Lighting Control Module. So you can't add a "special" flasher. If I remember correctly I went with the cheaper of the 2 bulbs. The LED upgrade was in the $200.00 to $300.00 range... not too cheap!

I also did the S55 treatment to the lenses so adding the extra sockets and LEDs made up for the blacking out some of the lenses.