Brake and turn LED upgrades?

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SCVJeff

SCVJeff

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 20, 2007
Posts
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Before I open the lights up and try this myself, I'm curious if anyone has swapped the incandescent lamps with LED, and what does it do to the turn signal flash rate in the 2000-2007'ish model year Freightliner's ?

Compared to recent issue LED technology, these are pretty anemic
 
Ooh, interesting situation! I know some of the ECUs (PCMs) look for a certain resistance to determine if the bulbs are operational. Maybe Freightliner knows?
 
Well, lacking replies I guess I'll forage the wind and see how to remove the fixture to pull a bulb to see what happens. I replaced the 1157 dedicated lamps in the Honda with red LED and now the coach lights look faded and washed out. Not the case but I can do allot better. Standby for the engineering report..
 
Welp..  in case anyone's interested, I replaced the stock 1157 running and brake light with a hi intensity red LED, and the difference is astounding. Running a red LED through a red lens makes the light extremely vibrant.

I would suggest that those with this era rear lenses take them off and look for weathering inside. The corrosion on my lamp base was extreme because the foam insulation is completely shot and allowed water incursion. I'll be replacing the sheet foam with all new insulation as well as the new lamp sitting in a pool of dielectric to retard moisture off the contacts and shell.
 
SCVJeff said:
.....I would suggest that those with this era rear lenses take them off and look for weathering inside. The corrosion on my lamp base was extreme because the foam insulation is completely shot and allowed water incursion. ....
Click to expand...
My buddy with a Safari Trek had the very same experience.
 
Jeff, thanks for the update on the 1157 led, been thinking of doing mine also along with the front cap lights since I want to redo all the seals to head off any leaks.  By chance did you do the turn signals?  I know on both of my motorcycles putting leds into the turn signals I had to put a resistor in line to each bulb to get them to flash correctly....otherwise they flashed extremely fast.
 
Neub said:
Jeff, thanks for the update on the 1157 led, been thinking of doing mine also along with the front cap lights since I want to redo all the seals to head off any leaks.  By chance did you do the turn signals?  I know on both of my motorcycles putting leds into the turn signals I had to put a resistor in line to each bulb to get them to flash correctly....otherwise they flashed extremely fast.
Click to expand...
havent gotten that far yet. Today's project is to cut new foam (available off the shelf at Hobby Lobby) and get a little isolation back. While in there I'm gonna pull a lamp and see what happens. I'd post a picture of the difference of the tail light LED vs. filament, but the forum requires a specific not to exceed size, and the iPad can't to that.. O well..

Life was easier before Photobucket screwed things up..
 
SCVJeff said:
Welp..  in case anyone's interested, I replaced the stock 1157 running and brake light with a hi intensity red LED, and the difference is astounding. Running a red LED through a red lens makes the light extremely vibrant.

I would suggest that those with this era rear lenses take them off and look for weathering inside. The corrosion on my lamp base was extreme because the foam insulation is completely shot and allowed water incursion. I'll be replacing the sheet foam with all new insulation as well as the new lamp sitting in a pool of dielectric to retard moisture off the contacts and shell.
Click to expand...
Jeff - Where did you get your hi intensity red LED 1157 replacements? What brand?

I'd like to start replacing mine.

Thanks,
Russ
 
Hey Russ... got them fresh off of eBay.. I now have a small selection of 1157?s: Not bright enough, too bright, and jusssst right. Can?t comment on long term yet, but I rarely drive at night. This was a project to make the brake lights deeply intense so they were unmistakable.

These are as bright as I choose to take the running lights before they look like brake light intensity. I also replaced the amber turn signals with Amber LED. I?ll dig up links if you want them?
 
SCVJeff said:
Life was easier before Photobucket screwed things up..
Click to expand...

Have you run across "postimage.org"?  That's where I went when photobucket upped there ante.  Easy to use and resize images at the time of upload.
 
SCVJeff said:
Hey Russ... got them fresh off of eBay.. I now have a small selection of 1157?s: Not bright enough, too bright, and jusssst right. Can?t comment on long term yet, but I rarely drive at night. This was a project to make the brake lights deeply intense so they were unmistakable.

These are as bright as I choose to take the running lights before they look like brake light intensity. I also replaced the amber turn signals with Amber LED. I?ll dig up links if you want them?
Click to expand...
Thanks Jeff, I'll search eBay
 
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