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Has anyone installed L.E.D brake light bulbs?

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Old 06-20-03, 04:29 PM
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Has anyone installed L.E.D brake light bulbs?

I'm tempted to investigate these. Supposedly, they're brighter, draw less current, have a significantly longer life and have instant reaction to the pedal. Any thoughts on these or this type of thing?

Also, I know that our brake lights are 1157s, but are the rear turn signals 1156s?

1157 L.E.D. Light Bulbs
Old 06-20-03, 04:38 PM
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I don't normally talk bad about people if I can help it, but that guy selling those crappy lights is a major rip off.

The LED bulbs he sells and has listed in his auction are the worst quality, and no brighter than a single LED. Using those LED bulbs you won't even be able to see the light is on durning the day or even under medium bright florescent bulbs found in a parking garage.

Then if you complain, he won't refund your money, he says, send them back and he'll send you a replacement for another $5 shipping.

Look through his history, you will find my comments, and when I threatend to post a negitive feedback comment on the quality and brightness of the bulbs he said he would leave a negitive feedback against me, even though I paid him within 24 hours of the auction end and met every single requirement of a ebay buyer.

Rip off, and bad ebayer... don't waste your money and time with that idiot.

And this thread needs to be moved to either exterior or good guy/bad guy... pick which one and I will move it, it is not 2nd gen specific.
Old 06-20-03, 04:38 PM
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yea a L.E.D lasts colse to forever

thats why thay use them in traiffic lights an stuff. i think thay would be good

try them out see what happens

be sure to tell us the results
Old 06-20-03, 05:18 PM
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I have some LED tails. They weren't from that guy though. I think they have like 13 LEDs instead, barely fit through the socket hole. They do light up faster, as well as draw less current(noticable at idle), but they are certainly not brighter than stock. Mine are however plenty bright enough to see at all times of day, so that may be something to watch for too. They also have a nice shade of red through the tail lenses so I'd like to get one for my third light soon.
Old 06-20-03, 05:21 PM
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Thanks for the input. I'll be wary of that seller. Mark, if you moved this to exterior, that'd be fine with me. I just didn't know if the other generations had the same lighting format as the 2nd gen.
Old 06-20-03, 05:22 PM
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even available at Walmart

Sold by Alpena, I've not tried them yet, but maybe soon. The style I saw had at least 8-10 LED's in each socket.
Old 06-20-03, 06:07 PM
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The tail bulbs are cheap anyway to replace, and the life is more than acceptable, why switch to the LED's?

I'm pretty sure the 1156's only have one fillament (for reverse lights) and the 1157's have two for turn signals, brake lights. Basically two stages of brightness. The '56's are either on or off.

Last edited by Mr. Eccentric; 06-20-03 at 06:09 PM.
Old 06-20-03, 07:06 PM
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anyone ever used any of these products? Icemark have you heard of them?

http://www.led.net/

they have automotive ones and stuff too.
Old 06-20-03, 08:01 PM
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Old 06-20-03, 08:47 PM
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Originally posted by bingoboy
anyone ever used any of these products? Icemark have you heard of them?

http://www.led.net/

they have automotive ones and stuff too.
I haven't used those, but I have had a couple of people say that they were good.

Just no first hand experience with them
Old 06-20-03, 10:04 PM
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get ready - its a long one!

used them on both my cavalier and grand ams, depending on the way they are wired, some will work with certain model cars and some will not (notice apc sells "for chevy" and "for ford" model LED bulbs?)

the only LED ive ever used (because ive rewired trailers at work) that was REAL quality, was TruckLite. they make a wide range of sizes. you should really hack their led housings and do something totally custom.. i was considering doing it with a spare set of s4 taillight housings..

anyways, my cruddy "bulb replacement" leds laster just a tad longer than any normal incandescent.. theyre just make of.. crap!

trucklite and grote (trucking industry led makers) make excellent long lasting LED bulbs.. not to mention they are warrantied.

heres something i want to share.

i havent measured it out yet (something just been keeping on the backburner..)

http://www.truck-lite.com/webapp/wcs...4032&langId=-1

how about slicing open a spare set of taillights and permanently mounting them up inside the housings?

this way it covers the whole area of the light (instead of just a small dot, because LEDs are very focussed and dont dissipate light like incandescents) and.. well i think it would just look much better

trucklite has a big selection.. you could do a 3rd brakelight LED conversion if you wanted to as well, their red LED clearance markers are virtually the same size.. etc

the trucking industry stuff isnt just plug and play, but the results are about 20 times better than just a replacement bulb.
Old 06-21-03, 12:34 AM
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So would replacing the rear lights with LEDs cut down on the power enough so that my headlights don't dim when I put on the breaks?

Ah hell I should just do the FD alt conversion..
Old 06-21-03, 01:30 AM
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Got similar ones to the kind Rattaan is speaking of- and they are a beeyatch to get through the holes- I am using them for reverse lights- and since they are super-white I have noticed they do increase my rearward vision at night- just a little safety thing. Thought about using some for my rear turns as well- but they are a pain in the *** to get into the housing w/o dropping them into the bottom where you get to fish em out with a coathanger/similar object.
Old 06-21-03, 02:21 PM
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Originally posted by bingoboy
anyone ever used any of these products? Icemark have you heard of them?

http://www.led.net/

they have automotive ones and stuff too.
\
These look great, is anybody south of the border going to order them?

Not cheap, but they disperse light in all directions!
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