I thought I did a post on this long ago but cannot find it.

so the 2nd gen style license plate light sockets and bulb housing suck.
this will be the 4th set to replace. on all of them they seem to get hot and burn the rubber/socket , get so hot that the housing that has the clear window for the light gets dry, cracks and then will just burst from the cracks.
on the 3 sets before I put eletric grease on everything and even wrapped the backs of the socket to protect them from water etc.

the cheapest I can find these to replace is about 30$ for just one side the housing and socket.
are they a poor design? why so hot?
I'm thinking of now just getting a universal license plate light that would mount over the factory holes and wire them up.

 

Yea, it isn't a great design, too much heat with the standard bulb.

Fleabay has the pigtail assy from Mopar right now for 13 bucks and change each, and I would switch the bulbs to LEDs to reduce both the draw and the heat.

I have one of the universal LED units on the Ramcharger and they are quite a bit brighter.......

 

I can get Dorman OE replacements locally cheap about 20$ per side. this is alot cheaper than the MOPAY dealership. I agree they get way to hot. I just dont know if I'm going to put money on the same set up tho. Im going to look at the
universal sealed units that are led. they are half the cost and would just need to hard wire them in. the only issue is really fitting over the factory plastic that has the raised lip. If I can find a match for the 2" spaced screw holes i will just have to use a dremel and cut out the raised section..
nickel and dime... I enjoy having a paid off truck but things are starting to show its life on this 2nd gen..

I keep thinking it would be nice to have a newer truck
but according to the wife she just says keep thinking....
but it could be a lot worse right.

 

I just was pricing the new Ecodiesels.......... Sorry, can't do it.....

 

Mine have lasted 15 years....I will check and see how hot they get if I can remember.

Sounds like too much voltage or too thin wire..

 

Bulbs get hot and it's a really confined space. No where for heat to go. I replaced mine a few years back and installed forward facing led's in place of the 194 bulbs. Bright and stays cool.

 

so I went to a local bike shop and found these.
they are led's that are built on the end of a bolt that goes through with the wires and a nut and washer secures it on the back side.
they were 9$ for the pair. the wires were small tho. like 18 gauge. I hard wired them in. I dont think the small wires will be a issue but I will watch.

its a quick fix and now I'm at least legal now.