:For anyone wanting to freshen the look of there truck, and add to it's safety with brighter more visable lights, LED's are just for you. I have always liked the look of the newer big riggs with LED lights, and was thinking hey why not. I ordered enough to replace all the exterior light on my truck, so far I have gotten to about half of them. The look is great, very new looking. And with LED's you can experiment with the briteness, A common lamp on our trucks the 1157, can be bought with betwwen 9 and 19 LED's. They work great on trailer also. They have several advantages, Brighter, almost no heat, draw about a 1/10 of what the original lamp drew, and they should last for about 20 years.

 

Are they readily available? I assume they plug into the existing sockets. Can you get enough brightness for better reverse lights? You say you have experimented a little. What, in your opinion, are the best brightness for our tailight/turn signal application? Thanks!

 

I changed my running and signal lights to LED on my old truck in may 2001. The only advice that I have for y'all is that to make sure that the front corner turn signal and marker lamps are bright enough. I got yelled at by a traffic officer that he 'couldn't see my turn signal in broad daylight' and that I need to get them checked. I moved the rear taillights to my new truck, and I don't think that I'll change the current turnsignal lamps to LEDs. I have documentation for my conversion. Here's a link to my page describing the process of building them.

Oh, I wouldn't change out the backup lamps ... I know I need as much light as possible.

brandon.

 

It all depends on the type ans style of LED you purchase. If you plug in a cheap 7 light led, then you will not get the light of a 9-19 LED. Of coarse the more LED's the higher the cost, like most other things. I am not yet down experimenting, so I can not yet tell you what I like the best. I bought enough LED's to do three of our vehicals, and I have been playing around with all of them. From what I can see so far, There is a huge brightness difference in the ones I installed. You have a choice of not only how meany LED's you want, but throw into the mix a choise of super white, in clear or opaque, amber and red in the same. From what I have seen so far I like sticking to mostly all super white in clear. You will definitly get the most light this way. You can say put a amber in your front tuning signal lamp, it gives a nice looking glow, but if you go that way, go with the more LED version, cause it isn't as bright as the clear. For the marker lights on m dully I could only find one source, and they were 10 LED units, and are atleast twice as bright as the original ones. I am not done, and I bought meany more then I needed, but I like experimenting and it will keep me bussy for a while. One thing to know, LED's are polarity sensitive, and must be carefully observed. Only take out one lamp at a time, it will make it much easier. So if you swap out marker lights. First turn them on and varify they are all working, then remove one and install the new LED one, if it is not lighting up, reverse the way you installed it, it should lite. Because incandesent lamp don't care about polarity, they are often installed in a hoge podge way. You can not take any of them for granted, they might all be say marker lights, and all have the same type fixture, but they don't always hook them up the same, so only replace one light at a time. When you are sure it is working go to the next. Some cars and trucks require a load equalizer, I have not gotten to the turn signals so I don't know if the Dodge needs one or not. I ordered a few and figured I would need some on three vehical (really four I am doing my trailer also), they are not expensive, and just splice in-line if needed. I'll post back later when I know a little more.

 

where r u getting your light assemblies?

 

Since I outfitted my work truck with LED's It's still fresh in my head; Average service life is 100,000 hours. If used on all turn signal lamps you may need a different flasher. Only downside is initial cost. I spent too much $$$$ putting LED's on 4 work trucks & got in trouble for it, but they did like the no burned bulbs and SAFETY (visibility)factor.

 

The change to blue lights will probably make you very popular with the local Law Enforcement types.

 

To the best of my knowledge there are NO approved blue lights for non-law enforcement vehicle use.

Check your local codes.

 

BIGCUMINZ;
The local highway patrol I'm sure could tell you. I've called them concerning towing issuses and had a good response.
I do know here local the cops have threatened a couple of folks I know w/ vehicle impoundment :'( if they were caught again with certain custom Lts like, Bluedots ect. ???

I think the brighter in the same color you wouldn't have a complaints "with in resaon" NO TIM ALLEN SPECIALS .

Just my opinion.
ramguy

 

[quote author=BIGCUMMINZ link=board=7;threadid=21489;start=0#msg201557 date=1067176318]
id like to put on the lights that have the blue tint i always see on them bmw's and cars like that. Where can i get those. Brighter + light blue tint = replacing that horrible lights dc put on my truck
[/quote]

BIGCUMMINZ
I think this is what you are looking for: http://www.stylinconcepts.com/parts....categoryid=179
Hope this helps.

 

Sorry guys I should have given you the web addy for the lights. First thu, the blueish tinted lights on most finer imports are from HID lighting. It is a very nice but expensive lights option, Stands for High Intensity Discharge, they use a ballast that is remotely located, and the lamps opperate at an extremely high temperature, around the 1800 degree mark. If you like the look, they do offer some replacement lamps for our trucks (9004) called blue star, I have seen them locally. For the dually marker lights they are 1274A for the amber ones, and 1274R for the red ones. This is were I got them, they are great to work with and I had them in two days.
www.LED-R-US.com
For all the other lights I went thru www.autolumination.com
they were also we quick to shipp, and a joy to work with. I there site they have alot of info for you to read thru. Our Dodge's take 3157's for most turn signals, front marker and parking lights. The 1157, is for rear turning signals, stop and tail lights. 921 is for the high mounted stop and cargo laight. 194 is the roof marker lights, after market type marker lights, most trailer lights, ect. If you want, you can also replace the dash lights, or even the gage lights with several diferent colors that are availible. You will notice on this site just how many variations are available. Good luck.