Cascade Crew

Leejo2005 · Member Joined: 12 Jul 2009 Posts: 466 Location: Kennewick

Anyone able to recommend any LED 2057/1157 type light bulbs for tail/brake and turn signal applications?

Al Hasse · Posted: Thu Feb 24, 2011 5:05 am Post subject:

I have a set of these in the brake/tail location on my 92.

http://www.v-leds.com/Exterior-LED/Brake-Light-LED/Red-LED/V-LEDS-RED-V-STAR-M-SMT-p6472898.html

I plan to outfit the rest of the car with these for the rear turn signals and front park/turn signals. I've had similar in the front and they required a load resistor to make the side markers work properly.

http://www.v-leds.com/Exterior-LED/Parking-Light-LED/Amber-LED/V-LEDS-AMBER-V-STAR-M-p6472897.html

KatsCam · Posted: Sat Feb 26, 2011 7:03 pm Post subject:

Al, those lights are badass!

Al Hasse · Posted: Sun Feb 27, 2011 9:21 am Post subject:

Leejo2005 · Member Joined: 12 Jul 2009 Posts: 466 Location: Kennewick

Did you get the ones that fold out?

Al Hasse · Posted: Wed Mar 02, 2011 11:30 am Post subject:

I did. You may want to check the tails on your bird. These lights spread out to a 3" diameter when fully extended, and may not fully extend in the Firebird housings, or so I've heard from a certain TGO member.

Leejo2005 · Member Joined: 12 Jul 2009 Posts: 466 Location: Kennewick

I'll take some measurements when I get home. I'm thinking about using my old tail light assemblies to make an array type LED tail light. I'm experimenting making PWM controlled power supplies for them right now.

Al Hasse · Posted: Sun Mar 06, 2011 6:48 pm Post subject:

I just had a problem with these V-Stars fitting the sockets for my turn signals (front and back). They fit the brake/tail sockets just fine and work fine, but they wont twist to lock in the others, and they take the same incandescent bulb (2057). I took one from a brake/tail socket and tried it in the turn signal - won't fit. Same goes for the amber ones I just got, they'll fit and lock into the brake/tail socket, but not the turn signal. I acquired some extra brake/tail sockets from the yard and spliced them into my harness to make the rear turn signals work. I'm going to try to do the same for the front, but the sockets are a different style, but they may work. I e-mailed V-LEDS about this and waiting for a reply now.

Dewey316 · Posted: Sun Mar 06, 2011 7:09 pm Post subject:

I thought the turn signals were a single filament bulb, so the socket may be slightly different?!? Are they the same as the back-up lamp, which is like an 1156 or something like that?

Al Hasse · Posted: Sun Mar 06, 2011 7:24 pm Post subject:

Turn signals, though it's their only function, use the dual filament lamp. It only uses one of the two filaments though. The socket has one contact in the bottom, off to one side. A 2056 socket will have its contact in the center.

These won't twist lock into the front sockets either.

Al Hasse · Posted: Mon Mar 07, 2011 8:04 pm Post subject:

I figured out what was wrong tonight. Even if that rear turn socket was designed for a 2056 bulb, it wouldn't work. The metal base of the LED assembly isn't quite tall enough, it needs at least another 1/8". The assembly above seats on the rim of the socket and won't allow the keys to fully insert into the key way and enable the twist-lock. The front is probably similar.

I was able to dremel out the top of one of the sockets I removed enough to let the assembly sit slightly below the rim, the LED lit up with a 9V battery attached to the wires. I think a 13/16" drill bit might work better as the plastic won't melt on me.

BluFbdy · Posted: Tue Mar 08, 2011 5:41 pm Post subject:

i would have tried using some solder on the bulb to make it taller but 1/8" is a long shot lol and i couldnt see it lasting very long

Al Hasse · Posted: Tue Mar 08, 2011 6:18 pm Post subject:

Even that trick wouldn't have helped. The bottom edge of the LED assembly was seated on the top of the socket and not allowing the keys on the metal base to reach the bottom of the key way. Only fix is to widen the top of the socket opening and allow the LED assembly above the base to sit just below the top of the socket.

VLEDS responded to my e-mails and will replace the one I broke thinking it was seated in the bottom of the socket. All I need to do is send it back with the appropriate RMA form. When I get the replacement, I should have the rest of the car done.