I need some help installing LED tail lights... (1 Viewer)

[Weber Sarge]

I'm going to form-fit and fab a set of guards to fit nice and tight on mine , can't wait to get started but gotta finish up the tie rod kit first today . Just not enough hours in the day , maybe I'll move to Alaska....

Shane's stuff is top-notch , nice to see someone like me with an obsessive eye for detail . I'm told there is medication for that ....?
Sarge

 

[Chamba]

Confirm receipt fo the lights?

I slapped those together in about 2 hours of so. They are a little bigger than I would like, but I am please other than that. What were you flying up here?

I flew my Stinson 108-3 up to Kotzebue where we sold it to a local guy (and it still lives). I had a friend who flew C208s out of there and got me a job there but before I could fly the line I got hired at Mesa Airlines. When I went there I was flying for a dispersal outfit in Panama.

Can everyone confirm that they have received their lights? It looks like all the tracking numbers have been delivered.

 

[1911]

I flew my Stinson 108-3 up to Kotzebue where we sold it to a local guy (and it still lives). I had a friend who flew C208s out of there and got me a job there but before I could fly the line I got hired at Mesa Airlines. When I went there I was flying for a dispersal outfit in Panama.

Can everyone confirm that they have received their lights? It looks like all the tracking numbers have been delivered.

I got mine, thanks again!

When I lived and worked in Alaska (on the North Slope and Beaufort Sea) we were flown in and re-supplied by a bush pilot flying a Twin Otter. One of my duties was to take a topographic map and a compass (in the 24-hour dark) and find a big enough frozen lake for the Twin Otter to land on , call in one of the camp caterpillars to scrape it flat, then light and set smudge pots around the perimeter so the pilot could see it and land. Then I got to unload food, fuel, and supplies by hand. Great fun for a young man, 35 years ago. I had great respect for our bush pilot - he would take off and head in our general direction, not knowing where he was going to land until he got there, then landing in the dark with only a dozen or so diesel smudge pots to mark the LZ. And it changed every time he flew out because the camp moved once every few days.

 

[Weber Sarge]

Got mine , just need time to make up the guards and get them installed plus repair all the rear body wiring (read - replace ).
Sarge

 

[Weber Sarge]

Got started on the light guards finally , plan to tackle removal of the stock lights and figure out how to mount the new units' plastic mounting backer on the stock crossmember since it has that big hole . I'm sure it will result in half a day of removing broken bolts but I like a challenge .
Pics coming soon . Should I start a seperate install thread for this ?
Sarge

 

[Chamba]

Got started on the light guards finally , plan to tackle removal of the stock lights and figure out how to mount the new units' plastic mounting backer on the stock crossmember since it has that big hole . I'm sure it will result in half a day of removing broken bolts but I like a challenge .
Pics coming soon . Should I start a seperate install thread for this ?
Sarge

I didn't use the mounting brackets on mine but rather the guards. Then I simply bolted the guards into the existing hole.

Could do separate thread, may be a good reference. On the other hand it is on topic with this thread. Up to you.

Dancar is here in Santa Fe visiting us from Australia. I'm taking him wheeling tomorrow to show him a bit of American stuff.

 

[93jspec]

Got started on the light guards finally , plan to tackle removal of the stock lights and figure out how to mount the new units' plastic mounting backer on the stock crossmember since it has that big hole . I'm sure it will result in half a day of removing broken bolts but I like a challenge .
Pics coming soon . Should I start a seperate install thread for this ?
Sarge

I would like to see what you came up with. Post up here, after all it is inline with the thread. If you want to be more technical and do a "How to" thread then I would also make thread for that and reference it with you pic in this thread.

 

[Weber Sarge]

Will do just that - two seperate threads and I'll post before/after pics along with a seperate thread with details about how it's all done . Headed out now to weld in 3/16" filler plates to cover the stock holes and stop some of the rust issues .
That is , after I drill out 5 broken bolts so far....lol .
Sarge

 

[Weber Sarge]

Ok , got some time to get started and tore into the old lights yesterday , what a mess -









I cut a pair of filler plates to cover the oem holes to allow the bases for the new led's to be surface mounted to the rear crossmember . The filler plates were only face welded , not fully gap welded/penetrated to allow removal later if I ever want to return to oem tail lights .



Once mounted , I set up the guards I bent up so they mount to the factory holes in the ends of the crossmember and tabs to fit over the top of the stock bumperettes .

Sarge

 

[Weber Sarge]

Here are the base plates mounted , ready to accept the new led units .






More to come , need to glass bead/paint all the parts/crossmember tomorrow if everyone will stop interrupting me , lol .
It's taken 2 whole days to get this far....

Sarge

 

[PrimeFJ]

Ok I just saw this tread.. Am I too late?

I prefer the one with rear tail light. And which resistor do I need if I have a '78 fj40? 12 volt?

Anyways payment via PayPal ready. Where do I send payment? I'm in Austin Tx.

Thanks!

 

[Weber Sarge]

As far as I know , the buy is over unless maybe demand goes up enough for another one .
Be aware that these lights are a fair bit bigger than stock so fitment is somewhat an issue .
Sarge

 

[1911]

Ok , got some time to get started and tore into the old lights yesterday , what a mess -

Wow, looks like you were over-due for new lights anyway Sarge!

Nice work so far. I'm back in town for a few days and the weather is cooler, so I may get to put mine in soon too.

 

[esh]

I was looking at the lights in this thread and found they just won't fit for me. So onto Google Image search I went looking for LED tail lights from AUS. As it turns out, there is already a thread for the ones I found and ordered- https://forum.ih8mud.com/40-55-series-tech/731231-l-e-d-tail-lights.html edit: <-- that thread's lights aren't the same, but similar


Got them while I was out on a camping trip, and so far I like what I see. They are nearly identical to stock 40 tail lights. It will be a while before they go on, so don't expect functioning pics soon.

source is Tojo 4WD- http://www.tojo4wdcentre.com.au/par...led-led-taillight-assembly-lh-or-rh-universal

even with current favorable exchange rates, they are still expensive. The other recent idea I had were Suzuki Samurai tails.. a quick search didn't turn up much.

just set on a 4x4Labs rear bumper to illustrate

 

[Chamba]

Oh man, I wish I'd seen these myself. Mine were the closest I could find. Having said that, mine fit well in the Spector guards and I love how bright they are.

 

[Chamba]

Looking at the link, there doesn't seem to be many individual leds on those it seems. Are they very bright?

 

[esh]

Can't say yet. I have a few things in front of getting to the bumper and lights.

 

[UZJ40]

Looking at the link, there doesn't seem to be many individual leds on those it seems. Are they very bright?

That's what I'm wondering... especially the reverse lights

 

[Weber Sarge]

Sure , now we find something that's more inline with the stock size , lol . No biggie , I like the ones I have now and their construction seems top-notch - not to mention they are approaching "blinding bright" levels of light output . Good thing , too - people here really don't pay attention much .
Sarge

 

[Chamba]

Sure , now we find something that's more inline with the stock size , lol . No biggie , I like the ones I have now and their construction seems top-notch - not to mention they are approaching "blinding bright" levels of light output . Good thing , too - people here really don't pay attention much .
Sarge

I must say, that's what I love about them. I like seeing people shield their eyes at lights behind me-means they've noticed I'm using my brakes. Also in today's 'made in China' world, it's refreshing to have a product which seems as well built as my Cruiser.