If your 3rd brake light is not working, working poorly, or half working. Only a few pics and assuming basic familiarity with soldering, soldering irons, and heat. And this is just the tools and methods I used to address the situation on my hands: light was working but it was very dim and half the LED's wouldn't light up.
Shoutout to the MUD member posting this link (can't find it again) DIY Landcruiser Third Brake Light Fix: $0.69 - http://the36thlock.blogspot.com/2010/08/diy-landcruiser-third-brake-light-fix.html. I went with their zener diode voltage - 5.1V They say if the light isn't working at all, replace this first then re-eval. Lotta guys get it working again just replacing the zener.
5.1V-5watt zener diode off Amazon. There are lower wattage types and guessing they will work too, tho with lower brightness?
I will say that this 5 watt'er is twice as large as the OEM zener. Could prob go with a 2 or 1 watt version.
Amazon product ASIN B008UFWHL2
I first removed the housing from the truck, then removed the LED board from the housing. Plugging just the board back into the truck to power it on (someone or something pressing the brake pedal) and using a Sharpie I marked the LEDs that seemed dim or not working.
After replacing the zener, I tested the light and found it made the working LEDs a bit brighter but none of the marked LEDs that weren't working before began working. At this point knew I had to replace the non-working LEDs.
The LEDs are clear, so I wrongly assumed they were white LEDs and the red plastic lens made them appear red. Nope. They are red LEDs in a clear housing behind the red lens. I went with Amazon again, first buying 100 12v white LEDs, then 100 12v red LEDs after I 'got smrt'.
Amazon product ASIN B07T28PCH1
And yes, 5mm is a size match. I replaced just one LED, hoping it's brightness and color tone would be close enough so that I would only have to replace the LEDs not working (28 in total). Wrong again. The new LED was twice as bright as all the old ones with a new zener. It looked completely stupid, so then I knew I had to replace them all.
I also ordered replacement resistors too but didn't use them. Not sure what the result would be if you did. (probably little to nothing)
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08P2PBQW5/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Other things to note:
1) Polarity - The new LEDs are reverse polarity from the OEM LEDs. Learned this after installing just the single LED above (in the same orientation as the OEM LEDs), tested to see that it wasn't working, researched polarity, reversed the LED in the strip, and tested to see that it worked. With the strip oriented with the power input wires on the right end and LEDs pointing up, you'll see the 'flag' (negative) and 'pole' (anode/positive) inside the LED housing. (see product page for LEDs above) In vintage form, the 'flag' is on the left, pointing right. When you install the new LEDs, you want the 'flag' on the right, pointing left. sidenote - once I had the first LED in place, soldered, and working, I left it there to remind myself of the orientation once I cut the remaining OEM LEDs off)
2) The OEM LEDs have little flanges hanging off their legs to prevent the LEDs from being an inconsistent height across the board (resting too low in the leg holes in the board). The new LEDs do not have these, so I used 1/8" heat shrink cut in roughly 2mm lengths. I then used the resultant heatshrink 'rings' as a spacer, and put one ring around both legs on the bottom of the LEDs. Guessing the heatshrink probably shrunk down a tiny bit when I soldered them back in. This wasn't a perfect solution, but it did the job and looks no more 'shade-tree' than the OEM version.
(not the focus of this pic, but you can see the heatshrink spacers)
3) The circuit board runs are very delicate (and aged). Use as little iron heat as possible to keep from de-laminating the run from the board.
4) Because there are 76 LEDs, each with 2 legs, and each leg with a flange that allows only one way entry and exit from the holes in the board, the fastest way for me was to snip the LED legs just below the flange on the top side using a small pair of dikes. Then use the tip of the soldering iron on the back side to melt the solder and pull the remaining leg sections out (circuit run side). This isn't ideal as you're actually using a pulling force on the circuit run side. Too much force risks pulling the run off the board. Be gentle and 'pull' the legs out by swiping the iron tip away from the leg hole, as opposed to trying to pull straight up from the leg hole.
5) FWIW, I measured about 11.2V at the connector to the strip. Guessing this is normal. Just made a note of it.
I then cleaned up each hole using some heat and a solder sucker making them clear and unobstructed.
Then I inserted one LED at a time, bending the legs 90 degrees toward each other (you'll see the pattern from the old LEDs) once the heatshrink ring was settled to the board on the top side. Bending the legs sort of locks the LEDs in position somewhat. I did 5 LEDs at a time, then went to soldering each one.
As for soldering, I soldered just one leg of each LED first (backside) then checked the LED bulb for straightness and alignment with the rest of the LEDs (topside). You can make small adjustments at this point. Then solder the other leg to lock it in. **If after you've soldered both legs and the LED is not in alignment, DO NOT attempt to adjust the LED. Doing so will likely lift the circuit run off the board (break the run). You'll need to loosen one leg with the iron, adjust, then remove heat (in quick succession if possible). At this point I used the dikes again to snip the remaining LED leg off, just behind the solder joint. It looked rather pleasing iih. lol
After getting it all back together in its housing and just before I remounted, I noticed that the front of the red lens housing actually reads 5.3v.
Guessing that's the zener voltage? What I did seemed to work tho. The light is now quite bright and looks OEM.
Tools used. Spiced Scotch sipper optional.
Shoutout to the MUD member posting this link (can't find it again) DIY Landcruiser Third Brake Light Fix: $0.69 - http://the36thlock.blogspot.com/2010/08/diy-landcruiser-third-brake-light-fix.html. I went with their zener diode voltage - 5.1V They say if the light isn't working at all, replace this first then re-eval. Lotta guys get it working again just replacing the zener.
5.1V-5watt zener diode off Amazon. There are lower wattage types and guessing they will work too, tho with lower brightness?
I will say that this 5 watt'er is twice as large as the OEM zener. Could prob go with a 2 or 1 watt version.Amazon product ASIN B008UFWHL2
I first removed the housing from the truck, then removed the LED board from the housing. Plugging just the board back into the truck to power it on (someone or something pressing the brake pedal) and using a Sharpie I marked the LEDs that seemed dim or not working.
After replacing the zener, I tested the light and found it made the working LEDs a bit brighter but none of the marked LEDs that weren't working before began working. At this point knew I had to replace the non-working LEDs.
The LEDs are clear, so I wrongly assumed they were white LEDs and the red plastic lens made them appear red. Nope. They are red LEDs in a clear housing behind the red lens. I went with Amazon again, first buying 100 12v white LEDs, then 100 12v red LEDs after I 'got smrt'.
Amazon product ASIN B07T28PCH1
And yes, 5mm is a size match. I replaced just one LED, hoping it's brightness and color tone would be close enough so that I would only have to replace the LEDs not working (28 in total). Wrong again. The new LED was twice as bright as all the old ones with a new zener. It looked completely stupid, so then I knew I had to replace them all.
I also ordered replacement resistors too but didn't use them. Not sure what the result would be if you did. (probably little to nothing)
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08P2PBQW5/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Other things to note:
1) Polarity - The new LEDs are reverse polarity from the OEM LEDs. Learned this after installing just the single LED above (in the same orientation as the OEM LEDs), tested to see that it wasn't working, researched polarity, reversed the LED in the strip, and tested to see that it worked. With the strip oriented with the power input wires on the right end and LEDs pointing up, you'll see the 'flag' (negative) and 'pole' (anode/positive) inside the LED housing. (see product page for LEDs above) In vintage form, the 'flag' is on the left, pointing right. When you install the new LEDs, you want the 'flag' on the right, pointing left. sidenote - once I had the first LED in place, soldered, and working, I left it there to remind myself of the orientation once I cut the remaining OEM LEDs off)
2) The OEM LEDs have little flanges hanging off their legs to prevent the LEDs from being an inconsistent height across the board (resting too low in the leg holes in the board). The new LEDs do not have these, so I used 1/8" heat shrink cut in roughly 2mm lengths. I then used the resultant heatshrink 'rings' as a spacer, and put one ring around both legs on the bottom of the LEDs. Guessing the heatshrink probably shrunk down a tiny bit when I soldered them back in. This wasn't a perfect solution, but it did the job and looks no more 'shade-tree' than the OEM version.
(not the focus of this pic, but you can see the heatshrink spacers)
3) The circuit board runs are very delicate (and aged). Use as little iron heat as possible to keep from de-laminating the run from the board.
4) Because there are 76 LEDs, each with 2 legs, and each leg with a flange that allows only one way entry and exit from the holes in the board, the fastest way for me was to snip the LED legs just below the flange on the top side using a small pair of dikes. Then use the tip of the soldering iron on the back side to melt the solder and pull the remaining leg sections out (circuit run side). This isn't ideal as you're actually using a pulling force on the circuit run side. Too much force risks pulling the run off the board. Be gentle and 'pull' the legs out by swiping the iron tip away from the leg hole, as opposed to trying to pull straight up from the leg hole.
5) FWIW, I measured about 11.2V at the connector to the strip. Guessing this is normal. Just made a note of it.
I then cleaned up each hole using some heat and a solder sucker making them clear and unobstructed.
Then I inserted one LED at a time, bending the legs 90 degrees toward each other (you'll see the pattern from the old LEDs) once the heatshrink ring was settled to the board on the top side. Bending the legs sort of locks the LEDs in position somewhat. I did 5 LEDs at a time, then went to soldering each one.
As for soldering, I soldered just one leg of each LED first (backside) then checked the LED bulb for straightness and alignment with the rest of the LEDs (topside). You can make small adjustments at this point. Then solder the other leg to lock it in. **If after you've soldered both legs and the LED is not in alignment, DO NOT attempt to adjust the LED. Doing so will likely lift the circuit run off the board (break the run). You'll need to loosen one leg with the iron, adjust, then remove heat (in quick succession if possible). At this point I used the dikes again to snip the remaining LED leg off, just behind the solder joint. It looked rather pleasing iih. lol
After getting it all back together in its housing and just before I remounted, I noticed that the front of the red lens housing actually reads 5.3v.
Guessing that's the zener voltage? What I did seemed to work tho. The light is now quite bright and looks OEM.
Tools used. Spiced Scotch sipper optional.
Last edited:
