Turn Signal-Side Indicator

[aktundra]

I had lights out in one of my front parking/turn/side indicator assemblies, so I was checking things over to ensure that the bulbs were really the problem. What a remarkably poorly designed piece of work.

I have a 1980 (see post 9 of the attached thread)
https://forum.ih8mud.com/80-series-tech/148433-newbie-80-intro-q.html

Not only is the assembly mounted on a tower, out on the fender, where it is a magnet for every branch on the trail. But apparently the upper bulb housing, the parking light, does not have it's own ground, and needs to be pressed against the lower housing, the turn signal, which is grounded.

Looking closely at the two housings, I can see that the lower housing is slowly sawing it's way through the upper housing and the two housings are pressed together by the lens cover!

Considering that these trucks are generally designed for rough roads, where this is going to be vibrations and bouncing, this has got to be a Friday idea when everybody wanted to get out of the office.

Well enough of a rant that has probably been vented before.

I have had amber lens covers for the side markers, but never got around to installing them. (you can see they are missing in the attached photos). There are remnants of the old broken lens covers still in the housing that I need to remove with a dremel or dental pick. I assumed they just snapped in, but are these lens covers meant to be glued in? Is the side marker bulb intended to be replaced by removing the front lens cover, then removing the turn signal housing?

 

[Coolerman]

Buy a set of new turn signals, then break out the soldering iron, and add ground wires to the reflectors. Route these out to the inner fender and use a ring terminal under a bolt to get a good ground. That will take care of your grounding issues forever.

If you are worried about knocking them off, remove them entirely, and mount a set of lights on your bumper or your bib. If you search you will find many threads dealing with alternative mounting places for turn signals. The best option, IMHO, is to locate a late 60's bib with the built in running lights and mod them to also be turn signals. There is a thread about exactly how to do this here somewhere.

Good Luck!