1st gen turn signals to running lights with Switchback LEDs (a how to)

No. I scraped up the metal on the driver side rear turn signal housing (near the turn signal bulb) so I could solder a wire on. There didn't seem to be a convenient place to bolt a wire to. Then a ran a few feet of thick wire (16AWG or 18AWG) to an existing chassis bolt near the rear passenger wheel well. This wire provides a better ground return path and keeps the voltage drop on the rear passenger taillight housing ground down.

Your setup seems extra sensitive. Either your V-LEDs are more sensitive or your ground is dropping more voltage than most setups. I never had a problem with the passenger side turning off (even when going into reverse). You switching on the other blinker and having that cause both V-LED lights to go out is not normal.... at least not what I observed when I did it.

 

Well i was thinking of adding the resistors in today - but if thats not gonna cure all problems im just gonna take the V-leds out and send them back.

 

Adding the resistors will only take care of hyper blink. It won't do anything for the white LEDs in the V-LEDs turning off when hitting the brake or going into reverse.
Returning sounds like your best option as it sounds like your setup is extra sensitive to ground bounce.

 

For sure - even though i loves the 6k look last night when i wasn't braking haha

http://www.tacomaworld.com/forum/1st-gen-builds/77709-2004-prerunner-build.html#post1478727

Have you seen it done this way? all he did is switch the green wired (corner lights and blinker). Then i wonder if i could just put a 6k bulb into the blinker housing?

 

to fix the problem with the white leds turning off i just replaced the brake lights with leds ohh and i did not use resistors i just bought this http://www.v-leds.com/Electronic-Flashers/3-PIN-EUROPEAN-ELECTRONIC-p4481116.html#ReviewsTabAnchor

simple plug and play done deal

 

Subbed...Definitely wouldn't mind a set of those on my truck!

 

Hey man, so i figured what the HELL! i would try the ground thing...First i unplugged the right rear housing socket. then i tested the white LEDs and they worked perfectly fine. So i plugged the housing socket back in then took turns testing the LEDs with different bulbs removed. It seemed the reverse light and the brake light affected the LED running lights.

So i cut and fused a thick guaged wire into the ground coming from the "BRAKE" light bulb as seen here.


and grounded it to an existing bolt on my rear bumper where i have reverse lights. IT works perfectly so far.

 

Any updated coupon codes for these bulbs??

 

I'm not sure if there are - but there's always a 15% discount running, all together with the 2 switchbacks, 2 resistors and the shipping i paid 70ish.

Here are a couple more pics of last night with them complete.

 

Radio shack has some resistors for like $2 that will work. They are not the exact same value as the ones being sold online, but they do work. It would be a good idea to mount a heatsink of some kind on them even if it's just gluing a couple of copper pennies on each one.

 

Lol i just turned my ringtone into the flintstones thing song...

But i already have the resistors, i bought them with the bulbs.
Thanks tho!

 

if you wire the third wire to the corner lights, does that mean that the white LED's will only turn on when the headlights are on but the amber will still light up? i kinda want to preserve the life of the bulbs as long as possible so i want to make sure theyll only turn on when i have the headlights on.

 

The LED's will have a VERY long life span, no need to worry about them burning out any time soon...

 

No, if you wire the third wire into the corner lights (running lights) the white lights will be on when ever your running lights are on (in running position & headlight position). Which is what i did to mine. The LEDs will last atleast a couple years. If you have any questions let me know.

 

Quick question for you guys!

I have the same problem as everyone else with the left turn signal going out, but doing the rear ground mod didn't help for me. It helped only a tiny bit...perhaps I have a set of sensitive lights as well.

That said, anyone think an inline DIODE on the switchback ground would fix the problem easily?

 

I don't think a diode will help. Although the spike originates on the ground (rear drivers side tail light) it travels through the rear turn signal bulb and winds up on the turn signal + which is why I don't think a diode on the ground would help. This is why replacing the rear turn signal bulb with a LED bulb has been reported to fix the problem.... the LED doesn't have a low resistance filament for the spike to travel through.

You got me thinking. If you don't want to buy a LED turn signal bulb, a diode in-line with the rear driver's side turn signal should fix the problem just as well. You of course will lose a diode drop of V to the rear turn signal, but I doubt you would see any difference in brightness. You could be the guinea pig

 

When first grounded the LR it fixed everything. Now its going off again when i brake and shift into reverse etc.. im hoping the ground came disconnected...lets hope!! otherwise im gonna beat the shit out of V-LEDS

 

Hmm, interesting. I didn't realize the spike was on the positive side of the turn signal. In that case, my diode theory won't work as you pointed out

I'm not sure how a diode at the rear light would work.

I've been holding off on buying an led bulb for the rear because I thought they aren't as bright during the day and are hard to see. Is this true? Anyone have good bright daytime results with stock housings from LEDs? I just want everything to function well!

 

Is it possible to do this with a dual filament incandescent bulb to get the same effect. I want it to run off the parking lights. Thanks

 

I haven't tried any LEDs in the taillights. There should be some out there that are as bright or brighter than the stock bulbs (some newer cars have LEDs for taillights but of course there lens was designed for that).

You run into some problems with incandescent. An incandescent is not going to change colors like the Switchbacks do (going from white LEDs to yellow). If you fit a white and yellow incandescent in there, then you still need the smarts that would turn the white off and turn the yellow on when the turn signal is on to give it the "swtichback" feature). The easiest thing to do with incandescent is to run the dim filament all the time and then hook the bright filament to the turn signal. You don't get the color change, but at least you have running lights and a turn signal in the bumper.