4th Gen Amber turn / brake light mod.

Here is the final Result:

 

http://i1312.photobucket.com/albums/t530/lsamples09/Taillight%20Mod/IMAG0158_zps0b632a4e.jpg

 

Bottom Light: same functionality

Middle light: LED white for reverse, amber for turn.

Top Light: Only comes on when brake pedal is pressed.

 

My taillights are tinted too. Keep this in mind when looking at the pics...

 

Rustoleum lens tint (2 coats) with rustoleum clear (2 coats).

 

Before and after pic:

http://i1312.photobucket.com/albums/t530/lsamples09/Taillight%20Mod/IMAG0066_zps3606c11f.jpg

 

Looks so much better IMO. On to the taillight mod...

 

Walk through:

 

********************************************************

*Disclamer - I am not responsible for any damage done to your vehicle.

*Take your time and check everything yourself before you cut any wires or *make any permanent modifications.

*

*These directions are in a 2007 spec.b I cannot be sure that your wires *will be the same colors although they should be. Use a light and verify for *yourself.

*

*I made permanent modifications to my taillight housing that cannot be *undone. Keep this in mind.

********************************************************

 

Tools Used:

http://i1312.photobucket.com/albums/t530/lsamples09/Taillight%20Mod/IMAG0155_zps4ac7834e.jpg

 

Left to right:

- Test light

- 8mm deep socket

- Wire strippers(auto and manual for tight space.)

- Interior trim panel remover, Awesome for the pop-its.

- Wire cuters / crimpers

- Electrical tape

- Dremel w/ sanding drum

Not pictured:

- Magnet (If you drop the taillight nuts when spinning them off like I did...)

- Pen / Paper for noting what the light wires do.

- Friend (used to hold the brake for pics..)

 

Parts Purchased:

 

http://i1312.photobucket.com/albums/t530/lsamples09/Taillight%20Mod/IMAG0135_zps2c0b860e.jpg

 

Pico Part number 5401C

1157 LED Switchback bulb. *NOTE the bulb is almost as skinny as the socket. That is the key for this mod.

 

First I removed the trunk interior panels.

- There are 3 pop-its in the center plastic section then it pops off. Pull straight up.

 

Then take off each side panel.

- There are 3 remaining pop-its and a hook that twist 90 degrees and comes out. one of the pop-its is behind the back seat. I was able to pop it out without removing the seat trim with my tool. ( I didn't put them back in)

 

Once all that is out of the way you can see the taillight assembly (Drivers side):

 

http://i1312.photobucket.com/albums/t530/lsamples09/Taillight%20Mod/IMAG0139_zps34e9f789.jpg

 

There are 4 8MM nuts and one snap holding the light in. I used my trim tool to get the wire hold on things off. If you use the 8MM socket on the white snap on the far right in the pic, it will pop right out without breaking it.

 

Now Modify the new socket to make it fit better.

 

http://i1312.photobucket.com/albums/t530/lsamples09/Taillight%20Mod/IMAG0137_zps1a646692.jpg

 

Out of the package it would kind of snap right into the 921 socket. I notched the new tabs(in the pic) so I could twist them and they lock nice and tight.

 

Next is the permanent housing modification.

 

http://i1312.photobucket.com/albums/t530/lsamples09/Taillight%20Mod/IMAG0150_zps5c1af72d.jpg

 

Factory Hole - Enlarged to fit bulb / socket - new fixture installed.

This bulb is grounded through the socket. I tried to solder a wire to the housing for a ground but couldn't... I taped a wire to the housing inside the retaining clip things. I then ran a zip tie around it to hold it all into place.

 

Now just wire it up:

 

Here is what I found for the wires.

***Verify these yourself before hacking it up***

 

Both lights have the same colors for all but one wire. before the plug on the light. After the plug, on the light, all the wires are the same colors.

- White - Turn signal +

- Red - Bottom light dim

- Black w/ Red stripe - Reverse

- Black - Ground

- White w/ Black Stripe - Bottom Light Bright

 

Mods:

1) I used the factory ground from the reverse bulb for ground, and the Red / Black reverse wire goes to the white side of the switchback.

 

2) Cut the white wire going to the top bulb. I cut it inside the white sleeve so it looks cleaner.

 

3) Run the wire that you just cut (white) coming from the plug to the amber on the switchback.

 

4) You will have to get a resister or load equalizer to prevent Hyperflash. I picked up a load equalizer from my local autozone (After the whole thing was done...) This will be wired in parallel to the turn signal. One end of the resistor on the amber positive, the other end on the ground. These can get hot, just like a bulb so keep that in mind. Should only build up heat when the bulb is "on".

 

5) Splice into the White / Black wire running into the bottom light. Run your splice up to the top light white wire.

 

6) Make sure no bare wires are touching and test the light. You can use a power probe if you have one or just plug the light in, set em in the trunk and fold the seat down to see it.

 

7) If everything is correct, tape everything (Solder if you can) and tuck the wires back down.

 

Here is my finished wiring (No resistor)

http://i1312.photobucket.com/albums/t530/lsamples09/Taillight%20Mod/IMAG0152_zpsc6230dbd.jpg

Looks almost factory...

 

Repeat on the other side, reinstall is opposite of removal.

 

A couple more after pics:

 

Turn signal stock vs new:

http://i1312.photobucket.com/albums/t530/lsamples09/Taillight%20Mod/IMAG0147_zps66cf0ee4.jpg

 

 

New brake light pattern:

http://i1312.photobucket.com/albums/t530/lsamples09/Taillight%20Mod/IMAG0156_zpsc9e7ed2b.jpg

 

Same old reverse (Pure white now, Brakes are applied in pic.)

http://i1312.photobucket.com/albums/t530/lsamples09/Taillight%20Mod/IMAG0158_zps8ceb811e.jpg

 

PM me if you have any questions. Here is a link to the whole library of pics:

http://s1312.photobucket.com/user/lsamples09/library/Taillight%20Mod

 

Happy Modding!

I've lazily mulled this over for years -- nice approach, looks great, well done.

I've lazily mulled this over for years -- nice approach, looks great, well done.

 

Thanks. I didn't like the red turns, and the brakes weren't very noticeable so I hacked it all up to make it work how I wanted.

Jw wondering relating to this mod-has anyone hacked up a mustang sequential turn system to work on this lighting setup?

Nice write up man, looks great!!

Nice write up man, looks great!!

 

Thanks man!

 

Sent from my HTC One using Tapatalk 4

what switchback bulb is there and where'd you buy it?

Is there a way to make the top and bottom red whole driving and then brighter red when braking? Loving everything about this mod except the top part not being lit all the time

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Is there a way to make the top and bottom red whole driving and then brighter red when braking? Loving everything about this mod except the top part not being lit all the time

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

 

http://legacygt.com/forums/showthread.php/rear-taillights-mod-9109.html?t=9109&highlight=tail+light

 

http://legacygt.com/forums/showthread.php/tail-light-mod-33311.html?t=33311

Jw wondering relating to this mod-has anyone hacked up a mustang sequential turn system to work on this lighting setup?

 

How would that even be possible?

what switchback bulb is there and where'd you buy it?

 

I got it on ebay. They had the most bulb shape options. The most important thing was to find a bulb where the light part isnt much bigger than the metal socket part of the light. This is because you will have to ream out the holes in the reverse light to get an 1157 to fit. The idea is to keep the reaming to a min.

 

Is there a way to make the top and bottom red whole driving and then brighter red when braking? Loving everything about this mod except the top part not being lit all the time

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

Yes, it is possible. you could get a socket and bulb to match the bottom light then splice it in with the bottom brake light. If you dont go led watch running that much load on the factory wiring though. May pop the fuse.

 

Sent from my HTC One using Tapatalk 4

OP

 

when your turn signal is on, only the amber comes on and flashes, right? and then in reverse, only the white comes on ans stays solid?

OP

 

when your turn signal is on, only the amber comes on and flashes, right? and then in reverse, only the white comes on ans stays solid?

 

Correct. Also if I am in reverse and signal the white stays on and the amber flashes. this results in white and light amber alternating.

 

Sent from my HTC One using Tapatalk 4

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10201314684082276

Lookin sharp! How did you ground the light socket?

 

Sent from my HTC One using Tapatalk 4

finished up the back up light and turn signals. need to order dome other parts to finish the brake lights.

 

 

 

Lookin sharp! How did you ground the light socket?

 

Sent from my HTC One using Tapatalk 4

 

 

thanks for the great mod and write up man. this was a way better option than my idea to throw external back up lights on somewhere. under the back of the car.

 

I actually did solder my ground to the socket. works great.

thanks for the great mod and write up man. this was a way better option than my idea to throw external back up lights on somewhere. under the back of the car.

 

I actually did solder my ground to the socket. works great.

 

Awesome. Really nice and clean turn out. It was my pleasure to do the write up. I am a novice solder-er? to say the least.

 

Sent from my HTC One using Tapatalk 4

Hey all, I just registered to say thank you to .NetSubie for this write-up, and to bump this thread to share a specific switchback LED I found that made this mod easier for me and not as permanent, with fewer tools required.

 

The 1157 switchback LED produced by a company called iBrightstar is extra slim (Amazon link here), and coincidentally is a near perfect match for the diameter of the 921 bulb, which is 15mm. Nearly perfect, because there's a lip near the base of the switchback that just barely doesn't fit into the unmodified 921 socket hole.

 

Nevertheless, all the LEDs are in, close enough for the switchback to do its job. So instead of permanently widening the socket hole, I used the extra hole above the reverse light (under a removable metal tab) to zip-tie the Pico 5401 socket into place, with a strip of Gorilla tape on the other side to help support it. The spring tabs are left unused, but the socket is secure enough this way, with no permanent modification to the tail light plastic.

 

For my wiring, I chose to wire the brake light to the 7440 bulb on top by itself (JDM style, at least by daylight ). I like how it looks with the dim filament of the lower 7443 bulb when the headlights are on. I grounded the switchback by soldering the original reverse light ground to the Pico socket. Instead of splicing in a resistor, I replaced my flasher relay with an LED-ready CF18 relay (thanks to yamie700 for the instructions in this thread).

 

I'd also like to share this image I made of the wiring for the 1157 switchback, which can be determined from its asymmetrical nubs, from either side of the socket:

 

 

Also attached are some poor photos of my results (the switchback is BRIGHT).

Thanks for the mention and bump! Looks really good and much cleaner install. The look really bright. My reverse lights are flickering now and I need tor replace them here soon. Do you have any daytime photos you can post?

Thanks for the mention and bump! Looks really good and much cleaner install. The look really bright. My reverse lights are flickering now and I need tor replace them here soon. Do you have any daytime photos you can post?

Thanks! Here are some better pictures, including a comparison between the two colors.

Looks good! Nice addition to the thread!

Here are the results of my intervention:

 

Nice mods and video. I have a post facelift so it doesn't apply to me but I like the results. And like the filming location.

Has anyone installed the Ducati Performance LED turn signals up front and noticed a loss of the self cancelling turn signal feature?