Spyder headlamps.....my take on 'em...and LIGHTING in general

[shovelbill]

really, my first order of business for the rear of the truck should be new OEM tail housings.....my lenses are beat to **** and i'm sure the reflectors are deteriorated at this point.....THAT change should make a difference on it's own.......jumping the top bulb to actually work as a brake lamp as well as a parking light will DOUBLE the light output for brake and turn functions.......i can't understand why GM didn't make the top bulb "live" for both filaments, the socket calls for the proper bulb, no?

i know there's a thread on how to do this little modification, i've seen it....but can't find it......why would GM NOT make all 4 bulbs live in run/turn/brake functions?

 

[shovelbill]

just remember if doing LED's in the tail...and i'm NOT sure why it's different with incandescent bulbs, but when using the LED pods in the rear on my bike the white ones didn't work worth a ****, the red LED's work great.

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i KNOW i've posted about my bike's rear LED and strobing brake lights.....i don't give a FU@K about the "legality" of the setup, i can't afford to get hit in the back again. being paralyzed is not on my list of priorities at this point in my life....and this setup works FANTASTIC.....i'll go find the video again.

 

[shovelbill]

whaddafuk....but i found it again.....and "watched" it too.....

http://www.gmt400.com/threads/how-to-4-hi-brake-light-mod-easy-method-stock-tails.15891/

 

[n8pu]

that's a great capture of your point of perspective.....very impressive.

do they have to warm up a bit? LMAO!

Thanks,My son has a talent I think with a camera, not me I just point and shoot, at least I learned a little bit about taking a picture but never will be as good as him. He seems to be able to 'see' what will make a good picture, he got that from his mom.

Now back to lights, my son was first getting LED stop light assembly, his like the ones that I ended up getting didn't come with LED bulbs for the back just incandescent bulbs. The new fixture had about twice the opening for the back up blub, plus the fact is was new allowed a lot more light on the ground. Kind of like night and day difference, but then put that LED in that same light socket and it was like trying to back up using and old wooden match to backing up with the sun turned on. I think the main difference between his stop lights and mine is his LED's have a wider field of view. I do like the fact on mine even if it isn't totally dark and someone pulls up behind me at a traffic light, while I have my foot on the brake pedal, their vehicle had a nice RED glow in it.

 

[deejaaa]

here's a condensed version:
GM didn't do it but YOU can.

Requires no soldering iron. In 30 mins all four taillight bulbs will light up with brakes/turns.

This were done on a '92, 88-89's have different bulbs (circular base) than '90-98 trucks so same procedure, but will need a test light to find proper contacts.

Remove taillights, unplug 'em, remove circuit boards. Use 5" small strand of wire, strip ends to 1cm of bare wire per end. Below are instructions for INDIVIDUAL CIRCUIT BOARDS.

DRIVER SIDE:

Remove both running bulbs (can remove reverse bulb if wanted, but it won't be modified), diagram's below.

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It is pretty straightforward what's needed. For middle bulb (between top, reverse bulbs) place wire (or thread it through "contact rod") to stay in place as bulb is installed. Bulb can be facing either direction, as long as bare wire end is in correct place. Install bulb with bare end of wire touching/threaded through BOTTOM-RIGHT contact.

Top bulb is written "BRIDGE" for ground contacts. Circuit board does not have ground for "High filament", so take a SMALL strand of bare wire (1cm at most, don't want to touch another contact) thread through "contact rods" on ground end of bulb by wrapping it around base. This is NECESSARY. Carefully install "High filament" wire in designated spot, install bulb.

With both bulbs installed, plug in circuit board, hit brakes to test. Both bulbs should light. If nothing happens, 15 amp fuse was popped. If only middle bulb lights, something's wired wrong, or wire/ground slipped off contacts. Re-apply and try again. Here's how tails should look:

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PASSENGER SIDE:

Same as above, but contact points are a bit different. Pay CLOSE attention to diagram below:

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When you're done, it should look like this:

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Here are both bulbs lit up for brakes on driver side.

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That's it.

 

[n8pu]

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This was a test of of a $20 LED light we had originally got for my sons 2000 Yukon but when he realized the backend wasn't flat, he decided to put them on my truck, we didn't show them with the LED backup lights but was just seeing how they worked with and without the vehicle light. We got thoese at a local Meijer grocery store.

 

[shovelbill]

xc_hide_links_from_guests_guests_error_hide_media

This was a test of of a $20 LED light we had originally got for my sons 2000 Yukon but when he realized the backend wasn't flat, he decided to put them on my truck, we didn't show them with the LED backup lights but was just seeing how they worked with and without the vehicle light. We got thoese at a local Meijer grocery store.

well nobody can say that they didn't see you....looks good.

how come in the beginning the center group blinked with the turn signals, then only the outside 3 did?

 

[shovelbill]

ok...coffee break time. let's "tattle on myself" and run through what my addiction convinced me i needed to buy.

got these buckets.....Cibie Airport 35's

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http://www.ebay.com/itm/Cibie-serie...791126?hash=item4b128d3496:g:fkMAAOSw241YUYvx

and of course need lenses to put in them....happen to get these NOS and OBSOLETE clear driving lamps.....a good score

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http://www.ebay.com/itm/222419484989?_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT

these Airport 35's are the same as the 135 series, the difference being is the 135's are a chrome housing......those i haven't seen for sale in over a year. for their size they're very good....use an H2 bulb.....pick yer poison....Cibie doesn't make the clear driving lenses anymore. they do still have a clear and amber fog lens available.

basically, i'm into an obsolete set of quality "smallish" drivers for $130 plus $10 shipping.....i'm not bitchin about that

now i just have to find the bulb holders........hmmm

 

[n8pu]

well nobody can say that they didn't see you....looks good.

how come in the beginning the center group blinked with the turn signals, then only the outside 3 did?

Good question that whoever designed it could answer.

With that said, if the break lights are on, the center 3 and the side 3 will blink, with or without the vehicle 'running lights' on. Without the break lights on, only the turn signal, just the outside 3 will blink. They were / are cheap only costing about $20 so you can't expect much. Also they plug into the 4 wire trailer light plug, yes cheap design, I don't know if you can see it in the video, but between each light unit, wires connect each unit to the next one and the way we installed them the harness connector is to the left / drivers side of the vehicle.

As long as I keep snow from pilling up on the bumper they can be seen from behind with the tail gate in place.

 

[shovelbill]

i also dickered with the e-bay guy for the driver's side NOS fog light....eventually we settled on $95, so i'm into a brand new set for $156

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Curt actually found both the lights on evilbay for me.....it's in this thread....so i blame him for enabling my addiction, LMAO!

http://www.gmt400.com/threads/wtb-oem-fog-lights-for-bumper-air-dam.36898/