Brighter Tail Lights
Posting Guru
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 1,670
Likes: 8
No problem, JMO. You mentioned pulling a trailer. Some trailers have many lights and many with electric brakes, which require upgrades to these old trucks. I've wired a lot of truck that want to pull a trailer. I was just offering an idea. I'll butt out.
Ford Parts Specialist
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 88,826
Likes: 787
From: Simi Valley, CA
Same tail lamps: 1967/72 F100/350 Styleside, 1967/77 Bronco & 1969/74 Econoline.
Laughing Gas
Joined: Mar 2013
Posts: 771
Likes: 309
One thing to remember, you want to keep the buckets so you don't lose the reflector effect if you're parked on the side of the street at night. The LED's on circuit boards block the bucket from reflecting outside light. I've had great results from using fake chrome piant (spraying it "wet" to get the best reflectibility) and new lenses, with fresh bulbs.
A friend of mine has 55 watt headlight/foglight bulbs (H1 or H3, can't remember) in his '57 Chevy's tail lights- keeps the bucket/reflector and is WAY brighter than stock. He's actually melted the lenses sitting in traffic with his foot on the brake. The truck buckets are much larger and deeper so that probably wouldn't be a problem.
A friend of mine has 55 watt headlight/foglight bulbs (H1 or H3, can't remember) in his '57 Chevy's tail lights- keeps the bucket/reflector and is WAY brighter than stock. He's actually melted the lenses sitting in traffic with his foot on the brake. The truck buckets are much larger and deeper so that probably wouldn't be a problem.
Lead Driver
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 6,305
Likes: 18
From: Boulder Creek, Ca
IMO, nature of the beast, found majority of the electrical gremlins can be traced to poor ground. Also, for those of us who still have the pressure type brake switch not sure getting full voltage to the bulbs?? Suggest clean brake pressure switch connections and all ground surfaces of dirt, grim and paint; especially re: brake housing and lamp, perhaps add a dab of dielectric grease to the ground point locations??
http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/n...WireDiagP7.jpg
Posting link to couple articles that may, or may not be of any help. With my 65 it's not as much an issue with tail lights as with the brightness of the headlights, always kept on hi and still look weak??
Whiter Whites, Brighter Brights | Ford Trucks
Old Trucks: Using Relays to Control High Amperage Circuits | Ford Trucks
http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/n...WireDiagP7.jpg
Posting link to couple articles that may, or may not be of any help. With my 65 it's not as much an issue with tail lights as with the brightness of the headlights, always kept on hi and still look weak??
Whiter Whites, Brighter Brights | Ford Trucks
Old Trucks: Using Relays to Control High Amperage Circuits | Ford Trucks
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Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 1,985
Likes: 107
Im running a 100amp Taurus internally regulated alternator. I run the headlights off relays.
My headlights are very bright and do not dim when I let off the gas.
Prior to the alternator and relay upgrade they would dim when the rpms dropped to idle.
Im going to paint my buckets bright white, and rebuild the harness or grab one from the Pull-A-Part.
Anytime you cut a wire, it is exposed to moisture, either in the form of water or humidity. Over time, the wire will corrode. The corrosion may or may not be visible to the eye.
In the case of my truck, I think the tow hitch was installed in the 60s or 70s. As a result of hacking into the harness for trailer lights, the wiring harness is in pretty poor condition. That is probably one of the sources of the poor light output of my tail lights.
Easy fix, just have to get time to do it.
My headlights are very bright and do not dim when I let off the gas.
Prior to the alternator and relay upgrade they would dim when the rpms dropped to idle.
Im going to paint my buckets bright white, and rebuild the harness or grab one from the Pull-A-Part.
Anytime you cut a wire, it is exposed to moisture, either in the form of water or humidity. Over time, the wire will corrode. The corrosion may or may not be visible to the eye.
In the case of my truck, I think the tow hitch was installed in the 60s or 70s. As a result of hacking into the harness for trailer lights, the wiring harness is in pretty poor condition. That is probably one of the sources of the poor light output of my tail lights.
Easy fix, just have to get time to do it.
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Jag Red 54
1948 - 1956 F1, F100 & Larger F-Series Trucks
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Jun 14, 2005 05:13 PM
