I'm looking for the light bulbs. I am wanting to run stock tail light plastics, and then get the brightest bulbs in them, specifically, the reverse lights. I bought these 24.99 o' reileys special ones and they made no difference. I know I have seen way brighter lights in a stock tail light housing before that wasn't cut up to have a custom LED pattern put in.

I do understand I can mount after market lights, change out the tail light housings, modify them for LEDs. I'm just wondering what my best option is before doing that.

 

I would like to have better reverse light also, maybe some one will jump in here with the solution.

 

I'm running either Philips or Sylvania (I wanna say Sylvania ZEVO) 3157s, $25-ish at Advance, and they're quite a bit brighter than stock. Probably about as much as you're gonna get out of the stock housings.

 

Stop wasting your time with the bulbs - Put in the '87-'89 model year taillamp. They are about 18$ a piece on rockauto.

They look like this:





Compared to this:

 

Reverse light solution

 

The stock lenses and reflectors inside the housing, well, aren't impressive. Even if your reflectors are shiny new, a bright bulb isn't going to direct much light straight back and down to the ground where you need it. I went with bright aftermarket LEDs. The beam pattern... ie, lenses and reflectors, is at least as important as total light output. Many of the cheapies will disappoint.

I have these https://www.northerntool.com/shop/to...8638_200578638, along with an older 12" Vision-X unit. The Vision-X is aimed straight back, with a pair of Northerns aimed out to the sides. These 3 are on a switch on the dash rather than wired into the reverse circuit, and offer plenty of light. I was pleasantly surprised with the Northerns... relatively cheap, and well, they're Northerns rather than a premium brand.

Full disclosure... I no longer have the stock bed or tail lights. The tail lights on my home-fabbed bed, including the wired-in reverse lights, are 4" round Grote units. The Grotes are brighter than stock, but not impressive. Flip the switch to the other 3, and yeah, I can see behind me.

Long story... I don't think you'll be happy with just replacing bulbs. For aftermarket LEDs, figure on getting 2 for coverage and be willing to go beyond A-store cheapies, but plan a bit before dropping the coin.

My $0.02.