third brake light options.
Thread Starter
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Tuned
Joined: Feb 2023
Posts: 278
Likes: 86
third brake light options.
Had a bulb out in my third cab mounted brake light. Attempted to remove it and it would not come out. Swore at it and gently pried on it for half an hour and it finally comes free.
What I found was holding it up was the brake light center section and the left cargo light section were partially melted from bulb heat causing the bottom of the housings to balloon out.
All three sockets are also partially melted and rusty inside causing the bulbs to be very loose in their sockets. It's a total mess as it sits.
I'm looking at replacing the whole thing. I see LMC has one that is a direct replacement, but is LED. Also many to choose from on Ebay and amazon, but they are LED as well. Reading up on it a bit I have seen a few posts that claim replacing this light assembly with LED's can cause issues with the transmission due to the third brake/cargo light sharing an electric circuit with the 4R70 trans in my truck.
Is there any validity to the trans issues doing this swap? Has anyone Done the LED swap?
Thanks, Jeff
What I found was holding it up was the brake light center section and the left cargo light section were partially melted from bulb heat causing the bottom of the housings to balloon out.
All three sockets are also partially melted and rusty inside causing the bulbs to be very loose in their sockets. It's a total mess as it sits.
I'm looking at replacing the whole thing. I see LMC has one that is a direct replacement, but is LED. Also many to choose from on Ebay and amazon, but they are LED as well. Reading up on it a bit I have seen a few posts that claim replacing this light assembly with LED's can cause issues with the transmission due to the third brake/cargo light sharing an electric circuit with the 4R70 trans in my truck.
Is there any validity to the trans issues doing this swap? Has anyone Done the LED swap?
Thanks, Jeff
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Jul 2019
Posts: 1,314
Likes: 312
Had that issue with my ‘03. 912 and 921 were options, but the 921s have twice the wattage and turned the sockets to a gummy mess over time. Probably yellowed out the cargo lamps as well.
Thread Starter
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Tuned
Joined: Feb 2023
Posts: 278
Likes: 86
Thank you for pointing me to Jeff's. His new ones sell for less than the half melted used ones on Ebay go for.
Mountain Pass
Joined: Mar 2022
Posts: 142
Likes: 64
From: Wyoming
You're welcome. Just glad some vendors are actually expanding their selections for these trucks.
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Hotshot
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 11,958
Likes: 228
I made the mistake of buying the LMC third brake light a few years ago just to get it working again. It was bright but ugly and turned out to be trash.
Here's my review.
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...ht-review.html
The ebay and amazon ones look terrible and are very cheaply made.
Ended up getting a nice used one and putting a red LED in it and warm white LEDs in the cargo lights.
I would like to get the JBG one.It looks great.Glad they make it now.
If you do go with LED in all 3 brake lights, resistors will be needed in the main brake lights for the torque convertor lockup to work correctly.
Here's my review.
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...ht-review.html
The ebay and amazon ones look terrible and are very cheaply made.
Ended up getting a nice used one and putting a red LED in it and warm white LEDs in the cargo lights.
I would like to get the JBG one.It looks great.Glad they make it now.
If you do go with LED in all 3 brake lights, resistors will be needed in the main brake lights for the torque convertor lockup to work correctly.
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Thread Starter
|
Tuned
Joined: Feb 2023
Posts: 278
Likes: 86
I made the mistake of buying the LMC third brake light a few years ago just to get it working again. It was bright but ugly and turned out to be trash.
Here's my review.
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...ht-review.html
The ebay and amazon ones look terrible and are very cheaply made.
Ended up getting a nice used one and putting a red LED in it and warm white LEDs in the cargo lights.
I would like to get the JBG one.It looks great.Glad they make it now.
If you do go with LED in all 3 brake lights, resistors will be needed in the main brake lights for the torque convertor lockup to work correctly.
Here's my review.
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...ht-review.html
The ebay and amazon ones look terrible and are very cheaply made.
Ended up getting a nice used one and putting a red LED in it and warm white LEDs in the cargo lights.
I would like to get the JBG one.It looks great.Glad they make it now.
If you do go with LED in all 3 brake lights, resistors will be needed in the main brake lights for the torque convertor lockup to work correctly.
I ordered the housing from Jeff's this morning along with the new sockets to replace my melted originals. I'm kicking around in my head drilling 1/4" holes top and bottom where the bulbs plug into the back side of the housings to allow heat to escape. Might prevent the new one from melting like the original did. By the time you add tax and $14 shipping on the part from Jeff's it comes to $66. Don't want to have to buy another one.
Mountain Pass
Joined: Mar 2022
Posts: 142
Likes: 64
From: Wyoming
Thank you for the advise. I don't plan on switching anything to LED lights. I like to keep my truck stock original for the most part.
I ordered the housing from Jeff's this morning along with the new sockets to replace my melted originals. I'm kicking around in my head drilling 1/4" holes top and bottom where the bulbs plug into the back side of the housings to allow heat to escape. Might prevent the new one from melting like the original did. By the time you add tax and $14 shipping on the part from Jeff's it comes to $66. Don't want to have to buy another one.
I ordered the housing from Jeff's this morning along with the new sockets to replace my melted originals. I'm kicking around in my head drilling 1/4" holes top and bottom where the bulbs plug into the back side of the housings to allow heat to escape. Might prevent the new one from melting like the original did. By the time you add tax and $14 shipping on the part from Jeff's it comes to $66. Don't want to have to buy another one.
of the issue was I was fixing the door panels with new pins and had the doors open for awhile and didn't unplug the battery.
Hotshot
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 11,958
Likes: 228
Lower wattage bulbs might be ok in the cargo lgihts, but not so much for the third brake light being visible during the day.
My buddy didn't want any LEDs but we put one in the thrid brake light. Can't even really tell. Just use a red one so it doesn't look pink.
That way sitting in traffic it won't get as hot.
The idea of making holes in the lamp pockets for heat relief might be a good idea.
My buddy didn't want any LEDs but we put one in the thrid brake light. Can't even really tell. Just use a red one so it doesn't look pink.
That way sitting in traffic it won't get as hot.
The idea of making holes in the lamp pockets for heat relief might be a good idea.
Thread Starter
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Tuned
Joined: Feb 2023
Posts: 278
Likes: 86
Thanks Texas guy.
Man.. I really love that white/silver color combo on your truck. My truck is the Opal color from 95. Next spring I'll be getting started on refreshing the paint on mine. It's looking pretty tired in places. Was going to respray in the opal, but after seeing yours I may shift gears on that. It's a very classy combo you have there.
Man.. I really love that white/silver color combo on your truck. My truck is the Opal color from 95. Next spring I'll be getting started on refreshing the paint on mine. It's looking pretty tired in places. Was going to respray in the opal, but after seeing yours I may shift gears on that. It's a very classy combo you have there.
Hotshot
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 11,958
Likes: 228
That isn't really the purpose of the third brake light. Its so people see the brake lights sooner or over the top of other vehicles.
Hotshot
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 11,958
Likes: 228
Thanks Texas guy.
Man.. I really love that white/silver color combo on your truck. My truck is the Opal color from 95. Next spring I'll be getting started on refreshing the paint on mine. It's looking pretty tired in places. Was going to respray in the opal, but after seeing yours I may shift gears on that. It's a very classy combo you have there.
Man.. I really love that white/silver color combo on your truck. My truck is the Opal color from 95. Next spring I'll be getting started on refreshing the paint on mine. It's looking pretty tired in places. Was going to respray in the opal, but after seeing yours I may shift gears on that. It's a very classy combo you have there.
If you do decide to do a two tone with white and gray, I'd do the inverse of mine. It isn't as hard to do as a full color changed with door jambs, engine bay, cab, bed etc.
I will never do a color change unless the vehicle is completely disassembled and starting from scratch with a repaint.