48-52 Tail Light Bracket Question
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Lead Driver
Joined: Apr 2002
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From: Littleton, New Hampshire
Originally Posted by mtflat
Sorry for the delay Vern, I've been thinking about this and was ready to tell you I didn't know when inspiration struck. I went outside just now and compared my F1 and F2 and here's what I surmise............
The off-set brackets are necessary on the F1's because the wire loom would rub on the fender if the straight brackets were used. The F2 has a straight bracket, but it could use either one.
Hope that helps - just my speculatin' but it seems logical.
The off-set brackets are necessary on the F1's because the wire loom would rub on the fender if the straight brackets were used. The F2 has a straight bracket, but it could use either one.
Hope that helps - just my speculatin' but it seems logical.
Thanks. How do the offset brackets affect the license plate and bracket as far as clearance? I think I'm leaning toward the offset brackets...
Vern
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Joined: Apr 2002
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From: Austin, TX
Originally Posted by JDMick
I think I bought the bumper and brackets from Dennis Carpenter. My dad was just as cheap as 99% of the other farmers back then and never put a bumper on.
That would work. Nice job. Is it illuminated? Has to be in TX or they won't pass you on inspection.
Tim
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Joined: Aug 2004
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Originally Posted by GreatNorthWoods
I assume you have no clearance problems with the tailgate there. Did you use stock tail light brackets or the offset ones?
My brackets have about 1/2" of offset to the rear. The wiring loom still touches and rubs slightly on the bumper and the wires have to make a quick 90 out of the taillight so I would recommend sticking with the offset version.
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Originally Posted by f1fordguy
John
That would work. Nice job. Is it illuminated? Has to be in TX or they won't pass you on inspection.
Tim
That would work. Nice job. Is it illuminated? Has to be in TX or they won't pass you on inspection.
Tim
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Lead Driver
Joined: Apr 2002
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From: Littleton, New Hampshire
Has anyone experimented with 53-55 tail light brackets on the 48-50? Are they longer so that the tag bracket will fit without hitting the bed? Will they accept the 48-52 tail lights? It seems that I've seen some longer brackets somewhere but I don't remember the application...
Vern
Vern
Lead Driver
Joined: Oct 1999
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From: Kalispell, MT
Vern, the bracket doesn't off-set much. I've included a couple of pix in my gallery under the 48. You can check out the off-set clearance and light's pigtail shield that keep it away from the fender.
Sorry about the dirt - its a working truck on a gravel road. There is another driver's side pic in the gallery.
Sorry about the dirt - its a working truck on a gravel road. There is another driver's side pic in the gallery.
Last edited by mtflat; Aug 5, 2006 at 03:16 PM.
Laughing Gas
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 813
Likes: 5
From: Meade, KS
Originally Posted by f1fordguy
Would love to see pics. Drilling the holes is the reason it's not mounted yet.
Tim
Tim
BTW ALL: Good pics of the offset brackets and how they mount are in the same gallery. Mine look a little different (to me at least), than mtflat's. These are brand new...as I had to replace tails and brackets just this past June.
Last edited by Blue50F-1; Aug 5, 2006 at 03:44 PM.
Laughing Gas
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 813
Likes: 5
From: Meade, KS
Originally Posted by JDMick
I've got some pics in my gallery of the bracket I made for my truck. It bolts onto the bumper mount brackets. I think I only had to drill one hole in the bracket. Let me know if you have any questions. John.
Last edited by Blue50F-1; Aug 5, 2006 at 03:42 PM.
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Brett Foote
Lead Driver
Joined: Oct 1999
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From: Kalispell, MT
Blue50F-1, your pictures are better. The brackets and assorted pieces are the same as those I used.
I'm a bit puzzled about your comment that you reversed the brackets side for side. I can't see that they would fit any other way except the way you have them installed. Am I missing something? Course, it's been over 5 years since I put mine together and I've contracted CRS.........
I like your creative approach to the lp light. Neat truck!
I'm a bit puzzled about your comment that you reversed the brackets side for side. I can't see that they would fit any other way except the way you have them installed. Am I missing something? Course, it's been over 5 years since I put mine together and I've contracted CRS.........
I like your creative approach to the lp light. Neat truck!
Laughing Gas
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 813
Likes: 5
From: Meade, KS
Originally Posted by mtflat
Blue50F-1, your pictures are better. The brackets and assorted pieces are the same as those I used.
I'm a bit puzzled about your comment that you reversed the brackets side for side. I can't see that they would fit any other way except the way you have them installed. Am I missing something? Course, it's been over 5 years since I put mine together and I've contracted CRS.........
I like your creative approach to the lp light. Neat truck!
I'm a bit puzzled about your comment that you reversed the brackets side for side. I can't see that they would fit any other way except the way you have them installed. Am I missing something? Course, it's been over 5 years since I put mine together and I've contracted CRS.........
I like your creative approach to the lp light. Neat truck!
I should have been more specific on the bracket issue. What was given to me as the Right Side bracket would fit on the truck, but not with the taillight installed (it was about 1/8th inch away from the fender). So I flipped the bracket and put it on the Left side. After doing this, my old (home made) bracket on the other side held the light in a different place, so I ordered the Left side bracket, flipped it, and put it on the Right side. I don't know if they just had their brackets miss labeled or what.
OR maybe they do right and left by looking at the front of the truck, instead of at the back, like most places (this deal was through LMC, generally good folk, and they're literally up the street from me, so it's convenient).
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Lead Driver
Joined: Apr 2002
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From: Littleton, New Hampshire
Thanks for the puctures guys. Mtflat, your picture shows you have no rear bumper. If you had a stock bumper on there wouldn't the plate be partially obscured by the bumper?
Vern
Vern
Fleet Owner
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 27,300
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From: NM
Originally Posted by mtflat
Sorry about the dirt - its a working truck on a gravel road.
If you aren't keen on the stock lights, here's what I used. They were thrown in the back of my truck when I bought it, they are NAPA trailer lights and brackets. The brackets are hefty, 1/4"-thick steel. I shortened the brackets to bring the lights in tight to the bed, mounted them right at eye level for a car behind me, and you can see both of them at once even from the side (i.e., flush with rear of the bed). They are very bright on 12v.
Thread Starter
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Lead Driver
Joined: Apr 2002
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From: Littleton, New Hampshire
I saw a restored 55 this morning and the brackets definitely extend out further from the bed than 48-52 brackets. These brackets were not offset and were mounted on the back side of the bed underneath the tailgate hinge. I like the extra length of the brackets since they extended the tail light out from the bed and there was plenty of room for the license plate bracket and the wiring coming out the back of the light. However, 53-56 fenders don't extend back as far on the bed as 48-52 fenders do either, so much of that clearance may disappear if these brackets were used on a 48-52.
Vern
Vern
Fleet Owner
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 27,300
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From: NM
My trailer lights originally had a LP on one side, that just barely cleared the rear stake pocket. So that was the minimum projection you could achieve. After catching my pants on it for two weeks I took it off and shortened them, and will put the LP elsewhere. I just don't think putting the LP next to the bedside works well, especially if you ever have to park it in a parking lot. People (or you!) will get caught on it (LP's are sharp, too!)
BobbyTNM is planning to mold his plate into the rear fender with taillights on the fender (if I understood him correctly anyway, last time he was over). That could be cool.
As clever as people here are, why doesn't someone make a LP bracket that clamps securely onto the bumper without any drilling? Use rubber pads to protect the finish.
BobbyTNM is planning to mold his plate into the rear fender with taillights on the fender (if I understood him correctly anyway, last time he was over). That could be cool.
As clever as people here are, why doesn't someone make a LP bracket that clamps securely onto the bumper without any drilling? Use rubber pads to protect the finish.
Lead Driver
Joined: Oct 1999
Posts: 6,779
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From: Kalispell, MT
Originally Posted by GreatNorthWoods
Thanks for the puctures guys. Mtflat, your picture shows you have no rear bumper. If you had a stock bumper on there wouldn't the plate be partially obscured by the bumper?
Vern
Vern
