I'll be using stock 48-52 tail lights on my F-3. I need a pair of tail light brackets (preferably stainless). I have seen some tail lights that are mounted so low so that you can't see them well over the bumper and I've seen some that were mounted too close to the bed to allow a license plate to fit without scraping a fender. What is the deal on these brackets? Are there more than one style? Are there brackets for trucks with rear bumpers and brackets for trucks without? I've also seen offset brackets. What would be the advantage in those? I have a new bed so I will have to drill the holes to mount them so I should be able to use any of them, including 53-56 if I wanted to. I'll be running a rear bumper and a license plate bracket. I do not want to have clearance problems with my license plate and I want the lights to be easily seen from the rear without bumper interference. Which ones do I need and where can I get them?

Vern

 

I didn't like how low the stockers were mounted, either, so I mounted mine higher, with the lens about halfway up the post. I also am going to mount the license plate off the bumper or something (not done yet) because if mounted off the bed post, it sticks out where it snags your clothing every time you walk by. I also see real potential for someone catching it in a parking lot and bending the post or the bracket or both.

 

Vern
I struggled mightly with this as well. The stock brackets hang the plate very low behind the rear bumper. I think the ones you refer to that were too close to the fender were the stock brackets that were inverted or swapped sides either intentionally or unknowingly. I tried that to get the plate up over the rear fender and that is precisely what i found.

I have since given up on the stock location for the license plate and will mount on the bumper centered. Bought another right side tail light and some small plate illumination lights. Downside is I have to drill holes in a $275 stainless bumper!

Tim

 

On the Bonus Built site there was a thread on this back in June '06. There's some good information there. Titled Tail Light Bracket. Stu

 

Don't do it man! Don't do it! I don't have pics up yet of what I did but I'll try to make it clear.

I recently had to replace my taillights (long story), and brackets. I bought "stock" brackets from LMC and could not mount the LP holder and the bracket to my truck (the LP holder hit the side of the bed). In order to make it work, I would have to trim about 1/4th of the LP holder off, so that I could mount the bracket in the stock position. I already knew from experience that the LP would be partially covered by my bumper, stick out and catch my leg, get bent, cut me, make me curse, so I searched for an alternative.

I have the stainless bumper, and didn't want to mar it, so I mounted the LP holder backwards just under the tailgate (on the roll pan, if you will). I test fit it so that I could mount the LP to the holder from the bottom of the LP, so that the top of the LP was just under where my tailgate rested when open (no clearance problems). There was just enough space for my LP to be read w/o being covered by anything.

Then to make everything legal, I mounted an LP light under the bracket so it shines up on to the LP, but it doesn't look gaudy because it's hidden behind the bumper.

This was a recent "upgrade" so I'll take some pictures and get them up in case my words aren't as clear as I'd like them to be.

Either way DON"T drill holes in your SS bumper!

 

Would love to see pics. Drilling the holes is the reason it's not mounted yet.

Tim

 

I used the 32 lites and brackets on my 52F1 and they look great with an aftermarket license plate holder w/led. I don't know how to send pic's on this site but if you send me your e-mail address I can send you a picture of mine.

fifty2f1
george
gfw2wa(at)gwtc(dot)net

 

From what I've seen the stock light brackets came in flat and offset varieties. I'm using the off-set brackets on both sides (come in L & R). The holes in the brackets line up with the tailgate hinge bracket and from what I've seen of originals, they were mounted opposite that.

Unless you're using led's or something modern, buy 2357 bulbs and paint the inside of the buckets white. Much better reflectivity than stainless and that dual post bulb is about 50% brighter than 1157's. IMHO of course!

If you're not going stock on license plate location and bumper you might as well use a light big enough for idiots behind you to see - I've been rear-ended and it was a pain in the ........ I didn't get hurt, but was a pain to again rebuild the box/rollpan/stake pockets, etc.

I've since added a third brakelight in the cab (10" led stick-on in the window) just because modern drivers seem to look there first while using their cell phones, applying makeup, eating lunch, etc

 

Tim,

I absolutely refuse to drill holes in my SS bumpers. I'm using a fog light mounting bracket on the front bumper for my front plate and I think that will work out. It clamps to the top edge of the bumper but that won't work on the rear because of interference with the tailgate. Has anyone tried mounting the license plate so that the plate is above the tail light instead of below it?

George,

I'd love to see your pictures if you want to send them. I'll email you.

Mtflat,

What do you get with the offset brackets that makes them better than the non-offset ones?

I was hesitant to post this because it seems so trivial but apparently I'm not the only one who has had problems with this...

Vern

 

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.

 

Tim:
Life's running over me right now...but I'll try to get pics taken and uploaded tomorrow (Saturday) afternoon some time.

For some reason I didn't get any e-mails that there were new posts on this topic. Maybe a new post will fix that problem.

 

That's just what I need for mine! Thanks for posting. It's been 4 yrs since my rear bumper was on, I'd forgotten how far back it sits. That's a clean way to fit in the plate holder. I assume that's a stock bumper?

 

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.

 

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.

 

John,

Nice truck! And, a nice job on the license plate bracket. I assume you have no clearance problems with the tailgate there. Did you use stock tail light brackets or the offset ones?

Vern