Is anyone using the LED style taillights that i have seen on other trucks? I cant find any for 73-79 and was wondering if they were out there and how well they worked.

 

haven't tried them but you might check out dakotadigital.com

 

Those are the funkiest looking LED lights I've ever seen. It's a huge circut board with 1 diode in the middle. And $149 a pair...scaaam. There are are plenty of multiple diode 1157 style replacements out there for about $30. I just searched for " 1157 led" and came up with lots of them like these 1157 1156 Superlumination.com leds (Automotive Replacement Light Bulbs, Headlights, Foglights & Lamps). You can find them at big truck chrome shops too. I haven't put them on my pickup yet but my big trucks and trailers are covered with them, definately the way to go. They are muuuch brighter and draw so little current that the volt meter barely drops when they're all lit up.

 

While you can use the old socket style 1157 and 1156, why not step up and replace the socket all together so you can use a newer blade style LED bulb?
I use 3157 bulbs now and reall like them. No longer have any dim bulb issues as a result of a poor connection associated with the design of the socket.
Good time to replace ground wires too.

Here is the thing about the LED bulbs in our trucks. The flasher will flash real fast since the new LED bulbs do not provide enough resistance. Easliiy fixed, but know this going into it.
Next, they are spendy little guys, and really concentrate the light directly around the bulb itself. They do not really fill the entire taillight full of light like a std dulb would do. It is bright as can be, but you will notice a distinct concentration of light.
Anyway, it is a reasonable option, and the LED's bont burn out or ruin the lense if the bilb gets close to it. I see many bumps and dents with white circles around the bulb from an 1157 that got too hot and too close to the lense.
Just a though. but if you are upgrading lights, might want to consider the sockets too.

 

I converted all of the tail/brake/clearance lights out on my 5th wheel trailer and dropped the current drain from 5 amps running down to 0.369 amps and with the brakes on from 17 amps down to 0.729 amps. With the truck converted as well the total towing consumption dropped from 9.5 amps to 0.675 amps and with the brakes on from 29.53 amps to 1.29 amps.

I have all of the readings and LED specifications for anybody to see. As you can see this is a considerable drop in current that the alternator has to put out and that relates directly to more horsepower and a little better mileage. I finally converted the truck back to regular bulbs because the 1157 and wedge base replacements are not very reliable and kept burning out. This was a few years back and the newer ones might be improved on.

I bought Superbright LEDs from Mouser and mounted them on circuit boards cut to mount behind my present tail light lens on the 5th wheel. I put 5 in each tail light and brake light and one in each clearance light. These LEDs are individual units and must be mounted in series with the appropriate resistors. They have been on the 5th wheel for several years now and I have had to replace only one in all of these years. They are much brighter and are very reliable.

 

Thats awesome data man. As far as the wedge style connectors, I hope that I willnot encounter this. I have been running them for only about a year and a half, and have yet to have a failure. I drown the truck just about every weekend, and they have been running strong. Time will tell I guess.
Nice post and excellent display of data.
Rep given!!!!!!

 

That was over five years ago and as I stated the newer ones might be improved. I have been planning on redoing my taillights on the truck by utilizing the single Superbrite LEDs, but never seem to get around to it.

As a side note a friend of mine bought the wedge base bulbs after he saw my setup. I went by his house one afternoon after he was putting the LED's in. He was upset because half of them didn’t work and he was debating on whether to send them back or just throw them away. I asked him if he had tried to turn them around.

 

Thanks for the opinions and data. I think I will make the switch (pun intended).