Converting to LED Tail Light in a Tombstone

[DoomBuggy]

I've tried a couple of different things with my tail light. First just an old fashioned blue dot lens, this helps a lot, but only when someone gets close. Then I tried an LED bulb in the 1157 socket, that was a total waste, the incandescent bulb was brighter.



Then one evening I saw this setup on eBay and as no one was bidding on it I snapped it up. Just hooking it up to a battery I could see it would be a lot brighter. This panel has running light, which is just the middle 3 rows at about 3/4 intensity, then brake light which is all the rows of lights on full brightness. Finally if you want to do turn signals you can split the outside rows and connect them to a turn signal module.



Two small changes need to be made to your housing. First you have to remove the two pins that held the incandescent socket centered.



Next you have to drill a hole for the upper mount. To do that you have to remove the license plate lens, mount the light, mark off the position and drill a small hole. The kit comes with a screw you will add from the back of the housing, via the new hole, and into the mounting plate.

[DoomBuggy]

Next you need to snip the edges of the license plate retaining clip so that they clear the little LEDs on the panel.



Once mounted the light should look like this. Notice I reversed the gasket on the lens, they say giving more room between the light array and the lens makes a brighter light???



The additional brightness is significant, it is hard to tell in these photos. First the running light only:



Next the brake light:



One thing about the unit, the bulbs light up red not white. So that means I am actually losing a bunch of lumens because of the red lens. I put my original lens without the blue dot on, it is a little brighter, but what I really want is a clear or smoked lens instead.

[Dragstews]

Well, ain't that slicker than a Minnow's peter ... ??

[DoomBuggy]

Quick follow up. I found a clear glass tail light lens that supposedly was one of the Harley test pieces for bikes going to Europe. It does have the Harley markings on it so who knows? What I do know is that it makes this light FREAKING BRIGHT.





Running Lights


Brake Lights