02 Base for my son

[Sam Harris]

A week ago I bought an LED light strip for my 3rd brake light just like @Speedslow. My factory LED only lights up on the drivers side and the other half is dead.
Today after work I didn’t feel like doing anything that requires me to stand, lift or move anything heavy or just think for that matter. I’m tired. I can’t sit around and do nothing so I tackled the 3rd brake light. Tried using a heat gun to separate the housing with no luck. This thing is like glued together and was never designed to take apart. I ended up scoring it with a utility knife over and over and over and over and over again. It took me about 3 hrs to get this thing apart and at the end I was getting medieval on that thing but I got it apart without breaking it.


I wanted to see what the issue is before I just replace it with a $30 light strip. I found the issue, a bad solder on the power wire going to the passenger side.


I fixed the solder joint and now it works.



So now my dilemma is, do I leave it as is or do I put the new light strip in. I do like the sequential turns and flashing stop but I don’t want to do this again if the $30 light strip fails. Here’s Speedslow video if you guys haven’t seen it.

What do you think? I could possibly put the sequential light strip in and just leave the factory light strip unplugged. If the one goes out I could just plug in the factory again. I’d have to mount the strip so it doesn’t block the other light and I’m not sure if I can do that but I can try I guess. Or just leave the factory light? Thoughts/feedback?


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For me, the new strip is too busy. I like the simple, factory style. But you should use the one you like.

 

[iamdub]

Looks like the consensus is to use one or the other or both, or maybe just use the one you like most, or maybe don't. But you should definitely use one of them at least.

 

[Snowbound]

Looks like the consensus is to use one or the other or both, or maybe just use the one you like most, or maybe don't. But you should definitely use one of them at least.

I think your right! [emoji23][emoji1787]

There’s no way the strip could go in without blocking the factory lights.





What makes it harder is the adhesive strip is on the front so you’d have to attach it under the clear lens or on the red outside lens. But having under the clear lens would be more secure if it came loose and wouldn’t flop around and possible lay face down.

Of course, I’m not geared that way. I’ll make it work with both strips because that’s what I do.
Time to cut this thing open and see what I have to work with.


The backside of this strip doesn’t have any contacts or ribbon exposed but I still added some electrical tape to it for added insurance. Then I put in it on top of the factory lights so they will still work if I decide to go back to factory if this one fails. I might even try both at same time so I have the brake light while the sequential turn is going. But I’m not sure how that will look with just hitting the brakes because one will light solid where the other will strobe before going solid. [emoji848]


Securing it was simple enough. When duct tape doesn’t work, zip ties will.


Put the clear lens back in and loosely set the red lens over it to test it out. I only tested the new strip because I know the factory will still shine like it’s suppose to.


Picked up some Loctite plastic bonding 2 part something or other. Never used it before but what’s the worst that can happen? Lens falls off and get run over?


This stuff sets up in 20 minutes but doesn’t fully cure for 24hrs so I had to work fast. What sucks is it doesn’t have a mixing tube, you gotta put it on a piece of cardboard and mix it like you do epoxy. So getting it from the mixing board to the lens was time consuming. I did it with a small screwdriver and then set the lens on and used some squeeze clamps. I’ll leave it until 2mrw. Once cured I’m not sure if I wanna seal it with silicone or I was thinking maybe use a hot glue gun.


Done for now. I’ll report back how this stuff bonds and holds.


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[adventurenali92]

Not gonna lie, I don’t like the look of the factory light behind the strip. It just looks odd and like there’s too much going on. But if you like it roll with it!

 

[Fless]

Looks like the consensus is to use one or the other or both, or maybe just use the one you like most, or maybe don't. But you should definitely use one of them at least.

Now that's conclusive!

 

[Tonyrodz]

I think your right! [emoji23][emoji1787]

There’s no way the strip could go in without blocking the factory lights.





What makes it harder is the adhesive strip is on the front so you’d have to attach it under the clear lens or on the red outside lens. But having under the clear lens would be more secure if it came loose and wouldn’t flop around and possible lay face down.

Of course, I’m not geared that way. I’ll make it work with both strips because that’s what I do.
Time to cut this thing open and see what I have to work with.


The backside of this strip doesn’t have any contacts or ribbon exposed but I still added some electrical tape to it for added insurance. Then I put in it on top of the factory lights so they will still work if I decide to go back to factory if this one fails. I might even try both at same time so I have the brake light while the sequential turn is going. But I’m not sure how that will look with just hitting the brakes because one will light solid where the other will strobe before going solid. [emoji848]


Securing it was simple enough. When duct tape doesn’t work, zip ties will.


Put the clear lens back in and loosely set the red lens over it to test it out. I only tested the new strip because I know the factory will still shine like it’s suppose to.


Picked up some Loctite plastic bonding 2 part something or other. Never used it before but what’s the worst that can happen? Lens falls off and get run over?


This stuff sets up in 20 minutes but doesn’t fully cure for 24hrs so I had to work fast. What sucks is it doesn’t have a mixing tube, you gotta put it on a piece of cardboard and mix it like you do epoxy. So getting it from the mixing board to the lens was time consuming. I did it with a small screwdriver and then set the lens on and used some squeeze clamps. I’ll leave it until 2mrw. Once cured I’m not sure if I wanna seal it with silicone or I was thinking maybe use a hot glue gun.


Done for now. I’ll report back how this stuff bonds and holds.


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I'd go with silicone. You'll be able to go thin, and smooth it out with your finger--and can squeeze it into any cracks if need be. Not so much with a glue gun, plus when it's liquid hot, it's HOT!

 

[Snowbound]

Not gonna lie, I don’t like the look of the factory light behind the strip. It just looks odd and like there’s too much going on. But if you like it roll with it!

The factory light is below the new strip and the pic with it lit up was only the new strip. It looked busy because the clear diffuser lens and the outside lens were only sitting on top and not where they needed to be. I’ll show a video 2mrw after I get the lens sealed up, tinted and put back on. If it still looks busy or chaotic, I can just unplug it and plug the factory back in and you’ll never know it’s there. I appreciate all feedback, thanks.


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[Snowbound]

I'd go with silicone. You'll be able to go thin, and smooth it out with your finger--and can squeeze it into any cracks if need be. Not so much with a glue gun, plus when it's liquid hot, it's HOT!

Yeah, that’s the route I’m gonna take. I was just concerned about this plastic bonding stuff but it really seems like it’s solid. I was just thinking that the hot glue gun might help with strength as well as seal it. Clear silicone it is!!


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[Snowbound]

My furnace motor showed up Tuesday while i was at work so yesterday i had to install that before work. Got it all back together and the damn motor didn’t spin!! I got it to work today before I had to leave for work but it’s not spinning fast. Still need more testing but that’s another story.
I figured i would be able to get the housing sealed up and put on at work but I walked into a nightmare yesterday. Our big quarry pump needed to be rebuilt and it was not fun. Didn’t get that back together until 9:30pm last night and I was beat.



So today I got the housing sealed, installed and wires ran. Didn’t have time to wire it in yet and I’m heading back up north 2mrw so it’ll have to wait until next week. But I did plug the factory light back in so at least I have my 3rd brake light again.




I have to test that 12v outlet and see if it is a keyed power source. I hope it is because that’s what I intend to use to power this light. If it isn’t keyed, I’ll find out where it is at fuse block and splice in a relay so it is a keyed source. It’s either that or use my tail light power but I don’t know if that is hot with DRLs or only when it’s dark. Need to look at wiring schematic.
To be continued.........


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[Tonyrodz]

My furnace motor showed up Tuesday while i was at work so yesterday i had to install that before work. Got it all back together and the damn motor didn’t spin!! I got it to work today before I had to leave for work but it’s not spinning fast. Still need more testing but that’s another story.
I figured i would be able to get the housing sealed up and put on at work but I walked into a nightmare yesterday. Our big quarry pump needed to be rebuilt and it was not fun. Didn’t get that back together until 9:30pm last night and I was beat.



So today I got the housing sealed, installed and wires ran. Didn’t have time to wire it in yet and I’m heading back up north 2mrw so it’ll have to wait until next week. But I did plug the factory light back in so at least I have my 3rd brake light again.




I have to test that 12v outlet and see if it is a keyed power source. I hope it is because that’s what I intend to use to power this light. If it isn’t keyed, I’ll find out where it is at fuse block and splice in a relay so it is a keyed source. It’s either that or use my tail light power but I don’t know if that is hot with DRLs or only when it’s dark. Need to look at wiring schematic.
To be continued.........


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Just can't catch a break!