Taillight led's

[rockyrhoads]

Have the lens removed but have never seen led's like these. Some are burned but I have no idea where to buy replacements. Other option would be a broken taillight that bus straps could be removed and reinstalled. Working on (R) passenger side light. Any help.

 

[mickeytee]

You can get leds no problem. New ones solder in. You are dealing with a 2.5 volt bulb. The polarity reverses on the mounting strip on half the bulbs They have to be soldered on. All of them need to be replaced to keep voltage in line and not cause spikes . somehow when all connected the 12 volt supply drop s to 5 volts which I think is the max before they blow. Its fun. That's why Travis gets 550 to rebuild one. Plus lining them up to solder so they fit the housing. I don't think anyone has ever found bulbs that crimp on like these. I think its a manufacture only access part.someone on you tube just put a ribbon strip in there but I've used those on other applications and they are good for a couple of months.

 

[Gord]

These are apparently 'them'. I saved the link from another post in here somewhere so I can't personally confirm, sorry.

3mm Piranha Red LED - Ultra Bright Superflux

The 3mm red piranha / superflux led is a very popular led for back lighting and illumination.

lighthouseleds.com

HTH!

 

[Uffe]

Have the lens removed but have never seen led's like these. Some are burned but I have no idea where to buy replacements. Other option would be a broken taillight that bus straps could be removed and reinstalled. Working on (R) passenger side light. Any help.

Here are some useful videoclips from Youtube

 

[mickeytee]

Yep one useful tip is to see how warped the lens is in the video. Oh and when asked a few months later for a follow up showing them still working I don't think he ever replyed. Ill watch again
I just watched a you tube on brain surgery. Im ready . any volunteers I can try on?

 

[rockyrhoads]

Been working with led's for some time. The lens came off without any drama. Fixing a small crack in the lens while it is off. Will try to.source the leds. Thanks for the replys. Will give an update when thru.

 

[mickeytee]

You'll find some do, some dont. The guy who has done hundreds said he's also broken a good many. . If there are sun damage cracks on the top its going to be 50/50 that the lens won't break. I've also done quite a few. Travis at better comics uses a much better industrial bulb . not the piranhas

 

[rockyrhoads]

Read the post mickytee lol. Got the lens off without problems. Repaired a small.crack in the lens already. Not a novice here. Got leds coming and will replace all leds. Got the old ones off ...silly way to .ou t them. Will.solder new ones on place when they arrive and report back then

 

[rockyrhoads]

Read the post mickytee lol. Got the lens off without problems. Repaired a small.crack in the lens already. Not a novice here. Got leds coming and will replace all leds. Got the old ones off ...silly way to .ou t them. Will.solder new ones on place when they arrive and report back then

Sorry. Silly way to mou t them

 

[mickeytee]

I did read the post. Its an open forum. So there others that also read. Your comment of "the lens came off no drama" may be read by someone who then thinks , oh I can get the lens off no problem. Well as I said some do come off easy some dont. You lucked into an easier one. Like I said the guy that's done hundreds breaks some . Again anyone with a lens that has stress cracks in the top from sun damage will find that when they heat the lens it will come off in many pieces. Even the edges that are bonded may come off I in bits and pieces as the plastic has deteriated and will cause problems. I made a mold to hold the lens all together when removing and it works but its still not worth the time on a sun damaged light. The factory has a tool and can crimp bond the leds in a second. Solder and heat. can damage leds. But I agree they did not make them to repair. Let us know your opinion of the brightness from one side to the other with the piranha leds

 

[rockyrhoads]

To correct another mistake. The leds, when measured, are 5mm not 3mm. The lens did come off without a hitch and as long as you don't rush and have the proper tools you can be successful. I think anyone with a bit of common sense would know a cracked plastic lens will fall apart. Gm is the evil one here by throwing these cars on the trash heap and not making.replacement parts and worse not letting the patents go so someone else could. I was also told here that Gen 2 headlight parts won't fit a gen 1 case. I thought this forum was to help owners with repairing instead of telling them horror stories and telling them but I can do it for an exorbitant price. Not everyone is Abel but the people that are could use the encouragement. The leds are available on Amazon a 100 count box is $20. I bought a broken 09 headlight for $100 removed the gen1 lens again without a hitch( temperature controlled heat gun and plastic wedges). You don't have to be prey to the $6000 headlight or the $3000 tailight or the piranhas waiting in the wings.

 

[mickeytee]

Good for you. An 09 broken light for a hundred bucks! Wow thats a great buy. The ballast alone brings 200. I rarely find a broken parts light for under 4-500 you did great.

Well the headlights are down to 2000 for good ones and the taillights can be had for 1200-1500 for good ones so it looks like you've help bring those prices down. . So what are you charging to do the taillight repairs. I get asked a dozen times a month for someone to reconditioned the headlights and taillights.. You should post that service and I'm sure You can help at least two or three members a month. I've got two or three of each I can send you to get started. Oh and I'm so sorry for the slip of 3 instead of 5Mm . And I think most everyone here knows if you have two headlights you can swap the parts around and upgrade but you basically need everything . you can get an 04-05 lens that are poor quality and craze very easily an 06 that the lens comes off the bonding strip or get a 07-09 that is the best light and will work on all cars . What people have said is you cannot just bolt on an 04/05 into an 06-09 car and make it work.

 

[rockyrhoads]

I am in no way interested in.getting into a sideline fixing head.and.tail lights. I am enjoying my retirement and my cars(13) ramge from 1917.thru 1972 excluding the xlr. Was.succesful in clipping the legs off one of the burned out leds and when new one arrive should be able to solder new ones on to those legs which will.give me positioning advantage and less heat to solder the legs than trying to solder them to the bus. Will.gladly report my success as well as failures so others can take advantage. My point remains. If you don't have some mechanical skills or a gigantic.bank balance these cars probably are not for you. GM is still the devil about this and I will never have a good word to say about them. Their actions are.shameful at best and criminal at worst.

 

[mickeytee]

On another note, I enjoyed seeing the super blue moon last night. Next one not for 15 years. Most likely won't be around to see it. Amazing sight.

 

[rockyrhoads]

$20 for 100 leds. Still have 95 lol. Never could get them soldered onto the bus without damaging the led( fried them). Ended up using a strip of led material and overlaying the originals. Worked well and matches the intensity but due to a voltage or current drop it flashes fast like a bulb is out. Passed inspection and rolling down the road for now. Headlight is another story. Trying to remove the lens is tricky. Controlling g the heat is critical. Playing with broken pieces from the doner before I jump onto the good one. Again, the project is Taking a 05 apart and transplanting the guts of an 09 into it. Found so.e selling g for under $2k so may cave for the quick fix. I hate to ruin a good set(pair) of 05's. So the offer still stands. A pair of 05 lights( 5 pin) for a good left side 10 pin...2 for 1 lol

 

[mickeytee]

Left headlights are hard to find. There's maybe 25 right for sale and 2 or 3 right. A good left can run 2000-2500 04-05 can be bought for 1200-1400 so sell your 04-05 . you can clear 1000 each after fees and shipping the shop and watch for a good deal on the left and you can come out for a few hundred or maybe be make a hundred.