Front Running Lights

[Sanders]

Hello Friends,
Can anyone give me some advice on replacing the running lights on my 74 Excella 500? Andy sent me the replacement light lenses after two of the front center lenses blew off whizzing down Interstate 20. When I took one of the bases off the front of the trailer I saw that it had a gasket of some sort. Any ideas as to a suitable material I can use to fashion replacement gaskets? These are so old they cannot be salvaged although I can use them as templates for a new set. If anyone has replaced theirs I would appreciate some advice. Also, what did you use to connect the wire from the light lens to the trailer wiring? The replacements come with ample wiring but I am not to handy in the electrical department. Thanks for any and all advice.
Sanders

[Lumatic]

I recently replaced all my running lights with double bulls eye LEDs. I am familiar with the gaskets you speak of. I got some scraps of 1/8 black synthetic rubber sheeting through my local auto parts store, free. That did the job.

[PizzaChop]

The entire double bullseye light fixture can be replaced for about $2-$3 ea from a truck parts house. I strongly recommend replacing all 12 (5 red, 7 amber). (The lenses fell off because the light fixture plastic has disintegrated and no longer hold the lense tightly.) They'll work for years and you won't be messing around with poor grounds.

The light fixture is grounded to the shell with an aluminum rivet (two rivets hold it in place) and one wire from the light can be crimp connected to the existing trailer wiring. (I can't remember, but maybe you can use a male bullet connector.)

I did not use any gasket material but rather ran a small bead of vulkem (syringe application) to seal around the top of the light. You can replace all 12 marker lights in 1-2 hours, and you'll be so glad you did!

LEDs would be nice, if you feel like spending the money, but the $2 ones work just fine!

PM me if you have any questions!

[Kevbo10]

Originally Posted by Sanders

Hello Friends,
Can anyone give me some advice on replacing the running lights on my 74 Excella 500? // MASSIVE SNIP \\ Thanks for any and all advice.
Sanders

try the search box up above on the top toolbar...

kevin

[Sanders]

Thanks to all who responded. I took the advice and went to my local truck parts store. Just as you said, they had everything I needed; bull splice connectors, silicone adhesive, even the double bullseye light fixtures for around $2.50, although I already had purchased mine. They suggested just using the silicone instead of replacing or fashioning a new gasket. If I have to do this job in another 10 years, I think I'll go with the LED's! Thanks to the great advice I received from everyone I can get one more small project out of the way!
Sanders

[PizzaChop]

Sanders,

Don't use silicone on aluminum! It will shrink up, pull away, and leak. (But it's a pain to remove.)

Use Trempro (Vulkem), Parabond, or some sort of polyurethene sealant.

[Lumatic]

Originally Posted by PizzaChop

one wire from the light can be crimp connected to the existing trailer wiring. (I can't remember, but maybe you can use a male bullet connector.)

Nothin wrong with the pizza guy's idea. But here's what I did: soldered the ends together and then use electrical shrink wrap insulators. There's not much room behind those lights and this way you can stuff the wire back in the hole and not worry about the connection separating or shorting.

By the way, I got my LEDs from Vintage Trailer Supply. They came with jack connectors on the end of the wires. No room for em, so I cut them off and proceeded as described above, but as they were flush mounts making gaskets was also necessary to get the clearance for the wire between the body of the light and the coach skin. The lenses on the LEDs look identical to the auto parts/ truck stop replacements.

[ronstory]

Another cheap source for the double bull red and amble lights is Harbor Freight Tools. I was just walking though today... and there they were in the trailer dept. The price was $4.97 for a set of two, either Red or Amber.

Now they are not the fancy LED versions... but they are inexpensive.