Brakelights

[poorboycjs]

HI. I need replacement buckets for my brake lites & back up lites on a 1970 Airstream Land Yahat. Could use lenses & gaskets also. Anyone know of a good source ? Thanks Carl

[Chas]

They are still available.

I think Inland RV has them if you don't feel like digging around to find them, they may be available at some fleet truck dealers or possibly your local NAPA parts house. I was able to remove mine and replace the socket contacts and springs, not too bad of a job. The lenses are available separately as well.

Chas

[loechli]

Chas,

How exactly did you replace you socket and springs?
I need to replace a taillight socket and spring.

Can it be accessed from outside?

Thanks,

Steve

[smily]

Check with this member. He has helped me with these in the past.
Smily

[loechli]

Any one else know if the rear light sockets and springs can be replaced from the outside of my 72 international

I can not see how to get sockets out to replace.

I hope I do not have to access from inside since the tub is there.



Steve

[Chuck]

I believe they are riveted from the inside; you don't have to get them out that way, though. I can see 2 pop-rivet tails in the back of the cans on my '73. I bet if you drill those out, you can take the whole can out of the bezel. Then you can just re-rivet them from the outside.

I don't know if there's any "fix" for the socket in the bad one I have. (reverse light, so I really don't need it). it seems like its rusted in there pretty good.

Andy at Inland RV has the replacement fixtures. I asked my local dealer if they had them..they pulled out the part book, and handed me the wrong part off the shelf. (porch light...same lense; different fixture. the porch light has a chrome flange around it, and won't fit into the tail light bezel). They even went as far as to call JacksonCenter...that's the info they have, too. So I guess Andy is the only person that knows the right part! LOL!

[Chas]

Chuck is correct.

They are initially riveted in from inside or I guess they are actually riveted to the taillamp casting and then it is riveted to the shell. You can get them out after removing the lense, by chipping and nipping away at the exposed end of the rivet. Whatever is left of the head will just disappear inside the wall. The entire lamp assembly is definitely available from Inland for some bucks but I was able to replace the parts on mine, no need to buy a whole lamp. I do believe Trucklite owns whoever was the original manufacturer now, Signal Stat or Cyclo Stat. I have only been able to find the lenses up till now.

Chas

[Fun-Lovin]

oh yeah this is a fun one
napa has a bucket that "may" fit but i wasnt willing to give it the chance at $30 each with lenses and they also have the clear lenses for the backup lights for $10 each. This would have cost $140 +tax if they work.
I had found an alternitave at autozone but doesnt fit 100% exactly. I tryed this and found it to work but you may or may-not be want to do this. You will have to modify them to make them work, you will need a 3/4 inch spacer behind the bucket and will have to remove the mounting stud and remount it inside the bucked. These lights use a snap ring to hold the lense in place and clear lenses will have to be made from square lenses.
I will get a picture if my finished work and post for you later this weekend as im still working on this project.

Greg

[Fun-Lovin]

From this picture you cant see all that much but the backup light does have a lense in it that was originally a square lense that I trimmed down and modified to fit. These buckets came individually from Autozone for under $8 each. These lights have a bolt stud extending from the bottom that had to be removed first. Due to the design of the lense retainer (clip spring) they could not be completly flush like the originals were. The original buckets and light assembly was completely rotten and were shorting out therefore needed to be replaced. I forgot to replace the reflector before I took these pictures. The total cost of this light rebuild minus the connectors and a few washers was less than $50.
Let me know if you have any questions. I have to do the other side tomorrow.

Greg

[DPeakMD]

You can still obtain replacement lenses and gaskets. The original gaskets were made of leather-like material and were in pretty bad shape. The new gasket is a nice neopreme type that looks like it will seal better. If water collects in there, it's death to that lamp socket! That's a tough thing to replace easily...

An Airstream store will usually have the clear lense and gasket for sale because they still use this on the porch light. I used this to track down the replacment red lense through a local truck supplier. I'll track down the part numbers and post them up if anyone wants it.

I'll make one suggestion. If you put aluminum foil with the shiny side out behind the bulbs in your backup lights and brake lights it will make a tremendous difference. My wife had to shield her eyes helping me back into a space on our last trip!

Also, the reflectors are a standard 3" variety you'll find at any autoparts store. When mine fell out I actually replaced it with one from a broken driveway marker we had and it fit perfectly!

Dallas