Help-Need tail light repair advice...

[bassfiddler]

I need to repair an intermittent tail-light/blinker. The spring part at the bottom of the socket which keeps the lamps tight is shot and won't hold the lamp in place. What's the trick for getting this socket out without causing damage to the housing? Are the two rivets all that holds the housing in place? Anyone tackled this one yet?

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[Inland RV Center, In]

Originally Posted by bassfiddler

I need to repair an intermittent tail-light/blinker. The spring part at the bottom of the socket which keeps the lamps tight is shot and won't hold the lamp in place. What's the trick for getting this socket out without causing damage to the housing? Are the two rivets all that holds the housing in place? Anyone tackled this one yet?

Change the cans out to LEDS and be done with the issue, as the other sockets will do the same thing.

Tail light and backup LED lights are available.

Andy

[overlander63]

You can drill out the rivets, and carefully pull the can out of the housing. You can feed the wires up through the hole in the housing, go to your local auto parts store, and get a new base insert, with wires and spring. It should cost less than $10.

[bassfiddler]

Originally Posted by overlander63

You can drill out the rivets, and carefully pull the can out of the housing. You can feed the wires up through the hole in the housing, go to your local auto parts store, and get a new base insert, with wires and spring. It should cost less than $10.

Yes, that's what I'm talking about. I would love to upgrade to LED eventually but for now need to improvise, adapt and overcome. I did get it apart and was thinking along those same lines...

[bassfiddler]

So...I installed a new socket and have the problem 1/2 fixed. The blinker and tail-light work fine but the brake light doesn't. When you press the brake pedal the light goes out completely. The new socket isn't attached to the housing the way the factory socket was so I'm guessing I have an open ground problem.

Thoughts? Opinions?

[ROBERT CROSS]

F things F...try a new bulb, make sure the contacts are installed correctly in the socket, should be a tab on the fiber plate and groove in the socket.

[overlander63]

Originally Posted by bassfiddler

So...I installed a new socket and have the problem 1/2 fixed. The blinker and tail-light work fine but the brake light doesn't. When you press the brake pedal the light goes out completely. The new socket isn't attached to the housing the way the factory socket was so I'm guessing I have an open ground problem.

Thoughts? Opinions?

The blinker and brake use the same filament, so the bulb isn't the problem. I'd look at a bad ground.

[bassfiddler]

Bad ground was the problem. Attached a wire from the socket housing to the can and viola, problem solved. More or less a temporary fix until I upgrade to LED. Thanks for the replies.