TheSamba.com :: View topic

Thu Mar 31, 2005 5:05 pm

I seem to recall seeing a post about putting brighter brake lights in ones vanagon. Like 50Watt bulbs? I am trying to find the post, but have been unable to. Does anyone have the information, including part numbers. I think there was a 1157 part #?

Thanks All,
Matt

Thu Mar 31, 2005 6:26 pm

I have them, got them from "Terry" (aka Ctoo) off E-bay.

They are made (after much digging into Terry's trade secret) by A company that makes trailer lights (Peterson). They are a little brighter.

http://www.pmlights.com/bulbs.cfm

I think they were the 1156's.

You can get them at evil Whal-Fart.

Thu Mar 31, 2005 6:46 pm

Quote: You can get them at evil Whal-Fart

Yep - I bought mine from Advance/Discount Auto Parts, BUT...

They kept blowing. After much skull sweat and jury-rigging, I came up with a good system:

1. First off, make sure your brake light sockets are nice and squeaky clean. No corrosion, bright metal where the bulb contacts the circuit;

2. Use something to keep the contacts bright, like grease. I think there is a specific coating for electrical stuff. I didn't have any, so I used what was available;

3. The bulbs draw a lot of current, which pulls down the voltage (which was why mine kept blowing out - low voltage = high current = "Dang it, I gotta getta nother bulb!"), so I wired in a pair of 30 amp relays (one per side) - the brake light hot wire and ground wire are connected across the relay coil and I fed 12V into the contacts from the alternator hot side, then out the other side of the contacts to the bulb socket, adding an extended ground wire from the relay coil.

Result? Bright, BRIGHT brake lights!

I'll get around to wiring up the turn sigs and backup lights one of these days. However, the new brake lights are so bright that I took the old light bulbs that were in the brake socket and stuck them into the taillight socket. Good move! Now my back end lights are on par (or above) with modern automotive lighting - and no more near misses from the car following behind! :-)

Thu Mar 31, 2005 9:04 pm

Just find larger wattage lites, save your bucks on the Ebay guy, those bulbs dont last long at all :wink:

Thu Mar 31, 2005 10:51 pm

Never tried the ebay models but I do have a pair of LED bulbs I got at autozone. A bit expensive but lots brighter and not any hotter than stock.

Fri Apr 01, 2005 12:13 am

I ran across some quartz Halogen reverse lights at Pep boys. I was tempted, but I will hold off for now, and try the plan I am on.

Matt