How to Brighten Rear Lights

[DawgSong]

My first post, however I have been lurking and learning from these boards
since I bought my '87 Westy back in October. It has been fun to work on and thankfully the engine was recently rebuilt so no worries there.

I have thought of adding the Euro Smoke taillights for cosmetic reasonings but do they offer better visibilty to the rear? Can I just go with a higher watt bulbs? I just don't want to have someone ride up on me.

Thanks.

FYI, if you care here is my ride, "Rose" and some mods.
http://www.villagephotos.com/pubbrowse.asp?folder_id=1938876

[bucko]

Smoked lenses would certainly add to the "cool" factor, but will only add to the dullness of the rear lights.

If you haven't already, add a brighter bulb, but you'll find that using an LED brake and tail light will give you the biggest bang for your buck. Skip using an LED in the turnsignal, as they will cause your flasher to operate too fast, unless you add a "load equalizer".

Check TK's adds on the parts for sale. He periodically advertises these LED kits.
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Current VW drives: 1984 Westfalia

Past VW drives: 1967 Beetle, 1973 Beetle, 1977 Bus, 1971 Military Type 181

[VisPacem]

[Randy in Maine]

Some people have been known to put a small layer of aluminum foil inside of the light housing.

[McHuntley]

I hunted up the 50 watt bulbs for the rear stop, turn, and reverse lights. You can find them if you hunt around your FLAPS. The difference was significant.

However, since many holiday drivers appear to be blind to low tail lights, I am considering a second set of lights up in the top half of the window. I do not use that section anyway, it is covered by my AC.

Matt
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Any opinions stated here are my own, otherwise someone else would have said them.

[Alan Brase]

When I bought my first Vanagon in 1990, the previous owner had installed a 3rd brake light. That recently died, not just the bulb. I think it was a good idea and like to replace it. Has anybody found a good 3rd brake light setup to fasten to the inside of the rear glass?
Al
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Al Brase
Projects: 67 sunroof bug, 67 Porsche 912 Targa, 70 Westy
Dec 1955 Single Cab pickup WANT 15" BUS RIMS dated 8/55, thru 12/55
To New owners: 1969 doublecab, 1971 Dormobile
Vanagons:
80 P27 Westy JUL 1979, 3rd oldest known US
83 1.6TD Vanagon, 87 Wolfie Westy daily driver, swap meet home

[rs4-380]

i just use an led trailer light. It's just fastened to the rear ac housing now, but I was planning on prettying it up at some point. I do consider this a MUST have.

I also have added a rear fog light to the existing cluster for times when visibility is bad.
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Dave
87 EJ25 Syncro GL

[[email protected]]

dawg the smokes won't get you any brighter, but they won't be duller either. I have a set on mine. I used regular bulbs, They came with 2 colored bulbs and do not say which place to put them. I found them to work best in the running light as they give the proper color there. I have noticed the others don't have as good or correct color due to the smoke lens, same goes for the fronts they also come with colored bulbs. Honestly though I don't worry too much about my taillights, 95% of the time there is a trailer hooked up to is as I only use the westy for camping/events anymore

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Markus

[allsierra123]

I saw in the classifieds brighter bulbs on this site. Someone was selling them. I dont know if that is an option for you or not.
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95 GMC Yukon 6.5 TD 2 Door Tow pig/ Daily driver.
91 Vanagon GL. 1.9TD Conversion Sold
81 Vw rabbit 1.6 Diesel. Sold

[brooklynvanagon]

How can that be good? 55w is the same as a head light. Not as focused but still, It's got to be hell on all the other drivers night vision. You might be trading other peoples safety for yours.

[VisPacem]

[brooklynvanagon]

Here's some facts for you.

Your setup is illegal for street use. When you so deem you've got 220 watts of red and yellow lights hanging off your back end.

You can't imagine that your setup would disturb anyones night vision. Which I just don't understand. There's this thing call dark adaptation. http://webvision.med.utah.edu/light_dark.html

You state you have never been blinded. Well that's your words. A sample of one. In your opinion that's as good as solid safe research. And your betting others safety on it. You don't need to be blinded to be impaired.

I believe your lights could cause some impairment to a driver where they would not be able to react in time to see a lesser lighted vehicle after passing yours. Natural human reaction times and the autonomic response of the eye dictate that as fact.

The "rear fog lights" you speak of in europe are often used singularly, and are *fog* lights. Show me where they use h3's as turns and brakes and parking please. Your setup would be illegal to run on the autobahn, wouldn't it? Yet you want to imply that somehow your setup is valid there.

[McVanagon]

[VisPacem]

[VisPacem]

[tds3pete]

I don't know what the law is, but my Audi A6 has both front and rear fog lights (fronts are white, rears are red). The rear lights are about as bright as brake lights, but smaller, to warn approaching cars. The manual even warns the user to use them only in poor visibility situations to avoid distracting drivers.

Since this is a US spec car, I assume there is some sort of regulation to allow this.
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'58 Westy camper-come and gone
'73 Westy-bought new in Holland,now gone
'86 Syncro weekender-come and gone
'79 Westy...Oscar
'95 Eurovan Camper/5 spd...Marsha Mellow

[Alan Brase]

Uh, perhaps somebody is over reacting here. A 55 watt lamp, filterd thru a translucent red lens, and diffused by a fog type lens certainly will not blind any drivers. Certainly not like a 55 watt white head lite focused into one's retina.
Surprising about the Audi fog tail lites.
I just re-imported a UK spec 1996 Jeep. It has a lot of lighting features that US cars don't have, like driver adjustable headlight height aiming.
And Fog lights front and rear.
The rears are pretty much like the previously described Audi lights.
Too bad our DOT has to protect us from such improvements.
Al
l
_________________
Al Brase
Projects: 67 sunroof bug, 67 Porsche 912 Targa, 70 Westy
Dec 1955 Single Cab pickup WANT 15" BUS RIMS dated 8/55, thru 12/55
To New owners: 1969 doublecab, 1971 Dormobile
Vanagons:
80 P27 Westy JUL 1979, 3rd oldest known US
83 1.6TD Vanagon, 87 Wolfie Westy daily driver, swap meet home

[msinabottle]

Have a look here:

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=161963

Working great, legal, saves battery power. I did use LED's on the REAR flashers, it doesn't bother me that they blink quickly. I WANT them to notice.

Best!
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'Winston,' '84 1.9 WBX Westy
Vanagon Poet Laureate: "I have suffered in
many ways, but never, never, never in silence."

[Alan Brase]

[klucz]