Upgrading taillight sockets

[Keyav8r]

Is there a socket that will fit our taillights and front turn signal lights that accepts the new style lamps/bulbs (3157, for example)?  If this has been answered before I missed or forgot it.

[coolwind57]

13 hours ago, Keyav8r said:

Is there a socket that will fit our taillights and front turn signal lights that accepts the new style lamps/bulbs (3157, for example)?  If this has been answered before I missed or forgot it.

 

I think I may had asked this question in the past.  I ended up replacing with the standard twist and push type of this era.  I got a good set for my front signals from the junkyard.  

 

I was thinking that the straight blade type that just pushes in there would be more secure and last longer and I may be wrong here, but I think the current wiring harness wouldn't support the newer connectors of this type.  Seems like they require an additional wire or something back when I looked into it, I just can't remember exactly.   Sorry not much help, but I'm still curious.

 

Let us know if you progress on this.

[HOrnbrod]

15 minutes ago, coolwind57 said:

Seems like they require an additional wire or something back when I looked into it, I just can't remember exactly.

 

It's a 3-wire socket replacing another 3-wire socket; it will be fine electrically. The problem will likely be the twist-to-lock tabs lining up on the MJ lamp housings. I have a bunch of 3157 (I think - the bulbs look the same) sockets in a box somewhere I pulled off an old Mercedes I junked years ago. Will check it out later today. Interesting idea Fred.  

[Keyav8r]

Not sure who it was, but someone posted about enlarging one of the tab slots in the taillight housing to use later model XJ sockets.  But I believe those also use the old style bulbs.

i’m mainly Interested in using LED lamps and there seems to be a greater variety and supply (and maybe better pricing) in the new style “push-in” lamps.

What I’d really like to do is build a multi-LED insert that covered the interior of the housing to light up like the taillights on some of the newer trucks but retain the original shape of the MJ taillight.  That will probably have to wait until retirement gives me more time to experiment.

[zomeizter]

Hey Key, I actually did something similar to your plan, had to do a bit of hacking to the inside of the taillight housings though (purtists beware ). I'll post some pix later...

[Keyav8r]

Zomeizter - will be glad to see what you did and how it worked.  I have a driver’s side taillight that I took apart, cleaned, sprayed some “Kentucky chrome” on the reflectors, and put back together.  It is definitely brighter than the original light on the passenger side, but not as bright as I’d like.  I’m in the process of doing the same to a spare passenger side taillight.  I’ll swap them in when finished and maybe convert the originals to LED at some point.

[zomeizter]

excuse the lag man, I left the country briefly...pix coming soon.

[zomeizter]

Here's some hacking and the LEDs I used...

[Keyav8r]

Thanks!  I’ll check that out tonight.  Might be just the thing to do while I’ve got this taillight apart.

[zomeizter]

here's some action pix...

 

[Keyav8r]

Thanks for the photos!

That kind of what I’m wanting to do.  You have five of the panels in each housing, right?  The website says each panel produces 57 lumens, so you’re pushing a little under 300 lumens per taillight.  I assume the lumen rating is in the “high” or brake/turn signal mode.  

I like the light output but want to have more complete coverage of the lens area, at least to the rear.

i think I’ll contact Super Bright and ask if they have larger panels with higher lumens per panel.  If not, I may just go with their 1157 equivalent bulbs at around 300-400 lumens per bulb.

[zomeizter]

Correct, 5 per assembly, IIRC I got these on sale for under 3 bucks each so I got ten pieces. They are bright enough during mid day which was my concern, I too wished for more lens coverage but eventually I want to build some kind of custom taillights for the rig later on and ditch the stock ones altogether, blah blah blah...

[Dzimm]

I put the newer style plugs in the MJ housings. Just a little work with the dremel and they fit prefect without hacking up an MJ taillight housing.

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[WahooSteeler]

Dorman 85869 is a direct fit (tabs fit perfect) 2-wire reverse socket for push and turn bulbs..........<$4 at O'Reilly's. And the Genssi 1156 LED replacement bulbs as recommended by Hornbrod are fantastic, REALLY put out a lot of light!