LED Tail lights $30 in 30 Minutes

[GMC Sub4x4]

I decided I wanted LED Tail lights on my 61 Suburban. After looking everywhere I could not find anything. I came up with the following plan to make my own. I started with Semi trailer LED sealed lights.

I started by cutting the red lens off of the LED lights.

[GMC Sub4x4]

Next I determined they were to thick to fit behind the stock lens. I did not want in any way to modify or destroy the stock aluminum bulb/light housing. So I used a handsaw to cut the plastic surrounding the plug on the back off. I then used a die grinder to grind the brass electrical terminals flush with the back plastic. Then I soldered wires on to the brass terminals.

[GMC Sub4x4]

After that I used simple electrical tape to insulate the electrical connections from the light housing. The light fits snug in the housing, but I used double sided foam tape to keep it from rattling around behind the stock lens.

[GMC Sub4x4]

Final Product. I only spent about $30 on the two LED lights and after hours of planning in my head, it only took about 30 minutes to actually make them fit.

[kerber63]

Great idea, looks slick. Any issues with blinkers/brake lights?

[MusicMan70]

This is so o great of you to share this idea. Big thumbs up! Thanks.

[463]

very nice thank you for the Post.

[ChiefRocka]

Great job !

Ive thought about doing this ever since LEDS were introduced to the commercial industry in the mid 90's ....

Thanks for sharing with the group

[63burban]

I use 57 Chevy passenger car leds for this type of thing, they are real flat.
Installed them in my buddy's 57 Tbird, they work great. A little more expensive but more leds.

[chakah]

came out great, nice job

[hopped up]

Looks great! ESP since you kept the stock tail lights. Thanks for the info

[69 chevy 1]

very cool ideal looks good thanks for the post

[piratexpress1369a]

great post i had read this when you had first posted and i had bookmarked it but my laptop crashed and i lost it ...so did you need to modify the flashers

[65sub]

great idea. I'm going to modify mine thanks.

[Free Candy Inside]

I did the same thing to mine except I spray painted the housing chrome and added a few pieces of reflector tape just because. I used an led panel that was suppose to be for a harley tail light. I did however put a screw into the housing. I had a spare set of housings. Here's how mine looked as tail lights

[piratexpress1369a]

free candy inside did you have to add a resistor to slow down the flasher

[67swb72klb]

great idea

[Free Candy Inside]

Originally Posted by piratexpress1369a

free candy inside did you have to add a resistor to slow down the flasher

Nope. It worked like it was suppose to. However, I am running a wiring harness from a 95 Chevy. My drivetrain is a TBI 350 so I used the complete harness including the headlight switch, turn signal flasher, etc. I just wired in the turn signal wires from the 95 harness into the turn signal switch from the 63. I doubt that has any effect though.

[piratexpress1369a]

ok thanks