21st birthday... new tails

[haigha]

It was my 04 4.4i's 21st birthday last month so I bought it a present: New taillights!

The bulbs in the old taillights had been humming fairly loudly. I used Andrew's fix https://xoutpost.com/1047563-post65.html for a failing rear running light bulb. The brake portion still worked, but it wouldn't have passed inspection. It was obvious I was going to have more problems soon.





I like the new look!

Some tips:

I put a couple of microfiber cloths in the narrow space between the DSP module and the light assembly to catch anything that fell. Same on the other side, where there was more space to work. Fortunately, I didn't lose anything.

To keep the nuts on the socket I inserted what my mechanic friend, RIP, called dumb-dumb in the socket. It's a similar material to that used on the vapor seals for the doors. The product I had on hand is 3M 08578 Strip-Calk.

Be sure to detach the signal harness and run it separately through its dedicated hole in the frame. The video I watched didn't show that part and ended up having to redo one side.

The LEDs I bought have 180° offset posts. The turn signal socket has 150°. On the first one I jammed the bulb in unaware of the problem. The second one went in too and they appear to be holding. A better solution, if you don't have rear fogs, would be to replace the turn signal sockets with the rear fog ones.

I think the low profile extended reach Milwaukee M12 ratchet would have been useful for this project. It's on my wishlist.

No errors after coding out hot and cold bulb checks on the turn signals and reverse lights. I set PWM to 74 on both too.

Taillights, white backup LEDs, amber turn signals (180° posts)

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07N8G4SQN

Although these are DOT marked and the product description says they're approved, the box came with a Spyder sticker that said they're for off-road use. I don't know if that's for the completely blacked-out ones that Spyder sells. The turn signals and backup lights are very bright with the LEDs below.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07W7HQPZF/

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0CMXMGKY3/

[motordavid]

Looks good, H/P! That R&R is beyond my Geezer skills, these days...

Ours turned 23 a couple months ago...IAll it got was I hand washed it/Zaino'd it for the umptyseventh time, over its life span.

Out of elbow grease after that, still looks v good/runs well.

Hope you and your Fam are all well, old timer here!
GL, mD

[haigha]

Thanks, mD. Good to hear from you! And I was glad to hear that the fall storms in NC and FL didn't affect you too badly.

Great that your manual 23 year-old is purring along.

I resized the photos today. I had forgotten that the forums didn't handle larger ones well.

The project was a challenge for me. I sure miss having my friend Robert to help me. He and the great people here are the reason mine has survived for 21 years.

My best to you, V and your family