poorboy
newark,de. usa
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Joined: 06/15/2002
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would like to change the marker lights and tail lights on the trailer to LED marker lights. has anyone done this, is it a matter of just changing the light fixture or is there more involved like changing the wiring. the LED lights are much brighter and therefore safer.
2013 Chevy 2500 CC LTZ D'Max 4x4
2014 Jayco Eagle 298RLDS
2013 Harley Davidson Ultra Limited
2017 peterbilt.
Truckin 38 yrs. Car Hauler 25 yrs. Camping my whole life
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Lwiddis
South of Lone Pine, California
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Joined: 08/12/2016
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I’ve changed my TT rear bulbs to LED bulbs and added a strip of LED lights from eTrailer next to the existing fixtures. Not brighter necessarily but more lights. Was easy.
![[image]](https://i.imgur.com/7jmymISl.jpg)
Winnebago 2101DS TT & 2020 Chevy Silverado 1500 LTZ Z71, 300 watt solar-parallel & MPPT, Trojan T-125s. TALL flag pole. Prefer USFS, COE, BLM, NPS, TVA, state & county camps. Bicyclist! 14 year Army vet-11B40 then 11A - (MOS 1542 & 1560) IOBC & IOAC grad
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JIMNLIN
Oklahoma
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Joined: 09/14/2003
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Brighter doesn't necessarily mean safer.
Some LED lights on upfitter beds for our pickups or chassis mounted service beds are too bright.
My local equipment trailer mfg had issues with this and even rear brake lights. The brake lights were so bright it made seeing the turn signals all but impossible so they found a different light supplier.
You can use the same wires for LED transitions. I did this on the back of my blue tractor. The old lights were giving up so went to all LED on the rear. This tractor sees no highway ...just county roads with lots of gulleys.
"good judgment comes from experience, and a lot of that comes from bad judgment" ............ Will Rogers
'03 2500 QC Dodge/Cummins HO 3.73 6 speed manual Jacobs Westach
'97 Park Avanue 28' 5er 11200 two slides
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Gdetrailer
PA
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Joined: 01/05/2007
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Yes, I have done this by replacing the fixtures.
In hindsight, did not anticipate that the life of the "replacement" LED fixtures was not going to be as long as advertised.. Have had 6 out of 12 fixtures quit after only a couple of yrs. Keeping in mind that I only get to use my RV only 2 weeks a yr, that is a pretty poor life.. Even more irritating was the fact that I spent more than double for the LED fixtures over what new incadescent fixtures cost at the time.
If you already have GOOD fixtures with good lenses, I would highly recommend just replacing the incadescent bulbs with LED bulbs.
Plenty of decent aftermarket LED bulbs to choose from now days and the cost is pretty cheap. Get amber LED bulbs for amber fixtures and red LED bulbs for the red fixtures for the most brightness impact.
I would have to disagree with JIMNLIN, I WANT my RV to be able to be seen from the ISS in space.. There are way too many idiots now days on the road paying more attention and playing with their "iphones". Absolutely no one can say that they "never seen" my rig..
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KD4UPL
Swoope, VA
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Joined: 03/16/2008
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Yes, just swap the fixtures.
However, you may need to change the signal light flasher in your tow vehicle. Some of the older vehicles have flashers that flash very rapidly (like a strobe light almost) when used with LEDs. These are readily available and it's usually a simple un-plug, plug-in swap.
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Bumpyroad
Virginia
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Joined: 12/01/2005
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I question if changing the marker lights to brighter ones would have any effect on safety. brake lights possibly but not meaningful for the effort and cost involved.
bumpy
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Gdetrailer
PA
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Joined: 01/05/2007
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Bumpyroad wrote:I question if changing the marker lights to brighter ones would have any effect on safety. brake lights possibly but not meaningful for the effort and cost involved.
bumpy
YES, I believe that in broad daylight with the sun shining in the drivers face driving behind my trailer they WILL see my LED tail lights!
For stop/turn I used the Bargman 84 series triples.
![[image]](https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/71wPMY%2BPJcL._AC_SL1500_.jpg)
Trust me, these things are a wall of bright red light when you are either turning or stopping. They WILL get the drivers attention.
My trailer sits in my yard with tail lights facing the West and when I light them up with the sun shining heavily from either the East or even west you CAN easily see them. Absolutely no excuse for anyone claiming that they didn't see my lights.
But hindsight, for the cost of the LED replacements for these, I should have replaced with incadescent 84 fixtures and then added LED replacement bulbs.. The replacement cost of just one of the modules is an astronomical $50 EACH. I got smart and bought two sets of double fixtures to keep as spares, much cheaper spare parts.
I had to replace the entire fixture due to the originals having broken lenses and were totally obsolete and no replacement lenses available..
I changed out the markers at the same time, I was lucky to find the old style oval type that fit where the original markers were mounted.. And as good fortune smiled on me, the replacement markers had removable lenses and were not sealed when they started to fail.. I was able to remove the lens, grind down the failed LEDs and replace them with BETTER designed LEDs over top of the old ones.. My replacements most likely will outlast my life..
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cavie
Port Charlotte Fl/ Hindsdale MA
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Joined: 04/28/2019
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Just change the blubs. Auto parts have replacements.
2011 Keystone Sprinter 323BHS. Retired Master Electrician. Retired Building Inspector.
All Motor Homes are RV's. All RV's are not Motor Homes.
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deltabravo
Spokane, WA
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Joined: 09/08/2003
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poorboy wrote: has anyone done this, is it a matter of just changing the light fixture
Easy project, which I documented here when I did this on my Nash 17k
2009 Silverado 3500HD Dually, D/A, CCLB 4x4 (bought new 8/30/09)
2009 Arctic Fox 811 (bought new 11/9/09)
2018 Timber Ridge 24RLS (bought pre-owned 3/12/20)
2008 Haulmark 8.5x20 toy box trailer
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Edd505
Elephant Butte, NM
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Yes did it on my old Jayco, found everything right here. Lights
2015 F350 FX4 SRW 6.7 Crew, longbed - 2017 Durango Gold 353RKT
2006 F350 SRW 6.0 crew longbed sold
2000 F250 SRW 7.3 extended longbed airbags sold
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Jayco Eagle 30.5BHLT sold, Layton 24.5LT sold
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