lookin to put some leds in exterior of truck.. i went to superbrightleds ...i want to replace everthing but heads,fogs,...here is what i think i need..4-194's for license and side markers(amber?) 4-3157's.. 2 for tails,2 for stop light, 2-3156 for reverse lights... which bulbs go inthe front amber lights next to heads? 921's for cab over bed lights? (how many).... any help will b greatly appreciated....if anyone has a list of what they got and r willing to share part #'s thanx.... rodney

 

You want 3157's in the amber lights next to the headlights - those are dual filament bulbs. If your bed lights are like mine, you need 2-921 bulbs for there.

Don't get anything but SMT/SMD bulbs for any of these applications. They are the brightest kind (and the most reliable). You'll need the LED flasher for your turn signals and even with that, you MAY have to put load resistors on the brake/turn bulbs to get the cruise control to work.

If you put a LED behind a colored lens, the LED color should match the lens color for maximum brightness. It's counter intuitive, but a high lumen white bulb is likely to be dimmer behind an amber lens than an amber bulb. (The colored lens is "blocking" all but the color of the lens, so most of the light put out by a white LED simply doesn't get out).

The bulbs needed for the license plate have to be very small to fit in the housing. Take one of yours out and measure it. Don't get anything that's any bigger. I used WLED-WHP bulbs there and painted the inside of the housing silver with plastic paint. WLED-WHP5 bulbs MAY fit, and since they're side firing, might do better.

I got backup bulbs from a different source: http://autolumination.com/3157_3156.htm - they're the 60 High Powered Wide Angle SMT LEDS at the top of the page (3156). I think these are about the brightest ones you can fit in the backup housings. The 3157 colored ones would probably be about the best you could use for Turn/Brake bulbs too (front and back). I think they're brighter than the ones SuperBrightLEDs sells.

- Jack

 

hey,thanx for the great help and quick reply... i just bought a led 3rd brake light on ebay so i don't have to mess with that!!! thanx again for your help.

 

Glad to be of help! There've been a few posts from members about having to install a load resistor on the LED 3rd light too, to make the Cruise Control work. It evidently shuts off if it senses little current draw from any brake light and LEDs can fool it that way.

- Jack