The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area The Electrical Bay Tail light, what the…just happened

Working in my shop on other things today, noticed my left tail light lens bezel was loose.
Rolled the truck away from the wall a bit to get a better look, the plastic lens was melted. Huh?
Pulled off the bezel off and checked the inside, the 2 element upper bulb (2057) was right against the plastic lens… both the red lens majorly and the clear top lens minorly melted…
I’ll be ordering new tail lights with glass lenses in any case….
My guess without testing it out yet is that whoever did the install (I’m 2nd owner since) wired the larger hotter element to the running light instead of the blinker / brake… since it is right against the lens it cooked it…. I did check to see if it was assembled correctly and it was, will check the wiring next week, less than ideal design I say
I rarely drive at night so it lasted a long time….

Chuck

Does someone make glass reproduction lenses or did you find some originals?

Not sure, Chevs 40 lists complete lights w glass, Carters site was down today (for me anyway)
Availability still unknown"..

Chuck

The Filling Station (LINK) has glass lenses available separately. I also saw that Jim Carter's website was down.

Goodness, I never drive my truck at night. Maybe it's time to check both headlight and taillights. Wonder if the bulb bracket was slightly tweaked causing the large bulb to point upwards a little too much.

In the box of parts, I had the housing for the original left tail light, including the slightly melted plastic lens. No right, but I guess that was common on alot of original trucks.
I thought I ordered a 12v right, but it came with 6v bulbs. No big deal. The sockets were both set on the bracket way forward, not like the OEM left. I moved the right and tacked them to match the left. With the larger brake bulb in, it places it at the center of the lens. I think it was Classic Parts that carried the glass lens.

Who knows what caused Hank's problem but I have experienced problems with modern bulbs and reproduction sockets on several of my vehicles. Some bulbs are not exactly the correct size - maybe just a hair too small - and they don't fit tightly in the original socket like they're supposed to.

I've also found some repop sockets to be made wrong as well causing the bulb not to fit correctly.

Jim Carter site is back up and he offers Glass lenses and complete taillights with glass lenses. Left taillight with black body and glass lens, and Right taillight with black body and glass lens.

i agree Chip,
like you found the socket is too proud of the metal on mine as well so the bulb sits too high and out. i will look at it with an eye to mod as you did, or just replace the whole darn light with one built correctly (if those available are indeed built correctly......)

it might have got by if the running light was not the higher amp filiment, will review all things before buying or mod-ing anything.. holidays reduce options of getting back up to my rig/shop...
Otto, bulbs do fit fine on mine, and the bracket was properly seated in its mounting tab, just poorly executed (sloppy) design on these repops i'd say.....

chuck

Chuck,
I know you mentioned you don't drive much at night.
For your Safety you should be driving All the time with your lights on.
Just my 2 cents
Todd

I also don't drive my truck at night time, very often, so after reading this post I went out to the truck to check my tail lights which are working fine, along with the brake lights, BUT did find that my driver side head lamp bulb is dead or the power to it..... so..As soon as the local rains go away, time to raise the hood.

Thanks to Chuck to making this post, for it made me go check my truck.

Since I’m not at the truck (46), most of The wiring diagrams indicate stop/turn and running options out back, and 2 single filament bulbs…… trying to think it thru why there is even a 2 filament bulb which has offset tits (giving 3 light options)
mine may have a flasher option and does that stand alone, never needed to deep dive on this till now)
Those dual element bulbs are big compared to singles..
I’ll start by checking out how many wires I’m working with…..from the steering column unit and to the back end and in the light.

If the rain continues this week I’ll roll up to the shop….wont take long to be enlightened, fortunately the truck has a complete newer original style harness which makes sorting electric issues easier .

Chuck

Has your truck been converted to 12v or is it still 6v?

12v w generator

Sounds like someone had converted the socket for the dual filament bulb. I did that for turn signals on my front parking lights. But it's not necessary for tail light, as the turn signal uses the individual (left and right) stop light bulbs. If you have 3 wires going into the taillight, that's likely what happened.

You might be able to use an LED 1157 (dual filament) bulb in place of the incandescent, which would generate less heat. They may or may not be smaller, though.

Dug in today, 3 power leads to each rear light, wiring in such good shape no need to sort out why they bothered. (My guess they added turn signals after wiring was completed and it seemed easier to run another lead as opposed to cutting into a new harness).

I followed Chipo lead and pushed the dual bulb bases back slightly, tilted down and tack welded um… done… new glass lens’ ordered… oh… lens had no gaskets, ordered those too… might give a lil more space to the bulb…might…
Separate turn and brake is a wasted effort on some persons part, the small element doesn’t add much with brighter brake element lit…

Chuck

Hey, guys... remember, those square taillights prior to '54 were designed for a single stop/tail light. Stuffing two large bulbs in that cramped space creates a lot of heat. That's why '54 went to a larger, round set. First year with factory available turn signals. They probably burned out a few little square ones themselves.

If you don't drive your truck at night, no heat build up

I walk around all my vehicles every week or so to check headlights and taillights. I test brake lights by stepping on the pedal in the garage and looking for the reflection on the garage doors.

Ol' Roy gets used every week, night and day, rain or shine.

I realized when I had the OEM left torn apart to clean and paint and got the new right in and torn apart for the same paint that the left with a larger brake bulb in had a focal point to the center of the convex lens and the right couldn’t have a big bulb, just the tiny 6v low wattage bulb included. The new wasn’t even close to being remotely OEM, so I modified it to mirror what was supposed to be. And we all want bright brake lights with idiot drivers now a days.
Quite a few new parts I’ve ordered have to be modified to work. Someone here should put in for a SME consultant position.

And yes, formerly have driven line trucks that I’m in the habit of every time I jump in the daily before opening the garage door to do a full light check… including warning strobes, but I can no longer volunteer for search and rescue.

You might consider going to led bulbs. Just as bright and no heat.

Doug