The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area The Electrical Bay Bed Roll Tail lights

I plan to use the bed rol in my '51 for the turn signals. I hate the thought of paying $110.00 for a pair of 1 1/2" LED lights. Has anyone seen anything less expensive?

Use your imagineering. Theres plenty of sockets,lenses,etc...that will fit with a little bit of "trial and error".
This topic has been discussed here before with a few people coming up with some really good ideas. Try a search. And spend your 110.00 on something more satisfying.

there is actually a thread in this forum i think about a guy who did this on the cheap.was really kinda cool how he did it using pvc pipe and some plastic lenses.i printed it off and i have it at work in a binder .kinda my i want this for quick reference file.do a search if you cant find it or someoneelse doesnt chime in i'll get it.................dave

Didn't Denny Graham come up with a way to make them out those led flashlights? I seem to recall that he was working on something like that, just don't remember when it was on here.

Here is the source for the pvc one submitted by Carolina truck on 3\26\07
Bed Rail Roll Lights :::
Looking at those bed rail roll holes with nothing to fill the void except a plug was not acceptable to me. I wanted them for a purpose, like lights, a blinker or brake as the likely function. There has been a recent tip about lights in the rolls and upon looking at what is available commercially, those run about 100 bucks. Naugh, you have to be kidding! My thoughts about what I wanted are to keep the lights neatly hidden inside the tubes. I figured a piece of 1’’ PVC would be a good housing about 2’’ long should do the trick. If the insert diameter is smaller than 1.5’’ you can add several long strips of RTV silicon to the outside (let it dry before inserting) of whatever tube you choose and this should hold it inside the bed roll tube securely. My next step was to see what’s available on the open market for LED type lights. I found a 2 pack of 4 (amber) LED bulbs with a blade connection and a socket assembly that I could use. I had to solder the two wires to the socket because of its construction but everything will be hidden and should work fine. That cost was about $17.00 @ a (FLAPS) auto parts store.

Yep, had the idea of using those LED heads from the flashlights Harbor Freight always has on sale. They fit in the hole real nice all you would have to do is machine an adaptor to fit them in the bedroll, which is appx. 1 9/16" and the head of the light is just under 1 3/16". I had the voltage figured out at one time, the array is powered by 4 1/2v so you needed to slip a dropping resistor in to bring down the 6v or 12v supply to 4 1/2v but that's no big thing.
I wasn't going to do it to mine because I want mine as stock as I can keep it. It looked like a good idea and also a rather inexpensive one if you had access to a lathe to make the adaptor.

Not sure what you would use for a lens though, the LED's emit light in a single wavelength where an incandescing bulb gives off light in all wavelengths. So colored plastic lenses with white LED’s behind them may give off some odd colors. That said, I did spray some clear plastic with some acrylic red paint and the lens looked pretty red to me. You might have to do a little experimenting with it

Denny Graham
Sandwich, IL

You should email tabdoo... as I recall he found a cheap way of doing it that looked great... betcha he can suggest an affordable alternative!

~Trev

well I just went down the road on a kit for the bed rolls, PO purchased a kit for $128 front plugs and rear lights that came with the truck ...well to make them fit every one had to go on the Lathe!
the kit came for the correct years but was way oversized at 1 5/8 so all had to be turned down on the lathe at work to at least 1 9/16 to around 1 17/32 to get a good fit that would allow removal for light bulb changes.
So I think making your own is the way to go over some expensive KIT
That doesn't fit outta the box.

Thanks for the tips. I agree the 110 bucks sounds a bit much when you're trying to fit the project to the wallet!! I'm on my way to make it work. If someone has the correct size for the resistor, let me know. If not, I can work it out. Thanks again.

FYI - I found a pair of red LED's that are supposed to be the equal to a 1157 bulb so they should fit sockets I already have. I found a pvc pipe that will fit into the rolls. I will let you know how it turns out after I get the LEDs. Thanks again for the help.

Yel 53 nailed it
the tech article link:: cheap bed roll lights ........ && w/ LED you don't have to change them.
https://www.stovebolt.com/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php/ubb/showflat/Main/14829/Number/99294#Post99294
here are my photos and in a week or so i'll have the installed shots too as i just installed them.
http://s67.photobucket.com/albums/h298/1951otter/?action=view&current=587685-R1-012-4A.jpg
http://s67.photobucket.com/albums/h298/1951otter/?action=view&current=587685-R1-014-5A.jpg
http://s67.photobucket.com/albums/h298/1951otter/?action=view&current=587685-R1-016-6A.jpg
http://s67.photobucket.com/albums/h298/1951otter/?action=view&current=587685-R1-018-7A.jpg
http://s67.photobucket.com/albums/h298/1951otter/?action=view&current=587685-R1-020-8A.jpg
http://s67.photobucket.com/albums/h298/1951otter/?action=view&current=587685-R1-022-9A.jpg
http://s67.photobucket.com/albums/h298/1951otter/?action=view&current=587685-R1-024-10A.jpg
http://s67.photobucket.com/albums/h298/1951otter/?action=view&current=587685-R1-026-11A.jpg


i hope this helps you guyz

HERE is what i did w/ my tail lamps using the stock housing. three Electropods have 6 LED bulbs
shown, with the outside bulbs angle outward. All fitting inside a stock tail lamp housing.
http://s67.photobucket.com/albums/h298/1951otter/?action=view&current=587685-R1-034-15A.jpg
http://s67.photobucket.com/albums/h298/1951otter/?action=view&current=587685-R1-030-13A.jpg
http://s67.photobucket.com/albums/h298/1951otter/?action=view&current=587685-R1-036-16A.jpg

here are the finished photos .... ah-oh mine are yellow ... humm

http://s67.photobucket.com/albums/h298/1951otter/?action=view&current=2A-1.jpg
http://s67.photobucket.com/albums/h298/1951otter/?action=view&current=8A-1.jpg
http://s67.photobucket.com/albums/h298/1951otter/?action=view&current=3A-1.jpg
http://s67.photobucket.com/albums/h298/1951otter/?action=view&current=1A-2.jpg
http://s67.photobucket.com/albums/h298/1951otter/?action=view&current=0A-1.jpg
In Calif::legal vs illegal.............
* Tail lights other than red (24600 VC).
* Illegal brake lights. Brake lights on vehicles newer than 1979 must be red (24603 VC). (Vehicles older than 1979 may be red or yellow.)
* Lack of rear reflectors. Two red reflectors are required on the rear of cars and trucks (24607 VC).
* Incorrect color of turn signal. It must be white or yellow to the front, red or yellow to the rear (24953 VC).
* Tail lights that incorporate a bulb with a red tint or coating. In general, custom tail lights that incorporate a clear outer shell and red inner lens are legal (24011 VC). If they don't incorporate reflectors, they must be added to the vehicle (24607 VC).
* Tail lights that are too dim, washed out or show yellow, white or other colors (24600 VC).
* Illegal color of side marker lights. If present, must be yellow in the front and red in the rear (25106, 24003 VC).
* Driving with just parking lights on (24800 VC). Vehicles that have factory-installed automatic daytime running lights must meet federal requirements and are legal.
* Illegal decorative lights (24003 VC). All flashing decorative lights are illegal (25250 VC).
* Illegal windshield washer nozzle lights. Only white or yellow are allowed. (25106 VC, 24003 VC).
* Lights attached to tire valves (24003, 25250 VC).
* Lighted license plate frames (unless red) (24003 VC).
* Illegal lights, whether or not they are operating. It is illegal just to have them on the vehicle (24003 VC).
Photo of light attached to tire valve
California Highway Patrol .. Office of Public Affairs

Caroline & Jim,
Great looking lights!...ya did a fine job.
In PA I believe they would be Illegal with the Amber lens, Red would be OKEY DOKEY.
(Rear end all red running/flashers, front end all amber running/flashers), We arent even allowed Blue Dots in the rear lenses, any type of under vehicle light effects, etc...State Police call them a distraction to others while driving.
I love your approach and the money savings!, mine are a kit all aluminum but I didnt pay for em they came in a box of STUFF when I got it.

Tim

I admire your creativity! It's all too easy to 'hit the plastic'
nowadays!
We in the U.K HAVE to have amber,front and rear and unlike you folks they have to be separate from the brake lights!
Most U.S imports here get aftermarket flashers 'Nailed' on to the bodywork and look terrible.
I'll be using L.E.D conversions in my A.D. for stop and tail lights with bed roll amber L.E.D.'s for my flashers.
I was lucky, my wife got me some as a birthday gift!
Nice job though! Jock

I just installed the RED LED's in the bed roll of my '51 and they look and work great. They are fully as bright as my other rear lights but I needed to make them my brake lights as they did not present a large enough load to operate the flashers and I decided not to install the resistors to make them work.