The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area The Electrical Bay Is my tail light upside down?

Take a look at these pics and tell me if my passenger side tail light is upside down. I know the drivers side is correct, because it has the clear lense at the bottom which serves as the license plate light. The passenger side is basically the same except that it doesn't have the clear lense. However, the passengers side is upside down in relation to the drivers side. It's been that way since I got the truck, and I always assumed that's how it was supposed to be. The bulbs are wired the same on both left and right, meaning both bottom bulbs are tail, and both top bulbs are turn/brake.

However, I noticed the other day that one side is slightly brighter than the other, and I think that is due to the angle that the bulb bracket is on. If you notice they are both on an angle, but one is on an opposite angle than the other. You can't change the angle of the bulb bracket, there is a groove and a screw hole in the housing that dictates the angle. So this is why I think the passenger side might be upside down. If I flipped it, the angle would be the same, and thus they would likely have the same amount of brightness (after I rewired the bulbs).

The thing is, the way the mounting holes are on the bck of the housing allows it to be mounted only one way, so I coudn't flip it unless I drilled new mounting holes in the back.

So the question is, are they supposed to be this way? Or did someone along the way replace the passenger side, and drilled the mounting holes backwards? I would assume that the housing would come with the mounting holes already drilled though.

Drivers side: https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-60Q-h2vOppo/T-R1g7gBlUI/AAAAAAAAB7A/kYnchMgU6mU/s720/IMG_0604.JPG

Passenger side: https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-qkZ0iUSdTfI/T-R1hzPLznI/AAAAAAAAB7E/37fYkYkVVJY/s720/IMG_0605.JPG

just the way the General cheaped out when a 2nd light became optional [but required in some states]

Bill

Okay, I looked at it again, and I don't know why it didn't occur to me the first time, but when I unbolted and flipped the passenger side, the holes linedup fine. So there doesn't seem to be a reason why they were flipped like that. I guess it's very possible that someone screwed up and mounted the passenger side housing up side down. So anyway, now they are both the same, oriented like the drivers side pic. So now I just need some clarification, should the bottom bulb be the park light, and the top bulb be the blinker/brake?


Thanks

You are correct with the bottom bulb being the park light and the top bulb being the blinker and brake. It was told to me that the brightest light or filament in the bulb of the two should be the brake light on. if this is wrong someone please correct me. Good luck!!

The park light also illuminates the licence plate/clear lens on drivers side.

Your passenger side bracket looks like it has an extra arm. Hard to tell from the pic. Normally you cannot flip the housing without modification.

You can put a slight bend in the bulb bracket that will leave you enough room to put a #1129 in the socket for your brake light. Use a #81 for the tail light and you'll have more light (in candle power) on 6v than a #1157 12v. 6v with that modification on the left & 12v on the right. Keep in mind the 12v in the photo has a much larger housing and a mirror reflector in the housing.

Sorry if I forgot to mention that it's a 12 volt system. It was converted by a previous owner, so I don' know what those bulbs are.

#89 and #1141

Not sure if this applies, but on my tail lights, there is a small drain hole at the bottom of the housing.

stovebolt - mine are the originals and are like yours, the passenger side is upside down and one is dimmer than the other due to the direction of the bulbs.

My guess is that they were probably all closed up when installed and no one really cared or knew any better as to how it was supposed to be properly oriented.

Well, I just flipped my passengrs side so now they are both oriented like the drivers side. Then I just snipped and reversed the wires so that the bottom bulb is park and the top bulb is blinker/brake. It works fine, looks fine and now they are the same brightness since the bulbs are at the same angle now left to right. This way seems a lot more natural. Don't know why I never thought to do that before.

Forget those small, dim bulbs. A few washers to push the bracket deeper in the housing, and you can fit an 1156 bulb for the stop light/turn signal. There is also a bracket available from Carter, maybe others. And, I recommend painting the inside of the housing gloss white, which will make your signals more visible!

I have an extra pair of the stepped brackets if anyone wants em. Decided to go with completely new tail lights that already have the larger 21cp bulb in them.