User Tag List

Page 1 of 3 123 LastLast
Results 1 to 10 of 29

Thread: Brake Lights

  1. #1
    Site Sponsor Cate&Rob's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2014
    Posts
    8,880
    Mentioned
    85 Post(s)
    Tagged
    0 Thread(s)

    Brake Lights

    I recently replaced my OEM Reflection brake lights with LED upgrades.
    Gene (@gbkims) asked about this in another thread https://www.mygrandrv.com/fo...r-Roof-s-Seams! . . . but this is so far off that topic, I thought I better start a new one (wouldn't want a moderator to get mad at me . . .)

    I went with the twin Bargman 84 Series LED brake lights that several others on this forum have used. Excellent quality products and easy to install . . . except for connecting the OE wiring . . . but, I will get to that. The two LED modules can be easily removed from the frame . . . allowing you to mount the light frame to the back wall and route the wires without wrestling with final electrical connections until after.

    The first learning (which relates to the thread referenced above) is the water intrusion damage happening under one of my OE tail lights. GDRV does not seal every light mounting screw hole. They put a silicone bead around the perimeter of the light. A small leak at the top but a good seal at the bottom means that the backside of this light fills with water. My advice would be to remove every OE screw, dip it in silicone and reinstall it.

    The next problem was the wire colours. The normal convention is black for stop/turn and green for tail. In the build of my trailer, GDRV switched these. It didn't make any difference when each circuit was going to a single filament of a two filament bulb. It makes a big difference with the Bargman lights where the tail LED array is small and the brake LED array is much larger. So, trailer green goes to tail light black and trailer black goes to tail light green. Problem solved.

    BTW, the Bargman lights don't have a provision for licence plate lighting. I had to add a separate light for that.

    So . . . why was this necessary . . . that goes back to the disc brakes . Since installing these, under heavy braking, the following vehicle has been getting really large in my rear view camera. I figured that these guys need more notice that I am on the brakes. No one is expecting that box-on-wheels to stop that fast!

    Rob
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails IMG_4069.jpg   IMG_4088.jpg   IMG_4090.jpg   IMG_4079.jpg  
    Cate & Rob
    2015 Reflection 303RLS

  2. #2
    Long Hauler Paul & Deb's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2014
    Location
    Carlsbad, CA
    Posts
    2,959
    Mentioned
    10 Post(s)
    Tagged
    3 Thread(s)
    Great mod. I did mine a few years ago and glad I did. Do you have any pictures of how you did the license plate bracket?
    Paul "Poppy" and Deb Cervone
    2022 Imagine XLS 22MLE
    2021 Imagine XLS 17MKE - SOLD ; 2015 Grand Design Reflection 337RLS - SOLD
    2016 GMC Denali 3500HD SRW Duramax/Allison CC 4x4; Tire Minder TPMS

  3. #3
    Site Sponsor Cate&Rob's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2014
    Posts
    8,880
    Mentioned
    85 Post(s)
    Tagged
    0 Thread(s)
    Quote Originally Posted by Poppy's 5th Wheel View Post
    Great mod. I did mine a few years ago and glad I did. Do you have any pictures of how you did the license plate bracket?
    Hi Paul,

    I probably fiddled around more with that flippin' licence plate light than the time it took to install the brake lights. I found a plastic plate mounting bracket which I screwed to the back wall below the tail light. Then the LED light mounted to the plate surround (the part with the paw prints ) and the licence plate was sandwiched between these two.

    Rob
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails IMG_4092.jpg  
    Cate & Rob
    2015 Reflection 303RLS

  4. #4
    Long Hauler Paul & Deb's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2014
    Location
    Carlsbad, CA
    Posts
    2,959
    Mentioned
    10 Post(s)
    Tagged
    3 Thread(s)
    I went with the bracket from the same manufacturer of the tail lights but had to do some modifying to get it to hook up without holding the frame off from the trailer wall leaving gaps. I also ran my lights upright which left 2 holes from the original lights which I managed by just reinstalling black screws and covering them with some silicone.





    Paul "Poppy" and Deb Cervone
    2022 Imagine XLS 22MLE
    2021 Imagine XLS 17MKE - SOLD ; 2015 Grand Design Reflection 337RLS - SOLD
    2016 GMC Denali 3500HD SRW Duramax/Allison CC 4x4; Tire Minder TPMS

  5. #5
    Site Sponsor Cate&Rob's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2014
    Posts
    8,880
    Mentioned
    85 Post(s)
    Tagged
    0 Thread(s)
    Quote Originally Posted by Poppy's 5th Wheel View Post
    . . . had to do some modifying to get it to hook up without holding the frame off from the trailer wall leaving gaps.
    Hi Paul,

    I just routed the licence plate wires behind the tail light frame. I thought about bringing them through the light frame like you did (which is probably a better plan) but since I sealed each screw hole individually, I figured that the small gap under the lower edge of the light frame would be OK. Because of the way my licence plate frame overlaps the lower edge of the light, the wire routing is not visible.

    Rob
    Cate & Rob
    2015 Reflection 303RLS

  6. #6
    Site Sponsor John612's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2015
    Location
    CA
    Posts
    692
    Blog Entries
    1
    Mentioned
    2 Post(s)
    Tagged
    0 Thread(s)
    Rob - was your part # Bargman 47-84-610 for ~$45 each?
    John, Susan & Luke
    2015 Reflection 303 RLS #867
    Bakersfield, CA

  7. #7
    Site Sponsor Cate&Rob's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2014
    Posts
    8,880
    Mentioned
    85 Post(s)
    Tagged
    0 Thread(s)
    Quote Originally Posted by John612 View Post
    Rob - was your part # Bargman 47-84-610 for ~$45 each?
    Hi John,
    Those are exactly the Bargman lights that I used.
    Rob
    Cate & Rob
    2015 Reflection 303RLS

  8. #8
    Site Sponsor John612's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2015
    Location
    CA
    Posts
    692
    Blog Entries
    1
    Mentioned
    2 Post(s)
    Tagged
    0 Thread(s)
    Thanks Rob.
    John, Susan & Luke
    2015 Reflection 303 RLS #867
    Bakersfield, CA

  9. #9
    Site Sponsor Cate&Rob's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2014
    Posts
    8,880
    Mentioned
    85 Post(s)
    Tagged
    0 Thread(s)
    One further comment on this brake light replacement . . . I filled all the original holes, including the large ones where the wires come out, with a generous application of silicone making sure that there was a "button" of silicone over the edges of these holes on the outer surface. I had to trim back the silicone on the large hole for the left side wires to get the new light to fit (the wire exit holes are not at the same height ) but the rest of the hole plugs were covered by the new lights. As mentioned earlier, each new screw was dipped in silicone before inserting into pre-drilled holes. I did not apply silicone around the perimeter of the light. This is as likely to hold water in as it is to keep water out.

    Rob
    Cate & Rob
    2015 Reflection 303RLS

  10. #10
    Site Sponsor
    Join Date
    Feb 2018
    Location
    SW Colorado
    Posts
    2,673
    Mentioned
    42 Post(s)
    Tagged
    1 Thread(s)
    Rob - nice write up and excellent pictures.

    Question - did you consider just replacing the bulbs in the existing lights with LED ones, or is there and issue with this approach. I have noticed how dim the stock ones are.

    Than ks Keith
    2018 Reflection 150 Series 220RK 5th wheel with 6K axle upgrade. B&W 25K OEM Companion, Steadyfast system, 2022 F350 SRW 6.7 King Ranch 8' bed, Trailer reverse lights, rear spare tire holder, storage tube, sumo springs, Victron MultiPlus 12/120/3000, and Solar

Page 1 of 3 123 LastLast

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  

DISCLAIMER:This website is not affiliated with or endorsed by Grand Design RV, LLC or any of its affiliates. This is an independent site.