Question about the LED bulbs

Are they only found on Ebay or can they be bought from a place like Autozone?

 

You can find them about anywhere. Some LED's bulbs can't be mixed with regular light bulbs or other name brand LED's and some can. If you want LED turn signals you will need an electronic flasher...the stock bi-metal style flasher will not work with LED's

 

Really? that's the first I've heard of that little problem when switching to LED bulbs for the instrument cluster. all other threads I've read pointed to no needed extras when installing them.

 

a led bulb has hardly any resitance when compared to an incandesant bulb. the flasher depends on the resistance of the entire circut to heat up and trip. a thermal flasher is just a simple circut breaker. when you put a led bulb in line that does not have a resistor with it to match the resistance of the incandesant bulb the current flow will drop to low to heat up the flasher.

 

I think he's saying you'll need an electronic flasher!

 

If it's only for the instrument cluster or any other INTERIOR bulb, you do not need the electronic flasher.

If you are changing either of the EXTERIOR turn signals, you will need the new flasher unless you want to get really complicated wiring in unnecessary bulbs to maintain the load on the circuit. Personally, it's easier to go with the new flasher and what I would recommend.


To answer your first question, any well stocked parts store should have them or be able to order them. Check the prices between the two (eBay and the Store) and decide from there.


Hope this helps,

-Scott H.

 

Your responses would be more accurate if you told us where you were putting the led's.

 

i installed led's on all exterior lights, you just have to get a no load flasher for the turn signals... i used the keepitcleen brand. they work great.
i am eventually going to redo the rear lights sence i have broken sockets in the back. damn fords and exposed plastic housings in the trunk...

i also installed them in my cluster. except for the backlights due to the dimmer. i think i have a bad dimmer though.
another project for later.

 

I had LED bulbs in my green 73, and I bought 2 different electronic flashers, neither worked. With the leds in the front, the turn signals were darker than the 1157's, and looked like crap.
Most truckstops have LED bulbs, I was looking at some on the weekend at a Flying J.

 

I've been thinking of buying the individual LEDs (the brightest I can find) and making a cluster board to fit inside the tail lamp. THat way they light up the whole lens.

 

how would you have the brightness change for the running lights to the brake lights. if you can pull it off you could sell them or do a tech artical on it. i rember seeing along time ago some place that sold the led boards to do that type of conversion with, just cant rember where i saw it.

 

That's easy. I should be able to dim them down with a higher value resistor. I have some LEDs coming and I'll Keep you guys updated.

 

I'm waiting for mine to arrive. Gonna see how it works out?

 

so here is the LED, I can't figure out if they have to be installed a specific way or can they just go in any direction.

 

They only work one way. Test them before you install them. If they don't work just unplug them and turn them 180 degrees.