LED Bulbs

Tonyk27 · Post by **Tonyk27** » Sat Apr 12, 2008 6:49 am

I want to get Led Bulbs for my taillights. I know they be brighter at night but I'm worried about the daytime brightness? I want to do this be cuz I have HIDs and my lights on all the time. For the 3rd brake light I just order the Toyota Matrix/Pontiac Vibe 3rd LED Brake Light from http://www.thexenonstore.com

VforVIBE · Post by **VforVIBE** » Sat Apr 12, 2008 11:40 am

I haven't seen what LED breaklights look like, but I know LED doesn't always mean brighter.

WaveAction · Post by **WaveAction** » Sat Apr 12, 2008 11:44 am

i've got the LED 3rd brake light that i purchased from the xenon store, dont know about the brakelights since they dont actually make led taillights like they show for the mazda's. they got the actual LED bulbs but dont know if it'll make much of a difference

ColonelPanic · Post by **ColonelPanic** » Sat Apr 12, 2008 11:01 pm

Unless you want to get rear ended because people can't see your brake lights, I would seriously stray away from LED replacement bulbs in the tail lights. They're NOT going to be brighter overall. The problem is, they're extremely directional - the visible light is only brightest at angles that are straight on, LED's have a very narrow viewing angle. You don't get the same quality of light all around from all angles as you get out of an incandescent. Everybody I see who uses those LED replacement bulbs have tail lights that barely light up and are extremely difficult to see. It's not worth it for your safety, and it doesn't even look good IMHO.Unless you gut your tail lights and fabricate a custom circuit board with dozens of LED's at many angles, then you may be OK. (something similar to what cars that already have LED tail lights stock have.) Nobody has done that on a Vibe AFAIK.3rd brake light is ok to put LED's in - go for the mod as others have done with theirs, the LED's are wonderful for that application.

Tonyk27 · Post by **Tonyk27** » Sun Apr 13, 2008 9:12 am

Thanks guys thats what I was thinking too. I wish somebody made LEDs taillights like I have on my F-150 they just look so good. Maybe some day.

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Kamikaze · Post by **Kamikaze** » Sun Apr 13, 2008 10:59 pm

I've seen those on some other trucks.. I think if we had a LED tail light like that I would buy one...(or maybe even two )but I agree with ColonelPanic the drop in LED bulbs just don't give off that much light in all directions.. nothing compared to your F150 tail lights.

Whelan · Post by **Whelan** » Sun Apr 13, 2008 11:06 pm

The only way to really do LEDs the right way, is to custom make them. Or go to the U-Haul store, pickup some truck LED lamps for like $10-$20 a piece either in rectangular or circular shape, cut the back of your taillamp out and install them. Or you do what I thought of. I was tempted to measure out the circular part of my Matrix brake lamp, since its not a full circle. Give the dimensions to Pat at thexenonstore, and have him fabricate an LED board w/ red LEDs to match the shape. Get myself some kind of lexan or plexi with a reflective coating on it (or mirror tint), cut the holes to match where the LEDs are, then cut the back of the stock lamp, and epoxy in the LED setup and have it made so it plugs into the lamp.

Tonyk27 · Post by **Tonyk27** » Mon Apr 14, 2008 9:54 am

Yea I don't want to do any cutting on this car. I want every thing I do to it to be revisable or I'd just cut out the back and epoxy in something like this http://superlumination.com/ima...m.jpg

WaveAction · Post by **WaveAction** » Mon Apr 14, 2008 11:04 am

Tony, if you want to cut your car apart, just go to a junkers and get an extra set of taillights, and cut them off, take them apart, work with it, then keep ur stock ones incase1) u totally destroy the junker ones2) u sell the car and obviously want the stocks back on

LED Bulbs

LED Bulbs

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