Can anyone help me? I'm looking for BRIGHT 3157 bulbs for my tails

**DONOTDELETE** · #1 12-02-2002, 09:30 AM

Tinted my tail lights and the stock bulbs are too dim. Anyone know of any replacement bulbs that will be oohhhhhhhh 2x as bright as the stock bulbs??? LED or incandescent.......I don't think I'm interested in those $50 a piece LED bulbs [img]images/icons/tongue.gif[/img] ......possibly Jamstrait hyper brite LED's though....anyone know if these will give me more light output than the stock incandescent.....or are there any incandescents I can buy that give me more light??? Thanks a lot!

PlayboyJoeShmoe · #2 12-02-2002, 12:15 PM

I got some Krypton (supposedly) 2157 I THINK Dorcy brand from Walmart. Next to them on the wall were 3157s in one or two flavors.

I tried one 2157K in my left tail against a 2157 not K in right. I could see no appreciable difference. I also tried a Yellow 2157K in left against a white one in right and could see no difference to my eyes.

I saw a Chevy Wrecker with stock red taillight covers, with circular pattern led bulbs in 4 places. It was VERY noticeable. I have seen red and yellow bulbs like that at Autozone for 15 bucks a pair. I am gonna grab a pair pretty soon.

dano · #3 12-02-2002, 04:15 PM

Moved to the other light topics...

--dan

**DONOTDELETE** · #4 12-02-2002, 06:51 PM

hmmmmmm, so krypton bulbs aren't brighter??? Anyone disagree??? Does anyone think the HYPER bright LED bulbs are???

PLZ help if you know anything about this! [img]images/icons/smile.gif[/img]

Albany Tom · #5 12-02-2002, 07:34 PM

I hate to rain on a parade, really, but if you're tinting the lenses so you'd notice it, you're probably cutting down on about 90% of the light, so you'd need a bulb about 5 times brighter to make up for it, and have it look only slightly dimmer than stock. People see a 2x difference as noticeable. To get a 5x brighter bulb, you'd melt the lamp assembly, even if you could find one.

Somebody makes a black honeycomb thing for the front of some lights, which makes the light look black when off, but lights normally when on. Something like that may do what you want, and probably isn't any less legal than tinting. At least that way people would be able to see your lights at night & not plow into you at 60 mph while you were trying to look cool. [img]images/icons/smile.gif[/img] (Seriously, though I know if you weren't worried about that you wouldn't be posting for brighter bulbs in the first place. Just busting your chops.)

NightShift · #6 12-03-2002, 12:21 AM

I don't have that to deal with - mine have a factory "blackout" appearance and I re-chromed the reflectors so they have a "jewel" effect when on [img]images/icons/smile.gif[/img]

Sorry, but I agree, tinting kills the light output. You can't have tinting and bright lights at the same time, thats why I must take my headlight covers off at night because I love the light output.

**DONOTDELETE** · #7 12-03-2002, 06:25 AM

Yes I know, but are there any bulbs that are BRIGHTER at least??? They don't need to be as bright as stock, just brighter!......LED bulbs wouldn't melt the light assembly! [img]images/icons/tongue.gif[/img]

PlayboyJoeShmoe · #8 12-25-2002, 09:30 AM

Update:

I got a pair of the LED 1157 bulbs at Autozone. In park, or brake they are ok, although not as bright as the 2157K bulbs I was already using.

Incidently my tail lights are PM 440 exterior bolt on lights, with no reflector.

I may try them in some of the other vehicles around here, but it just depends.

YMMV

highlandsun · #9 12-25-2002, 04:53 PM

Those drop-in LED bulbs are all junk, they're nowhere near as bright as the incandescents they replace. You'll regret using 'em.

Bob Snow · #10 12-29-2002, 05:28 AM

The LED replacements are also too directional. Can be seen from directly behind but do not light up the lens very well when viewed from an angle. Tinting and these inexpensive LED lights are a hazard.

Saaby · #11 12-29-2002, 05:35 AM

Avenger, do you drive an....Avenger?