Merle Coggins Posted March 1, 2013 Report Share Posted March 1, 2013 Back when I purchased my spare tire carrier hardware from Dodge Central of Michigan I also added a set of their tail lights to the order to replace my cheap trailer lights. Once I got them I realized that they come without the pigtail wires for the socket. So I went back to their web site and found them and bought them. Now, I'm finally getting around to getting them ready for installation. I remembered today to pick up some 1158 bulbs and when I got home I assembled the pigtails and bulbs in preperation to install the lights this weekend. Once assembled I'm not very impressed with the fit of the pigtails. It all seems to work fine, but how are you supposed to keep the elements out of the lamp socket? It's a loose fit with plenty of gaps to let water, and etc, in. Is this normal for these older style repop lights? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Balazs Posted March 1, 2013 Report Share Posted March 1, 2013 Merle; That arrangement is very odd. I'd have thought it would at least have a snug fitting rubber boot to seal that up. Very funky. It looks like a corrosion problem waiting to happen. Of course I know you won't leave it that way...... Jeff Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Todd B Posted March 1, 2013 Report Share Posted March 1, 2013 My lights are nothing like that. My son just ordered from Horkeys rear fenders and box strips for the b1b he is redoing (my first truck). I was very impressed with the quality. They sent a catolog and I saw similar lighs in his book Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David A. Posted March 1, 2013 Report Share Posted March 1, 2013 I think I got mine from Roberts, or it may have been from Andy B. At any rate those were the same way. I was really disappointed at how sloppy everything fit. I'm still in the middle of my restoration, so I haven't addressed that particular problem yet. David A. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
52b3b Joe Posted March 1, 2013 Report Share Posted March 1, 2013 Back when I purchased my spare tire carrier hardware from Dodge Central of Michigan I also added a set of their tail lights to the order to replace my cheap trailer lights. Once I got them I realized that they come without the pigtail wires for the socket. So I went back to their web site and found them and bought them. Now, I'm finally getting around to getting them ready for installation. I remembered today to pick up some 1158 bulbs and when I got home I assembled the pigtails and bulbs in preperation to install the lights this weekend. Once assembled I'm not very impressed with the fit of the pigtails. It all seems to work fine, but how are you supposed to keep the elements out of the lamp socket? It's a loose fit with plenty of gaps to let water, and etc, in. Is this normal for these older style repop lights? I was wondering the same thing with mine. I have not installed them yet but I wasn't very happy with the picture in Robert's online catalog of them. I was thinking about carefully cutting those little welds off and putting a normal light bulb socket in there. Hopefully someone has found a good solution to this already. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
B1B Keven Posted March 1, 2013 Report Share Posted March 1, 2013 I got mine from VPW. Different style plug, but still unimpressive. I added an off the shelf plug to mine. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Looznutz Posted March 1, 2013 Report Share Posted March 1, 2013 I just got mine today from VP and they don't look to bad. It brings a rubber boot that goes over the light bulb socket to seal it from water. Here are the pictures. [/url]">http:// [/url]">http:// [/url]">http:// Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Looznutz Posted March 1, 2013 Report Share Posted March 1, 2013 (edited) I'm happy with them. Edited March 1, 2013 by Looznutz Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Looznutz Posted March 1, 2013 Report Share Posted March 1, 2013 [/url]">http:// [/url]">http:// 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MBF Posted March 1, 2013 Report Share Posted March 1, 2013 Maybe use a spark plug boot? I have 1 of the originals that I just put on my 2.5 ton last weekend. It has a long metal snout on it with a thin rubber boot that goes over the snout. They just don't make 'em like they used to... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ggdad1951 Posted March 1, 2013 Report Share Posted March 1, 2013 wow....glad I found OS for FEF! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1952B3b23 Posted March 1, 2013 Report Share Posted March 1, 2013 What if you tried using a piece of heat shrink tubing to seal it up better? Although you would have to cut it off and install a new piece of heat shrink when its time to replace the light bulb. -Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Merle Coggins Posted March 1, 2013 Author Report Share Posted March 1, 2013 Chris, that was my though too. In fact I brought them to work with me today to test fit some of our heat shrink stock. I also need to get some asphalt wire loom to go over the wires. Maybe I can incorporate that too. It won't affect the changing of bulbs. Those still are inserted from the other side after removing the lense. It's good to hear I'm not alone here. I'll post the end results once I have a solution. Merle Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pflaming Posted March 1, 2013 Report Share Posted March 1, 2013 (edited) My park light socket holes would not hold a new socket, so I placed them where I wanted them and the puttied they in with JB Weld. I smoothed out the weld, let it dry, painted the bucket and was good to go. I pulled one off to get a picture and noticed I did NOT bend down the inside tabs, so I will. The Weld is on the outside, noticeable but not severe. If I would have sanded it, then . . . On the last picture, look very closely at the edge of the bulb base and you will see a gray "ring" of Weld that ozzed out. Just another idea. Edited March 2, 2013 by pflaming Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1952B3b23 Posted March 2, 2013 Report Share Posted March 2, 2013 Merle: Thats good that it wont affect changing the bulb i thought it might. Where do you get the asphalt wire loom? pflaming: Thats a good idea with the JB Weld, that stuffs pretty handy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
B1B Keven Posted March 2, 2013 Report Share Posted March 2, 2013 Where do you get the asphalt wire loom? I bought mine off of e-Bay. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave72dt Posted March 2, 2013 Report Share Posted March 2, 2013 Your local parts house should be able to get it if they don't stock it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Young Ed Posted March 2, 2013 Report Share Posted March 2, 2013 I ordered my loom from Macs ford parts. They have various sizes and a good description of how many of what size wires each size will hold. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Merle Coggins Posted March 2, 2013 Author Report Share Posted March 2, 2013 I was looking in a Napa catalog for the loom and it was only offered in 50' boxes. I saw some other sources on the 'net, including ebay, with 10' lengths. I was hoping to find some more local. Maybe I'll check with O'Reilly tomorrow. We did have some heavy duty heat shrink tube at work that will fit over everything, but then I went and left them on the desk at work when I left today. Now I'll have to go back over there tomorrow to get 'em if I want to work on 'em this weekend. Merle Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave72dt Posted March 2, 2013 Report Share Posted March 2, 2013 If a store stocks it, they may break the box for you, cutting it to a length you need. We do that with heater hoses, fuel lines, vacuum hose, battery cables,etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don Coatney Posted March 2, 2013 Report Share Posted March 2, 2013 Does JB weld conduct electricty once cured? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Shepard Posted March 2, 2013 Report Share Posted March 2, 2013 Several years ago as part of my restoration, I ordered the tail lights from Roberts. They look exactly like Merle's and, I suspect, are sourced from the same manufacturer. They are cheap, loose, and always shorted out. I went back to the generic trailer lights that were on the truck when I bought it. I stuck blue dots in the middle of the plastic lens and, while I'd prefer to have the original "Dodge" script, they look just fine... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JBNeal Posted March 2, 2013 Report Share Posted March 2, 2013 that light bucket looks good, although it's missing its electrical terminal boot and a rubber gasket Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pflaming Posted March 2, 2013 Report Share Posted March 2, 2013 Don, I can't answer your question. I made certain the new 'fixture' worked so that the JB WELD only secured it. I was very careful that the fixture did NOT move when I pressed the weld into the gaps. I shaped it best i could and let it set up. When set, all was a solid unit the light worked and I'm a fair believer in "If it works, don't fix it!" So I painted it and you saw the results, they work, I'm a happy camper! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wallytoo Posted March 3, 2013 Report Share Posted March 3, 2013 (edited) don, the packaging on jb weld states "does not conduct electricity". wally Edited March 3, 2013 by wallytoo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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