Replacing taillights

[Bobbie Mayer]

If you scroll down in this post you see my existing lights.

My question is about how to replace them and with what. All I see when I search for lights are fully enclosed light fixtures. What do I get if I just need the inside and front of the light fixture? These are 5.5 inches wide, I believe, and if possible I'd prefer using the same screw holes though I realize that might not work. They are pretty dim and it would be nice to have something brighter.

[Raz]

We have LED's. They are very bright and visible. In theory you should never have to replace them. Unfortunately, one of mine started to fail after only 2 years. Unlike an incandescent you can not replace just a bulb, you have to replace the whole sealed unit. Forty dollars.

Raz

[Bobbie Mayer]

But how do they attach to the existing wiring? That's my question. There isn't any mounting frame so do I have to start from scratch?

[Carol H]

Bobbie any new LED tail lights you purchase will have a new mounting back and wiring on them. On my scamp I just pushed the wires from the new lights back into the trailer through the same hole that was there for the original light wires and connected them on the inside to the original wiring for the trailer. I highly recommend

shrink wrapping the connections

. If you end up with lights that the mounting holes are not the same you can easily fill the old holes using an epoxy putty such as PC Marine - just make sure when you fill the hole that you wipe away with a damp sponge any excess putty around the hole and you will hardly notice it if is not covered by the new light. When I put my new lights on I also used butyl tape behind the light mounting plate - just to be sure it was water tight :-)

[Raz]

Exactly as Carol says. Your existing wires are reconnected to the new lights. Mine have three wires. A running light wire, a stop/ turn light wire, and ground.

If your existing light fixtures are still good, you can find LED lamps that will fit them. Remove the bulb and look for a number. Then find the LED replacement. These will not be as bright due to the number of bulbs.

Here is an example of a complete fixture.
Sealed, 6-1/2" Oval LED Trailer Stop, Turn and Tail Light, Flange Mount, 10 Super Diode Optronics Trailer Lights STL78RB