Date:         Mon, 24 Jun 2002 15:52:02 -0500
Reply-To:     John Rodgers <j_rodgers@CHARTER.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         John Rodgers <j_rodgers@CHARTER.NET>
Subject:      Re: tail lamp upgrades
Comments: To: Lee Roesner <paradigm@ALLEGRAPRINTING.COM>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii

DO NOT DO IT. I went this upgrade lights business. The new, brighter TAIL LIGHT
bulbs melted both the lamp base and the the lense cover on one side, and the lamp
base on the other. Joel walker was kind enough to help on the worse one. I managed
to salvage the other. The one lamp base got hot enought the it appeared to have
melted the solder down under that holds some of the contacts in place.it also
squeezed the bulb base to the point the only way to remove it was to break the
bulb and then twist it out with pliers. What a mess.

For TAIL LIGHTS, stick with the original bulbs.

As for the back up and brake lights, I have kept the upgrades for them. Mainly
because they are of intermittent use only, and consequently they don't ever get
hot enough, long enough to do the damage the continuously operating tail light
does.

BDTD..

John Rodgers
88 GL Driver


Lee Roesner wrote:

> Fred,
>
> Thanks to the infamous Terry Kay, I took his recommendations on these
> upgrades and they are working great. You can see bright tail/brake
> lights on bright sunny days...and wait till night falls. You will be
> seen. The standard brake light is 21W and this takes it to 50W.
>
> I have had these in for over a year now without any problems:
>
> 1. Running lights--1156's (same as 1056's, only with heavier duty
> filaments )
>
> 2. Turn signal, and brake lights-- 50 watt, NAPA part #7352970
>
> 3. Back up lamps--Halogen bulbs NAPA part # 795D The back up light bulbs
> were the most expensive, and if you shop around, you could probably do better.
>
> Of course use at your own risk...
> Lee
>
> --
> Lee Roesner
> Paradigm Graphic Design & Web Development
> 710-B Landwehr Road
> Northbrook, IL 60062
>
> Phone 847-509-8704
> Fax 847-480-5701
> Portfolio: http://www.roesner.net/vw