Date: Sat, 18 Feb 2023 18:11:35 -0600
Reply-To: Jim Felder <jim.felder@GMAIL.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Jim Felder <jim.felder@GMAIL.COM>
Subject: Re: LED backup lights update
In-Reply-To: <CA+9-MNth6a7X-qUHCzot0wP_10xkDN=TY0N4GntXQikvOh-3-Q@mail.gmail.com>
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Look at it this way: You would have had to replace them eventually anyway.
In the scheme of things, what's 15 year LOL.
Jim
On Sat, Feb 18, 2023 at 6:06 PM Pete Sicilia <pete@coffeepot.org> wrote:
> Thanks. I found the busdepot.com ones. I'm trying to work up the
> willpower to pull the trigger and overcome the "man I'm a klutz" tax.
>
> On Sat, Feb 18, 2023, 3:59 PM Jim Felder <jim.felder@gmail.com> wrote:
>
>> I don't remember where, I guess busdepot.com, but I bought brand new
>> replacement lenses a few years back for a reasonable price. If you are
>> trying to replace the molded plastic tray with bulb holders, that might be
>> more difficult.
>>
>> Jim
>>
>> On Sat, Feb 18, 2023 at 5:42 PM Pete Sicilia <pete@coffeepot.org> wrote:
>>
>>> Well I finally finished the aluminum tape around my led backup bulbs. I
>>> had
>>> done one side a few weeks ago and did the other side today.
>>>
>>> Everything was easy until the very end today. As it turns out, my fears
>>> about cracking old plastic were well founded.
>>>
>>> I meticulously cleaned and taped all around the lens housing and behind
>>> the
>>> bulb and as I was giving the entire housing one last cleaning with simple
>>> green, the whole thing slipped/shot out of my hands and cracked on the
>>> pavement... snapping off the retaining tabs.
>>>
>>> I got down on my hands and knees and fished the housing and the broken
>>> parts out from under my wife's Touareg, cleaned them again and applied
>>> first krazy glue, then some strategic strips of duck tape for
>>> reinforcement. I waited a few mins, then carefully clipped the light
>>> assembly into the housing and reinstalled everything.
>>>
>>> Everything is working for now... but man I sure have a way of snatching
>>> defeat from the jaws of victory sometimes
>>>
>>> In related news, does anyone have an extra right tail light lens assembly
>>> that they'd be willing to part with?
>>>
>>> On Mon, Jan 30, 2023, 8:48 AM Pete Sicilia <pete@coffeepot.org> wrote:
>>>
>>> > Do you have any particular brand of tape you recommend? Or is Amazon
>>> > cheapo sufficient?
>>> >
>>> > 1PCS Premium Silver Aluminum Tapes (3.9Mils), 2'*65 Feet Foil Tape,
>>> Metal
>>> > Insulation Tape, Heavy Duty Duct Tape with Adhesive Backing for Hot
>>> Cold
>>> > Air HVAC Ductwork, Dryer Vent, Heat Resistant, Repair
>>> > https://a.co/d/hILxB3m
>>> >
>>> > I've never opened up the light casing. Are there any things to look out
>>> > for? I'm a little leery of cracking old plastic.
>>> >
>>> > Thanks!
>>> > Pete
>>> >
>>> > On Thu, Jan 26, 2023, 12:19 PM Jim Arnott <jrasite@eoni.com> wrote:
>>> >
>>> >> Someone asked for pictures so I opened up a tail light. Delete the
>>> pop
>>> >> bottle. Line the backup light window with alunim air conditioning
>>> tape.
>>> >> Install big, bright LED. Put it back together. Might take you an hour
>>> >> including the time in the hardware store buying the tape.
>>> >>
>>> >> Ranks right up there with changing the engine to an I4 as far as
>>> >> improvements go. BIG improvement.
>>> >>
>>> >> Jim
>>> >>
>>> >> > Years ago, I bought a couple 6 LED external light to use as backup
>>> >> lights. Then I read a post about fixing the existing lights. It was
>>> fairly
>>> >> simple. I used the below mentioned LEDs and then created a reflector
>>> using
>>> >> a 16 oz plastic soda bottle lined with aluminum air conditioning tape
>>> and
>>> >> fit it into the stock tail light assy. NOW I can see backing up. Took
>>> about
>>> >> an hour and worth every second of time invested.
>>> >> >
>>> >> > Jim
>>> >> >
>>> >> >> On Jan 21, 2023, at 9:18 AM, Pete Sicilia <pete@COFFEEPOT.ORG>
>>> wrote:
>>> >> >>
>>> >> >> In related news, I just upgraded my back up lights (1156) to
>>> these...
>>> >> >> https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01H54SP6O
>>> >> >>
>>> >> >> So far so good... although I'm always on the lookout for brighter
>>> >> options.
>>> >>
>>> >
>>>
>>
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