LED bulbs or Stock bulbs for tail lights.
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Joined: Oct 2008
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From: Seattle, WA
LED bulbs or Stock bulbs for tail lights.
I used VHT spray on my tail lights a few weeks ago. Looks really nice, however the light output is obviously dimmer than before. Im wondering if there is a brighter bulb i could use or should i go with an LED multi-angle bulb? I understand that our tail light housing reflectors are made for a bulb, but would a multi-360 degree angle LED compensate for that?
found nothing on search.
found nothing on search.
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Joined: May 2011
Posts: 94
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From: Bellingham, WA
Hey, i'm sorry nobody responded back to you.
I own an '03 350z touring and have had LED's in my car since i bought it. I myself love the look of LED's. What i cannot answer is whether the brightness would be better...i would be inclined to think NOT.
I say that because i have found a few websites that sell the 7443 led bulbs but havent been able to find anything with higher wattage that the other LED bulbs.
I did, however, buy a white 3 watt 'cree' bulb from a site for my reverse housing that i HATED because they were 45 degree beam angle bulbs. And if you put a bulb in the reverse housing with a 45 degree angle, the beam shoots out to the sides and doesn't help you at all with visibility with reversing.
With that..i would say to abstain from buying LEDs for the reverse housing, i do have 7440 amber bulbs in my rear turn indicators that i freaking love! I did at one point try to put some 7440 amber's in my '03 headlights that i didn't like because they werent bright enough for daytime use (imo). I have since upgraded to the '06 headlights, and for the same reason i havent put leds in my front turn indicators for fear of losing visibility. Sorry for rambling
Back to topic. The tail lights i would say (again, imo) are awesome in the tail lights. One thing you have to look for is the bright/dim ration. Some (if not most) LED's have a poor ratio (feel free to correct me, but provide me a website because i want some). Most LEDs there isn't much of a difference between high and low (hitting the brake versus DRL). For me, atleast in my non-tinted situation, i cut the 'constant' wire going to my brake bulbs and left the 'high' wire intact. So my main 7443 bulbs were not on, accept when i hit the brakes, then when the LED's came on 'high', they explosed with light...though i wouldn't really recommend that because the 194 bulbs in the tail light aren't really sifficient in keeping you lit up enough.
Good luck trying to find a 'bright' led...most company advertise ALL their led's as being bright and most refuse to post pictures of high/low or even daytime shots unless it is a REALLy good shot.
I own an '03 350z touring and have had LED's in my car since i bought it. I myself love the look of LED's. What i cannot answer is whether the brightness would be better...i would be inclined to think NOT.
I say that because i have found a few websites that sell the 7443 led bulbs but havent been able to find anything with higher wattage that the other LED bulbs.
I did, however, buy a white 3 watt 'cree' bulb from a site for my reverse housing that i HATED because they were 45 degree beam angle bulbs. And if you put a bulb in the reverse housing with a 45 degree angle, the beam shoots out to the sides and doesn't help you at all with visibility with reversing.
With that..i would say to abstain from buying LEDs for the reverse housing, i do have 7440 amber bulbs in my rear turn indicators that i freaking love! I did at one point try to put some 7440 amber's in my '03 headlights that i didn't like because they werent bright enough for daytime use (imo). I have since upgraded to the '06 headlights, and for the same reason i havent put leds in my front turn indicators for fear of losing visibility. Sorry for rambling
Back to topic. The tail lights i would say (again, imo) are awesome in the tail lights. One thing you have to look for is the bright/dim ration. Some (if not most) LED's have a poor ratio (feel free to correct me, but provide me a website because i want some). Most LEDs there isn't much of a difference between high and low (hitting the brake versus DRL). For me, atleast in my non-tinted situation, i cut the 'constant' wire going to my brake bulbs and left the 'high' wire intact. So my main 7443 bulbs were not on, accept when i hit the brakes, then when the LED's came on 'high', they explosed with light...though i wouldn't really recommend that because the 194 bulbs in the tail light aren't really sifficient in keeping you lit up enough.
Good luck trying to find a 'bright' led...most company advertise ALL their led's as being bright and most refuse to post pictures of high/low or even daytime shots unless it is a REALLy good shot.
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