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thepilot · 06-03-2015, 11:52 AM

My old bargman reflect o lite 1400 tail lights have finally given out. I would like to replace the sockets with new 1156/1157 sockets and then install led bulbs. The red tail light is a running light and a brake light, so there are two wires coming out of the back. How do I know which one is for the running light and which one is for the brake? And how do I know which wire on the new socket is for which application?
Also, the old lights seem to have a white wire attached to screws in the back of the light. I am assuming that this is the ground. The new sockets use the socket as the ground, so can i eliminate the old ground wire all together?
Thanks !!

BFlinn181 · 06-03-2015, 01:10 PM

The socket is almost always a 12 v ground, I'd make it a positive connection, not just relying on the housing fastener. Too many places for the ground to fail. On an 1157 bulb or socket, this is the correct setup:

Using an LED, you'll have to change out the turn signal flasher or add resistors to the LED since the old flasher won't work properly.

Waiter21 · 06-03-2015, 01:50 PM

Your tail light assembly may be different than mine, I had a 1988 Dolphin Toyhouse.

I upgraded my tail lights to LED, my bulb sockets were real bad, so I soldered wires to the bulb base from the LEDs and soldered the LEDs directly to the truck, no sockets. I then glued the LED panels and the bases to the bases.

OH YAH - there is also info on modifying your blinker. Its probably an old style for lights and will blink fast if you install LEDs.

I did a lot of mods to my Toyhouse and they are all documented on that Toyota MH forum. If you go to my web site, I listed all the mods and links as many of them are general enough in nature that they can apply to any MH.

Links to ToyHouse modifications:
http://www.2001mirada.com/toyhouse-links/

Link to Toyhouse LED modification:
LED Taillight Conversion - Improvement and Do-It-Yourself Projects you have done to Share! - Toyota Motorhome Discussion Board

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