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slabman · 08-06-2006, 02:22 PM

I think I out-foxed myself. Had the older Lexus LX470 all rigged up for towing with the Blue Ox Tail light sockets, then decided to trade for a new LX. It seems EVERYTHING was idential to the old one until when I went to drill out the tail light housings again and find these newfangled #*$(%*&# LED lights filling up the entire elclosure, or at least it seems that way. So now what?

I have a tailgate deflector so don't think the mouse ears will be visible from too low an angle, so would rule that approach out. I find I have a red reflector lens on each end of the rear bumper which I can unscrew and pull out. Do the FED's require one to have this reflector at all? If not, I could bolt some type of generic trailer tail light assembley in its place, although the first time someone gave my bumper a little love tap, it's goodbye taillight. But those are easily replaceable, so does this sould like the way to go?

Finally, could I go the diode route with these LED's? Electrically, do these function the sameas the old style bulbs?

slabman · 08-06-2006, 02:22 PM

I think I out-foxed myself. Had the older Lexus LX470 all rigged up for towing with the Blue Ox Tail light sockets, then decided to trade for a new LX. It seems EVERYTHING was idential to the old one until when I went to drill out the tail light housings again and find these newfangled #*$(%*&# LED lights filling up the entire elclosure, or at least it seems that way. So now what?

I have a tailgate deflector so don't think the mouse ears will be visible from too low an angle, so would rule that approach out. I find I have a red reflector lens on each end of the rear bumper which I can unscrew and pull out. Do the FED's require one to have this reflector at all? If not, I could bolt some type of generic trailer tail light assembley in its place, although the first time someone gave my bumper a little love tap, it's goodbye taillight. But those are easily replaceable, so does this sould like the way to go?

Finally, could I go the diode route with these LED's? Electrically, do these function the sameas the old style bulbs?

RV Wizard · 08-06-2006, 11:08 PM

Slabman, measure the voltage feeding the light assembly and if 12+ then the diode method should work. Is there room to add your own LED's? I have mentioned to Blue Ox that they need to come out with an LED kit as well as the others they provide. I have not set up my VUe yet but plan to use LED when I do. Good luck and let us know what you end up with.

slabman · 08-07-2006, 06:06 PM

Thanks, Wizard. I just had an idea....Since I have two rather large tail light sealed unit assemblies-one on each corner and the others in the tailgate at each end. Both are filled with the little boards and lights, so no room for more stuff, I beleive. But why can't I just cut the wires feeding the inner assemblies and wire them directly to the MH feeds? Since there are stop/tail light LED's in there as well as amber turn signal bulbs, I could dedicate this assembly totally to the MH. Why wouldn't this work? So when I'm driving the toad, all I'd be missing is lighting of the inner assembly. Oops! Just thought of something..... Do you think some Cop might misjudge this as a burned-out tail light problem and give me a repair ticket?

RV Wizard · 08-07-2006, 11:22 PM

Since I am not in law inforcment, I do not know how they may be instructed to look at this senerio. It should only take a 1/4" hole to insert an LED bulb. THere are litterally several dozens of veriety of LED's. Check out http://www.superbrightleds.com/other_bulbs.htm
Let us know what you decide.

slabman · 08-08-2006, 06:15 PM

I must be living undrer a rock, 'cuz I've not seen these lights before. MY setup has what looks like a board with the LED's on the other side, facing the red lens housing. This assembly fills virtually the entire cavity, leaving no room for a socket. Even if I could get a socket fitted in, I doubt the light from the LED would fill out much of the reflective red lens area.

Can you tell me which of these LED setups I would consider? If I drill a 1/4 in. hole, what goes in it? The sockets I have from Blue Ok require a 2" hole. Or if try to put in a board, there is no room.

RV Wizard · 08-08-2006, 10:53 PM

Slabman, if you have to install the LED where the light emitted must be at a 90 degree from the tip you will find on the link I provided those type LEDs there. The only thing that will have to go in is the LED and a little wire to get it where you want it in the fixture. LEDs are very bright and if the right one is used you will not need any reflection. I wish that I had the time to do mine and thereby take some pics and instructions as to how I did this but I am presently working 6 day a week 12 hours a day.

slabman · 08-09-2006, 05:42 PM

Wiz, I feel your pain...I, too, am on an overtime work basis. Never want to complain, though, do we?

If you feel all I need is one light through a hole, then why does my factory setup have the board upon which the LED's are apparently mounted? I can't see this, but think that is the way they are.

It seems like I have several LED's in those assemblies and I have a hard time thinking one little old LED can put out enough light to fill the reflective housing. Each LED appears to light a horizontal band in the reflector lens, so I really doubt one LED could light up all of these bands....?

I think I'm going to move towards the separate dedication of one assembly to the MH and the other to the toad. I could even get fancy and install a double throw switch. In one direction all wiring would be factory stock and the opposite position would bring the MH feed into the assembly. No diodes needed here.

Can I assume you're against using diodes? Bad experiences with them???

RV Wizard · 08-09-2006, 11:15 PM

If you will check into the link and other info on LED's you will find that there are many variations of them and how to use them. Some are on boards and with a lower voltage applied you have running lights and then when brakes are applied the same light are brightened to show the vehicle is braking. My Chevy 4x4 is set up using a dpdt switch and I am using it in place of diodes for the amber turn signals. I could have used the diodes but had the switch on hand at the time.I do not have the brake wire from MH to truck connected, as I use the Brake Master brake assist and it brings on the brake lights anyway. You aould be amazed at how bright the right single LED can be; some may even be too bright to be used if aimed too high as to not blind someone looking at it.

slabman · 08-12-2006, 05:22 AM

Yeah, it sounds like mine is the same. I only have two wires leading into the tail light housing, so its function must depend on voltage changes to activate brake lighting vs running lights. So how does the voltage change when appling brakes? Must be a box upstream which receives a feed from the brake pedal and then combines it with the light switch for normal running operation? Sounds like it's getting a little over my head...

I like your idea of simply using the Brake Master to deply the brake lights, Only question is....does it hit the brake pedal at ALL times, even when just toughing the MH brakes to slow down a tad? Probably not? I'm thinking there's a delay and even no pushing of the pedal in these instances and, thus, the brake lights are never deployed. Is this the best we can do?

Technology!!!! Who need it?

RV Wizard · 08-13-2006, 12:15 AM

As wide as the motorhome and lighting on it is, the lights can be seen around the most towed vehicles. This is not to say that you do not need lights on the towed only that if for some reason no lights on the back of the towed were to be working you can still be seen to be stopping or turning.
With my particular brake assist, if I lightly apply brakes, my brakes and brake lights on truck come on. It may not be applying much braking but the lights are turned on. The only time they will be activated is by using the service brakes on the motorhome. Exhaust braking has no effect on the truck lights or brakes coming on.

slabman · 08-13-2006, 06:59 PM

I guess I'm allowing myself to be driven nuts over this deal. I checked with the Lexus service guys and they don't know a thing about this Toad business. So no help there. I know I'll need to solve the issue myself because this is not a std. dilemma most have seen before. I even bought a couple of those cluster LED's (red) today, thinking I'd just plug 'em in and turn the amber turn signals into reds. But the goofy bulbs are too large in diameter to fit through the hole in the reflector. So I think I'll end up doing as you did. I'll just cut the wires from the inner TL housing and tie into the MH turn signal feeds. And not hook up the MH running lights to the toad. All the rest of the wiring can remain the same and I now know the car's computer doesn't give me a "bulb out" msg. on the dash, etc.

slabman · 08-29-2006, 07:38 PM

Wiz, now it appears I need to dedicate one tail light assembly at eash corner of the toad to being lit by the MH. So if I take them out of normal toad service and connect to the MH turn/stop/brake wire, will the LED's in each assembly function like an 1157 bulb? I mean, will these LED's light with either low or high intensity when the corresponding run/turn/stop function is engaged? Or do I somehow need to find a way to get an LED(s) into these assemblies to provide this variable light intensity? Do the LED's vary amount of light intensity by varying voltage to them? Or is it a variable current that makes them finction? Will the MH current be suitable to make them work as designed and not burn out?

RV Wizard · 08-29-2006, 11:47 PM

Slabman, I would add the neccesary bulbs to the housing to give you the needed lighting when you are connected to the MH. Go to http://www.superbrightleds.com/other_bulbs.htm
where you can find the best possible fit for your application. I wish I had the time to have done mine and I could be of more help. Let me know what you end up with; this way you end up helping me

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