Community Forums

HarveyP · 02-16-2006, 04:14 AM

I got two tail light sockets at a salvage yard to wire our toad lights. The bulb has two filaments, one taller than the other. Which one is the taillight, and which one should be wired to be the turnsignal and brake light? Has anybody out there added a bulb to a Suzuki Sidekick? We just bought a 98 Sidekick Sport and need to get it ready to tow. Many thanks for information you can share, HarveyP

HarveyP · 02-16-2006, 04:14 AM

I got two tail light sockets at a salvage yard to wire our toad lights. The bulb has two filaments, one taller than the other. Which one is the taillight, and which one should be wired to be the turnsignal and brake light? Has anybody out there added a bulb to a Suzuki Sidekick? We just bought a 98 Sidekick Sport and need to get it ready to tow. Many thanks for information you can share, HarveyP

Gary RVRoamer · 02-16-2006, 04:43 AM

I don't think it makes any difference - the purpose of the second filamnet is to increase the brightness to show braking or turn signal when the tail light is already on, so either filament will do the job. Both filaments share a common ground and either will light independent of the other.

Steve&Dora · 02-16-2006, 07:37 AM

I believe it does make a difference. One of the filaments will burn brighter. The brake/turn signal one by itself will be brighter then the light one. I think the taller one is the brake/turn signal filament.

Loren · 02-16-2006, 07:59 AM

Harvey,
I believe "Steve&Dora" is right. Just finished cleaning up a corroded socket on the Bounder, and I think the taller filament was the stop light. You can use a jumper to light the bulb and see which one is brighter, this will be a little easier to see if the bulb is held behind a tail light lense (cuts down the glare).
Loren

Blaster · 02-16-2006, 04:27 PM

The taller filament is for the brake and siginal lights, short one is for park lights. And it does make a differance.

Blaster · 02-16-2006, 04:30 PM

Also the brake and siginal light wires are green and yellow and park light wires brown on most cars and trucks.

HarveyP · 03-04-2006, 03:54 PM

Follow-up from latest experience-- for the bulbs I had for my toad and on my motorhome, the shorter filament must be used for brake and turn signals! When I wired the taller one as brake, I had really bright park lamps and very hard to see turn lamps if the headlights were on. When I switched them, all was normal.
This is a great forum! I have saved a ton of cash when compared to the $70 per hour the RV place charges for labor. Thanks, HarveyP