Tinted tail lights too dark...Now what??
04-17-2012, 08:56 PM
#1
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Tinted tail lights too dark...Now what?? So I VHT'd my tail lights over a year ago and they are reallyyy dark. They look great but every now and again I get other drivers (almost always elderly people 
) telling me I have no break lights. I previously had the smoked-not completely blacked out look and really don't like it much at all. Therefore, I have two ideas how to prevent being rear ended by an old lady.
1. Replace stock tail light bulbs with LEDs? Is it brighter? Has anyone done this? Ive seen retro fitting strips and things like that but really don't want to go down that route. I simply want to replace each stock bulb with an LED bulb.
Or...
2. Looking up LED camaro tail lights I came across these god awful things...
http://www.ebay.com/itm/95-02-Chevy-...item3374bcd116
They are beyond ugly but perhaps tinted with an untinted reverse circle would look kinda cool, and be more visible than stock?
Thoughts?? Advice?
) telling me I have no break lights. I previously had the smoked-not completely blacked out look and really don't like it much at all. Therefore, I have two ideas how to prevent being rear ended by an old lady.1. Replace stock tail light bulbs with LEDs? Is it brighter? Has anyone done this? Ive seen retro fitting strips and things like that but really don't want to go down that route. I simply want to replace each stock bulb with an LED bulb.
Or...
2. Looking up LED camaro tail lights I came across these god awful things...
http://www.ebay.com/itm/95-02-Chevy-...item3374bcd116
They are beyond ugly but perhaps tinted with an untinted reverse circle would look kinda cool, and be more visible than stock?
Thoughts?? Advice?
04-17-2012, 09:32 PM
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The tails you posted I think would look ok if you just tinted the red portion like you said and left the reverse circle untinted.
If you replace the bulbs with LED's they will most likely be brighter. I replaced my reverse lights with LED's in my previous car because I tinted the reverse lights and there was a huge difference. However if you replace them with LED's you should get red ones instead of replacement white ones or they will come out a weird color. Here's an example of a normal housing then imagine the tint on top and you can see what I mean about the weird color.
Would you be replacing all the bulbs or just the brake lights? If you replace the turns I'm pretty sure you will have to get load resistors for them or get the electronic blinker module.
If you wanted to keep your stock halogen bulbs you could always try taking lacquer thinner or gasoline to the tailights to take the tint off since the plastic is colored and not painted. Of course make sure you take them off the car first
Then you can just re-tint them however dark you want.
If you replace the bulbs with LED's they will most likely be brighter. I replaced my reverse lights with LED's in my previous car because I tinted the reverse lights and there was a huge difference. However if you replace them with LED's you should get red ones instead of replacement white ones or they will come out a weird color. Here's an example of a normal housing then imagine the tint on top and you can see what I mean about the weird color.
Would you be replacing all the bulbs or just the brake lights? If you replace the turns I'm pretty sure you will have to get load resistors for them or get the electronic blinker module.
If you wanted to keep your stock halogen bulbs you could always try taking lacquer thinner or gasoline to the tailights to take the tint off since the plastic is colored and not painted. Of course make sure you take them off the car first
Then you can just re-tint them however dark you want. 
04-19-2012, 05:52 PM
#10
Only problem with Sommer's lights is your reverse light is red... Much easier to see backing up at night when you have white light back there.
Hmm what about a strip of stupid bright white LEDs along the whole bottom of the tail light panel in the little gab between it and the bumper? Wouldn't be visible normally, but hit reverse and the whole back end lights up.
Hmm what about a strip of stupid bright white LEDs along the whole bottom of the tail light panel in the little gab between it and the bumper? Wouldn't be visible normally, but hit reverse and the whole back end lights up.
04-20-2012, 10:40 PM
#12
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Does anyone know have experience with replacing the bulbs with LEDs? Are load resistors needed for the blinkers as Streetlegal mentioned previously?
