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Mk3
Zephyr LED Tail Light Installation
By
Alan Martin
LED
unit as purchased. I bought these from a truck parts supplier for $19au each.
Shows
the hole drilled in the tail light to accept the LED unit. In this case I opted
to have the unit seated a flush as possible to retain a “standard look’.
Although, the LED units are tapered, and can be fitted to sit proud of the tail
lights, if preferred. I drilled a 47mm hole in this case.
For
safety reasons I drilled through the reflector as shown.
Finished
lens prior to fitting.
Back
view of the unit fitted to the lens. The units will push in snugly and hold a
tight seal with out need for a retainer of any type.
Close
up of finished lens.
Modified
wiring. Earth and power tapped from existing loom with a small hole drilled
into the housing to pass the wires through. NOTE: LED unit are sensitive to
current direction and should be marked accordingly ie:
+ and -.
Close
up of installed unit.
View
of installed unit.
Finished
unit with lights on. These units are too bright photograph well at night and
show up as white in a daylight photo, but the effect is definitely worth the
effort.
I
retained the normal brake light setup although I do have after market LED bulbs
fitted to the standard sockets. Be careful as the new LED units may be too
bright a can diminish the effect of the brake lights so try to ensure the LED
units you use are not too bright.
The
conversion took about 30 minutes to set up and install. I mad use of a drill
press and whilst not essential it did make to job more accurate and I was able
to control to pressure on the lens better to avoid cracking it. Also be aware
that it is possible to melt the edges of the lens if you drill too slowly, but
a bit of a clean up with sand paper or a fine file will usually fix that.
Disclaimer: The advice and guidelines given in these articles are given in
good faith. The owners and managers of the Galeforce
Zephyr site will take no responsibility for any injuries or
loss sustained while carrying out the described tasks and procedures or
any consequences arising. Please read the Safety First Article