2002 tail lights fitting older trucks?

[migraineman]

Does anyone know if the new tail lights will fit a 97? Mine are cracked so I figured I would replace them with the cool new ones.

 

[Wiredawg]

Should fit

I've got a '96 gasser Ram and 2000 Ram and they look the same. Was looking at a 2002 just today and I don't think they've chnged much except eliminate the the rear panel on the tailgate and go up on price.



Wiredawg

 

[redneckdr]

taillights

didn't measure 'em, but they look bigger to me... ... i considered the same thing, but they looked too big, so didn't even measure 'em. guess i'll watch this thread to see if i was wrong??

 

[chuck3]

If your talking about the ones on the new 1500 Rams, I think they are bigger than the ones on our trucks, they do look better don't they?

 

[Wiredawg]

Just figured out question:



The tail lights on a 2002 2500/3500 are the same as the 1994 to 2001. Now, the 2002 1500 lights ARE bigger and different.



Wiredawg

 

[migraineman]

I saw some cool "european" tail lights on ebay. They have clear lenses and look alot better than stock. I saw a set on a truck that blew by me and thought they looked pretty good. I was thinking of replacing the backup lamp with a yellow bulb and wiring it to work as a turn signal. If I can't figure out how to isolate it from the brake light I will have to run a relay from the front turn lamps. Any ideas?

 

[tgbol]

Migraineman

I have amber bulbs in my back-up lights. And tractor work lights under the bumper for back-up. Depending on how you have your trailer wired there is two ways to go.

I disconnected the the stoplight/turnsignal wire at the bulb socket and connected it to the back-up light socket. I then connected the stop light socket wire to a wire in the loom that controls the center mounted high stop light for a bed cap. On the 2001 it is a white with tracer. Now under the steering column where the wires go in to the turnsignal switch i disconnected the white with tracer. This keeps the brake light from going to the turnsignal switch. If you do this you will have to rewire your trailer connector with an adapter like an european or Japanese car.

Another way is to run three wires from the front of the truck.

Just disconnect the t/s-brake wire at the rear socket. Now connect one wire to the left front t/s and the left rear back up socket, do the same for the right side, the third wire hooks up the white/tracer and both rear brake light sockets. This will leave the factory trailer wiring intact.

Any questions send me a private message and I will help ypou the best I can.

Tom

 

[redneckdr]

lights

just finished rewiring my tail lights as above. the wire to pick up in the loom going to the back of the truck is white with a tan tracer, for the brake lights. i have left the wire at the "multi function switch" hooked up, so far. the only down side that i can see, is that the amber turn signals come on with the brake lights. the red stop lights come on, but the amber turn signals also light during braking. the turn signals then flash the amber light on the side with turn signal activated. btw, i tried to run the turn signals through relays. worked out ok, except they flashed too fast--not enough load from triggering the relay for the flasher to cycle at the original speed. eliminated the relays, and all works well. btw#2, i bought a pair of rectangular halogen lights from Auto Zone, made to be backup lights. they are about 1" by 4", and look better to me than the tractor lights which i tried first.

 

[tgbol]

Redneckdr

The reason that the brake lights and turnsignals are working together is the white/tan tracer wire at the multi function switch. that is the wire from the brake light switch.

The lights I used for backup lights are Hella tractor work lights. they are rectangular and each has two 55 watt bulbs. They are really bright.

 

[MCummings]

Originally posted by migraineman

I saw some cool "european" tail lights on ebay. They have clear lenses and look alot better than stock. I saw a set on a truck that blew by me and thought they looked pretty good.

Like these? JCWhitney has them for ~$174 direct bolt on replacement for stock lenses.



#ad




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They are cool. The reverse lights even with the stock bulbs are bright, they illuminate the area behind about like two good Flashlights would You can actually see where you are going, compared to stock.



Hope this helps

MerrickNJr



P. S. Click on my truck Bio, then click on "APC Clear Taillenses" to go straight to order from JCWhitney.

 

[redneckdr]

turn signals

tgbol:

i think i'll leave things the way they are. if i unhook the wh/tan wire at the "multi function switch", that would remove the brake light signal from the trailer connector, wouldn't it? i know i could add the adapter box at the back to go from 3 to 2 wire for the trailer connecter, but it is just some thing else to buy. do any states have a law against amber lights with the brake lights?? my original brake lights come on with braking and stay on steady when i use the turn signals. the amber lights light with the brakes, then whichever turn signal is turned on, that amber light flashes, while the other one stays on constantly, just like the original brake light/turnsignals worked.

 

[tgbol]

Redneckdr

You are right about the trailer connector. As for amber stop lights being legal. I don't know about other states but California allows them. Besides because you have the red stop/turn lights your amber lights are considered auxillary lights.

Tom

 

[migraineman]

Thanks for all the help! You guys saved me a lot of trouble. Now can you tell me how to hook up the other two bulbs on my quad headlights? Where do I get the bulb sockets?

 

[redneckdr]

headlights

migraineman:

i suggest you rewire the headlights using relays and heavier wire. that will increase the voltage to the bulbs, with more light. i did that, then rigged the foglights to light with the high beams, and am not going to wire in the other filaments from the 9007's, since i don't really need them anymore. with the fogs, and the original filaments working, and wagner bl bulbs, i've got plenty of light down the road. pm me if you want me to go into detail on how to rewire the lights.