LED 1157 replacement bulbs

[Douglas M.]

I am a huge fan of LED bulbs, as they turn on much quicker and are much, much brighter than filament style bulbs. With a car that has relatively small tail lights, they make it much more likely your tail lights and brake lights will be seen by the person behind you.

I know they are no way close to original, but as light lens aren't removed to check bulb pedigree, would any negative point impact be assessed during the operation checklist if the bulbs are noticeably brighter and faster acting than stock?

I have them on my '61 in all six outside sockets,and you most definitely see the car now, when those lights are on.

Thanks,
Doug

[Mike M.]

Re: LED 1157 replacement bulbs

if detected(and i suspect they would be), a minor deduct on ops check abut a failure on a pv. much like showing up for your PV with radials in place of bias belted tires(in the c-1 and c-2 divisions).mike

[Larry B.]

Re: LED 1157 replacement bulbs

Hi Doug, Which bulbs or part numbers are you using? I would like to give them a try. Can never have too much light these days.

[Douglas M.]

Re: LED 1157 replacement bulbs

Hi Doug, Which bulbs or part numbers are you using? I would like to give them a try. Can never have too much light these days.

I have used the 4 watt 1157 replacement bulbs from superbrightleds.com for few years both on the '61 and a 308 i have. They almost seem to blind/dazzle you when looking at them as they turn on compared to a reg'lar filament bulb. You are supposed to change the flasher to an electronic type since they draw minimal power and don't heat up a mechanical flasher properly. If you do this, match the LED color to the lens color, red to red, white to white, amber to amber.

I will probably take a minor point deduct in trade for making sure someone sees my car brake lights go on. One of those tradeoffs I mentioned earlier, but easily changed back if need be.

Thanks,
Doug

[Larry B.]

Re: LED 1157 replacement bulbs

Doug, Where do you buy the bulbs and flasher? Do you have a part number for the flasher? Thanks Larry

[Bruce B.]

Re: LED 1157 replacement bulbs

Larry, check your email.
Bruce B

[Dick W.]

Re: LED 1157 replacement bulbs

You are supposed to change the flasher to an electronic type since they draw minimal power and don't heat up a mechanical flasher properly. If you do this, match the LED color to the lens color, red to red, white to white, amber to amber.


Thanks,
Doug

Most of the vendors have a resistor that you can add to the circuit that will allow you to use your stock flasher. The newer cars will show a lamp out warning if you use the LED's and change the flasher, with the resistor it will show normal.

LED bulbs are great for drivers. At 60 mph, they will come on one car length quicker than an incandescent bulb. I have them in the back of everything I drive

[Thomas C.]

Re: LED 1157 replacement bulbs

I added the LED tail lights ( 13 leds fixed to a circuit board which is attatched to the lens) to my 67 driver. The difference is huge. Along with the third brake light in the back window, its very noticeable. Not for the judged car though.

[Steven A.]

Re: LED 1157 replacement bulbs

I just installed these on my 66 Coupe. Got them a Corvette Central. They are much brighter than the incandescent bulbs and took about 15 minutes to install. With only a single red tail light on each side, it makes me feel a little safer even in daylight. The backup lights are now actually useful.

[Bruce B.]

Re: LED 1157 replacement bulbs

Here are pictures of my cars with L.E.D. tail lights. The 58 is my friends car. The pictures are left to right, 62, 57, 65, 58 Corvettes.
I have been selling them for 4 years and they are a great safey improvement if you drive your car.
As Dick W. pointed out at 60 miles an hour they come on 18 feet before a 1157. They also draw very little current, require less ground, last 100,000 hours, are bulletproof, operate at 10.8 +- 3.15 volts, waterproof, unit is potted in epoxy and are brighter then 1157 but do not exceed DOT standards.
The lenses are designed to defuse the light where typical L.E.D. bulbs focus the light straight back and can be difficult to see under certain conditions.
2 screws and plug the socket in and thats it. No modifications required.
They are available from many sources.

[Joe M.]

Re: LED 1157 replacement bulbs

I checked out the web site for superbrightleds.com and was more confused than when I started. I need the tail light bulb for a 1960 Corvette. Is there just one LED bulb, 1157, that I need?

I assume that I would either need to purchase a resistor for each side or purchase an electronic flasher.

[Bruce B.]

Re: LED 1157 replacement bulbs

Joe,
The bulb you need is similar to an 1157 as it has three functions, stop light, turn signal and running light. These are referred to as S/T/T which means Stop/Tail/Turn.
In other words you need 3 function bulb.
The S/T/T designation is what is in the lights I pictured in an earlier posting.
If you go the the United Pacific Industries website, www.uapac.com, you can find this type of information.
Bruce B

[Dick W.]

Re: LED 1157 replacement bulbs

I checked out the web site for superbrightleds.com and was more confused than when I started. I need the tail light bulb for a 1960 Corvette. Is there just one LED bulb, 1157, that I need?

I assume that I would either need to purchase a resistor for each side or purchase an electronic flasher.

You need 2 resistors. Can be mounted anywhere in the circuit for the turn signal

[Joe M.]

Re: LED 1157 replacement bulbs

Bruce, it appears that the web site you provided sells the tail light inner lens with LEDs attached to the lens. I just want to purchase 1157 red and 1157 white bulbs. The web site listed very early in this thread has the 1157 bulbs, but the buyer has to decide the following items: 18 degree or 100 degree illumination angle, 12, 19, 24, or 30 LEDs per bulb. I realize more LEDs provide more light. Can anyone tell me what the ideal number of LEDs per bulb is? Or is that individual preference? What is the best illumination angle: 18 or 100? I plan to install the red bulbs in the tail lights and the white bulbs in the parking/turn lights.

[Bruce B.]

Re: LED 1157 replacement bulbs

The angle of illumination is very important from a visibility standpoint. As I stated in a previous post, the L.E.D. bulbs are focused to shine light straight out. The angle of illunination provides some dispersing of the light as defined by the angle. A 100 degree angle of illumination will be easier to see if you are not directly behind the light source in other words the bulb. If you are in a car that sits very low and the car in front of you sits high in the rear, a L.E.D. tail light bulb can be difficult to see. Or as I experienced, I gave my buddy a set of 18 L.E.D. bulbs to put in his 54 Corvette tail lights. When following him I could not see his brake lights. On the recommendation of the manufacturer we put the 1157 incandescent bulbs back in the car and they were fine.
So L.E.D. bulbs in some cases have thier drawbacks.
The tail lights in my pictures (in my previous post) are the tail light assemblies which have been engineered to disperse the light of the 15 L.E.D.s with a specially designed lens.
If you can, try the bulbs before you buy them so you are not dissappointed.
As far as putting resistors in the circuit, why not just use a electronic flasher which plugs in has a ground wire and you are done, don't cut your wiring harness as it just creates potential failure points.
I hope I shed some light on the subject....