9-7X: make rear lights "american"? (no amber, turn sig. flashes the whole cluster)

[dkvasnicka]

So I always loved the way many US cars don't use amber lights in the back and when you turn the whole light cluster on the respective side flashes. To me this is much better than a standalone amber TS because when you brake and turn and your TS isn't bright enough it's easier to overlook it. At least that's my perception and I know there are many flamewars on this all over the web...

How hard would it be to convert a 9-7X to this setup? Red LEDs in place of the amber TSs and then some wiring and hacking to do?

Anyone ever did something like that? Envoys have amber TSs too, right?

 

[Blckshdw]

Run a quick search for Quad Brake/Turn, a few guys have done this mod, and there are write ups on how to mod the wiring to accomplish this.

 

[Mooseman]

Personally, I have found ambers more visible but you're not the first one to lament them in Europe. The amber version taillights for the TB were ass-ugly.

So what do you want to do exactly? Just switch the amber bulbs to red? Easy enough to do. Switch to red LEDs? Then you'll also need load resistors to prevent hyperflashing.

If your goal is quad red turns and tails, then that's a little more involved but it's doable. Check out @BlazingTrails thread for quad tails. I would rewire the lights and hook them up to the trailer wiring but you'll still need load resistors.

Personally, I think it would look funky as quads because one has a red lens and the other is clear.

 

[808_LS_EXT]

And here I am converting my red turn signals to amber...
I believe ambers serve the purpose of turn signal much more effectively. Have you ever followed a vehicle that has a (red) turn signal blinking as the driver is feathering the brake pedal to slow down? Both sides are flashing and can create confusion. I personally think amber rears should be mandated in USA.

 

[dkvasnicka]

I believe ambers serve the purpose of turn signal much more effectively. Have you ever followed a vehicle that has a (red) turn signal blinking as the driver is feathering the brake pedal to slow down? Both sides are flashing and can create confusion. I personally think amber rears should be mandated in USA.

I've spent like 3 months in California and I've never had the problem you describe. On the contrary, I was enjoying how clear it was when the vehicle that wanted to turn had the whole cluster on the appropriate side flashing - this was particularly superior at night, IMHO. Here in Europe daylight running lamps are mandatory and if you don't have them you have to have your regular lights up. So in my case the rears are always on and I can't make the impression that they are flashing by feathering the brake pedal (only intensity changes).

The amber version taillights for the TB were ass-ugly.

Yeah, I saw them. Total afterthought.

Personally, I think it would look funky as quads because one has a red lens and the other is clear.

That thing crossed my mind as well, especially if one of them will be LED and the other won't (I found regular red bulbs quite rare and expensive). I may change my opinion, this is just the research phase

 

[BlazingTrails]

I hate to tell you but it would be illegal for you too remove the amber tail lights. Having said that you could either order some oem us tail lights cheap or get the depot lights and take your chances. I like the us setup much better, and they think they work better and are more visible.

This just goes to prove though, that people generally want what they don't have. I've seen a couple people here in the US swap to EU tails, and vice versa. I think they are hideous.

I think if you got the us lights and did the amber switchback design in the reverse socket you would come out ok. And it would look great!

 

[dkvasnicka]

I know it's illegal here Actually, you can legally drive a car like that if you get an individual exemption when registering it (veterans mainly but even newer cars have it)... but trying to register a conversion would certainly fail, that I'm sure about.

Would Rainier rears work or is there more wiring work outside of the cluster? Would simple swap suffice? (they're exactly the same shape AFAIK)

 

[Mooseman]

Rainier tails sure do look like they would fit but they probably work exactly the same way with the single flashing red while brake stays lit. This could lend itself to the quad tail mod. Probably easier than on TB's since it's not a board but separate light sockets. Other problem is finding a pair.

 

[dkvasnicka]

You're right

I somehow thought Rainier has quad tails by default judging by the appearance.
Well, having separate TS and rear lights but having it all red, that's definitely dumb.

 

[Mooseman]

That's what we have on TB's.

 

[therealsethallen]

Get yourself a set of Rainer tails. Problem solved.

 

[dkvasnicka]

Well, just sticking in Rainier rears won't cut it as we've discussed here.

This is very close to what I want. With the difference that I want the turns to flash fully even when I have the rear parks/regular lights on (no just pulsate between standard intensity/brake intensity). May's setup is that they only cycle between on/off (brake/nothing) when he has standard lightning off.

 

[Mooseman]

So basically, what you want is the parking light to shut off when the turn signal is activated so it goes completely dark when the TS lever is on. Not sure how this can be done. I've seen Asian vehicles that turn off the park when the high filament is active and back on when the it's off, basically flipping between the two but never seen it go dark. This might take some major wiring work with relays and catching the signals from the lever to the BCM. Might not be able to isolate each side of the parking light.