Smoked vs. Clear vs. Red LED Tail Lights

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Steve Cloud

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Okay, I'm fine with my headlight setup, and the led bulb in the tails is an improvement. However, I've been wondering about a set of led tail lights, such as these examples from Spyder. My question is, do you give up any light output with the smoked lenses? Got any pics of these on your darker colored trucks?

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kurek

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Taillights and turn indicators exist for safety, above anything else. The whole point of them is to be conspicuous day or night. That means big, red and reflective.

Anything else is like asking if your tires should be square, triangular or round...
 

Toddbigboytruck

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I don’t know about the laws in you area but is you mess with you lights in Ontario you will get fined and points on your driver license. But any way I like stock clear
 

Graygoose

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If anything, smoked. I had mine tinted, but those LEDs will stick out on those, even if smoked.
 
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Steve Cloud

Steve Cloud

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I don’t know about the laws in you area but is you mess with you lights in Ontario you will get fined and points on your driver license. But any way I like stock clear

Well, not in Canada. It's fine in the good old USA, as long as they are DOT/SAE approved. All versions are approved.

Only question I have is if the smoked lens cuts down on light output?
 

Jimmy07

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Well, not in Canada. It's fine in the good old USA, as long as they are DOT/SAE approved. All versions are approved.

Only question I have is if the smoked lens cuts down on light output?
Just to clarify- the DOT doesn’t approve any products. A good company would use the proper term DOT compliant. While they may claim that they are DOT approved, the act of simply installing the smoked ones without doing anything else will put your truck out of compliance because there is no red reflex reflector on the rear side of the truck anymore.
Anyway, I like the clear ones the best, but all depends on the color of your truck, and whether or not you’re doing the blackout thing. The smoked tail’s light output will be less than the red or clear lens.
 

xFURIOUSJONESx

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For me, my truck is red and therefore the red taillights blend in nicely. I’ve been looking into way to have a SLIGHT tint to them. Kind of between a clear and smoked look. The lamin-x vinyl smoked headlight/tail light tint was something I’ve been considering since it would be easier to remove in the event I don’t like it compared to a spray on.


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daveray9

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Depends on the color of your truck. Mines black so the smoked recons look amazing, and they are twice as bright as the stock halogen lights. As for standing out in the daytime when the brake pedal isnt depressed and the lights are not on, if someone cant see a half ton black truck in front of them... there are bigger issues than taillight colors. But just incase, I have a nice pintle mount to help you stop without messing up my bumper. [emoji106][emoji106][emoji41]

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Steve Cloud

Steve Cloud

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Depends on the color of your truck. Mines black so the smoked recons look amazing, and they are twice as bright as the stock halogen lights. As for standing out in the daytime when the brake pedal isnt depressed and the lights are not on, if someone cant see a half ton black truck in front of them... there are bigger issues than taillight colors. But just incase, I have a nice pintle mount to help you stop without messing up my bumper. [emoji106][emoji106][emoji41]

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Truck is dark blue... thinking the smoked would look pretty awesome
 

OnSale

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Do NOT buy this set of tail lights. They are the “older” Version 1 of these tail lights. The first picture you posted is Version 2, with newer technology and better and brighter LED’s.

Also, do not buy straight from Recon or Spyder as they charge 2-3x what you can get the same lights for on eBay. Company’s on eBay like DTMoto and others sell the Spyder and Recon lights for 50% less, they even come in the same exact Recon/Spyder branded box. I’ve bought many of the aftermarket tail lights available for Rams off eBay and they are all the same as the expensive sites and legit authentic versions and not cheap knockoffs.

I personally would not get a smoked set. I had a smoked set and immediately sold them for the red tinted set as they have a more OEM look while still giving you the C Bar design and LED lighting.


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OnSale

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For me, my truck is red and therefore the red taillights blend in nicely. I’ve been looking into way to have a SLIGHT tint to them. Kind of between a clear and smoked look. The lamin-x vinyl smoked headlight/tail light tint was something I’ve been considering since it would be easier to remove in the event I don’t like it compared to a spray on.


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You should get the new ViVViD Hex+ Translucent Smoked Vinyl. It has a slight Hexagon pattern in it that can be seen up close, it’s Air Release Technology and Dry Application so it’s the easiest vinyl to install ever, and our tail lights are super easy to wrap because they don’t have any sharp bends or protrusions sticking out (like some vehicles have “nipples” on the tail lights, luckily ours don’t).


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OnSale

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If anyone is going to tint their tail lights or headlights, check out the ViVViD Hex+ Smoked Vinyl. They offer a few shades from light tint to dark tint.

I recently used it in my AlphaRex build.

You can see the hexagon pattern in the tint and light shines through it extremely well for how dark it is.

Original Lenses before tint. 1996a7d6655937a57bd8ce3ab4ab011d.jpg129ae7db3c5e77b3c18a336c1527f281.jpg

Lenses after ViVViD Hex+ Vinyl Tint
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Light output is practically not even affected at all and when the lights are off, it has completely smoked the original white DRL lense.


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werdna1977

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I don’t know about the laws in you area but is you mess with you lights in Ontario you will get fined and points on your driver license. But any way I like stock clear


Depends where you are in Ontario i guess because im in Ontario and have had the above set of smoked spyder lets for over a year and havent had any issues with the law. I also find there is no diminished light output from them either
 

Ramm5.7

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Tinted. .. although my truck's white!!
Full disclosure, Irvine motorcycle cop pulled me over for tinted tails after having them on the truck for 1.5 years. Put stock on, got fix it signed off and 25 bucks fee and I put them right back on!! 5 months now...lol
Stock...
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Tinted
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Toddbigboytruck

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Depends where you are in Ontario i guess because im in Ontario and have had the above set of smoked spyder lets for over a year and havent had any issues with the law. I also find there is no diminished light output from them either
According to the Ontario hi way traffic act section 62 (7) (b) have been modified by the attachment to the lamps or the motor vehicle of any device that reduces the effective area of the lenses or the intensity of the beam of the lamps. 2002, c. 18, Sched. P, s. 19 (1).
I would say that you are lucky. A do know personally I person was able to get off from fine after rear Ended a car with tinted tail light
 
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