LED Tail Lights - Resistors Needed?

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Brando_SLT

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So I tried to install some CANBUS friendly LED tail lights from Super Bright LEDs (link). They recommend 50w load resistors. Can I accomplish the same thing by soldering in a comparable resistor? If so, how many ohms (Ω) should I solder in per LED bulb?

Thanks!
 

WY-Dave

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These are the same load resistors that I had in the Jeeps and the resistors get HOT! Unless the resistor that you are thinking of using have the heat sinks, just pay the $10 and be done with it. I am not sure if there is an AlphaOBD solution.
 
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Brando_SLT

Brando_SLT

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I ended up buying these: LED Light Load Resistor Kit. I don't like that they'll basically consume a bunch of power so I won't really get any power savings with LEDs. That and they get HOT. I wish there was a way to use Alpha-OBD to fix this.
 

chrisbh17

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I have these reverse bulbs: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00NPIYDWU and retrofitted factory LED tails with no errors.

My truck did not come with LED tails from the factory (Big Horn) but I made some custom pigtails, plugged directly into stock wiring and changed the appropriate settings in AlfaOBD and no errors from the tails.

No resistors, no CAN bus adapters, just the tailight units and the replacement bulbs (note the replacement bulbs arent required, but even factory LED tails come with halogen reverse lamps, so I fixed that flaw)
 
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Brando_SLT

Brando_SLT

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So what you're saying is I just need a 4th gen truck LOL.
I have these reverse bulbs: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00NPIYDWU and retrofitted factory LED tails with no errors.

My truck did not come with LED tails from the factory (Big Horn) but I made some custom pigtails, plugged directly into stock wiring and changed the appropriate settings in AlfaOBD and no errors from the tails.

No resistors, no CAN bus adapters, just the tailight units and the replacement bulbs (note the replacement bulbs arent required, but even factory LED tails come with halogen reverse lamps, so I fixed that flaw)
 
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Brando_SLT

Brando_SLT

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So this is f***ing annoying. I go to install the resistors and there's no place to mount/secure them. Since they generate a lot of heat I don't want to attach them to the plastic housing. Trying to use adhesive is a bad idea since it will melt. So now I have to fabricate up some brackets from 1½in aluminum stock and likely buy a 3rd resistor pack for each light (running lights, stop lights, turn indicators). What a freaking nightmare all to bypass the control module's load sensing system.

WHY can't there be an easy fix/solution to just change a setting to "LED" instead of incandescent bulbs on these trucks? What a freaking nightmare.
 

HemiLonestar

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Hence why I went with these lol, plug and play:

.com%2F20190826%2F8929cb08029abeff6d4d12cae14e8c24.png
 

HemiLonestar

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I wasn't a fan of the available LED taillights for a long time. I only started looking because I'd finally had it with the intermittent "lamp out" from the ****** factory circuit boards lol. This was the set I found I didn't hate.
 

Krawfish

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Brando_SLT

Brando_SLT

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HemiLonestar

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Thanks for the link. I'm thinking I'll shelve this project for now until I can buy the proper plugs to make up my own harness and mount for the resistors. The tail lights are nice, but I think would be better suited in the later style 3rd gen or 4th gen body styles.
To each his own...they've grown on me to the point that I thought about getting the matching fronts, especially after seeing this one:
7801b7aad3a2ce3142b45b69dbc22814.jpg
 
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Brando_SLT

Brando_SLT

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I see what you're saying and yes those look really good with other design changes. That's an SRT-10 though. I'm not ready to commit to a that level of change - and I would have to - to make it all "look right" in my mind.

Side note, I've been looking at those headlamp housings on Amazon, number 1 complaint is that they have to be "modified" to fit, second most complaint is the "light bar" fails after a few weeks, plus the 3rd gen does not have a DRL. However, the ones you buy from Rock Auto are 100% fit. This leads me to believe that Amazon is loaded with knock-offs.

To each his own...they've grown on me to the point that I thought about getting the matching fronts, especially after seeing this one:
7801b7aad3a2ce3142b45b69dbc22814.jpg
 

HemiLonestar

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This leads me to believe that Amazon is loaded with knock-offs.

Very possible, I stumbled across the taillights on ebay first. They had good reviews so I looked on Amazon to see if they were cheaper (and make sure they were the same actual ones I was looking at). Turns out they were. I'm no rush, my housings aren't all that old, so right now those ones are in the "maybe I'll think about it some more when it's time to replace these" stage lol.
 
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