Backdraft LED Conversion Kits

[Cashburn]

We've been toying with a number of products over the years to hone in on some that we are happy with from a price and performance standpoint. The bulb and LED options on the wider market have left us underwhelmed.

The Backdraft bulb receptacles are somewhat unique and as many people have discovered the LED bulb replacement products often do not clear the body of the housing well or in order to fit they must use fewer LEDs and the final result is often worse than a standard bulb.

These array clusters work very well in the BDR light housings and offer a significant increase in brightness of stop lights and turn signals. Each array features 24 LEDs. Install can be done simply and requires time to let the RTV dry. You do not have to make any modifications to the wiring.

We are selling full kits for $129.95 + shipping that includes:

- 4 Red LED Clusters (1156 style and 1157 style)
- 2 Amber LED Clusters (1157 style)
- Install Instructions

First kits and orders will ship next week. Email me to order or ask any questions. I will post some more photos soon.

[Sledge]

Good going Jay!

[Gunner]

Um... There are LED replacements for the bulbs that work VERY well and at a fraction of that cost. You can get regular brightness, high brightness and (for some applications) ultra high brightness... and all you have to do is swap the incandescent bulb for the LED-based one. Sorry to be a spoilsport...

http://www.superbrightleds.com/

Addendum: These guys offer a very wide selection of bulb replacements that will do a superior job in a variety of fixtures, whether used front-on, sideways, or whatever. Most of these are NOT available from traditional suppliers like auto stores, JCW, etc. and if you choose the part carefully for the application, it will greatly outperform generic parts-rack stuff.

[Got the Bug]

Originally Posted by Gunner

Um... There are LED replacements for the bulbs that work VERY well and at a fraction of that cost. You can get regular brightness, high brightness and (for some applications) ultra high brightness... and all you have to do is swap the incandescent bulb for the LED-based one. Sorry to be a spoilsport, but some market research might have been in order before you greenlighted this project...

http://www.superbrightleds.com/

Based on Jay's post, it sounds like some of the aftermarket LED lights won't fit in the Backdraft's standard light housing.

I know that the SuperBrightLed lights are slightly larger than a standard 1156/1157 bulb, and some early SPFs require a slight mod to the housing to make them fit.

[Gunner]

Originally Posted by Got the Bug

Based on Jay's post, it sounds like some of the aftermarket LED lights won't fit in the Backdraft's standard light housing.

I think they may have evaluated a subset of the LED bulbs available. Every AutoZone has a few - the same few. SBLEDs has a dozen different configurations that fit everything from truck markers to motorcycles.

I've used these in a number of conversion projects, including a blazing 3-lamp setup for my '68 Mustang's taillights. I'd messed around with a flat-panel design to go behind Cobra rectangular tail lamps, but I've found that there are two good LED solutions (the tower and the right-angle) - I need to get samples and evaluate which is best. These also draw less power than a standard bulb and don't have the problems of high-intensity bulb replacements (namely, lots of heat right near the lenses or in an enclosed bulb carrier.

Maybe Jay's solution is the only one for BDRs. But I'd bet not, knowing how many configurations LED replacers are available in. And at a price difference of around $100...

[6t8stang]

I tried the LED bulb replacement with one I had laying around from the motorcycle. Definitely better than the stock incadecent, but no where near as bright as a similar solution I did as Jay is offering. 6 clusters for $130 is a good deal - I think I paid $25 apiece for mine!

[Cashburn]

There is a distinct reason I placed this in a Backdraft subforum and not the general Cobra section. And I thank Doug for reading my entire post before questioning it.

I have a couple from superbrightgunnerleds.com at the shop that will not fit in the BDR housings and are not as bright when side by side if anyone with an ERA wants them cheap. To get comparable light you will need the 3 LED version and due to the stepout of the housing they do not clear:

[Got the Bug]

Originally Posted by Cashburn

There is a distinct reason I placed this in a Backdraft subforum and not the general Cobra section. And I thank Doug for reading my entire post before questioning it.

I have a couple from superbrightgunnerleds.com at the shop that will not fit in the BDR housings and are not as bright when side by side if anyone with an ERA wants them cheap. To get comparable light you will need the 3 LED version and due to the stepout of the housing they do not clear:

Jay,

How many watts are the bulbs that you're using? I went with the 3 watt SuperBrightLed lights. It was a big improvement over the stock bulbs, but nothing to write home about.

[Bailey]

Jay, I installed a set of the clusters in my first Backdraft, and have switched them over from car to car. I am now on the third car, having crashed #2 (with the lights installed). The clusters are still going strong, one of the best mods I had made. Zero regrets.

[Cashburn]

They are rated at 2 watts each, but I suppose the important thing is Lumens?

[Doug I]

not forgetting the Stefan-Boltzmann constant

Yeah 'lumens' is the big number

just like HP - the moreer the betterer

That's a nice little unit Jay

[6t8stang]

Originally Posted by Doug I

That's a nice little unit Jay

Um...Doug...we're going to have to ask you to leave...no man should ever say that to another man....

[Doug I]

there's a saying ...... ohhh what is it ..... wait wait I'll think of it ......

ohhhh yeah I know what it is now ......BITE ME

[Cashburn]

Yeah, jeez...

[Got the Bug]

Originally Posted by Doug I

there's a saying ...... ohhh what is it ..... wait wait I'll think of it ......

ohhhh yeah I know what it is now ......BITE ME

[Doug I]

LOL

It's almost like an echo .....

[Cashburn]

I wanted to provide an update and acknowledge the product that Gunner recommended above. I just received 2 new direct replacements from SuperBrightLEDs for the 1157 bulbs. One was rated at 3W and the other at 4W (and more expensive). The LEDs I tried are the following:



The bulb in the foreground is the 4w. Both of these style LEDs did in fact fit in and clear the Backdraft housing. We have to go by our on own visual verification but the 3W style that is cheaper actually appeared brighter in the Backdraft Lens than the 4W style (in daylight and in dark) on both the stop and headlights on function.

Honestly we were impressed with the intensity of these LEDs over the standard bulbs. An easy swap and did enhance the overall brightness considerably. They do however seem to focus the light in a more narrow way since you are using 1 big LED or 3 big LEDs. Still think the clusters do a better job overall of increasing the overall brightness and doing it over a greater area that is less focused.

When I can get all 3 in a photo together for a comparison I will.

Sorry Gunner for discounting your suggestion without fully verifying. I had a couple older products from SBLEDs on the shelf that do not fit the Backdraft bulb housing.

[Got the Bug]

Originally Posted by Cashburn

I wanted to provide an update and acknowledge the product that Gunner recommended above. I just received 2 new direct replacements from SuperBrightLEDs for the 1157 bulbs. One was rated at 3W and the other at 4W (and more expensive). The LEDs I tried are the following:



The bulb in the foreground is the 4w. Both of these style LEDs did in fact fit in and clear the Backdraft housing. We have to go by our on own visual verification but the 3W style that is cheaper actually appeared brighter in the Backdraft Lens than the 4W style (in daylight and in dark) on both the stop and headlights on function.

Honestly we were impressed with the intensity of these LEDs over the standard bulbs. An easy swap and did enhance the overall brightness considerably. They do however seem to focus the light in a more narrow way since you are using 1 big LED or 3 big LEDs. Still think the clusters do a better job overall of increasing the overall brightness and doing it over a greater area that is less focused.

When I can get all 3 in a photo together for a comparison I will.

Sorry Gunner for discounting your suggestion without fully verifying. I had a couple older products from SBLEDs on the shelf that do not fit the Backdraft bulb housing.

Damn you Jay!!

You have validated that Gunner in fact, knows all...a fact that I feared was true, but had not yet been 100% confirmed.

[BDR 699]

Originally Posted by Cashburn

We've been toying with a number of products over the years to hone in on some that we are happy with from a price and performance standpoint. The bulb and LED options on the wider market have left us underwhelmed.

The Backdraft bulb receptacles are somewhat unique and as many people have discovered the LED bulb replacement products often do not clear the body of the housing well or in order to fit they must use fewer LEDs and the final result is often worse than a standard bulb.

These array clusters work very well in the BDR light housings and offer a significant increase in brightness of stop lights and turn signals. Each array features 24 LEDs. Install can be done simply and requires time to let the RTV dry. You do not have to make any modifications to the wiring.

We are selling full kits for $129.95 + shipping that includes:

- 4 Red LED Clusters (1156 style and 1157 style)
- 2 Amber LED Clusters (1157 style)
- Install Instructions

First kits and orders will ship next week. Email me to order or ask any questions. I will post some more photos soon.

Originally Posted by Cashburn

I wanted to provide an update and acknowledge the product that Gunner recommended above. I just received 2 new direct replacements from SuperBrightLEDs for the 1157 bulbs. One was rated at 3W and the other at 4W (and more expensive). The LEDs I tried are the following:



The bulb in the foreground is the 4w. Both of these style LEDs did in fact fit in and clear the Backdraft housing. We have to go by our on own visual verification but the 3W style that is cheaper actually appeared brighter in the Backdraft Lens than the 4W style (in daylight and in dark) on both the stop and headlights on function.

Honestly we were impressed with the intensity of these LEDs over the standard bulbs. An easy swap and did enhance the overall brightness considerably. They do however seem to focus the light in a more narrow way since you are using 1 big LED or 3 big LEDs. Still think the clusters do a better job overall of increasing the overall brightness and doing it over a greater area that is less focused.

When I can get all 3 in a photo together for a comparison I will.

Sorry Gunner for discounting your suggestion without fully verifying. I had a couple older products from SBLEDs on the shelf that do not fit the Backdraft bulb housing.

Jay, did you ever get any pictures?

Also, do your clusters, or the single replacement bulbs, work with the existing flasher? If not, are you including whatever is necessary with your kit?

Thanks!

[Cashburn]

I wish I had the time to get those photos. It has been very busy and I have not had the time to get a side by side yet. I will when 2 cars with the different setups are next to each other.

I can tell you for certain the existing flashers on the BDR have no issues with the LEDs.