2002 Envoy third brake light replacement? Can use Avalanche?

[keithostertag]

Hi All-

I have a 2002 GMC Envoy SLT. Can someone confirm that the Avalanche 2007 third brake light (high mount stop lamp) found on ebay (for example item number 290746714868) will exactly fit my car, with only a need to change/splice the electrical connector? They run about $50.

The "universal" ones I see on ebay (for example item number 350662505935) for about $30 seem to have a different mount, even though they claim to fit my car (not sure how they can make that claim).

Other inexpensive options?

Thanks,
Keith Ostertag

 

[Blckshdw]

Go for it!! Many of us have done this mod, including myself.

GMTNation - Installing an Avalanche LED 3rd Brake light with optional paint mod

 

[keithostertag]

Hi and thanks Blckshdw!

Yea, I saw that tutorial and it is really helpful. I don't plan to go through that trouble of painting it though...

But my question is: can someone confirm that the 2007-2009 Chevy Avalanche Truck Chrome 3RD Third Brake Light will exactly fit my 2002 Envoy?

Nothing in the tutorial or other posts I have seen mention the model years or trim packages that it will fit or not fit.

Thanks,
keith

 

[Blckshdw]

The light shape and mounting points are all the same, so the model years don't make a difference. It all comes down to finding the look you want (chrome, smoke, etc), for the price you want, and then modding the connector. Once you do that, you're home free.

 

[keithostertag]

Thank you!

 

[2010 CamaroSS]

Here is an 07-09 Avalanche LED 3rd brake light replaced on my 2002 Trailblazer, just done within a couple weeks:

Here is the auction I got it from on ebay:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/290746714868?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1497.l2649

 

[keithostertag]

Hey Thanks for the photos- man, and in that weather!

I decided to buy a used 3rd brake light assembly rather than a new LED type. Got it for only $25 including shipping on eBay. I suppose the down side to that is that it is already 5+ years old, but the advantage is that it is the red, not clear, cover. When, if, it burns out next year I'll know what to do...

Keith Ostertag

 

[JCJARHEAD]

I am getting ready to install the Avalanche CHMSL...I have read all the posts and want to ensure my limited understanding is correct.

In that; will I need to "cut" the connector off the old light and splice it onto the replacement Avalanche light? Has anyone done this with electrical tape...or is there need to soder the wires. How about the "heat shrinks," has anyone tried that method with success?

Thanks in advance....I am sketchy with electronics!

 

[Wooluf1952]

I haven't needed to do mine, but I would suggest shrink tubing and a butt connector, at least. If at all possible soldering would be best.

 

[Blckshdw]

The crimp on push connectors I used, have held up fine over the last couple of years.

 

[keithostertag]

Don't use solder or electrical tape. Here's a YouTube video that shows you exactly how it's done. This video shows using a heat-shrinkable butt connector- that would be great, but not necessary. Just get the right size butt connector for the wire you use and just about any cheap crimper (though better tools do a better job).

[video=youtube;pdBcPJ7Dtaw]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pdBcPJ7Dtaw[/video]

 

[JCJARHEAD]

Good advice guys! My plastic molding broke in the cold/ice and I decided to go the extra mile and replace the light (I have the stock dull one) while at it. That plastic molding is expensive....$240!!! (One Stop OEM)....bought the CHMSL from ebay as per earlier posts. <$50. $130ish for GMT specificm one?

Went back and looked at how to....well done! Sorry I missed it first time thru. Thanks for the butt connector vid...that was great!

I hope I can pull this off when it warms up a bit. Everything is so brittle in this cold right now.

 

[JCJARHEAD]

Thanks Guys! Blckshdw...pics/instructions were awesome! KeithOstertag....vid was great! Even a knucklehead like me can make this happen with help like that. I recommend this to ANYONE....straight forward stuff as per the above. Also used the vendor in the thread ....thumbs up! SUPER FAST SHIP!

Mid-50s and sunny today....very rare around here this time of year.....I took the opportunity to knock it out. Thanks again to all.

 

[JCJARHEAD]

Ok...got this installed per previous posts. But went to open it today and noticed it got "hung up" on top again? Seems like the part of the molding where it is supposed to stay on the hinge....appears to have come off again? I noticed during install it was a PAIN to get it pushed down enough to hug around the hinge itself. What is the magic to getting this thing to seat properly....all was fine until today.

I plan to simply re-loosen the 4 torx nuts and play around with it but wondered if anyone had any great insights into getting this thing to stay on correctly once and for all. I feel like I had to man handle it a bit more than I would have thought the first time?

 

[Blckshdw]

Ok...got this installed per previous posts. But went to open it today and noticed it got "hung up" on top again? Seems like the part of the molding where it is supposed to stay on the hinge....appears to have come off again? I noticed during install it was a PAIN to get it pushed down enough to hug around the hinge itself. What is the magic to getting this thing to seat properly....all was fine until today.

I plan to simply re-loosen the 4 torx nuts and play around with it but wondered if anyone had any great insights into getting this thing to stay on correctly once and for all. I feel like I had to man handle it a bit more than I would have thought the first time?

Wait, it sounds like you're having an issue with the molding piece fitting your truck, rather than the 3rd brake light seating into the molding. Am I reading you correctly? If so, some pictures would be a huge help troubleshooting this. You weren't supposed to remove the molding from your truck during this procedure, is that what you did?

 

[JCJARHEAD]

Sorry....I will need to figure out how to do pics. Yes....I took the whole molding piece off as that was broken. I replaced the CHMSL at the same time as I liked the mod and figured it was off anyhow as the plastic brackets (nice design!) had broken off.

I got it all back on ...fitting nice...light working.......

Until I went to open it the other day and it stopped half way up. I have noticed on closer examination that the inside bolt closest to the light of the passengers side appears to have sheered off about half way into the new molding? Not sure how I am going to get the bolt fragment out? I will google it a bit. I do not have an extractor set and have never done that before.

I am hopeful I can somehow "gerryrig" it until it gets warmers and then find some better way? I dont know. I dont see myself spending anohter $230 for a piece of molding? All was fine with this thing until now....11 years and now this thing is going to be a PITA. My guess is I had to manuever it a bit to get the correct fit so it could open...but I reused the old bolts and it must have stressed it in a new way and lead to failure?

 

[Blckshdw]

Ahh, now I gotcha. Yeah a bolt extractor kit would come in handy. Shouldn't be too difficult to get the remaining piece out, since it wasn't torqued down really hard. If only 1 bolt broke, I would think the other 3 would still keep it in place fairly well. Trying to remember what the bracket looks like... Maybe some well placed pieces of double sided tape between the molding and the bracket on the glass would keep things in line for you?

 

[JCJARHEAD]

Got Lucky!:wootwoot: Got a better look at this last night. The torx screws are shorter than I had realized. It wasn't sheared off in the molding. It looks like it had simply popped off....I obviously did not have it on right and the last storm likely put enough tension on it that it popped off. So I took them all out...reseated each side so it was again sitting on the hinge on each side....had to get a little bit creative and bend the brackets....carefully of course as the two inside ones are attached to the glass itself...and I am back in business!

PHEW! I had just paid $230 for that piece of plastic so was VERY HAPPY that I got lucky. While it shouldn't matter as it should be designed for this. My kids are constantly in and out of the back with hockey gear and they SLAM the hatch shut HARD sometimes. I may have to crack down on that a bit. But they are hockey players and thus not very delicate?

 

[JCJARHEAD]

Meant to add. I HAVE NOT secured the bottom part of the new molding with double sided tape or glue yet. I am waiting til it gets warmer as I need to clean the old adhesive off and dont want to mess with glass in the cold. So that is why I was able to take it off again and reseat without any issues in that regard.