GMT 360 Quad Tail lights Modification.

BlazingTrails

Original poster
Member
Apr 27, 2014
19,409
Ok I decided to tackle the Quad tail light mod, so I went out to my garage dug into them and using parts I had in my garage made it happen! I did this mod with parts available at any local auto parts store, I had everything I needed in my garage so I do not know an exact total cost. :eyebrowhuh:

Materials Needed;

(2) GM Light socket 85832
(2) 1157 Light Bulbs
Assorted heat shrink tubing
Solder
Silicone or permatex
Zip ties

Tools Needed;

Right Angle Grinder or equivalent
Screw drivers
Soldering Gun
Drill
Drill Bit 1/4"
Lighter/Torch
Wire Strippers
Wire cutters
:ok:
[sharedmedia=gallery:images:642]



Remove your tail lights from the vehicle, then remove the gray bulb socket board.
[sharedmedia=gallery:images:632]



Using a screw driver gently pry the casing open.
[sharedmedia=gallery:images:633]



This is What it will look like once opened.
[sharedmedia=gallery:images:634]



Using the drill and drill bit, drill the top of the plastic welds securing the bulb socket.

[sharedmedia=gallery:images:635]
[sharedmedia=gallery:images:636]



Using a screw driver push down on the electrical connection while lifting the socket. Gently remove the socket from the case.
[sharedmedia=gallery:images:637]



Take the drill and remove the plastic weld holding this connector, and remove it from the case. you will not need it.
[sharedmedia=gallery:images:638]
[sharedmedia=gallery:images:639]




This is what it should look like at this point.

[sharedmedia=gallery:images:640]



Now take your grinder and remove all of the tits from this area. When done it should look like this.
[sharedmedia=gallery:images:641]



This is the bulb socket. Remove the plastic piece from the back, and cut off the locking tab.

[sharedmedia=gallery:images:643]



Also grind down the 3 perches that are around the socket, and grind down the plastic on the bottom until it is flush with the metal contacts. It should look like this.
[sharedmedia=gallery:images:644]



Cut a piece of plastic from the socket package large enough to cover the entire area. This will keep the bulb socket from making contact with the metal strips inside the casing.

[sharedmedia=gallery:images:645]
[sharedmedia=gallery:images:646]



Strip the wires back and pre-solder (tinning) the wires and the contacts as shown in the picture.

[sharedmedia=gallery:images:647]
[sharedmedia=gallery:images:648]



Solder the connection as follows. Black = -12v, Brown = +12v tails, White = +12v Stop.
[sharedmedia=gallery:images:649]



Tuck the wires in as shown, make sure the plastic is laying under the socket. put your silicon or other sealant on the lid. Install it, the bulbs, and the seals and screw the assembly back on to the tail light.

[sharedmedia=gallery:images:650]
[sharedmedia=gallery:images:651]
[sharedmedia=gallery:images:652]



Cut this wire at the tail light harness on the truck, it is the light blue colored wire.

[sharedmedia=gallery:images:653]



Slide a piece of heat shrink over the wire coming from the truck and seal it.
[sharedmedia=gallery:images:654]



Solder a piece of 16 gauge wire to the light blue wire from the plug on the tail light. This will be the exact same procedure on both sides of the vehicle.

[sharedmedia=gallery:images:655]



Don't forget the heat shrink! At this point you can go ahead and re-install your tail lights.
[sharedmedia=gallery:images:656]



Underneath the truck we are going to strap the wires and run them over to the trailer plug. The wiring is as follows;

Small green wire will be spliced to the wire from the Passenger side tail light.
Small Yellow Wire will be spliced to the wire from the Driver side Tail light.
White wire = -12v (not used)
Blue Wire = +12v Trailer Brake (not used)
Red Wire = +12v (not used)
Light Green Wire = +12v Reverse Light (not used)
Brown = +12v Running lights (not used)

[sharedmedia=gallery:images:657]
[sharedmedia=gallery:images:658]



Finished product! :celebrate:

[sharedmedia=gallery:images:659]
[sharedmedia=gallery:images:660]



Sorry If this has already been done in another thread, but it is my understanding that so far we have had to find more boards from other tail lights to get sockets. So i am hoping this will make it easier and cheaper. If anyone has any good info to add please feel free. :hail:

I hope this helps :thumbsup:
 

Capote

Supporting Donor
Member
Jul 14, 2014
24,227
Atlanta, GA
Nicely done Trails, easy to follow steps :cool:
 
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jpinoy

Member
Jul 31, 2013
27
Good step-by-step!

Going to put this on my 'to mod' list.. :undecided: I really need to stop visiting the "Appearance" section.. I might actually do this before doing the Fog light mod... :laugh:
 

MAY03LT

Member
Nov 18, 2011
3,412
Delmarva
BlazingTrails said:
Sorry If this has already been done in another thread, but it is my understanding that so far we have had to find more boards from other tail lights to get sockets. So i am hoping this will make it easier and cheaper. If anyone has any good info to add please feel free. :hail:
Yeah the dual park version I do requires one envoy board (as a donor for a pair of TB boards) to get its socket pins and wiring pins. Your version takes care of both of those. Good job! :cool:
 

mcsteven

Member
Apr 18, 2012
6,584
Sweet. We need a folder of mods like this with tons of pics and clear how-to instructions. Moved threads only; can't start one there.
 

HARDTRAILZ

Moderator
Nov 18, 2011
49,665
Really...
 

HARDTRAILZ

Moderator
Nov 18, 2011
49,665
Really really welcome
 
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BlazingTrails

Original poster
Member
Apr 27, 2014
19,409
HARDTRAILZ said:
Really really welcome
Lol :smile:

Hey I was looking online and apparently we are the only people that do quad tail, quad brakes, and quad turns.

I thought I should mention that in case someone was unsure.

Also if anyone needs help or would like for me to mod the power boards I could do it for a nominal fee. Just ship the boards, sockets, and bulbs and I could mod them for you. Maybe like $20?

Anything I can do to help Just pm me :smile:
 

MAY03LT

Member
Nov 18, 2011
3,412
Delmarva


Hey Blazing if you take in boards to mod you may get these non-OEM types (dorman pictured here). You can see that the sockets are on the opposite side as opposed to the OEMs. I'm pretty sure you have what it takes to mod these types as well but just thought I'd throw that out there since it may take more time on your part.
 

Darkrider_LS

Member
Jan 25, 2013
9,332
Nice write up! I may need to speak to you later on about possibly doing up a set...well that is unless my mod bug decides to take matters into its own hands and convince me to do it on my own...or worse...go beyond this and maybe retrofit some stock tails with LED pan.....errrr CRAP!!! its awake..gotta go!
 

808_LS_EXT

Member
Aug 28, 2014
305
I wanna see video... :hissyfit: ... :biggrin:

(( Nice write up, btw :thumbsup: ))
 

BlazingTrails

Original poster
Member
Apr 27, 2014
19,409
Thanks man! I will try to get a video soon I forgot about it. I saw another one that had quad tails and switchback in the reverse sockets. I know someone that might want to do those, so I may add that to this thread as well. :yes:
 
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Capote

Supporting Donor
Member
Jul 14, 2014
24,227
Atlanta, GA
BlazingTrails said:
Thanks man! I will try to get a video soon I forgot about it. I saw another one that had quad tails and switchback in the reverse sockets. I know someone that might want to do those, so I may add that to this thread as well. :yes:
I showed him the vid i got of your TB, he likes how they look in action :thumbsup:
 
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Mypetropig

Member
Dec 29, 2011
226
It wasnt bad at all. I had to purchase the sockets and it cost about $12 for both. Since doing the mod I have seen several TB's, truck is much cooler with this mod. Thanks for the write up.
 
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BlazingTrails

Original poster
Member
Apr 27, 2014
19,409
Mypetropig said:
It wasnt bad at all. I had to purchase the sockets and it cost about $12 for both. Since doing the mod I have seen several TB's, truck is much cooler with this mod. Thanks for the write up.
I'm glad I could help! I actually went back into mine and changed the other 2 sockets to 1157 and went to LEDs. This was one of my favorite mods :smile:
 

Mypetropig

Member
Dec 29, 2011
226
Any reason for changing out the other sockets other than having all the bulbs be the same? I know there was a problem with some of the older boards melting sockets.

On a completely different note, I used to get email notifications whenever comments were made on a thread i subscribe to. I don't now, any idea what I'm missing?
 

BlazingTrails

Original poster
Member
Apr 27, 2014
19,409
Mypetropig said:
Any reason for changing out the other sockets other than having all the bulbs be the same? I know there was a problem with some of the older boards melting sockets.

On a completely different note, I used to get email notifications whenever comments were made on a thread i subscribe to. I don't now, any idea what I'm missing?
The only reason I changed the others was because of the whole 3157ck thing. Plus it is hard to match different sockets with exact same LEDs. 1157 are all made the same so you don't have to worry about getting the wrong stuff.

If you go to your account settings you can change all of your notifications there.

:smile:
 
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NateDG

Member
Oct 30, 2014
216
Normal, Illinois
I know this is old but I've been digging for weeks now trying to find a write-up to do the switchbacks in the reverse socket. Am I overlooking something? [emoji55]
 

Capote

Supporting Donor
Member
Jul 14, 2014
24,227
Atlanta, GA
NateDG said:
I know this is old but I've been digging for weeks now trying to find a write-up to do the switchbacks in the reverse socket. Am I overlooking something? [emoji55]
I've only seen one guy do this, he has a TB in Europe, but his was an American import. Therefore he needed to rig up switchback capability to have amber for turn signaling since in some countries in Europe its a safety requirement to have amber turns in the rear. He had quad tails and rigged up the reverse socket to be able to use switchbacks for signaling and reverse. There's a video on YouTube he made for it, but i couldn't find it.
 

NateDG

Member
Oct 30, 2014
216
Normal, Illinois
Capote said:
I've only seen one guy do this, he has a TB in Europe, but his was an American import. Therefore he needed to rig up switchback capability to have amber for turn signaling since in some countries in Europe its a safety requirement to have amber turns in the rear. He had quad tails and rigged up the reverse socket to be able to use switchbacks for signaling and reverse. There's a video on YouTube he made for it, but i couldn't find it.
Yea, I've seen the video but it didn't describe how it was done or anything. I even commented on the video in hopes that he would see it and respond. Nothing so far tho.
 
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Capote

Supporting Donor
Member
Jul 14, 2014
24,227
Atlanta, GA
NateDG said:
Yea, I've seen the video but it didn't describe how it was done or anything. I even commented on the video in hopes that he would see it and respond. Nothing so far tho.
Yeah unfortunately there's no telling how he went about it. I imagine its only a matter of changing some wiring right there at the tail light wiring harness
 
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Blckshdw

Moderator
Nov 20, 2011
10,665
Tampa Bay Area, FL
Nate, are you not clear on how Brandon did this mod? What are you trying to add (switchback feature) to the reverse socket? All you have to do is replicate the steps posted, and just determine which circuit is gonna override the other.
 
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NateDG

Member
Oct 30, 2014
216
Normal, Illinois
Blckshdw said:
Nate, are you not clear on how Brandon did this mod? What are you trying to add (switchback feature) to the reverse socket? All you have to do is replicate the steps posted, and just determine which circuit is gonna override the other.
Yea, I'm trying to do the a/w switchbacks in reverse socket so I still have reverse lights but amber signal also.

Is it simply a matter of splicing signal wire into reverse wire? At the socket or at the hitch plug? Is there a polarity issue there? Like, these are the things I'm unclear about.
 

BlazingTrails

Original poster
Member
Apr 27, 2014
19,409
All you would have to do is change the reverse light socket like I did the others in this thread. Then add the turn signal circuit to the extra pin.

I'm not sure why you want to do it because I personally think it is kinda weird looking. What would you do with the old turn signal bulbs?
 
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NateDG

Member
Oct 30, 2014
216
Normal, Illinois
BlazingTrails said:
All you would have to do is change the reverse light socket like I did the others in this thread. Then add the turn signal circuit to the extra pin.

I'm not sure why you want to do it because I personally think it is kinda weird looking. What would you do with the old turn signal bulbs?
I think it's cool looking and I like to stand apart, especially because there's 3 identical twins of my truck rolling around my town, same paint scheme and all.

I plan on doing quad running/brake lights with the dead blinker.
 

NateDG

Member
Oct 30, 2014
216
Normal, Illinois
BlazingTrails said:
That could be cool. It should be very easy to do, you would not even have to run wires anywhere just reroute the ones that are already there. Any questions just ask man.
Are you still willing to wire up the boards if I send all the materials?

Would I be changing the reverse socket because it's not currently wired for dual-function?

If I didnt change out the current CK signal socket and left as is, LED bulb and all, is quad park/brake still possible?

Thanks for the support on this. I get my mind set on something and pretty much obsess about it until it's done hah. [emoji16]
 

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