I want to convert my tail lights to LED bulbs, and cannot find the info I need. the manual calls for 3057 bulbs for tail/brake/turn lights. I have found some bulbs listed as 3157 that it says they fit both 3157 and 3057. The bulbs in the truck now are incandescent and have two filaments, so the LED bulbs have to have that same capability. I have been trying to access Sylvania's site for replacement guide, but keep getting a message that their server does not exist. Anyone know what bulbs, exactly, I need? It sure would be appreciated.

Not totally sure, I know that there are quite a few of those LED converted tail lights selling on Ebay right now, you might email the seller of one of thoseand ask them your question.

Thank you, Shibby. I am waiting to hear from a couple now, The replacement chart, by Sylvania, is not working, it says their server does not exist. I let ya know what I find out.

3157 is the right bulb.

all i gotta say is make sure u get the resistors..............

I am now beginning to wonder if someone replace the taillight assemblies with an after market set. The owner's manual, while not clear, says 3057 bulbs for tail/turn, tail/stop and back-up. The Chilton book (we buy one for every vehicle we get)states there are four bulbs, the tail/turn, tail/stop. back-up and side marker. Close examaination just now, shows me two bulbs. One is parking/turn/stop, and a cut-out in the internal structure of the assembly lets you see it from the side , for the side marker. the lower bulb is the back-up light, which lights up a lens that is red on top and white below/ I did not take the assembly apart to see what kind of bulb it was. There is a world of difference between two bulbs and four. Thank you for your responses, as i am pulling out what little hair I have left.

that book is lying to you there is only 2 bulbs..................

There's only two bulbs..back up and tail/turn/brake. Both are 3157 bulbs. When you convert to LEDs, don't forget the resistors for the tail/brake/turn bulbs. Back up lights do not need resistors. The whole conversion takes less than an hour...I did it last summer. Bought front turn signal LEDs, too, but just haven't installed them yet...someday soon!

I want to thank everyone for their input on my inquiries about LED light bulbs. I decided to go with an outfit called superbrightleds.com. Their prices and shipping charges are better than any in ebay, and even our local Checker Autos charge $14.99 plus 9.6 per cent sales tax. I got two red bulbs, each with 25 LEDs and a built-in resistor, making it a drop-in replacement, with dual intensity. Anyone considering going the LED route can do worse than superbrightleds.com. Next payday, I plan on getting the front running/turn signal bulbs.

Whats your thoughts on the back up lights, are you going to change them out too?

Thank you for asking. I am planning to replace most of the lights with the LEDs. I did some experimenting with LEDs when I was younger, but didn't see much future for them besides pilot lights or such. Now I see police cars with LED top lights, and semis that have had all of their lights converted to LEDs that use less power than just one incandescant bulb. The big thing to me is the brake lights. Using the LEDs at highway speed, when you step on the brake pedal, the LEDs come on 66 feet sooner than the old bulbs. There is no warm-up period, they are on instantly. In addition, LEDs last seemingly forever. I am sold on LEDs. I even hear that they are replacing even the new CFLs.

Nice man. I am gonna look into the brake light scheme now that you showed us the awesome site, rear brake lights and the 3rd high brake light :D

LEDs are the next big technology for backlit screens used in laptops, monitors, TVs. They use less energy and are brighter than LCD or Plasma...

The new MacBook Pros come with LED backlighting...my next purchase

LED has always been the best way to save energy as far as lighting goes... but the brightness is what I like. I am a little concerned about the back up lights though... anyone have any input as to if they are bright enough to actually see while your backing up?

ORIGINAL: ericemery

LED has always been the best way to save energy as far as lighting goes... but the brightness is what I like. I am a little concerned about the back up lights though... anyone have any input as to if they are bright enough to actually see while your backing up?

Thats what I am curious about. I don't want to spend$20forthe pair and them not be as bright as the conventional. Definently going for the brake lightsthough

ORIGINAL: ericemery

LED has always been the best way to save energy as far as lighting goes... Â* but the brightness is what I like. Â* I am a little concerned about the back up lights though... Â*Â* anyone have any input as to if they are bright enough to actually see while your backing up?


nope. the lense is diffused, which in turn diffuses the lighting of the LED bulbs. LEDs look brighter because the light is directional, however they aren't technically brighter, just different ways of emitting light. If you go with LED backup bulbs, I'd say get a separate pair of halogens for actually backup bulbs to help you see at night. when I got my rear flashers, I got external halogens to help me see...now I dont have those anymore, but I know they also make some that fit onto hitch receivers that are actually pretty bright.

Jimbo did you get the 3W high output LED's for the back ups or the lower powered ones? I have a 3W LED bulb in my Maglite and with as incredibly bright as that is I find it hard to imagine those wouldn't be brighter than the stock back up lights.

Well there's a difference between the 3w LEDs for your truck and the ones they make for the maglites. The ones for the truck have 3 individual 1w bulbs on them, and are manufactured differently. The ones in the maglite, would make a pair of bulbs for our trucks about $60/pair. They're two different types of LEDs. And yes I do have the high power ones on my truck.

Hi, again, everyone. Well, it looks as if I am not going to be using LEDs in our Dak. I received the 3157 bulbs, and ran into the oddest problem I have ever heard of. When the LED bulbs were plugged into the sockets, nothing was turned on, there should have been no current flowing anywahere. Right? The led bulbs lit up, at low intensity, and when I turned the parking lights on, there was no change. I had Krystal step on the brake pedal and then turn on the hazard flashers, and there was still no change. I am waiting now for a return authorization number so I can get a refund. Thank you all, anyway.

ORIGINAL: jimboscomp

Well there's a difference between the 3w LEDs for your truck and the ones they make for the maglites. The ones for the truck have 3 individual 1w bulbs on them, and are manufactured differently. The ones in the maglite, would make a pair of bulbs for our trucks about $60/pair. They're two different types of LEDs. And yes I do have the high power ones on my truck.


Shouldn't be that expensive, I think the maglite bulb was $15 or so, maybe less.

Also for the 3w bulb I was thinking of these:

http://superbrightleds.com/products/car/1157-RLX3.jpg

ORIGINAL: Starlord

Hi, again, everyone. Well, it looks as if I am not going to be using LEDs in our Dak. I received the 3157 bulbs, and ran into the oddest problem I have ever heard of. When the LED bulbs were plugged into the sockets, nothing was turned on, there should have been no current flowing anywahere. Right? The led bulbs lit up, at low intensity, and when I turned the parking lights on, there was no change. I had Krystal step on the brake pedal and then turn on the hazard flashers, and there was still no change. I am waiting now for a return authorization number so I can get a refund. Thank you all, anyway.

UGH:(are they just bad bulbs or whats the deal?

the reason for that is you need resistors.................

ORIGINAL: Starlord

Hi, again, everyone.Â* Well, it looks as if I am not going to be using LEDs in our Dak.Â*Â* I received the 3157 bulbs, and ran into the oddest problem I have ever heard of.Â* When the LED bulbs were plugged into the sockets, nothing was turned on, there should have been no current flowing anywahere.Â* Right?Â* The led bulbs lit up, at low intensity, and when I turned the parking lights on, there was no change.Â* I had Krystal step on the brake pedal and then turn on the hazard flashers, and there was still no change.Â* I am waiting now for a return authorization number so I can get a refund.Â* Thank you all, anyway.


did you also get load resistors? they won't work if you just plug in the bulbs without first putting in load resistors.

ORIGINAL: Altair

ORIGINAL: jimboscomp

Well there's a difference between the 3w LEDs for your truck and the ones they make for the maglites. The ones for the truck have 3 individual 1w bulbs on them, and are manufactured differently. The ones in the maglite, would make a pair of bulbs for our trucks about $60/pair. They're two different types of LEDs. And yes I do have the high power ones on my truck.


Shouldn't be that expensive, I think the maglite bulb was $15 or so, maybe less.

Also for the 3w bulb I was thinking of these:

http://superbrightleds.com/products/car/1157-RLX3.jpg



I had never seen those before, at least not for our trucks. Those yes are brighter than stock bulbs. It's also been a while since I did the research, back then I found those LEDs (without a base so you'd have to fab something up yourself) for $25/piece.

I thought they had built in resistors, or is there and additional resistor needed?

no, LEDs need resistors to work on 12v systems to begin with, and yes the bulbs have those. However, you need load resistors that will equal out the current so that it tricks the on board computer into thinking there's a normal bulb in there. The LEDs still light up instantly, and look just as nice, it's just something needed to make them work on the system.

this is what you need, what you would do is you would splice one end into the turn signal circuit wire and the other into the ground wire. It won't short it, just acts as an additional place to draw current.

http://www.v-leds.com/Shop/Control/Product/fp/vpid/4481145/vpcsid/0/SFV/32481

yes yes jimbo is the man he knows his lightning!!!

ORIGINAL: BAdassR/T

yes yes jimbo is the man he knows his lightning!!!
I guess he is actually showing us the "DF Lighting Specialist" isnt just a figure head title :D

I chose to go with SBL because, as you will see if you check the website, it says drop-in replacement with internal resistors. Maybe my command of the English language is not waht it should be, but 'drop-in,' and 'internal resistors' seemed to indicate that I did not have to go the external resistor route. Additionally, the owner's manual indicates the proper bulb for the Dak is the 3057LL. Trouble is, everyone seems to be under the impression that the 3057LL does not exist. It seems rather strange to me that Dodge would require a non-existent bulb.

The internal resistors are to allow them to work with 12v power. They technically are ready to work but the problem is the truck's computer isn't seeing what it expects to because LED's use less current and have less resistance. This is what the load resistors are for, they combined with the LED's makes it so the computer sees the resistance it expects.

From SuperBrightLED's page:


Turn signal issues with LED bulbs
LED brake/tail lamps will not flash with thermal flasher units due to their extremely low current draw. Also, with stock flasher units, the turn signals may flash faster than normal (Hyper-Flash).
These installations will require an electronic flasher unit, available in our car bulb shopping category (for some vehicles) or at your auto parts store. Try to find flashers designed to work with LED bulbs, they will say "LED compatible". Often HEAVY DUTY flashers will also work with LED bulbs.

We offer some LED Flashers in our Tail/Brake Turn Signal Bulb category but we do not know which one (if any) will fit your vehicle. You will have to compare the pin-out of your flasher with the pin-outs of the flashers we offer, to see if we have a match, BEFORE you order one. Sorry but we do not have a flasher application list or the expertise to tell you which of our flashers will fit your vehicle.

Another fix is the installation of Load Resistors which are wired across (in parallel with) the turn signal bulbs to simulate the load of a standard filament bulb. We also have these available in our car bulb shopping category.