Signal lights on mirror brackets question...

[Supermario]

Hey all , Doing a major customize to my wife's truck . ( as seen on S&M trucking thread ) and she wants the 379 Pete with round front headlights and the turn signals on the mirror bracket like the orange Pete has in the pics.
I got an idea to hide the wires by using shrink tubing. I want to shrink tube the entire mirror bracket and feed wires through the lower bracket arm. I need some help with what to do for a light? I think the current fender lights are too big. Been looking at Rics signal lights not sure if size is right? Any suggestions of where to get lights and best way to mount?
Thanks guys, any help is appreciated.

Mario

[civic83]

hey mario, look at model train shops, theres some real small yellow and orange radial mount leds you can buy that might work for you, most are square already. miniatronics is one company that makes some nice small ones i used for the clearance lights on my 50's ford build.

[Supermario]

Thanks Shawn. I'm going to be in Sudbury this week, I'll see what I can find. What kind of voltage is the MFU putting out for signal lights?

[dabears]

I have some 1mm leds if you need some. PM me your address.. i have quite a few of them from some projects. They are the perfect size you are looking for!

[Espeefan]

The trucks I've seen, rocking the signal lights, mounted to the mirrors, are using the Tamiya Globeliner signal lenses and housings, but I'm not sure what the trick is when mounting them up to the mirror brackets. For wire, you might want to check out magnet wire. It's a super thin wire, coated with an expoy type of insulation. To solder it onto the leads of a bulb, or LED, you just tin the ends of the wire with a soldering iron and that melts the insulation off. It's the same type of wire used in coils and small transformers. It's wrapped around a armature in those applications, and that's why it has that unique insulation coating. This type of wire is so thin, you can easily hide it. The best part is the insulation adds nothing to it's diameter, and it's good enough to run the wire through metal tube, if you want too. No shorts, as long as the ends, which you soldered and tinned, don't touch anything metal. The wire can be wrapped over another wire, with no problem.

[Supermario]

Thanks for the info Nathan. I will check out the wire you mentioned, sounds perfect for the turn signals and probably the new Pete style lights I got from PMD.

Mario

[Espeefan]

Your welcome, Mario. Check this out -

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ovqs0kZWtJ0

[Supermario]

Originally Posted by dabears

I have some 1mm leds if you need some. PM me your address.. i have quite a few of them from some projects. They are the perfect size you are looking for!

Hey Aaron !
The LEDs arrived today, thanks bud. Isn't the postal service awsome? 9 days to go 500 miles lol
This going to work great, with these lights and I found the magnet wire that Nathan mentioned ( thanks dude ) at a local electronics store.
I plan on using the shrink tube on the lower mirror arm then the light in the corner and another tube covering the rest. It will secure the led no problem.The two small wires will follow the bracket all the way around.

Hmmmm, Nathan. Do you think heating the shrinktube around the magnet wire will melt the insulation? I have to make a note to test this out first.....

Anyway, thanks for the help so far guys.

Mario

[dabears]

Glad they finally arrived!! They should be the size you needed? Magnet wire is awesome i use it alot on stuff too. Hurry up and light up those mirrors now so we can see the result

[Espeefan]

Mario, the magnet wire should be okay with some heat applied to it. I think it's a combination of the melted solder, and heat, that strips the insulation coating off. I guess it wouldn't hurt to do a test, just to be safe.

[dabears]

Direct heat will melt it. Use your soldering iron lightly on the heat shrink and you'll be ok.practice it yes! Use flux for faster solder and less heat transfer

[Goose19]

Originally Posted by Espeefan

Your welcome, Mario. Check this out -

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ovqs0kZWtJ0

best idea ive seen for wiring leds yet! i clicked on the video below, really demonstared how the stuff works!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vpgro...eature=related

where do you find this stuff in Canada mario?

[Supermario]

Originally Posted by Goose19

best idea ive seen for wiring leds yet! i clicked on the video below, really demonstared how the stuff works!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vpgro...eature=related

where do you find this stuff in Canada mario?

Hey Goose19. This magnet wire is awsome and easy to get. Here's the link to where I found it

http://www.thesource.ca/estore/categ...tegory=Magnets

Mario

[Goose19]

Originally Posted by Supermario

Hey Goose19. This magnet wire is awsome and easy to get. Here's the link to where I found it

http://www.thesource.ca/estore/categ...tegory=Magnets

Mario

excellent thanks!

i didnt think the source would have it, but i guess they kinda took over the radio shack biz up here.

[Supermario]

Hey guys,

Just wanted to update on my quest for signal light mirror mounting.

I got some fender signal lights from PMD today and started looking at how to mount and came up with this........







I drilled a hole as shown by the drill bit, trimmed a little of the threaded portion off, slid the bracket through the holes and then using the mirror itself, to secure the light in place. Added another hole to run the wire and was able to use the LED from the mfu original wiring instead of the bulb supplied from PMD.

Mario

[dabears]

Thats what i had come up with but using the stock tamiya turn signals.. I like it looks great!

[Espeefan]

Nice work Aaron. That's a great idea, for mounting up the signal lights. I'm going to borrow that, when the times comes, if you don't mind!

[glorydays24]

Mario, that's using the ol' noggin'. I might have to do this myself, and thanx for sharing.

Big John

[Goose19]

Originally Posted by Espeefan

Nice work Aaron. That's a great idea, for mounting up the signal lights. I'm going to borrow that, when the times comes, if you don't mind!

times 2. i may need to get another set of those! awesome work!