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Pilot Tail Lights

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Pilot Tail Lights

How To Brighten Up Your Back End

Original Idea By Don Nelson - Additional Ideas By Dave Burgess

The back end of the second generation Venture is in dire need of more lights and brighter lights, particularly brake lights. There is an easy and inexpensive way to add brake lights by mounting an LED brake light designed as an automotive auxilliary brake light that sticks to the inside of the back window. This is an array of 24 LEDs (Light Emitting Diodes) contained in a plastic housing that can be attached to the tubing under the trunk. The plastic housing can be waterproofed by removing the lens and applying a thin coating of clear RTV silicone. The LED unit is made by Pilot (Part no. WE6-197) and is available at auto supply centers, including Auto Zone.

The wires are connected to the brake light circuit behind the lisence plate. Be sure to connect the proper one to ground. Reversing the wires will not damage anything, but the lights just won't work. The yellow wire is the brake circuit and any black wire is ground.

To mount the LED unit, you can use "handlebar clips" or C shaped electrical conduit clips. They should be for 3/4" tubing. Drill a hole in the clip so that it can be screwed onto the LED bar and then snap onto the trunk support tubing. If necessary, the clips can be squeezed in a vice so that they will grip the tubing more firmly.

Update added 10/08/05 by Gary Mace (Venturous)

Recently, some of asked for closer pictures on how to mount these. There are several ways, but I used a simple 90 degree bracket I made from thin copper strapping. I then pull back the rubber cover over the helmet lock bracket and tucked it in behind. I attached the copper brackets to the helmet lock bracket using a screw and nut. I then attached the Pilot LED Lights using the copper brackets. Here is picture that may help:

Update by TnTim:

I mounted mine the same way Gary did. Made a couple of "L" brackets and attached to the rear of the helmet holders. I also trimmed the "legs" off the plastic brackets that came with the light and used the round part that was left to cap off the end of the light for extra support.

Last update: 03:43 PM Saturday, October 8, 2005

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