howto: rewire 620 taillights for amber lenses

[rjgilligan]

Maybe this should be in another location? Feel free to move it, if so.

This is really straightforward and a relatively simple fix. I'm not the most electrically savvy but managed to figure this out after looking at the truck schematic for a minute.

 

My taillights were pretty cracked and broken when I got my 620, and after looking around for a while, all I could find for replacements were these ambers ones from Thailand on eBay.

 

 

Maybe you've seen them as well.  I realized that they were a problem as soon as they arrived.  The Japanese tail lenses made for the US market are all red, and both the blinker (nearest to side of truck) and brake light (2nd from side of truck) send their signals to both lights.  This meant that when I just put these amber ones on, the turn signal blinked red and amber, as did the brakes. A bit confusing for other drivers.

 

The 620 runs 2 wires back for L and R signals that act as both the signal and brake wires.  You'll need to run a separate brake wire to split them apart. Here are the steps I took.

 

1: Pull the wire wrapping off the taillights.  On each unit, you'll find a green wire that splits and goes to both the 1st and 2nd bulbs. Cut it at the split for the one that goes to the 2nd, but leave the green wire going to the 1st bulb. Tape off the exposed wire.  This will effectively remove the turn signal blink from the brake light.

 

2: Disconnect the switching side of the switch mounted on the brake petal mount, directly above the brake petal, which runs a wire to the hazard unit. To know which is which, you can test each with a volt meter while the key is turned on.  The switching side should only be hot when the brakes are pressed. This effectively removes your brake light from your turn signal, but now you have no brake lights since the switch ground goes nowhere!

 

3 Run a wire, starting at the brake light switch you disconnected, following the main wire harness that goes under the passenger seat to the back of the truck. I ran 17ft of 14 gauge stranded and it just made it.  (You can pick it up at ACE for about 8 bucks. I also recommend grabbing 3 wire connectors to keep everything clean.)

 

4. Connect the new wire you just ran to the back of the truck to both of the cut green wires on the taillights, in series.  In other words, run it to the passenger side taillight wire, and then from there, to the driver side wire. Now your brake lights only go to the 2nd bulbs from the side of the truck!

 

I'll post some more pics later on when I find my camera.

 

[Dawa]

nice! if i had bought those lenses i probably wouldve never realized that

both colors were blinking.

[abbylind]

Wow I would have just bought some transparent red paint and sprayed the yellow lens red inside!    :rolleyes:

[rjgilligan]

haha, yea.. I guess I went above and beyond the call of duty for ownin a ratsun.

 

The truth is though, these trucks are so simple when you start looking into them.  This whole thing took me about 30 minutes, minus the drive to ACE to get some wire.

[Z-train]

 This meant that when I just put these amber ones on, the turn signal blinked red and amber, as did the brakes. A bit confusing for other drivers.

Hence the reason they are illegal in most states.

[Ron1200]

Nice Info... I just put the red ones back on but this is a good option. :)

[Dawa]

show photos of them installed so i can get in image of how different they look :)

[rjgilligan]

Sure I'll get some photos up in a few weeks.... truck is on jacks & bed is off right now. Doing a little east coast winter rust prevention.

[villegs]

just did this on my 77KC decided to add some wiring photo to help anyone else as a photo is worth 1000 words

blue to green, turn signal

darkgreen and yellow go to 2 green/yellow stripe, marker lights

bottom red goes to red/black, back up light

middle red goes to new wiring ran from brake light switch

https://www.flickr.com/photos/95749858@N07/13913077680/

[villegs]

and black is ground for those not so inclined, and sorry I am not pic inclined

[ggzilla]

Amber is not illegal.

 

Hence the reason they are illegal in most states.

USA "Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 108 [1968] allows rear turn signals to be either red or amber in color... amber signals show a 5.3% effectivenss in reducing involvement in two-vehicle crashes where a lead vehicle is rear-struck in the act of turn left, turning right, merging into traffic, changing lanes, or entering/leaving a parking space. The advantage of amber rear turn signals is shown to be statistically significant." -- NTSHA document.

 

Nevertheless, amber was slow in coming. Even in the 1990s red rear turns signals are commonplace. The Nissan Altima even changed three times, from Amber to Red to Amber and back to red.

 

"In Europe and many other countries, rear turn signals are required to be amber. Currently [2009], manufacturers ... [for] North American markets choose whether to produce [amber or red rear turn signals]." -- NTSHA document.

[ggzilla]

Are those Australia or Europe lenses (what are the numbers on them)?

[ggzilla]

OK this is late 620 with the round connectors.

 

[villegs]

with out the rewire amber and red light up at same time, flashing and stopping both, that is the legal issue.

[villegs]

these shipped from Singapore

[Z-train]

with out the rewire amber and red light up at same time, flashing and stopping both, that is the legal issue.

Correct.

[ggzilla]

Got it. Stop lamps must be red, just like in other countries.