Rear lampholder question

[transalpian]

On yet another segment of my electrical journey, I continue to struggle with my rear lights.

As an update, my wiring is is good shape. I have eliminated all the seemingly random bullet connections and have created a good ground. I have a steady 12.5V everywhere.

My problem should be easy to solve, but I haven't yet.

The problem: I can't find a decent lampholder for my tail/brake lights! I purchased a set of LR lampholders, but they have a plastic socket with too large a tolerance on the bulb socket diameter (IMHO). To make it worse, the plastic is quite soft, allowing the bulb "bayonettes" to gouge the socket. It is so bad that the bulbs will install in either position (i.e. the brake filament will light up instead of the tail light filament).

So, I end up with a socket that barely holds the bulbs in place and often a bulb that vibrates out of the socket completely!

Does anybody make lampholders for a SIII with a metal socket? I'm tempted to go down to the farm parts store, buy some cheap lampholders, cannabalize the metal socket, and attempt to retrofit the LR parts.

Are there better approaches?

[SafeAirOne]

I share your pain!

Just 2 nights ago, I had to reset the lamp in the socket of my new plastic parking/brake lamp socket (for the 50th time) because one lug keeps popping out of the groove.

I don't know if our host's sockets are any different, but they cost about the same as the lousy one I got from another vendor.

There are originals out there, though...

[transalpian]

I bought mine from our hosts....

Are the originals metal?

[SafeAirOne]

I bought mine from our hosts....

Are the originals metal?

There was a time when they were. Might try Ike to see if he has any metal ones. I was thinking of RDS, though it looks like their OEM ones are plastic, too.

[Firemanshort]

I am also on this quest. My left rear tail / stop light is showing the same signs and symtpoms as described above. WIPAC manufactures the soft plastic light sockets. They are throw-away cheap and subsequently throw-away quality.

LUCAS was the OEM light socket and they were made from metal. Mine were original and rusted completely up. I thought I was upgrading by replacing them.

[transalpian]

I queried Atlantic British about their part number 7524. Looks like it could be metal? No answer yet, but at $62.95 each? Ouch.....

I have a spare LR green box lamp in my parts bin. I may try the hybrid approach with a metal socket in the LR plastic housing.

[TedW]

I replaced the clear fronts with Genuine Defender lamps. Plastic bases, but no problems. Have you tried / considered those?

[SafeAirOne]

I replaced the clear fronts with Genuine Defender lamps. Plastic bases, but no problems. Have you tried / considered those?

They should be the same--Genuine defender lamps = Replacement Series lamps, or so they're marketed.

[siiirhd88]

I had the same repeat problems with the plastic base lamps on my SIII. I finally bought a set of reproduction Lucas L691 type lamps on Ebay. They have a chrome metal base, a lens held in place with two screws, and have been trouble free. I believe this type of lamp was used on a Series at some point, as two of my parts trucks had similar lamps.

Bob

[lrdukdog]

sockets

I went to a NAPA store and got replacement sockets like these.

http://www.taillightking.com/light_bulbs_Sockets.htm

I then removed the old center socket and replaced it with a new metal one. You keep the part with the mounting holes and just switch out the center. I just cut it off and used JB Weld to "glue" the new one in.
Jim Wolf

[jac04]

I replaced the clear fronts with Genuine Defender lamps. Plastic bases, but no problems. Have you tried / considered those?

^^ X2. I have 10 of the Genuine Defender lamps on my Lightweight. They are made by Perei, and the bulbs fit nicely. IMO, they appear to be much better quality than the Wipac lights. I actually bought a set of Wipac lights, but after seeing the quality I returned them in favor of the Genuine lights.

[transalpian]

I had the same repeat problems with the plastic base lamps on my SIII. I finally bought a set of reproduction Lucas L691 type lamps on Ebay. They have a chrome metal base, a lens held in place with two screws, and have been trouble free. I believe this type of lamp was used on a Series at some point, as two of my parts trucks had similar lamps.

Bob

So these have a three-bolt mounting to the body? Direct interchange?

Thanks for the lead!

[transalpian]

I queried Atlantic British about their part number 7524. Looks like it could be metal? No answer yet, but at $62.95 each? Ouch.....

I have a spare LR green box lamp in my parts bin. I may try the hybrid approach with a metal socket in the LR plastic housing.

Answer - metal housing, metal socket, TWO BOLT MOUNTING = no go for me

So, what do we know about the mounting pattern of Lucas L692?

[siiirhd88]

The L291 / L292 lamp is mounted with three screws, at least on the lamps I have.

Bob

[transalpian]

Interesting.

Ike responded to my query stating that his L691/692 lampholders are two-bolt mount (to the body).

What you have is what I want, I just need to figure out how to get it! I asked an ebay vendor the two- versus three-mounting screw question with no real answer ("I don't have one in front of me"). Maybe I should take a wing on an ebay purchase and if they are two hole, drill the socket to suit the Rover? Not interested in more holes in the body...

FYI on the hybrid socket approach, I found a simple socket that will almost fit into my Perei lampholder (to me, indicating the Perei socket is WAY over tolerance). A little material removal will make it seat nicely. However, the lens mounting posts are made of the same soft plastic and of the three lampholders I've had, I've seen two stripped lens screws right out of the box. (2 of 6 failure rate new? not OK to me).

Any thoughts?