Hey guys! I got the 64 Wildcat back home and decided "Let's put all new bulbs in it" Well that worked for the most part, but I realized now my front left turn signal socket is so old and corroded the new bulb isn't working unless i push it in really hard. The springs for the contacts are just... not doing what they should anymore. What kind of socket do I need, and where to find it? These bulbs come into the housing on a 45° angle... My mechanic is more than happy to install something IF i find the socket. (I'd do it myself but with a gravel driveway on a huge slope, there's no jacking a car up). So yeah.. it doesnt appear to me to be a push-in type like the rears... is it some kind of twist in? Can't really stick my head up behind the bumper to see the opposite end of it.
what ive done before is to put a dab of solder on the bulb "tit's",making the contact point of the bulb a bit longer:TU: Also,most new bulbs are made in...CHINA...and dont last nearly as long as the originals,keep them OE unless you actually need to replace one.Then go salvage some at the junkyard.
What's funny is, the only one I broke is the only one that needed to be changed! All the amber had come off the bulb, so... it were necessary to replace. Solder sounds like a good idea. I'll tell the mechanic to do that tomorrow when I drop it off. Any idea if that doesn't work, what kind of socket I'm going to need, though? Do we have anyone who specializes in these things? Might Painless wiring know where to find something?
Those were one of Buicks better idea`s. I have fought my drivers side front signal.:af: To get the light backing assy out you need to remove a bumper bracket for the side thats bad. I need to do mine and have the assy ready to put in ,But its a pain. I honed out the inside of the socket then cleaned off the contact leads. replaced the grease in the socket. Now it works, for how long ???. they are push, and twist sockets but are hard to get ahold of. I broke one bulb doing that and cut my finger. Good Luck Gary
These are huge pains. I just did WD-40 until the spring loosened up. Also, you can put a bulb in which pushes the insulator in the socket back, and they let it spring back forward over time. I have put new sockets in the reverse lights. AutoZone sells a socket that you can take the insulator and spring out of and transplant into your original socket, but you still need access to the back that is a royal pain.
I asked my grandfather what he used to do with these things. He said, the best idea is to cut or drill out the end of the socket, solder 2 wires to the tits on the bulb, connect em to the wires to the socket, and problem solved, so long as you have a good ground on the sides of the socket. It's not sounding like too much of a bad idea to me to be honest.. using shrink wrap and silicon and whatever else to tidy it up afterward..
Pete I used a battery cable, post, cleaner tool to ream out the socket and spray WD40, as long as socket not coroded away:TU:
Well my springs aren't springing, is what's going on..... Right now it decided to work again by itself, so I'm going to try to leave well enough alone this time, and see how long before the bulb stops working again. Probably will keep working.
If you want something definitely different in bulbs, try this place. http://www.superbrightleds.com/led_prods.htm If you go that route, choose carefully, and they ARE better than what you get (LED wise) at a chain auto part store, period. ElectraJim
I have used springs from a ball point pen to make contact springs....and I have soldered the wires to the bulbs like grandpa did....:Brow:
lol im back to this again.. hoping they decide to work by themselves again.. otherwise im calling that guy from texas, Stacy Brown for a turn signal socket, he's bound to have one!
Yeah but for this car I've gotta take some bumper brackets and crap off to change it.. I'd kinda like to have the part before I do that.. as it's my daily driver right now.... I should be attaining a new DD in the next few days tho.. so I guess that is an option. (to leave it sitting half apart) I didn't see anything in the help section of AutoBarn, PepBoys, or AutoZone that looked correct.. although, I admit I can't really tell what it should look like 100% in the first place without removing it ;-o
I use pigtails purchased from a heavy duty truck parts store. IIRC "Truck-Lite" is the mfg. Corrosion is a big problem on the big rigs so they sell the foot long wire piece with the button on one end and the spring. Get a tube of the "contact grease" too. Before you leave, buy a box of 198 and 199 bulbs. These are the heavy duty versions of the 1157 and 1156 respectively. They're made to withstand shock and vibration. I always change out bulbs on a newly acquired "keeper". I have a Vette now for 32 years. Drive it every summer...never replaced a bulb. Good luck.
Don't remember where I saw them at but there are some sockets that use a springy rubber plug kinda thing. Instead of a spring these rubber pieces fit into the socket and have 2 holes for the wires. Not sure if you're trying to replace the socket itself as some sockets have fingers that lock them to the main housing. But then aren't then crimped all the way around instead of a finger type housing? Not at home to check any of my rigs. Wish I could remember where I saw the rubber pieces. Coulda been in Japan or a pick-a-part.
I had a similar problem with my front marker light on my electra. The round plastic piece around it was cracking and everything. My mechanic refused to work on it in case it broke. So i had to go take off the lens. Then turned out the socket seemed to be too big. I wonder if they get stretched and worn out over the years from the heat from the bulb??? Anyway, we sanded down the contact points and slathered it in vasoline and put it back in. Works good. For now.. Jason
So.. I got a few months out of it.. GAH its not working again. I've stopped caring about my neutral safety switch and reverse lights now that I read NYS Vehicle Traffic Law that says I only NEED them on a 68 and newer vehicle. (or 69.. i forget). but my damn turn signal.. gahhh im gonna go start pulling bumper brackets and screwing things up until i get this right. glad i asked this question ages ago now i can refer to it w/o having to wait on a response
