08 Tail Lights on 99-07 Trucks

[choupique108]

Alrite fellas, after searching for this over and over I always seemed to come up empty handed so i figured it deserved a write up. Bare with me, this is my first write up i have ever done.

Comparison of the 99-07 tail lights to the 08s.


You will need to go to an auto parts store and get you a 194 universal bulb socket and some bulbs for the reverse lights. THE BULBS YOU NEED ARE 922. Here is the part number for the socket


For those who have done modification before, when it is a universal part that automatically tells you that it universally dont fit anything at all. Well its the same with the bulb socket. You will have to do a little trimming. If you look at the socket when you get it, you will see that it has four tabs. Two of them are solid and two of them are the ones that will actually "lock" the socket into the light. You will have to trim about 1/8 of an inch off of the ones that lock the socket into the light. Be sure you trim the opening of the tab and not the closed end.
I tried to get a pic of the trimmed socket but it didnt come out all that great.


When you take the old tail light out you will need to remove the sockets out the lights. I did not unplug them. If you do happen to unplug them be extra careful since the tabs that hold the plug onto the socket become very brittle over the years. Once the old light is out your way, cut the reverse light plug off the factory harness.

Wire the new socket that you had to trim onto the factory harness. I do not think that there is a certain way the wires go since it is only a 2 wire system, one is hot and one is ground. I soldered the wires together and i taped up the connections. I would reccomend using heat shrink tubing but i didnt have any at the time. Here is the connection. Also be sure that when you go to put your new light back into place both of the sockets are on top of the brace in the tail light hole.


Once you have all that done just install your light using the screws you took out of your old light.
Here are some pics of the final product.



As far the actual light output I think its about the same as the 99-07 tail lights but I do think that these 08 lights follow the body lines a little better and give the truck a more stylish look.

Hope yall find this helpful.....

[Eric]

Nicely done. Thanks for the writeup

[choupique108]

Originally Posted by Eric

Nicely done. Thanks for the writeup

Thank you and your welcome.... I only had to write it twice since the internet decided i no longer needed to be on the org

[Eric]

Originally Posted by choupique108

Thank you and your welcome.... I only had to write it twice since the internet decided i no longer needed to be on the org

[joeniel]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but is the reverse light bulb smaller? Wouldnt that equate to less light output?

[kst]

same question as above....i cant see backing up in the dark as it is

[choupique108]

honestly guys its about the same.

[Big Angry Hillbilly]

my 08 almost look like a damn spotlight behind it.

the lens over the rewind light on the 08 lights is clear, as well, the mirroring is more intense around the lamp itself.

[POWERSTROKEHARD]

Nice write up. I went with LED lights instead of the factory 08 lights. I think I like the factory look better, although the LED lights are very bright and give the truck a unique style. I'm debating whether I sell the LED's and go with the 08 factory ones. Can you post a picture of the entire rear end with the lights on?

Here's what mine looks like:

[AKHILF574]

i got some 08 tail lights and i got the hole wiring harness that goes under the bed to will i be able to just un plug my 99 light harness and plug in the 08 one?