Corner Light Conversion Or Aftermarket Side Blinkers

[87BeachCruiser]

It seems at least a couple of you have converted your side marker parking lights to work as turn signals.

 

In this post (http://www.nissanpathfinders.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=4175&view=&hl="marker lights"&fromsearch=1) Mookie writes:

 

"On my old Pathy, I just relaced the stock 1156 socket with a 1157 socket to hold an 1157 bulb (dual filament). Ran the stock wires up to it and done. There are other ways of doing it to (search on the other Nissan boards). I just used my dremmel to make the hole for the socket a little larger to fit the 1157 socket in."

 

That seems like a pretty straightforward modification. I suppose the toughest part is adapting the assembly to hold the dual filament bulb. Another option would be to add another bulb. Again you'd have to figure out how to cut a neat hole to hold the bulb in there nice. In another thread he mentions there's a write up somewhere- I can't find it though. If anyone comes across it, please post a link.

 

Perhaps the easiest option would be to buy some separate side blinker assemblies and screw 'em right into the fender, or perhaps into the side of my (square-sided) brush guard (this would look kind of lame, but I wouldn't have to start drilling holes in my nice fenders). Anyone ever do something like that?

 

Whatever solution I go for, fast blinking blinkers would probably drive me nuts. So to avoid this I need to make sure that both blinkers are using the same watt bulb, correct?

 

Thanks.

[ahardb0dy]

the easiest way sounds like to just replace the bulb socket with one that will accept a 1157 bulb and run a wire from the new socket to the existing turn signal

[Cuong Nguyen]

feeling lazy to follow the link but I spliced a wire from the actual turn signal, ground to ground on the marker light. Do not have the ground hooked up on the turn signal light but to the corner light.

[silverton]

It would be easier to splice in a dual filament base. as a single filament base is only going to have one contact for the bulb.

[87BeachCruiser]

Stupid question: the dual filament bulb will act as both my parking lights and turn signal. How does that work with only two leads coming from the 1157 socket? I'm assuming one is ground- how does the bulb know which is the parking feed and which is the turn signal feed? Pardon my ignorance here.

 

Aha, it does seem there are 1157 sockets with three wires, so I guess that's what I need.

 

Another edit: searching the web reveals this is a common mod on lots of vehicles. There may even be a Nissan dual filament, three wire socket that will fit w/out any cutting (taillight socket?), I'll have to take my housing to Pepboys and try a couple out. Also, everyone's favorite lighting guy, Daniel Stern, has a write-up here: http://dsl.torque.net/images/Markerflash.pdf This example uses the stock bulb and housing, so that the turn signal will interrupt your parking light. This seems to be what Cuong is saying above (didn't understand that at first). I might give that a go.

Edited May 25, 2010 by 87BeachCruiser