jdm taillight question

[abstrack]

can someone tell me what the difference is between the jdm taillights and are usdm taillights? cuz i found a pair for 275 and i was just wondering why someone would wanna buy em.:rolleyes:

[BarracksSi]

JDM Civic Type-R taillights have an amber turn signal where the USDM lights have an unused space.

I believe (not positive, though) that the JDM lights use the top circle as the "always-on" taillight, which also brightens when the brakes are applied. I'm honestly not sure if, or how, the JDM lights use the bottom space.

The main difference, though, is the aforementioned amber turn signal, just outboard of the reverse lamp circle.

[HgSi]

Originally posted by BarracksSi
I'm honestly not sure if, or how, the JDM lights use the bottom space.


Foglight, probably.

[Legrrr]

This is a fog light on the left hand side. If you hate those people at night that try to ride your ass then get this. At night the fog light is almost equil to putting on reverse high beams. That should get the message across. I always piss people off when i left it on on a clear night.

[abstrack]

wouldnt it be easier to just mod the USDM ones... i remember seeing a thread on it but i cant fint it anymore.. can someone link me pls

[BarracksSi]

Yes, it would be easier & cheaper.

Given a choice, I'd actually rather go with JDM because of the amber turn signal lens.

What's the idea behind the foglight, though? Is it supposed to be a high-wattage bulb for extra visibility, but only during foggy conditions?

Here in the NE it would come in handy, but I don't know if it would be US legal.

[HgSi]

Originally posted by BarracksSi
Yes, it would be easier & cheaper.

Given a choice, I'd actually rather go with JDM because of the amber turn signal lens.


Yes. Enough of the Detroit-style red turn signals.



What's the idea behind the foglight, though? Is it supposed to be a high-wattage bulb for extra visibility, but only during foggy conditions?


Yes. Exactly. They would also probably be helpful during severe rain. Such lights are required equipment in Europe.



Here in the NE it would come in handy, but I don't know if it would be US legal.

Yes, they should be legal. A lot of European cars sold in the US have them. (Mercedes, Saab, Audi, Volvo, and others)

BTW...If you plan on installing them in your car, typically they're supposed to be only on the side closest to the middle of the road (i.e. the driver's side, unless you're driving a car with the steering wheel on the wrong side for your particular country). So in the US it should be on the left side only. I don't know why they only have it on one side, but I presume it's so they don't get confused with brakelights.

[BarracksSi]

That's really interesting --

What turns it on -- would it come on with the foglights, or is there a separate switch?

Will it be on along with the "running" taillights, or independent of them, or is it always on separately (as in, either the foglight OR the taillights)?

I'm assuming that I would need to run a new connection back there in my US EP, correct?

And, yes, I can imagine that using just one bulb would help differentiate between the rear foglight and brake lights. That would let it be bright enough to be seen, but not as a bright pair of lights.

This is getting neater & neater -- I'm thinking of getting JDM tails more seriously now.

[djcubinlinx]

Yea, if someone could find out the exact, i could prob do an install and give some pix.

[Legrrr]

There is a seperate switch for the fog light, you can just use one of the empty switch spots on the dash (probably what its used for any way).

[BarracksSi]

One more question (I know, I'm full of 'em on ths thread!)...

What do I use to get the higher wattage for that fog light? Is this going to be a bit beyond me if I even have to ask the question?

What about sourcing the parts (switch, bulb, wiring, etc) from the UK?

[Z-49]

Originally posted by djcubinlinx
Yea, if someone could find out the exact, i could prob do an install and give some pix.

[BarracksSi]

Ooh, just thought of this (my mind thinks laterally more easily late at night) --

Use the circuitry for front-mounted foglights (either OEM or aftermarket) and a relay to run the rear foglight.

How can it be made to be brighter, though? Simply use a higher-wattage bulb?

Or, wait -- that setup would only apply if the foglights were used exclusively in foggy conditions. Otherwise, other drivers would think that you're using your brakes, or -- more embarrassing, I think -- they would think that your lighting system is broken, like on those rusty pickup trucks that don't need to pass inspection anymore.

Doggone it, I'm never going to get myself settled into a lighting modification I'll be happy with... lol

[djcubinlinx]

Originally posted by Z-49


Ok, i see the pic with the 1,2,3. Now, is that with the brakes on? Turning signal on or what? Or just the parking lights? All you have to do to make the lights brighter, is to change the wattage of they bulbs. Be carefull, if you use too higher of a wattage, you could burn the housings.

[sleepin02si]

Originally posted by djcubinlinx
Ok, i see the pic with the 1,2,3. Now, is that with the brakes on? Turning signal on or what? Or just the parking lights? All you have to do to make the lights brighter, is to change the wattage of they bulbs. Be carefull, if you use too higher of a wattage, you could burn the housings.

With the conversion:

1 = Braking

2 = Turn signal

1 & 3 = Braking with lights on

1 & 2 = Braking with Turn signal

1, 2, & 3 = Braking with Turn signal with Lights on.

[Z-49]

Originally posted by djcubinlinx
Ok, i see the pic with the 1,2,3. Now, is that with the brakes on? Turning signal on or what? Or just the parking lights? All you have to do to make the lights brighter, is to change the wattage of they bulbs. Be carefull, if you use too higher of a wattage, you could burn the housings.
i already modifed my stock tails. as you can see, the pic is w/ lights on.
1 = turn
2 = running
3 = brake
but that is just my setup.
sleepin tells you how the jdm's setup is.

[djcubinlinx]

Originally posted by sleepin02si
With the conversion:

1 = Braking

2 = Turn signal

1 & 3 = Braking with lights on

1 & 2 = Braking with Turn signal

1, 2, & 3 = Braking with Turn signal with Lights on.

Ok, so it's safe to assume, that 3 is the light for the parking lights?

[anti-hu]

Originally posted by abstrack
can someone tell me what the difference is between the jdm taillights and are usdm taillights? cuz i found a pair for 275 and i was just wondering why someone would wanna buy em.:rolleyes:

where did you find those taillights, did a search for them on google with no success.

[abstrack]

dam i cant really remember... try optionsauto.com or any one of those jdm shops ex.(jamhondaparts.com) im sure they have them or can get them

[BarracksSi]

Check out Fizz Autosports (http://www.fizzautosports.com) -- they've got the JDM taillights for $275/pair. :eek:

[BarracksSi]

Just saw a Volvo tonight in the rain with the foglight that's been mentioned before.

It was a VERY visible extra light in its left taillight that was neither a turn signal nor a running light. It looked even brighter than the turn signal that the driver started using just before I passed by.

Dang it, I want to do it my MY car! lol...

must... keep... my... money.......

Any ideas for wiring, switches, etc? Should it turn on along with the foglights, or should it be independent of them?

[MrCivic03]

Originally posted by djcubinlinx
Ok, so it's safe to assume, that 3 is the light for the parking lights?

the parking lights arent shown(are u referring to the white one?) there it is a little white circle next to the #2 light. it is still white but if he was in reverse and took a pic with all that it would get hecktik i bet b/c to much light to take in at once. so no it is not the reverse but yes three can be seen at dark but it is red and reverse is white.

[BarracksSi]

So, with sleepin02si's conversion, #3 -- the not-white one at the bottom -- is a parking/running light that comes on with the headlights. This is the same as USDM stock.

White lights in the rear are ONLY for reverse gear. If they're on for any other reason, they're illegal.

The phrase "parking lights" has come to describe lights that come on in, I suppose, the first stage of vehicle lights (2nd stage being headlights). They're intended to make your vehicle visible while parked at night, but without the glare of headlights.

By this definition, the white circles aren't "parking lights". They're only for reverse gear, and are normally called "reverse lights".

Why have taillights that don't show white when the car's going forwards? Well, simple -- the car is going FORWARDS. General rule for cars, planes, and boats is that the white light shines to the front, and the red lights shine to the rear. This way, if you see white lights in front of you on the freeway, you'll assume that somebody's driving the wrong goddamn way and you'd better get out of their way -- UNLESS that yahoo screwed around with their lights, and they just threw you into a panic, hopefully not scaring you so much that you veered into the wall.

Style is one thing, but there have to be limits so that wrecks don't happen. sleepin02si's conversion works just fine, and doesn't add any unnecessary hazards to those around him.

I've begun to reason that I like keeping the circle lights a secret until I use my turn signals -- they're just so cool, they'll get boring if people see them all the time... ;)