Wiring Brake/Tail/Turn Lights


IHC in the early to mid-fifties.

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Post Sat May 04, 2019 4:12 pm

Wiring Brake/Tail/Turn Lights

Apparently my turn switch doesn't have enough wires to run all these at the rear. Currently I have tail lights and turn signals but cannot get the brakes incorporated. I'm thinking if I add a 3 wire to 2 wire converter in-line it will take care of my problem. See a picture of it below. I already have the turn wires run to the rear but I couldn't figure out what to do with the wire coming from the brake switch. I can splice into the turn wires already going back and add the brake switch wire to this converter. Would you agree if I splice one of these in-line it will work?

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Post Sat May 04, 2019 4:20 pm

Re: Wiring Brake/Tail/Turn Lights

What turn signal switch do you have? If it is in column there should be a wire to the brake light switch. If it is an add on switch outside the column and only has 4 wires, then you either need to change to switch that has the extra brake light wire, or use that converter.
If you use that converter, you wire it between the turn signal switch and rear lights. the wire from the brake light switch goes to the white wire on the converter, the "to car" half connects to the turn signal wires from the switch, the "to trailer" connects to the wires from the rear lights only (they get dis connected from the switch the converter is inserted in between.

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Post Sat May 04, 2019 7:25 pm

Re: Wiring Brake/Tail/Turn Lights

Yes that was exactly my understanding of how to wire that converter in. I would like to keep my switch so I will get the converter. Thanks for confirming. The wire kit I got says I need to have a 6 wire minimum switch for the brake wire to go through turn switch. My column mount has 5 wires.
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Golden Jubilee
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Post Sun May 05, 2019 5:20 am

Re: Wiring Brake/Tail/Turn Lights

I may be missing something but it looks to me like you will be missing regular taillight function using the converter unless you are running separate wires for the low filament in a two filament bulb. Brake lights and turn signal use the high (bright) filament and I don’t see how the converter will function for the low filament.
L110 owner since 1974, finally rebuilt 2014.

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Post Sun May 05, 2019 6:20 am

Re: Wiring Brake/Tail/Turn Lights

WEW51L110 wrote:I may be missing something but it looks to me like you will be missing regular taillight function using the converter unless you are running separate wires for the low filament in a two filament bulb. Brake lights and turn signal use the high (bright) filament and I don’t see how the converter will function for the low filament.


There are 2 wires going to each tail light. One labeled "Tail Light" and the other labeled "Turn Signal". I would leave the tail light wires as is and only incorporate the converter into the turn signal wiring.

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Post Mon May 06, 2019 8:41 am

Re: Wiring Brake/Tail/Turn Lights

Can somebody please help me confirm I'm fine with doing what I want to do? I'm not so much looking for personal preference but if what I'm doing is acceptable.

I've decided to add a separate light on each side in the rear rather than adding this converter. I already have one light on each side wired and complete that has the running and turn light working. I would like to make the pedestal light I add to be brake only since the other light is already wired. So one light will be running/turn and the other will be brake. Is this acceptable?

On the front, I have 2 amber lights each side, one below the headlight and one on the fender top. I have only the lower one wired to be a running light and both top and bottom wired to show turn. Is this acceptable?

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Post Mon May 06, 2019 9:46 am

Re: Wiring Brake/Tail/Turn Lights

If acceptable means LEGAL check state and DOT regs. I have wired two old trucks in the past in the manner you describe and it was acceptable to me. My local men in blue never found fault with it either.
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