[Bosco15]

I didn't like the lack of illumination on the back of the Grand Vitara.
Missus said that I was hard to see among the other traffic on the way home from Sydney, when she was following in another car.
So I decided to do something about it.

Here's the back of Grand Vitara dummy lights.



And here a some Feebay light globe holders.



Put them together.



Tail lights.



Brake lights



Indicators



Grand total. $14

[Joe]

Awesome i've been thinking about doing something similar to mine what are you gunna do for a reverse light now?

[Bosco15]

I was thinking about squeezing another socket into the side of the original reverse light chamber, but will probably just bolt a white led cheapie next to the number plate. .
Forgot the price of the amber spade bulbs. $15.
So, $29 mod.

[watermouse]

I likey. Nice one.

Can you link to the ebay seller? My Ebay search finds surprisingly few and/or expensive holders.

[Bosco15]

watermouse wrote:

I likey. Nice one.

Can you link to the ebay seller? My Ebay search finds surprisingly few and/or expensive holders.

Can't link from ebay app on phone, but search item numbers.
181421040851 - 3wire 1157 socket. Used for brake/tail globes
181425536128 - 2wire 1156 socket. Used for single filament globes.
Seller is UXCELL.

When I started trying to fit holders, I cut a hole with a 25mm hole saw, filed the hole out to 26mm (1") and then filed out tab holes for the globe holder tabs.
This was quite laborious and took a while. So, the next three I just trimmed the tabs off the globe holders with a hobby knife, so that they are just a round socket. 25mm hole saw and enlarged it to take the socket. (A nice tight fit)
The central dummy light has a nice flat molding to take the holder.
The upper dummy light has no molding. It curves away. I cut the hole and got the holder sitting nicely, then gooped some silicone around it as a retainer.
You could just do the centre light with the 1157 socket. (Tail/brake)
When done, I ran figure 8 (two core) wire down to original tail lights and spliced into them. Soldered and heat shrink for a reliable joint.
I do feel a lot better now when driving at night.

[murcod]

Nice. I've seen an XL-7 in Adelaide getting around with them done and thought mine had blown bulbs at first.

With the wiring, you have to run it out external to the cabin and hook in underneath the vehicle - I'm guessing there isn't a loom inside the cabin?

[watermouse]

Bosco15 wrote:

Can't link from ebay app on phone, but search item numbers.
181421040851 - 3wire 1157 socket. Used for brake/tail globes
181425536128 - 2wire 1156 socket. Used for single filament globes.
Seller is UXCELL.

Excellent, Thanks!

[Bosco15]

murcod wrote:

Nice. I've seen an XL-7 in Adelaide getting around with them done and thought mine had blown bulbs at first.

With the wiring, you have to run it out external to the cabin and hook in underneath the vehicle - I'm guessing there isn't a loom inside the cabin?

There's a loom inside the car, where the jack resides, & mine had been tapped into for the trailer plug. It was tied down pretty tight and would involve pulling the plastics from inside the car.
The dummy light recess doesn't actually go into the cabin. There is another wall behind them. I found the easiest way was to run the wiring out of the patched hole beneath the lights (external to the car) & down to the bumper bar lights.

[murcod]

Okay, thanks for the info.

[GeckoXL7]

murcod wrote:

Nice. I've seen an XL-7 in Adelaide getting around with them done and thought mine had blown bulbs at first.

With the wiring, you have to run it out external to the cabin and hook in underneath the vehicle - I'm guessing there isn't a loom inside the cabin?

That would be me i use to have the alteza lights but leaked and went back to stock.

My wires just go straight downt to the bumper bar, nothing really there apart from the hole in the bumper bar lights to poke the wire through.
If using LEDs i found 7wat is a must anything less cant really see them, and the metal case ones as the plastic lights fell apart after a month.
Got my sockets from DX.com along with LED's quite cheap.

THere is another female GV driver with alteza lights all lit up as well. I did it after seeing them in canada, about 6 years ago and that i got sick and tired of people saying your brake lights arnt working!

I have to get around to doing the indicators. Good that the orange light shines through.