[DALE FRIER]

I purchased a set of taillight housings from PY and have had nothing but problems with the light sockets. First off you could not even get the bulbs into the sockets and after spendind hours on them finally got the bulbs to fit. Now the lights are intermittent???
PY tells me that they have never had this problem ?
Has anyone had this problem with new housings.:confused:

[Ccass]

I guess it's certainly possible you got a bad set. However, those housings have been available for at least 5 years. If there was a known problem, you'd think we'd all be hearing about it here on the forums by now. All the suppliers carry the same version. Ames, OPG, YO etc. All the same. They are made by Parts Place. Maybe they know a trick to installing the bulbs that PY is unaware of?

[TedRamAirII]

Housings are one thing, sockets are another. Those sockets were never a good design. If they are not working all the time, make sure they are getting a good ground. A 1157 bulb is always the same, no matter who makes it.

[Peter Serio]

Not so sure about all 1157 bulbs being the same, in theory yes, of course.

I hope I am not alone here but lately I have noticed a lot of car parts (all kinds), new but made with much cheaper materials. I am talking thinner metal, malformed, undersized or just plain poor or non-existent quality control. The bulbs of modern car parts store, the metal base 1157s seems to be smaller in diameter & not as well formed. The 2 locator pins which are made on-purpose at different depths are both sunken inwards and it just doesn't give you that real nice "twist-n/lok" the same as older bulbs do.

There is only one way to properly install an 1157 bulb into a taillamp socket but with these new crappy made bulbs it is not always clear which was is the right way. I would seek out older NOS AC Delco made, general electric or other brand U.S.A. made bulbs and try again. I'll bet you will see that older made bulbs will fit a lot better.

[mrgto69]

Hi Dale. I'm not sure who you spoke to ay PY, but I know all about these housings. Pete Serio is correct, the bulbs are not made like the originals where the metal part is not at thick. Customers have relayed to me that they have problems inserting the bulb into the sockets. I pulled one off the shelf and had a really hard time getting the bulbs in too. I think when the company crimps the sockets in, they distort the shape of the socket. I also had a customer say once he got the bulb inserted, he tested it and it worked, then while driving down the road with the lights on, they flickered. He didn't want to return them so I told him a fix is to take the bulbs out and put a little more solder on each contact of the bulb. That will put more pressure on the spring contact inside the socket. He was OK with that and it worked. GP Mike