Hi all you Stude buffs!
My front signal/park light sockets are corroded and not making proper contact with the retaining cylinder that holds them. Because the cables are not spring-loaded I am getting sporadic contact with the twin terminals on the bulb base. If you wiggle, push or pull on one or both cables the lights work. This socket can only take an 1158 bulb, which is a rare thing to boot. Have already tried to build up the pigtail terminals with solder, and it worked (somewhat), but that's mickey-mouse and not predictable.
I was able to get a socket assembly that will take the 1154 bulb (as used in the rear park/stop/taillight setup), but cannot make it work properly on the front. When either the signal or park light is activated, the candle power is extremely weak, maybe 1/12 of what it should be. Also the slots which accommodate the tabs on either side of the socket shaft make the shaft a little too thick to fit in the retaining cylinder mounted on the side of lens-retaining fixture.
Has anyone encountered this problem and have a fix for me. Replacing the original sockets with new ones would be the answer, but although shown in the catalogue, NAPA says they aren't available anymore. Perhaps NAPA in USA still carry them? I would prefer to stay with sockets that take the 1158 bulb, but the other alternative is making that 1154 work. Has anybody converted their front-end over to the 1154 socket and bulb? Imagine the setup is the same in 47-52 models.
Once this problem is solved, I'll be up and running and not bugging the world anymore. Thanks everyone for any help you can give.
Dave D.
'51 4-dr Champion
Smithers, B.C.
Canada
My front signal/park light sockets are corroded and not making proper contact with the retaining cylinder that holds them. Because the cables are not spring-loaded I am getting sporadic contact with the twin terminals on the bulb base. If you wiggle, push or pull on one or both cables the lights work. This socket can only take an 1158 bulb, which is a rare thing to boot. Have already tried to build up the pigtail terminals with solder, and it worked (somewhat), but that's mickey-mouse and not predictable.
I was able to get a socket assembly that will take the 1154 bulb (as used in the rear park/stop/taillight setup), but cannot make it work properly on the front. When either the signal or park light is activated, the candle power is extremely weak, maybe 1/12 of what it should be. Also the slots which accommodate the tabs on either side of the socket shaft make the shaft a little too thick to fit in the retaining cylinder mounted on the side of lens-retaining fixture.
Has anyone encountered this problem and have a fix for me. Replacing the original sockets with new ones would be the answer, but although shown in the catalogue, NAPA says they aren't available anymore. Perhaps NAPA in USA still carry them? I would prefer to stay with sockets that take the 1158 bulb, but the other alternative is making that 1154 work. Has anybody converted their front-end over to the 1154 socket and bulb? Imagine the setup is the same in 47-52 models.
Once this problem is solved, I'll be up and running and not bugging the world anymore. Thanks everyone for any help you can give.
Dave D.
'51 4-dr Champion
Smithers, B.C.
Canada
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