wrong info:1993-1997 Tail Light Upgrade With 2001-2005 Tail Lights

[94 lngbd]

I got a set from the the origianl owner of a 99 & my co worker has a 98 & they are 3 bulb tail lights.

The taillight upgrade thread says that 98 they changed to 2 bulb system.

Even Ford dealership says that it was in 2000 when they switched to the 2 bulb taillights

 

[Ranger Sport Honduras]

the switch was in 00 trucks
the tail light has the same design as the 98-99 but the amber section is red on the 00
00 and up trucks have the 2 bulb system

 

[Ranger Sport Honduras]

the switch was in 00 trucks
the tail light has the same design as the 98-99 but the amber section is red on the 00
00 and up trucks have the 2 bulb system

 

[Jim Oaks]

OK, so the article says:

The tails fit fine, except they switched to a 2 bulb setup in 1998. In the 1998-2000 tail lights there is a hole that can be punched out, and the third bulb on the 1993-1997 Rangers inserted. On my new style tails there was no such hole. I got out my hole drill bits and cut a hole in the new taillights. I filed grooves in to the side of the hole to fit the bulb sockets.

I can change the first sentence to say:

"The tails fit fine, except they switched to a 2 bulb setup in 2000"

What's with this part:

In the 1998-2000 tail lights there is a hole that can be punched out, and the third bulb on the 1993-1997 Rangers inserted.

Not sure if that needs taken out, adjusted, or what?

 

[shane96ranger]

I just put tails off of a 98-99 on my 96. They fit fine, but it was a snug fit. The amber section is on the bottom of the 93-97 tails, and at the top on the 98-99 tails. I had to persuade my harness a bit to get the amber portion to be able to reach a few inches higher, but it worked after I jiggled and tugged a bit. Does this help?

I agree though, 2000 and up are two bulb, which is why I went with the 98-99's.

 

[Jim Oaks]

So, you didn't have to punch out any holes I take it?

 

[Mark_88]

Not that it matters for this, but I just got a set of tail lights from a 1990 Ranger and they had also switched from a three hole to a two hole...had to go back to get the other connectors and splice the wires...

I wonder if anyone made a sticky about the interchange in the first and second gens...when I first grabbed the lenses I didn't even think they might be slightly different...

 

[shane96ranger]

So, you didn't have to punch out any holes I take it?

No, I didn't have to punch any holes. And from what I remember, the 2000 through 2005 do have a spot you can knock out for a bulb. But I believe it would put the bulb in the same chamber as the brake light, deeming it unusable. I believe it was Ranger Sport Honduras that used the trailer wiring to turn his into a 2 bulb set up to use the newer tails.

 

[nate09]

ive got 2000 tails on my 93, i drilled a hole to fit the third bulb in mine. i can take some pics if youd like.

 

[shane96ranger]

ive got 2000 tails on my 93, i drilled a hole to fit the third bulb in mine. i can take some pics if youd like.

Is the signal bulb in the same chamber as the brake bulb? I thought they were in the same chamber and when your brake light was on, and your signal light was blinking in the same chamber would make it so you would see little change in illumination.

 

[nate09]

Is the signal bulb in the same chamber as the brake bulb? I thought they were in the same chamber and when your brake light was on, and your signal light was blinking in the same chamber would make it so you would see little change in illumination.

the signal bulb is in a separate chamber than the brake bulb. heres a couple pics for you guys...

from the top down the bulbs are turn signal, brake, reverse. in the last pic you can kind of see the piece that separates the two chambers.

 

[shane96ranger]

Very nice, thanks for the pics and for the clarification. That hole is already there on 98-99 tails Jim.

Nate, did you have to do anything to make the signal bulb reach the top? I had to wiggle my harness around a bit to get it to reach.

 

[nate09]

theres just enough slack in the wiring for it to work

 

[Ranger Sport Honduras]

the 00 tails have the space to drill out and put the 3rd bulb. the 01+ dont. since its a single"chamber" for the bulb.

i believe u can convert a 06+ tail to 3 bulb by drilling the hole in the reflector chamber. that way one bulb wont outlight the other

 

[nate09]

im not quite following what you talking about RSH. ive been looking for a pair of 05+ tails to put on my truck and this is one thing i havent been able to figure out.