W123 300td Backup Lights -- Now with Aftermarket Fogs!
 

Y'all,

The stock backup lights on my 300td were pretty much useless (both sides smashed beyond repair), so I had to replace them. I really didn't want to spend $80 each for them, so I searched for some aftermarket replacements.

I wanted to install a "utility" type of light as I'd done for backup lights on my motorhome, but all of the ones I could find were way too big. Almost every fog light out there is way too big as well, but I finally found one that would fit: the Peterson Manufacturing V557-2, at $30.95 when I purchased the kit from Amazon in January (it's $39.99 as of this writing). The lenses are glass and are bonded to the reflector, so they should not get stained by the soot and soot shouldn't be able to sneak in. They're also short enough vertically that they don't hang down below the bumper.

To install them, I drilled the stock backup light brackets in the bumper, next to the hole the stock lights mount to. The stock backup light brackets have a ridge that mates with the back of the stock lights, so to get the V557-2 brackets to fit flush against the stock bracket, I cut the V557-2 brackets, removing 1" or so in the middle. However, once I had them mounted up, the lights sat too far inside the bumper, so I added spacers under the V557-2 brackets; that meant that I didn't end up needing that cut in the V557-2 brackets, as the spacers were taller than the ridge on the stock backup light brackets. I had planned to reinstall the rubber surrounds, but they wouldn't have fit well without serious cutting, so I decided to save them in case a subsequent owner cared to go back to stock backup lights. I think they look fine without the surround anyhow.

For the wiring, I installed a relay next to the high beam relay I installed earlier, using the same fuse as the power source. The stock backup light power wire coming from the switch at the shifter is now the trigger wire for the relay. I considered running dedicated backup light wires from the relay (and had started on that), but decided to use the stock wiring for now. Since these are just backup lights, they won't be on for long durations and I'm not concerned too much about any possible voltage loss in this case. To connect the new lights to the chassis wiring, I used the pigtails off the stock backup lights and connected them to the new lights with crimp-shrink connectors.

While the fog beam pattern obviously isn't optimal for use as a backup light, they work great, and at less than 1/4 the cost of going with the stock units, I'd do it again. Of course, offending MB purists by installing non-stock parts is bonus! :P

-Shawn

Nice work Shawn! At first I wasn't sure ... but after looking at your pic next to a pic of my rear bumper with the stock backup lights, I believe I like the streamlined look of yours better. It would look even better if you frosted the lenses so you didn't see the ring from the housing.:cool: But I think that might just be an effect due to the photo. It might look different in person.

I did mine a while back with some lites from northern tool. they were $10/pair.

http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e3...z/DSCN1215.jpg

http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e3...z/DSCN1214.jpg

http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e3...z/DSCN1213.jpg

http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e3...z/DSCN1212.jpg

I did the same thing with the ones on Dee8go's wagon. So much more light when backing now ;) I need to do the same to mine, I have no lights at all.

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y15...D%202/new3.jpg

Thanks for the compliments. That "ring" effect is not a photo artifact -- it's the glue that holds the lens to the housing. It doesn't look bad, but I'd agree that frosting would look good and it'd also disperse the light better.

Neat -- I didn't find those during my search! Here's the link to them.

now you can launch a boat in the middle of the night ^_^

Or see where you're going through a tinted rear window.:D

Do you have a part #?

I posted a link to those on the Northern Tool site above.

They are a nice upgrade- when I first got my car, one lite was good, the other busted out. first time I backed into a snowbank, the good one was busted. bad engineering, IMO, to have them hang below the bumper.

the cheeeepo northern lites work fine for the price. dont skip the relay. they are glass lenses, too.

your lites w/ the glue ring looks just fine on the white car, but maybe not so much on other colors.

I searched around a while, and found the lites in a northern store- sometimes it is so much easier when you can actually handle the merchandise before buying it- I was able to take measurements on the car, then walk into the store and compare w/ the product.

I did use the rubber- but since install, I have lost one- so maybe best to remove and set aside.

Does the power usually come straight from the switch on the transmission? Why can't you use that with the Northern Tool lights? Do they use more current?

Yes, as I said in my first post. Both the Peterson lights I used and the Northern Tool lights are 55 watts each. Not only could that burn up the stock switch, the extra length would make the lights dimmer.

I use mine for racing at night in reverse. They REALLY work well!:D

Look slick, Shawn! I lost one to a snowbank a month or so ago and it broke the pot metal (?) tab it mounts to off. Of course they haven't worked as long as I've owned it :o. It's good to see there are a couple brighter options that will fit without a whole lot of modification.

Can anyone elaborate on the wiring and the relay?