Brake Light Upgrade on w123 - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

Chad300tdt · #1 11-05-2010, 09:20 PM

I bought this kit from Gary Rose on Ebay:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/MERCEDES-W123-123-BRAKE-LIGHT-UPGRADE-300D-300CD-280E-_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQhashZitem45f62f6803QQitemZ300483045379QQptZMotorsQ5fCarQ5fTruckQ5fPartsQ5fAccesso ries#ht_876wt_941

I've purchased stuff from him before and he always ships fast and the kits are very well put together.

It took about 15 minutes to install and the kit came with the bulbs needed too. Here's my CD with the brake lights the way they should be.

I also have a third brake light from a w126 that I'm getting ready to install in the rear window. Then it will be just the way I want it.

Aquaticedge · #2 11-05-2010, 09:29 PM

are the extra lights the Rear Fog lights just wired up to act as a brake light?

Chad300tdt · #3 11-05-2010, 09:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aquaticedge

are the extra lights the Rear Fog lights just wired up to act as a brake light?

In the US spec vehicles, the fog light spot is empty with no bulb socket. The kit comes with a snap in socket and leader wire, splice crimps and bulbs. You just splice it in to the existing brake light wire and you get 4 bulbs across the back instead of just 2.

charmalu · #4 11-05-2010, 09:38 PM

Chad that looks great, it really wakes up the idiot behind you, (Hopefully).
I have followed my wife, and it blinds me almost.

I did this up grade quite a few years ago, before I stumbled across mercedes shop, now peach parts.

I had pulled the light assembly out, and noticed there was no socket in one of the holes

. I got a broken light assembly and pulled out the sockets with the longest wires. then soldered the pig tail to the brake light wire, and used some heat shrink tubing.

Later on when the SD followed me home

, I did it also.

This is a great improvement in lightening up the rear end. I asked the insurance agent about it if it would qualify as a 3rd brake light or what ever on the policy. NOPE, need the 3rd light.

Got to hand it to the e-bay seller to think of something so simple. don`t know it I would use the blue splice connectors.

Charlie

Aquaticedge · #5 11-05-2010, 09:55 PM

Very nice. I like it

Fulcrum525 · #6 11-05-2010, 10:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chad300tdt

I also have a third brake light from a w126 that I'm getting ready to install in the rear window. Then it will be just the way I want it.

Technically it came out of a W124

daw_two · #7 11-05-2010, 10:53 PM

Hey Chad.

Doesn't Coda already have that upgrade?

Chad300tdt · #8 11-05-2010, 11:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fulcrum525

Technically it came out of a W124

I just assumed it was from a 350SDL.

Thanks again, it will be perfect in my CD.

Quote:

Originally Posted by daw_two

Hey Chad.

Doesn't Coda already have that upgrade?

Yes. Coda has the brake light upgrade and of course, the third brake light too.

I need to find a third brake light to fit my wagon. Got any w124 wagon third brake lights? I think I read that they can be modified to fit a w123 wagon.

daw_two · #9 11-29-2010, 08:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chad300tdt

I need to find a third brake light to fit my wagon. Got any w124 wagon third brake lights? I think I read that they can be modified to fit a w123 wagon.

No w124 wagon third brake lights in my stock.

toddyvol · #10 11-05-2010, 11:10 PM

I've bought from Gary Rose. Excellent seller.

colincoon · #11 11-05-2010, 11:23 PM

Will this work with the station wagon lights?

Chad300tdt · #12 11-05-2010, 11:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by colincoon

Will this work with the station wagon lights?

The wagon lights have all their spots used. The Euro wagons use one of the back up lights as a fog. Your only option is to add a third brake light in the hatch window.

EDIT:
The same seller has kits for w201s though. I bought one for my brother's 190E and it looks great too.

vstech · #13 11-05-2010, 11:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by colincoon

Will this work with the station wagon lights?

Don't I wish!

the wagon has the suckiest lights of all the MB vehicles.

even the 124 has pitiful lights in the wagon design.

I've seen aftermarket light bars put in the upper section of the back window. it really helps improve the visibility from the rear with the lights on, but it looks so ghetto I'm against it.
i would love to find a way to improve this.

MBeige · #14 11-06-2010, 12:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vstech

Don't I wish!

the wagon has the suckiest lights of all the MB vehicles.

even the 124 has pitiful lights in the wagon design.

I've seen aftermarket light bars put in the upper section of the back window. it really helps improve the visibility from the rear with the lights on, but it looks so ghetto I'm against it.
i would love to find a way to improve this.

The 1990 and older wagons (W124) do not have rear fog lights. These are the best candidates for the brake light modification on the S124's.

Is it possible to retrofit S124 3rd brake lights into S123s?

Chad300tdt · #15 11-29-2010, 06:23 PM

Today I prepped the third brake light for the CD. I was lucky enough to get two lights to piece together. Thanks to Fulcrum525 I had a light with a perfect reflector and gasket, but a cracked housing and melted lens. Thanks to Shaggydiesel, I had a complete, crack free light with the mounting tower for a w126, but it had a bad reflector and no gasket.

I disassembled both lights and harvested all the good parts to make one perfect light. Then I cleaned everything and painted it with Palomino SEM Color Cote. I also had to cut the mounting tower to fit in the rear window of the CD.

All that's left is to run the wires up to the light and it's complete. I think it looks great.

The blue piece is what I had to cut off the mounting tower.