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!

-Shawn

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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. But I think that might just be an effect due to the photo. It might look different in person.

__________________
Chad
2006 Nissan Pathfinder LE
1998 Acura 3.0 CL
OBK#44
"Pleasure in the job puts perfection in the work." - Aristotle (384-322 B.C.)

SOLD
1985 300TD - Red Dragon
1986 300SDL - Coda
1991 - 300TE
1995 - E320
1985 300CD - Gladys

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

__________________
1984 123.193 372,xxx miles, room for Seven.

1999 Dodge Durango Cummins 4BTAA 47RE 5k lb 4x4 getting 25+mpgs, room for Seven.

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.

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1980 500SE/AMG Euro
1981 500SEL Euro
1982 380SEL
1983 300TD
1983 500SEC/AMG Euro
1984 500SEC
1984 300TD Euro
1986 190E 2.3-16
1986 190E 2.3
1987 300D
1997 C36 AMG
2003 C320T 4matic

past: 1969 280SE 4.5 | 1978 240D | 1978 300D | 1981 300SD | 1981 300SD | 1982 300CD | 1983 300CD | 1983 300SD | 1983 380SEC | 1984 300D | 1984 300D | 1984 300TD | 1984 500SEL | 1984 300SD | 1985 300D | 1986 300E | 1986 560SEL | 1986 560SEL/Carat | 1987 560SEC | 1991 300D 2.5 | 2006 R350

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.

__________________
Chad
2006 Nissan Pathfinder LE
1998 Acura 3.0 CL
OBK#44
"Pleasure in the job puts perfection in the work." - Aristotle (384-322 B.C.)

SOLD
1985 300TD - Red Dragon
1986 300SDL - Coda
1991 - 300TE
1995 - E320
1985 300CD - Gladys

Do you have a part #?

__________________
1985 MBZ 300DT
1969 MBZ 220d
1984 MBZ 300TDT
1981 VW Vanagon

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.

__________________
1984 123.193 372,xxx miles, room for Seven.

1999 Dodge Durango Cummins 4BTAA 47RE 5k lb 4x4 getting 25+mpgs, room for Seven.

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?

__________________
1985 300TD-euro 352,000 mi
1974 240D (1?)52,000 mi - has a new home now

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!

__________________
" We have nothing to fear but the main stream media itself . . . ."- Adapted from Franklin D Roosevelt for the 21st century

OBK #55

1998 Lincoln Continental - Sold
Max 1984 300TD 285,000 miles - Sold
The Dee8gonator 1987 560SEC 196,000 miles - Sold
Orgasmatron - 2006 CLS500 90,000 miles
2002 C320 Wagon 122,000 miles
2016 AMG GTS 12,000 miles

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 . It's good to see there are a couple brighter options that will fit without a whole lot of modification.

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1980 300TD-China Blue/Blue MBTex-2nd Owner, 107K (Alt Blau) OBK #15
'06 Chevy Tahoe Z71 (for the wife & 4 kids, current mule) '03 Honda Odyssey (son #1's ride, reluctantly) '99 GMC Suburban (255K+ miles, semi-retired mule) 21' SeaRay Seville (summer escape pod)

Can anyone elaborate on the wiring and the relay?