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MG TD TF 1500 - TD INDICATORS

have a 1953 TD with integral stop tail light, running light and indicator. I have recently decided to fit separate indicators at the back of the car as I have had several near accidents with drivers at the rear not recognising the indicators in the rear light, when they are flashing .

I thought it would be a simple job to take a earth wire plus the indicator wire from the rear lights to the new indicator lights. But of course I know have indicators that light up with my stop light. I know that I need to change some wiring around at the direction indicator relay box under the dashboard, but do not know which wires to move and where they should go to support this change.

I only want this arrangement with the rear lights as I feel the front indicators, as they are,included in the top wing side lights are ok.

In my rear lamp units I have the following wires,Black,Red,White/purple,Green/purple.

Jack
J N Martin

Jack -- On your relay box connect the wires to your extra lights to terminals 2 and 6. I don't remember which is right and which is left but a temporary connection will tell you real quick. Then your additional lights will only work with the directionals.
Cheers,

Bob
bobj50

If you are going to the trouble to add the extra lights (a lot of TC owners do this), why not have them as tail/signal/brake lights as well? Think there was a posting on TF lights at the rear sides of the tub?
gblawson(gordon)

Merely as an alternative, may I suggest you consider the LED rear light bar made by Gil Langswager, and advertised in the TSO "Cars and Spares" section. It is a very nice stainless unit which fits on top of the gas tank, attaching by magnets, and containing both a stop light bar and turn indicators, all of which connect to your current wiring, but also disconnect easily in the event you wish to revert to "original" status temporarily. I bought one and am very satisfied, as it provides a bright light, and high up on the car, where it is more visible. I have no financial or other interest in the product - merely a satisfied customer. RUSS YOUNG
D R Young

Jack,
"TF Reflector Third Brake Light" was posted on July 4th and hasn't slid into the archive yet. It uses the TF reflectors that fit beside the gas tank retrofitted with LED's. It was a nice solution for us.
Safety? Fast?
Scott Ashworth - '54 TF
S. R. Ashworth

Sorry - July 24th....
S. R. Ashworth

More ideas:
http://www.ttalk.info/Tech/HighMountLights.html
and:
http://www.ttalk.info/led_high_mounts.htm
Bud Krueger

Jack - You will either have to use LED lights as your high mount indicators or get a heavy duty or electronic flasher unit. Using a regular incandescent bulb will put a higher load on the flasher and original flasher will flash at a different rate (usually very fast) with the heavier current draw of the extra bulbs. Cheers - Dave
David DuBois

Bob's method will work, but it has two drawbacks, the stop lights will flash as well as the new direction indicators and
by using the same contacts as the front flashers, in the relay box (2 and 6) you are doubling the current through them, this may reduce their life.

Here is a method to eliminate the drawbacks.


1/ Ensure that the wire going to terminal 5 of the direction indicator relay unit, comes from the stop light switch.
Just as a precaution.
2/ Remove the wires on terminals 5, 7 and 3 of the direction indicator relay unit and connect the three together.
At this point you can check that the stop lights function.

3/ Run a wire from each of the new rear direction indicator lamps (2 wires) to the direction indicator relay unit.

4/ Connect the wire from the left rear lamp to terminal 3

5/ Connect the wire from the right rear lamp to terminal 7

6/ Connect each ground terminal of the rear lamps to ground.

.To test the modification use a battery charger in place of the battery.

I have made this modification on a friend's MGA a few years ago.
John
John Scragg

John Scragg -- The terminals 2 and 6 on the relay box are for the front (wing) lights and do not illuminate with the brake lights. If you are using 21 candlepower bulbs you may shorten the life of the contacts but these days LED's are the way to go for extra turn signal lights and extra stop lights as well. See D R Young's comment above.
Cheers,

Bob
bobj50

Bob,

Yes, I know that 2 and 6 are for the front flashers, that is why I said that connecting the new rear lamps to these terminals will double the current, (front and rear lamps going through the same set of cntacts). I don't see how you bring the stoplights into this. I also said that with your mod. the stoplghts will flash as well as new rear lamps, is this a requirment?

John
John Scragg

This thread was discussed on 29/07/2008

MG TD TF 1500 index

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