Clearance Lights

rickeieio · January 14, 2016

So, today my bride decided to change the bulbs in two clearance lights on the Volvo. Not so easy as it sounds. It seems that the plug was corroded and the connections were stuck in the plug. Plus, the "light" has no bulb, but seems to be an LED bar.

My question is, where do I find new plugs? These are a little different than anything I've got in stock. Does Volvo sell the plugs? Or is it like the slide in the window regulator, where you have to buy the whole regulator? ( I made one from some scrap HDPE I had saved from another project.)

rickeieio · January 14, 2016

Well, apparently of the 165 folks who looked at my request, no one has ever had this issue?

Nuke-E · January 14, 2016

Are they the same as the gen-2 trucks? If so, you can get LED replacements (the whole light) for less than $20 each. Given that the cab structure didn't change, I wouldn't be surprised if they were the same.

Star Dreamer · January 14, 2016

Nuke sounded like he needed the plug that goes into the light too.

Rickeieio, can you post a picture of the plug?

Dave

MrSeas · January 14, 2016

Rick,

Does it look like this?

http://www.class8truckparts.com/Volvo-Truck-21882502-Sunvisor-Marker/dp/B00ASCNVPG?field_availability=-1&field_browse=7132694011&ie=UTF8&refinementHistory=brandtextbin%2Csubjectbin%2Cprice&searchNodeID=7132694011&searchPage=2&searchRank=salesrank&searchSize=12

Or like this?

http://www.class8truckparts.com/Volvo-Truck-20409784-Marker-Assembly/dp/B004K2OVRW?field_availability=-1&field_browse=7132694011&ie=UTF8&refinementHistory=brandtextbin%2Csubjectbin%2Cprice&searchNodeID=7132694011&searchPage=5&searchRank=salesrank&searchSize=12

rickeieio · January 15, 2016

Thanks guys. Yes, I need both the lamp, which looks like the first one linked above, but amber, and I also need both plugs. When darling wife tried to unplug them, they came out with a gob of green corrosion. I check the working lamps and they had grease on the terminals.

Of course the plug will require some fancy crimp work to get fitted correctly.

adept99 · January 15, 2016

There is a trailer parts house down here near me that carries a goodly number of lights, including LEDS. Usually just replace the whole light ass'y .Got a make and model & I'll Check it out.

Paul

MrSeas · January 15, 2016

Something like this......?

http://www.raneystruckparts.com/volvo-vnl-amber-cab-led-light/?gclid=Cj0KEQiAq920BRC8-efn57XrotYBEiQAlVlMQyBSLQpbn5YYRecV5ngcKwUMCGV7FRd9yqr5Cv4mlmsaAv5P8P8HAQ

rickeieio · January 15, 2016

There is a trailer parts house down here near me that carries a goodly number of lights, including LEDS. Usually just replace the whole light ass'y .Got a make and model & I'll Check it out.

Paul

Paul,

I'm headed your way with the truck, taking it to a shop Tom (spindrift) recommends. Might be coming today, if I can get in.

Something like this......?

http://www.raneystruckparts.com/volvo-vnl-amber-cab-led-light/?gclid=Cj0KEQiAq920BRC8-efn57XrotYBEiQAlVlMQyBSLQpbn5YYRecV5ngcKwUMCGV7FRd9yqr5Cv4mlmsaAv5P8P8HAQ

Yes, that's the light. But I also need the plug.

spindrift · January 15, 2016

Paul...I think you need a new phone. Just sayin'.

Scrap · January 15, 2016

I'm soooooo not a Volvo knower, but always been kinda interested in how their visor lights work. Maybe?

http://www.class8truckparts.com/Volvo-Truck-85107907-Sunvisor-harness/dp/B002899TBM

Rick & Alana · January 15, 2016

Ok I'll step in here. The original lights are made by Truck Lite. Volvo still owns the tooling so they have to be purchased from Volvo if you want the original lamps. There are aftermarket lamps out there.

The last time I checked the replacement visor harness was available from Volvo. Once again I think Scott posted an aftermarket lamp with a pigtail.

rickeieio · January 15, 2016

Update time.........

Today I went to the local Volvo dealer. I got two of the lights in question, sans pig tails. They said the only way I could buy the plugs was if I bought the complete harness, for $65, which seemed fairly reasonable. But, they didn't have it in stock.......

Went down the street to an electrical supply house, where another customer overheard my plight and recommended a truck shop on the far side of town. Called them and they said sure thing, they stock the light w/ pigtail like Scrap linked, for a little over $40, with a Volvo part number!.

So, tomorrow I make a run for the lights w/ tails and proceed to splice.

Thank you all for your help. This place is great.

SuiteSuccess · January 17, 2016

Update time.........

Today I went to the local Volvo dealer. I got two of the lights in question, sans pig tails. They said the only way I could buy the plugs was if I bought the complete harness, for $65, which seemed fairly reasonable. But, they didn't have it in stock.......

Went down the street to an electrical supply house, where another customer overheard my plight and recommended a truck shop on the far side of town. Called them and they said sure thing, they stock the light w/ pigtail like Scrap linked, for a little over $40, with a Volvo part number!.

So, tomorrow I make a run for the lights w/ tails and proceed to splice.

Thank you all for your help. This place is great.

b

Can you post the part number?

rickeieio · January 17, 2016

b

Can you post the part number?

I think this is the same number, from Scrap's link:

Volvo Truck 85107907 Sunvisor LED Light with harness

SuiteSuccess · January 17, 2016

I think this is the same number, from Scrap's link:

Volvo Truck 85107907 Sunvisor LED Light with harness

Duh. I must fall in the left 13% of Phoenix's post. Thanks Rick.

Scrap · January 17, 2016

The confirmation is good Suite. All I did was take Mr Seas links and turn em in to pics to see if I could see what connector is on the back to buy and crimp on. In the middle of that I somehow stumbled on the light with adapter harness but with no real tie to what truck/years it fits. So confirmation that it worked is good because I had it pretty loose ended.

MrSeas · January 17, 2016

Did you get the part number for the complete harness

( truck side)?

Thanks

rickeieio · January 18, 2016

Did you get the part number for the complete harness

( truck side)?

Thanks

I did not. From the parts schematic, it was difficult to tell just where the harness ended, or how much body work might need to be removed.

In order to access the visor clearance lights, you remove 4 screws from a cover under the visor, exposing the back of each light and it's plug. Two more screws secure each light. The chief mechanic in our shop (my child bride) was having trouble reaching the middle lights. So, being the spry little feller that I am (not), I stood on the angle iron along the valve cover, balancing on one foot.

rickeieio · January 19, 2016

So, if you ever replace the cab clearance lights on a Volvo, take note of whether the light you just threw in the trash had the clip nut (tinnerman?) that holds the plastic cover over the back of the lights. Remembering to transfer said nut to the new light might save you a half hour (or more) of cursing because you can't get the screw started, while balancing on one foot on top of the engine.

On one hand, this is a brilliant piece of engineering, reducing the total parts count and complexity of the pieces. On the other, it's the kind of weirdness that has driven me away from Mercedes and VW cars.

adept99 · January 19, 2016

Vee haff vays off making u babble....

Broncohauler · January 19, 2016

I did not. From the parts schematic, it was difficult to tell just where the harness ended, or how much body work might need to be removed.

In order to access the visor clearance lights, you remove 4 screws from a cover under the visor, exposing the back of each light and it's plug. Two more screws secure each light. The chief mechanic in our shop (my child bride) was having trouble reaching the middle lights. So, being the spry little feller that I am (not), I stood on the angle iron along the valve cover, balancing on one foot.

Whatever you do don't stand on the valve covers. A lot of them are plastic and break easily. Stay off the air cleaner also if it's up there.

rickeieio · January 19, 2016

Whatever you do don't stand on the valve covers. A lot of them are plastic and break easily. Stay off the air cleaner also if it's up there.

Yeah, I am a little large to be standing there. Fortunately, the ISX has a fairly large flat steel bar running parallel to the valve cover. It's just about half as wide as my foot. I rest my other foot somewhere for balance, and put my forehead on the visor.....do you remember Karate Kid?

I really don't want to be playing Humpty-Dumpty. I don't bounce nearly as well as I used to.

I've been playing phone tag and emailing with Paul of "Paul & Paula" fame about this, and I think he's correct that Volvo must have switched the colors of the wires on the new pigtails. The same two lights don't work, but the plugs show good voltage. I failed to check for polarity......duh. If these were regular lights instead of LEDs, it wouldn't matter. Maybe I'll play with it in Texas next week.

rickeieio · February 3, 2016

So, this morning I crawled up on the front of the truck and tore into the clearance lights, again.

Long story short, yes the pig tail provided by Volvo has the wire colors reversed, so splice black/white and white/black.

But while I was up there, I was able to give the windshield a proper scrubbing, so I didn't drag out the step ladder for just one task.

Might the wire coler issue be worth posting in the resource guide? If so, mention that one needs to save the nut clips from the old lights and install them before trying to replace the cover.

Mark and Dale Bruss · February 3, 2016

Way back when I was replacing bulbs with Led, I had the left side turn signal that would not work with the LED bulb. I finally realized that the receptacle connector can come apart and the contact wires can be reversed. The LEDs I was using were polarity sensitive where incandescent bulbs aren't. I reversed the wires, reassembled the receptacle connector and the LED worked fine.