LED Replacement Light Questions

[Awesomeness]

I've been thinking about replacing my lights with the LED models. However, when I search for them, I find a lot of variations, differences, NSNs, etc. Anybody have any clear answers about which ones are "correct" / direct replacements (no modifications necessary)? Specifically, here are some questions I have...

1.) Are ALL the lights on an LMTV 12V?

2.) I see many of the LED headlights listed as "12V/24V", which I am understanding being capable of operating at any voltage 12-24V. Are those the proper replacements?

3.) There are headlights with "Short (3/8”) and Long (3/4”) bucket mounting studs options available". Which are appropriate for LMTVs?

4.) Headlights are available without and with buckets. Is there a specific reason to choose one or the other (besides just if your buckets are trashed)? For example, do you have to buy them with the buckets the first time, because the buckets are slightly different?


5.) There are a number of different styles/brands of headlights - Truck-Lite (1st picture), JW Speaker (2nd picture), 24V-only (3rd picture). I'm guessing the 24V-only bulb won't work for FMTVs, but I included it for reference because they are out there for sale.


6.) I see several styles of LED marker lights - Truck-Lite "30 Series PC Rated" (1st picture), "30 Series P2-Rated M/C" (2nd picture), "35 Series" (3rd picture), "18 Series" (4th picture). What is the difference between these? Which one replaces the stock lights?


7.) My original incandescent blackout drive light housing has screws that stick out of the housing (similar to 1st picture). I see a variety of LED blackout drive lights available, such as the Grote (2nd picture), and Truck-lite (3rd picture). The Grotes seem to go into a different housing, but don't seem to come with one (in most places I've seen them). Do either work? Why is the Grote's hood narrower, while the Truck-Lite looks more like my original (incandescent)? Looks like the Grote is about Ø4.5".


8.) Do you need the no-load flashers, that I see on eBay and other sites?


I'll be trying to research answers to these myself, but I figured I would put it all out there for everyone to read and comment on.

 

[Aernan]

I have the two lens headlight in mine. They are nice. I believe they are direct replacement.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using Tapatalk

 

[Awesomeness]

The JW Speaker type above? Those are what I have in mine (came that way), and I hate them. I've tried re-aiming them, but they seem to just not throw light very far.

I think Suprman once said he actually prefers them to the Truck-Lite kind, which makes me wonder how bad they are (unless I misremembered that).

Also, the JW Speakers are unheated, and I've had problems in snow with them just caking over. (And I don't have any Privates any more to send out to clean them!)

 

[Smike740]

Regarding the marker lights, I purchased the bottom pictured option from Vehicle Safety Supply for arond $15 each. I believe these are the correct lights used on the later trucks that had LED. They come in either tan or green with red or amber lens and have the correct military wiring connectors.

 

[FMTV Truck Sales]

I've been thinking about replacing my lights with the LED models. However, when I search for them, I find a lot of variations, differences, NSNs, etc. Anybody have any clear answers about which ones are "correct" / direct replacements (no modifications necessary)? Specifically, here are some questions I have...
1.) Are ALL the lights on an LMTV 12V?

2.) I see many of the LED headlights listed as "12V/24V", which I am understanding being capable of operating at any voltage 12-24V. Are those the proper replacements?

3.) There are headlights with "Short (3/8”) and Long (3/4”) bucket mounting studs options available". Which are appropriate for LMTVs?

4.) Headlights are available without and with buckets. Is there a specific reason to choose one or the other (besides just if your buckets are trashed)? For example, do you have to buy them with the buckets the first time, because the buckets are slightly different?
View attachment 718725View attachment 718724

5.) There are a number of different styles/brands of headlights - Truck-Lite (1st picture), JW Speaker (2nd picture), 24V-only (3rd picture). I'm guessing the 24V-only bulb won't work for FMTVs, but I included it for reference because they are out there for sale.
View attachment 718724View attachment 718726View attachment 718727

6.) I see several styles of LED marker lights - Truck-Lite "30 Series PC Rated" (1st picture), "30 Series P2-Rated M/C" (2nd picture), "35 Series" (3rd picture), "18 Series" (4th picture). What is the difference between these? Which one replaces the stock lights?
View attachment 718720View attachment 718721View attachment 718722View attachment 718723

7.) My original incandescent blackout drive light housing has screws that stick out of the housing (similar to 1st picture). I see a variety of LED blackout drive lights available, such as the Grote (2nd picture), and Truck-lite (3rd picture). The Grotes seem to go into a different housing, but don't seem to come with one (in most places I've seen them). Do either work? Why is the Grote's hood narrower, while the Truck-Lite looks more like my original (incandescent)? Looks like the Grote is about Ø4.5".
View attachment 718717View attachment 718718View attachment 718719

8.) Do you need the no-load flashers, that I see on eBay and other sites?
View attachment 718716

I'll be trying to research answers to these myself, but I figured I would put it all out there for everyone to read and comment on.

Good questions...

For headlights, you can use just about any civilian 7" round headlight (some may be too deep so check depth dimensions). We modify the three military connectors by mating them to a standard civilian 3-prong H4 plug - https://acelainc.com/2nZpIYu.

For LED marker/clearance/ICC lights there were three styles used during FMTV production. The most popular are the rectangular shaped like these: https://acelainc.com/2nYOIPw - these are P2 rated. The PC rated marker lights (round lens in rectangular bezel in left most photo that you posted) are only used on the newer A1R and A1P2 FMTV's as a combination front and side marker, mounted to the bumper corners. (NOTE: the second photo you posted of round lens in rectangular housing is only P2 rated and cannot be used for the bumper corner combination lights - you can see the difference in optics in lenses)

A "P2" rating is an FMVSS designation that means that the light meets FMVSS standards for any clearance, marker or ICC position (color dependent). A "PC" rating is an FMVSS designation that means the light has wide optics and is allowed to be used as a combination light, meaning the light can be mounted on a 45° angle at the corner of the vehicle, allowing clearance and marker (forward and side) functions to be combined into a single light. A PC light can always be used anywhere a P2 light can be used, but the reverse is not true.

 

[FMTV Truck Sales]

Then there's the third style LED clearance/ICC lamp used on FMTVs which we affectionately call the Fugly Duckling...

 

[Suprman]

That picture looks familiar

 

[FMTV Truck Sales]

That picture looks familiar

Must be the cute fingers! Hard to find that one! We've only ever seen them on one truck and it wasn't here to photograph.

 

[BuiltMFG]

I'm in the same boat, I have done a write-up on some of the marker lights, turn signals and blinkers but I have yet to dive into headlights because I haven't really seen anything that I loved or was priced so low it might just be garbage.

 

[Awesomeness]

Just saw a new style of marker light show up on eBay, but a bit expensive ($350/10).

 

[Sparkyz911]

In regards to the JW speaker type headlights....I have a set of knock offs in my M35 (were free to me) and they throw great but I dont drive much in the winter. Our dept hmmwv has the heated truck lite style and they throw more flood than spot. Good either way.

 

[Ronmar]

1. All the LMTV lights are 12v.

 

[Green Mountain Boys]

I just replaced my stock headlights with Grote 7" LEDs (pn# 90941-5). They are fairly inexpensive at $119.00 each, seem to produce plenty of light and are easy to install. The Grote headlight includes a H4 adapter pigtail which I soldered onto the military wires. This allows for the headlights to be easily unplugged if needed. The only downside I can see so far is I expect the headlights will be unacceptable in a moderate to heavy snowfall due to the fact they do not produce enough heat to melt snow. I do not plan to use this as a plow truck so I think it will work for my needs.