I used to wack my LR taillight with the side of my fist every it stopped working.
Then I tried resorted jury rigging all kinds of stuff with the sockets.
That only worked for a while and I'd have to do it again.
I even used windshield RTV, the flowable stuff, at all the joints in the lens assembly to try and seal it.
Eventually water still got in and then it was just a mater of time.
I eventully bought a whole used assembly at a yard for $25. No problems since.

I considered soldering the wires directly to the bulbs.Pain in the butt to change bulbs but garranteed to last the longest.

Thomas Brobst
Accu-Sort Systems, Inc
Staff Mechanical Engineer
215-721-5061
fax 215-799-1600

If we knew what it was we were doing, it would not be called research, would it? -Albert Einstein 

>>> Tom Hewitt <thewitt60@HOTMAIL.COM> 7/1/03 >>>
----- Original Message ----- 
From: Tom Hewitt 
To: vanagon 
Cc: Tom hewitt 
Sent: Tuesday, July 01, 2003 12:23 PM
Subject: Tail Lights/82 Vanagon

Noticed that the intensity of the left side tail lamp was much less that the right side of our 82 Westy. Pulled the tail light assembly apart and discovered a real mess.
Water has been getting into this area on both sides of the Van. The board that holds the bulbs for tail lights, directional signals, etc was wet and green with mold. The bulb socket for the tail lamp that was dim, is pretty much destroyed. Contacts are rusted out completely. (Think the other sockets may clean up).

Think it will be necessary to fabricate a socket for the tail lamp bulb. Any experience on the list with this problem?
Whats best solution?
How do you keep the water out?

Tom
82 Westy
67 Beetle