voltage drop at rear turn signals?

[fordhombre]

Well my rear lights are good and bright when it's just brakes, or just turn signal... but when it's both at the same time, you can only just barely see the turn signal lamp come on...

I haven't taken a measurement on the voltage getting to the lamp at this point, but i suspect it's dropping. Everything appears to be wired correctly to the boot. Anybody ever experience a similar problem?

also, do they make LED light replacements for the halogen bulbs? Just curious.

Thanks in advance!

[fordman]

bad ground at the tail light housing. yes they do make leds to replace the tail light bulbs.

[Thunderfoot]

Your Break light and Turn Signal light are the same light/wire... (which also go through the Turn Signal Switch) so if you have a problem with the brightness using both at the same time I would suspect an issue with the TSS... If you wiggle the TSS a bit with the brakes on can you get it to work correctly?
Bad Grounds as Fordman mentioned will/can also cause strange things like this as well.

[fordhombre]

i've had issues with the brakes for a while now, haven't looked at this yet...

but the problem isn't with the brake light, or even the lights just being on (like with the headlights), it's when the pickup adds additional brightness, as with the turn signal WHEN the lights are already on.

I meant to check for continuity between the light bulb housing and the frame, but haven't had the time. plus the rust makes for difficult contact points...

[Thunderfoot]

The brake lights and Turn light are the same element in the bulb... beings your tail lights work I wouldn't think there is any problem with the ground.
The power for the Brake lights and the Turn Signals all go through the turn signal switch and as you turn one way or the other it disengages the brake light for that side. The contacts in the TSS are probably getting bad/dirty causing your problems with your brake lights and Turn Signals.