2002 Corolla Conquest wagon, Mirror mods

[soundbyte]

I have read a few posts about putting LED indicators in mirrors.

I propose to mod my mirror covers as per the photos with 5 X 5mm amber LEDs each side all wired in series with a resistor (~150 ohms) to the side indicators.

Mirror in original factory form.

Photo showing cover removed and arrows pointing out what holds it on to the base and the black dots on the line the proposed hole positions.

Line of holes hopefully positioned to miss most of the plastic sticking out from the mirror base, base might need a bit of delicate grinding with a dremel to make the LED's

fit where the covers bend around to fit near the outer edge of the mirror.

Photo shows mirror base without cover, mirror base folded towards door, arrows showing where the lugs go to hold the cover on. Red dots approximate position of LEDs with cover on.

Not easy to show that the LEDs go around the outside edge of the cover so a couple will illuminate sideways as well as three forwards.

LEDs will stand proud of the cover front by about 5mm but should not be too visible as the LEDs are clear when not on.

To get covers off you will need a long shank, flat bladed screwdriver, not too large perhaps 4mm shank diameter max.

Looking at the mirror from the rear of the car, slide the screwdriver into the gap between the mirror and the base and lever carefully the two lugs

(1 and 2 in photo 2, sorry numbers are upside down) so that the lugs no longer grip the base.

It should then be a matter then of gently pulling the cover forward and down and it should come off easily.

Not actually done this yet as I need to get the drilling angle correct so the LEDs point forward at the same angle and that will have to wait until I get back to work to ask for guidance

on how to get it right from the drilling experts.

Comments?

Corrections?

soundbyte

Edited January 14, 2010 by soundbyte

[123R-Prozak]

Comments? Ya hurry up I wanna see what it looks like lol.. Do u really need LEDs on your mirror when you have the blinker on the quarter panel?

[chicken]

i really like the minimalist design man. brightness won't be an issue with that many leds :) but i think one side led should be angled towards the back for better side awareness.

if you're game, blank out the quarter panel indicators.

keep us updated.

Edited January 2, 2010 by chicken

[Kenneth]

ah har xD was thinking of the exact same thing but instead of one row, try two rows of 5 led or so. I find that one row is abit too "thin"

:) good luck and keep us updated ;)

[123R-Prozak]

i really like the minimalist design man. brightness won't be an issue with that many leds :) but i think one side led should be angled towards the back for better side awareness.

if you're game, blank out the quarter panel indicators.

keep us updated.

umm.. EW ! YUK !

[soundbyte]

Don't like the blanking on the side indicator.

Mirror mods update.

I have added 5 X 5mm amber leds to the cover of the passenger mirror.

Please see photos.

Not sure whether it was a success overall, but they do work well at night, but look a bit weird with the LEDs poking out of the cover in the daylight.

Maybe need surface mount LEDs rather than the 5mm type.

Marking out drill line, pen on 4 place mats with six thin cd covers to give correct height.

How I held the cover on the flat surface to mark line. LEDs were spaced 15mm from outside edge with 25mm between each LED.

Drilled holes with drill on four place mats and 2 cd covers

LEDs in the cover, I have used 400 wet and dry to make the LEDs opaque.

Bit nipply?

On car door LEDs lit front on.

Side on, note LEDs rise towards back of car because of the way I placed line.

After dark front on, LEDs have lit up part of cover around LED and have added width to light.

Comments?

Suggestions?

soundbyte

[JJCRU23R]

check out my DIY in case you havent already...

DIY mirror indicator mod

just curious as to how you chose to protect the circuitry/wiring from the wet?

I really like the minimalist idea, but if I had to do this I might have positioned the LEDS differently.. cant really explain how, except for the fact that the surface you are dealing with has curves all over and although youve made a straight line behind the cover to position the LEDs, it doesnt look like a straight line in the pictures youve taken after youve installed the lights.

Perhaps you could have done what Kenneth suggested.. adding more?

Edited January 18, 2010 by mannyMANNYmanny

[soundbyte]

check out my DIY in case you havent already...

DIY mirror indicator mod

just curious as to how you chose to protect the circuitry/wiring from the wet?

I really like the minimalist idea, but if I had to do this I might have positioned the LEDS differently.. cant really explain how, except for the fact that the surface you are dealing with has curves all over and although youve made a straight line behind the cover to position the LEDs, it doesnt look like a straight line in the pictures youve taken after youve installed the lights.

Perhaps you could have done what Kenneth suggested.. adding more?

I had checked out your DIY and was thinking more minimalist than using purpose built LEDs which had to have the blue LEDs changed etc.

The cutout would be difficult as well, but I will need to ask the CNC expert at work if it would be possible to do the cutout neatly and easily on the CNC mill.

Protection from the weather is provided by using hot melt glue to enclose the rear of the LEDs and to stick them in place.

I tried to make the position of the LEDs as easy as possible and my first post with the straight line did not translate well onto the curved surface.

When you draw the line using my method using the CD cases the line across the front of the cover, it is actually straight but when it goes around to the outer edge it curves upwards towards the top of the cover.

It is straight when you tilt the cover towards the rear and look along the LEDs, but it does looks curved when in place on the car.

I could put more LEDs in but with the LEDs illuminating the white covers it does spread the light through the plastic but only after dark.

Possibly a cover over the LEDs may work but finding something suitable may be difficult.

Not sure I am really happy with the result, but it does prove a minimalist approach may work, just need to sort LED spacing and layout.

Ideas for layouts?

I will possibly try surface mount LEDs fixed into the 5mm holes next and see how that looks.

Luckily I have a number of covers to tryout these mods thanks to daniboy.

Thanks mannyMANNYmanny for your input and comments that was exactly what I was after, another perspective on this mod.

Anyone else?

soundbyte

[chicken]

nice work but yeah try to line the leds with the car. like put the covers back on the car and use a horizontal laser line generator to project a level line across both cover to mark them. probably not the easiest way lol but just an idea :)

if you want to cover the led heads have you considered using thin strips of clear plastic (like the walls of flexible clear tube) and drilling dimples for each led head? i don't know how it will turn out but just an idea.

all the best

[Kenneth]

ok i think those led sticking out looks like a whole lot of nipples!!!

great idea nonetheless but maybe you could get some flat headed leds so that they sit flush? bit more subtle perhaps?