Reverse Tail Light Fell OUT! Can't find it

[TNTBaker]

LOL, God forbid we have a dull moment. Theresa to the rescue. So our reverse tail light came lose for some reason and fell down inside the end cap. We cannot find it and cannot figure out how to get to it. Here's a picture of where is WAS:

Todd is out doing, probably, mortal damage to the paint trying to remove the "ring" so I can get my arm in there. We stuck our phone in there and took pictures all over to try and "see" where it was, it has disappeared.
We are hoping to find away to fish it out of there. I asked him to back up the truck and plug the trailer in and put the truck in reverse so at least it would light up...
Any suggestions???

Update:
We can see the light while in reverse. It's lying in the bottom of the end cap.
Anyone know the procedure for changing the rear tail light bulbs?

[travelin' texans]

You will have to remove ring, I used a plastic putty knife to pry it loose, after retrieving light they snap together & held in place with ring. I replaced BU lights with tail/stop lights & had to use some silicone & electrical tape to secure light & ring together. I also replaced BU lights for a friend & assembler got carried away with silicone when installing & were a bi#%h to remove rings, took an hour per side.

[TNTBaker]

Thanks Danny! That is what we were preparing to do, but THEN, observe female tenacity:

1. Locate missing light be plugging trailer into truck and putting into reverse.
Find a way to access the light that is at the BOTTOM of the end cap.


2. Have Todd hand me the light with his lovely long arms...

3. and then use my magic tool to pull the light snugly back into the ring from behind:


Wah-Lah.
Shame on you RW for designing such an impossible tail light! I hope it never burns out!!

[Dave&Ginny]

WOW Todd.....lovely long arms and nice finger nails! Okay....I'm impressed. I'll tell my wife to bring plenty on $1 bills to the rally so you can entertain her.

[0nTheRoad]

Originally Posted by Dave&Ginny

I'll tell my wife to bring plenty on $1 bills to the rally so you can entertain her.

Now that will be entertaining, will this be before or after adult beverage hour???

[Blue Dogs]

Originally Posted by 0nTheRoad

Now that will be entertaining, will this be before or after adult beverage hour???

It would take a lot longer than an hour to get ready for this!

[hoosierguy]

Originally Posted by TNTBaker

Thanks Danny! That is what we were preparing to do, but THEN, observe female tenacity:

1. Locate missing light be plugging trailer into truck and putting into reverse.
Find a way to access the light that is at the BOTTOM of the end cap.


2. Have Todd hand me the light with his lovely long arms...

3. and then use my magic tool to pull the light snugly back into the ring from behind:


Wah-Lah.
Shame on you RW for designing such an impossible tail light! I hope it never burns out!!

Redwood didn't design those taillights. There are several suppliers for those types of light assemblies. You can't replace lamps. You have to replace the entire light assembly that snaps into the mounting. I replaced mine with LED taillights and also replaced the backup lights with an amber LED assembly that comes on with turn signals only. You can't miss seeing those when they come on. I purchased both taillights and amber lights through eTrailer.com.

Glad you were able to fish the light out of the end cap.

[TNTBaker]

Well, the light seems fine, but they have GLUED it in there with silicone, and I think a gasket might have been a better plan! :-)

[Oriana]

Originally Posted by TNTBaker

Well, the light seems fine, but they have GLUED it in there with silicone, and I think a gasket might have been a better plan! :-)

I believe you will find all external lights are silicone rather than a gasket.
It's fun replacing any of them.

[TNTBaker]

If only they had secured everything INSIDE with such determination! Like tightening the hoses and the hinges on the cabinet doors.... LOL! Oh well. I will make sure we have a good plastic putty knife in the ol' toolbox. We have already replace side markers with LED and they were not siliconed...

[Blue Dogs]

Originally Posted by TNTBaker

If only they had secured everything INSIDE with such determination! Like tightening the hoses and the hinges on the cabinet doors.... LOL! Oh well. I will make sure we have a good plastic putty knife in the ol' toolbox. We have already replace side markers with LED and they were not siliconed...

What LED lights did you use to replace the side markers? Picture? My side markers are siliconed.

[mstan]

Well once again the RW forum comes through with solutions. I have yet to go out and try this. Hopefully I have a suction cup with enough suction!!! LOL! This is the dumbest design I have ever seen. I was doing a good deed. Washing my brand new RW that I finally got back form the dealership after 4 weeks for warranty work that they still did not get done. have a trip I needed it for this next week. I barely rub a washing rag over the light and it fell out. Guy, do you have a pic of the lights you replaced these with? I am interested.

[Moland]

Just went through this last week. No brake/ right signal. Almost impossible to get out. Way too much silicone. To have a bulb assembly that pops in from the back? Removed the 3 screws and somehow got the ring loose without breaking it. Wiring needed new wire nuts, barely connected. Still didn't work? Wasted an hour or so to find out that the truck has fuses just for the trailer lights. ...

[hoosierguy]

Originally Posted by mstan

Well once again the RW forum comes through with solutions. I have yet to go out and try this. Hopefully I have a suction cup with enough suction!!! LOL! This is the dumbest design I have ever seen. I was doing a good deed. Washing my brand new RW that I finally got back form the dealership after 4 weeks for warranty work that they still did not get done. have a trip I needed it for this next week. I barely rub a washing rag over the light and it fell out. Guy, do you have a pic of the lights you replaced these with? I am interested.

I purchased my replacement LED tail lights from eTrailer.com. I believe the following links will get you to the type I used.

Sealed, 4" Round LED Trailer Stop, Turn and Tail Light, Flange Mount, 3-Function, 10 SuperDiode Optronics Trailer Lights STL42RB

Sealed, 4" Round LED Trailer Turn Signal and Parking Light, Flange Mount, 10 Super Diode-Amber Optronics Trailer Lights STL42AB

LED Trailer Backup Light - 10 Diode - Reflex Flange - Sealed - 4" Round - White w/ Clear Lens Optronics Trailer Lights BUL11CBX

Maybe Redwood is using a different style light now, but, mine were mounted with 3 screws and silicone sealant.

I actually replaced the backup lights with the amber LED light and wired them in so they come on with the turn signals. The backup lights provided no function to me as I never park in the dark. When the turn signals come on with those red plus amber lights, for anyone following behind, there is now doubt as to my intensions.

Hope this helps.

[travelin' texans]

I ordered mine from M4 products & also removed the backup lights but replaced with all 4 red stop/tail lights, like Guy I don't intend to be backing after dark.

[Retired educators]

Originally Posted by Moland

Just went through this last week. No brake/ right signal. Almost impossible to get out. Way too much silicone. To have a bulb assembly that pops in from the back? Removed the 3 screws and somehow got the ring loose without breaking it. Wiring needed new wire nuts, barely connected. Still didn't work? Wasted an hour or so to find out that the truck has fuses just for the trailer lights. ...

Moland, thanks for posting that truck has fuses for trailer lights. I was having problem with tail light not working and had spent over 2 hours trying to figure out why. Read your post and went out and found that I had a blown fuse for right trailer light. Forum is a great help!

[Rosey]

Interested in doing the backup light to brake light conversion on my new 39MB. Can anyone who has done this advise how difficult it is to gain access to the wires, both the taillights & backup lights to do this ? Would be great if someone took pics. during their conversion.

[travelin' texans]

Did mine a couple years ago, too late for pics, but it was a very simple job once I got the old ones loose, factory installer must have gotten paid by tube for the silcone he used. I used a plastic putty knife to carefully work the originals loose. The replacements ordered came with about an 8" pigtail so was no problem wiring both together.

[Rosey]

Originally Posted by travelin' texans

Did mine a couple years ago, too late for pics, but it was a very simple job once I got the old ones loose, factory installer must have gotten paid by tube for the silcone he used. I used a plastic putty knife to carefully work the originals loose. The replacements ordered came with about an 8" pigtail so was no problem wiring both together.

Danny....so your saying that the backup light lenses are just siliconed to the coach......no clips, etc. holding them in? Also was wondering how/where you can hook up the wires to make the back up light(s) into brake light(s)........different circuits, right ?

[travelin' texans]

Remove the screws around the trim piece then carefully pry the light loose from all the silicone, the light & trim are snapped together. You can then pull out, they have enough wire slack to get them out to work with. I removed the bu lights & used wire nuts & tape to cover wire ends. The tail lights also have pigtails spliced with wire nuts so it's just a matter of swapping them out.