What did you do to your MKIV today?

[jmodge]

That movement doesn't translate into a ton of camber change. Just had my car aligned yesterday, same arms as yours. You might get a half degree of camber change. It will change toe enough to wear tires, however.

Did you mean caster?

 

[IndigoBlueWagon]

No, camber. I don't think there's much of anything that will change caster. It seems caster measurements in my VWs are always out of spec. I think a lot of it has to do with ride height in the rear and whether or not the car is empty or loaded. I've long since stopped worrying about it.

 

[jmodge]

I got slightly more than that by filing roughly.015 out of the LCA to compensate for my lift. It’s been five years, maybe I don’t remember clearly. I’ve got Donna‘s car on the lift With the front end apart so I can revisit it here shortly

 

[jmodge]

No, camber. I don't think there's much of anything that will change caster. It seems caster measurements in my VWs are always out of spec. I think a lot of it has to do with ride height in the rear and whether or not the car is empty or loaded. I've long since stopped worrying about it.

okay, I was out in the garage this morning. I'll buy the theory of not much caster change. Even with 3mm of movement at the ball joint, it's around 32" to where that angle pivots at the top strut mount. But only 1/2 degree of camber change? You're wrong until I prove you right

 

[IndigoBlueWagon]

But only 1/2 degree of camber change? You're wrong until I prove you right

Lol. Maybe you'll get a little more. I've only been around these cars for 20 years so what do I know?

Had my wagon aligned on Monday and the tech was able to pull get -.6 negative camber. I usually ask for as much as they can get, up to about a degree negative. More than that and tire wear could be uneven, in my experience.

 

[jmodge]

Lol. Maybe you'll get a little more. I've only been around these cars for 20 years so what do I know?

Had my wagon aligned on Monday and the tech was able to pull get -.6 negative camber. I usually ask for as much as they can get, up to about a degree negative. More than that and tire wear could be uneven, in my experience.

Good to know, but you only have about ten of these cars and a warehouse full of parts along with your 20 years of experience. So you’re credibility is a bit sketchy

 

[J_dude]

Well, I modified my hazard switch today, no more hyperflash! Now I just need to figure out how to do LED brake lights without putting resistors in.

 

[hey_allen]

Well, I modified my hazard switch today, no more hyperflash! Now I just need to figure out how to do LED brake lights without putting resistors in.

FYI, I cheated on the brake light resistors, added a single 20 ohm 5 watt power resistor on the right light, plugged into two of the "trailer wiring" connector pins on the back (front?) side of the bulb holder.
No brake light warnings, and it doesn't get nearly as hot as the ones you'd buy as "brake light" resistors.

 

[J_dude]

FYI, I cheated on the brake light resistors, added a single 20 ohm 5 watt power resistor on the right light, plugged into two of the "trailer wiring" connector pins on the back (front?) side of the bulb holder.
No brake light warnings, and it doesn't get nearly as hot as the ones you'd buy as "brake light" resistors.

Yeah I just don’t like the idea of resistors for LED installs, kinda defeats the purpose of more efficient bulbs if you have to wire in a “power-waster” IMO. And they get hot, like you said.
It would be really cool if there was a way to do it with VCDS like on the MK5’s.

 

[hey_allen]

Yeah I just don’t like the idea of resistors for LED installs, kinda defeats the purpose of more efficient bulbs if you have to wire in a “power-waster” IMO. And they get hot, like you said.
It would be really cool if there was a way to do it with VCDS like on the MK5’s.

Exactly my thought as well, but after not being able to find any way to defeat the tail light monitoring circuit I went with the lowest wattage draw that I had on hand to test with and found that our tail light monitoring circuit isn't all that smart or picky.

This resistor is the type I used, but I just grabbed one from my salvage parts pile. It might work with a higher yet resistance, and dissipate even less heat.

 

[J_dude]

Exactly my thought as well, but after not being able to find any way to defeat the tail light monitoring circuit I went with the lowest wattage draw that I had on hand to test with and found that our tail light monitoring circuit isn't all that smart or picky.

This resistor is the type I used, but I just grabbed one from my salvage parts pile. It might work with a higher yet resistance, and dissipate even less heat.

Interesting, I may have to go that route eventually, but I’m gonna fight it tooth n nail haha.
I did see a couple vague mentions somewhere on the site here of putting a relay in on one side but it wasn’t real clear.

 

[KrashDH]

Interesting, I may have to go that route eventually, but I’m gonna fight it tooth n nail haha.
I did see a couple vague mentions somewhere on the site here of putting a relay in on one side but it wasn’t real clear.

I've got all LEDs in my tail lights, with the 5th brake light mod, no resistors. There's a couple ways to do it.

1, buy the correct brake light LEDs with integrated resistors (they are kinda pricey but lifetime warranty). Brake lights are the picky bulbs that trigger the cluster light. All the others can be generic LEDs I've found.

2. Modify or purchase your hazard flasher. There's a guy who does them on FB but there's also a write-up on here somewhere.

 

[J_dude]

I've got all LEDs in my tail lights, with the 5th brake light mod, no resistors. There's a couple ways to do it.

1, buy the correct brake light LEDs with integrated resistors (they are kinda pricey but lifetime warranty). Brake lights are the picky bulbs that trigger the cluster light. All the others can be generic LEDs I've found.

2. Modify or purchase your hazard flasher. There's a guy who does them on FB but there's also a write-up on here somewhere.

Wait, are you saying the hazard flasher mod fixes the brake light issue as well?

 

[KrashDH]

Wait, are you saying the hazard flasher mod fixes the brake light issue as well?

Not sure which mod you're talking about, but this one here:

Hazard Switch LED Indicator DIY/Modification

150mR now the confirmed value for 4 LEDs. 33mR maybe marginal for 2 LEDs but worked for me on 2 units. Might need 40mR. Fast Flash Current Threshold 'Reprogramming' This DIY/modification allows the use of 2 or 4 LED indicators WITHOUT the need for additional load resistors. Fast flash failed...

www.uk-mkivs.net

And there is a guy that sold them pre made. I'll have to find them...

So I don't have FB but check this link then scroll down to the hazard flashers:

Clusters: By Litke LLC

VW MK3,MK4,B5,B5.5 and Audi B5,C5,8N instrument cluster sales, coding services, repair, and mods. Offer wiring harnesses and misc electronic components.

www.facebook.com

 

[J_dude]

Not sure which mod you're talking about, but this one here:

Hazard Switch LED Indicator DIY/Modification

150mR now the confirmed value for 4 LEDs. 33mR maybe marginal for 2 LEDs but worked for me on 2 units. Might need 40mR. Fast Flash Current Threshold 'Reprogramming' This DIY/modification allows the use of 2 or 4 LED indicators WITHOUT the need for additional load resistors. Fast flash failed...

www.uk-mkivs.net

And there is a guy that sold them pre made. I'll have to find them...

Hmm ok that’s a little different, I did the one where you just cut pin 7 on the little 8 pin chip like in this thread https://forums.tdiclub.com/index.php?threads/leds-bulbs-for-mkiv-jetta.296614/page-2
But it doesn’t look like that has anything to do with brake lights, am I missing something?

 

[benmarks]

The reason you need resistors on the brake LED's is to prevent hyperflashing. I don't think there's any other need for them. If you use the modified hazard switch, then you don't need the resistors. It's the same front or back.

 

[KrashDH]

The reason you need resistors on the brake LED's is to prevent hyperflashing. I don't think there's any other need for them. If you use the modified hazard switch, then you don't need the resistors. It's the same front or back.

That's correct.
Resistors cure hyperflash.
Or that modified flasher will prevent that.

Or the right LED bulbs prevent it. But also the resistors prevent something else, and that's the "brake out" flashing lights on the dash.

I had all the lights working properly, no hyperflash, but I couldn't get the light out warning off the cluster until I got the right LEDs (or using resistors).

I even did the math to try and get the right resistance combo with just standard LEDs and I could get them functioning properly but couldn't trick the computer.

But my apologies if that's what you're not going after.

 

[hey_allen]

My reasoning for doing the resistor was due to the brake out warning, as I don't believe I had any hyper flash with the Osram LED bulbs I am running.

 

[benmarks]

Remind me, which brake bulb should trigger the cluster warning? The one that comes on when you tap the brakes, or any of them? I don't remember seeing this with my Sylvania ZEVO bulbs.

 

[benmarks]

I have Sylvania ZEVO bulbs dating all the way back to 2017 in all of the sockets in my tail light housings. I only installed resistors on the blinkers to address hyper-flashing (this was before I purchased one of ClusterByLitke's hazard switches.) I don't have any indicators illuminated in my cluster. ZEVO bulbs don't have built-in resistors either.

I also have the hazard switch, but I bought it to address hyper-flashing in the blinkers inside my HID's when I converted them to LED bulbs much later. I didn't want to install more resistors, and the OSRAM LED's I used (I had to import them from the UK) didn't have resistors either.

 

[KrashDH]

Remind me, which brake bulb should trigger the cluster warning? The one that comes on when you tap the brakes, or any of them? I don't remember seeing this with my Sylvania ZEVO bulbs.

The one that comes on when you tap the brakes. That's the only warning these cars will throw is for brake lights out.

 

[Nero Morg]

Showed off my wagon to @sackman and how fun a stage 4 can be. Eyes like dinner plates haha

 

[J_dude]

Remind me, which brake bulb should trigger the cluster warning? The one that comes on when you tap the brakes, or any of them? I don't remember seeing this with my Sylvania ZEVO bulbs.

Ok now I am getting confused, what are we talking about here? Brake bulbs are typically the ones that come on when you tap the brake pedal... lol
At least that’s the way it is on my car up here in “maple land” as mongler calls it haha

 

[benmarks]

I just meant to clarify which bulb triggers the alert in the cluster, the light when you tap the pedal or any of the bulbs in the housing.

With that said, I never saw any alerts with my LED bulbs and they don't have built-in resistors.

 

[J_dude]

That's the only warning these cars will throw is for brake lights out.

To clarify:
This is the issue I’m looking to address, (although it hasn’t happened to me yet as I don’t have my leds in yet) which does NOT have anything to do with whether you have a modified hazard switch or not, because said modified switch is used solely address the signal (not brake) light hyperflash, right?
Sorry if I’m not getting it, this is beginning to muddle my little brain.

 

[J_dude]

I just meant to clarify which bulb triggers the alert in the cluster, the light when you tap the pedal or any of the bulbs in the housing.

With that said, I never saw any alerts with my LED bulbs and they don't have built-in resistors.

Ohhh ok yes gotcha sorry
So does this mean Zevo’s are the ones to get, at least for the brakes? I have Zevo’s in my front signals already, might as well make em all match right? Haha

 

[KrashDH]

To clarify:
This is the issue I’m looking to address, (although it hasn’t happened to me yet as I don’t have my leds in yet) which does NOT have anything to do with whether you have a modified hazard switch or not, because said modified switch is used solely address the signal (not brake) light hyperflash, right?
Sorry if I’m not getting it, this is beginning to muddle my little brain.

The modified hazard switch should eliminate hyperflash and allow you to run LEDs with no bulb out errors, which is related to the brake lights too. As far as I understand it.

Like I said, I'm running standard halogen for the front turns, and LEDs in all of the rear sockets, including the brakes (which I'm using a special bulb from a specialty vendor for this car).

If I did it all over, I'd probably just do the hazard mod, or buy it, but my setup works great.

You may just have to test it out.
I did a lot of math and tested outs lot of LEDs and combos to figure out what triggers these cars. This with a unmodified hazard switch

 

[J_dude]

The modified hazard switch should eliminate hyperflash and allow you to run LEDs with no bulb out errors, which is related to the brake lights too. As far as I understand it.

Like I said, I'm running standard halogen for the front turns, and LEDs in all of the rear sockets, including the brakes (which I'm using a special bulb from a specialty vendor for this car).

If I did it all over, I'd probably just do the hazard mod, or buy it, but my setup works great.

You may just have to test it out.
I did a lot of math and tested outs lot of LEDs and combos to figure out what triggers these cars. This with a unmodified hazard switch

Ahh I see, thanks Krash! Out of curiosity, how come you don’t have LED in the front signals?

 

[cms_45]

Gave Stella a good bath yesterday and pulled her into the shop bay. She's getting a good bit of maintenance...

Diagnose rear brake light/turn signals
Diagnose brake light on dash illuminated
Replace crank sensor
Trans fluid drain/refill
Band-aid driver seat cover
Clean interior
Rotate tires
Grease CV axles (possibly replace)
New wiper blades (got 5 years out of these Bosch Icons!)
Rain x windshield
Fix paint chips
Air filter (if due)
Fuel filter (if due)
Cabin air filter (if due)

Good days work on Stella! Congrat. What is the part number for the BOSCH ICON blades you are using? Are the replacement ones you just put in holding up as the last set is?

Many thanks,
Chuck

 

[KrashDH]

Ahh I see, thanks Krash! Out of curiosity, how come you don’t have LED in the front signals?

Honestly, I did a projector retrofit for the headlights and just left the halogens in front.

I converted the tails to LED probably a year after and don't really need to remove my headlights for anything. Since I don't really take my bumper off much I didn't want to mess with it.

For the projector retrofit going in the car next, I may put LEDs in for the turns as well since I'll have them in the small fog light spot as well.