Rear lighting is one of the last things buyers think about when speccing a new service body — and one of the
first things a DOT inspector checks. When a truck body shop swaps a factory tail light setup for an aftermarket
body, the wiring for license plate lights and tail lights has to be redone correctly, and the choice between LED
and standard incandescent bulbs affects more than just brightness. At
Star Truck Equipment in Wharton, TX, we wire every
service body, flatbed, and dump body we install for
full compliance before it leaves our shop, serving fleets across Texas and Louisiana.
Standard (Incandescent) Tail Light Wiring
Factory-style incandescent tail lights and license plate lights are simple, inexpensive, and easy for any shop
to service in the field — parts are available at any auto parts store nationwide. The downsides show up over
time: incandescent bulbs draw more amperage, run hotter, and burn out faster than LED equivalents, especially on
trucks that idle for long stretches with the lights on (utility crews, night work, oilfield standby). A failed
bulb that goes unnoticed is also one of the most common reasons a service truck gets written up on a DOT
roadside inspection.
LED License Plate Lights and Tail Lights
LED lighting draws a fraction of the amperage of incandescent bulbs, runs cooler, and typically outlasts the
service body itself — which matters on a truck that will carry cargo lighting, work lights, and a body harness
all pulling off the same electrical system. LED also lights up faster (helpful for brake response time) and
holds up far better to the vibration and dust that come with off-road and jobsite driving. The tradeoff is a
higher upfront parts cost and, on some LED replacement kits, the need for load-resistor wiring to prevent a
hyper-flash fault code on trucks with factory bulb-check systems.
Which One Should Your Fleet Spec?
- Fleets with heavy night or standby idle time — LED to cut amperage draw and bulb failures
- Owner-operators wanting simple roadside serviceability — standard incandescent is fine if bulbs are checked regularly
- Any truck with an aftermarket body — verify plate light and tail light wiring meets FMVSS 108 visibility and color requirements regardless of bulb type
- DOT-regulated fleets — LED’s lower failure rate reduces roadside inspection risk
Whether you’re speccing a new flatbed,
crane body, or service body, we wire the rear
lighting to spec and can upgrade to LED tail and license plate lighting on any build. Browse our
truck accessories for lighting upgrades on
existing trucks.
Get Your Truck Lighting Wired Right
Star Truck Equipment builds and wires truck bodies for fleets and owner-operators across Texas and Louisiana
from our shop in Wharton, TX. Call us at (979) 532-1486 or browse our
service bodies and
truck accessories to get started.
