The BEST Fully LED Taillight for the 2009-18 Ram

Everyone is always discussing the importance of good headlights, but your taillights deserve the love too. If you own a 2009-2018 Dodge Ram, GTR Lighting has you covered with their Carbide Series LED Taillights.

These taillights hit the mark on being a more affordable, but well-rounded taillight option for your Ram truck. To illustrate why, we break down their specs, put them to the test, and show you how to install them.

About

GTR Lighting has been paving the way for a middle ground between the no-good marketplace brands and the high-end brands like Morimoto. While they may occupy this position in price, they certainly perform at a level that puts competitors to shame. GTR Lighting is pretty young to the full LED housing market, but they have plenty of experience with LED bulbs.

We have been a fan of their bulbs for some time, especially the i-LED indicator bulbs. So, we have high hopes for their brake light housing.

As for the taillights, they come in a standard ‘red’ color and a smoked version. We prefer the smoked version as it adds another element of uniqueness to the car. If you are a fan of keeping it OEM-looking, the red version is right there for you.

When you power these up, you get a C-shape parking light around the housing’s perimeter. The reverse light sits in the center, as opposed to the bottom on the OEM housing.

Performance

These lights are a great center option between keeping your OEM lights and upgrading to a high-end product like the Morimoto XB LED taillight.

While the brake light is brighter than ever, the reverse light is about on par with the OEM. You do, however, get a much better color that will help you see a bit better when reversing. you also can choose between a standard red or smoked lens.

Alternatively, or additionally, you could install this LED light bar called the XTR License Plate Reverse Lightbar. The light output from this little thing is insane. It is a must for anyone who tows or works late hours frequently.

Install

Tools Needed for the Job:
T25 Torx Bit
Power Drill

Go to the rear of your truck and put the rear bed door down. Unscrew the two T25 Torx screws on the interior side of the taillight.

Pull the taillight housing toward you to remove it. Be sure to unplug the stock housing connector.

On the rear of the Carbide Series taillight, there is one connector and one resistor. The resistor gets warm, we recommend using a self-tapping screw and placing it inside the housing bowl.

You can then plug in your new taillight and push it into position. Once it is in place, you can screw in those two T25 Torx screws.

Repeat for both sides.

Before putting your tools away, be sure to test the lights and all their functions to make sure they work properly.

Conclusion

And there you have it! Your fully LED taillights have been installed, and all before dinner is ready. We were impressed with the quality of the performance level of these lights, as well as the look and installation process.

If you would like to pick up your own pair, you can do so here, on the GTR Lighting website.

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