Cludge or creativity?

[x88x]

So, I was just working on my car today, and something occurred to me... I always find it much more satisfying when I can make or fix something by modifying whatever happens to be on hand, rather than actually getting the appropriate part. IDK if it's the creativity needed or what, but I think it's one of the reasons I love the post-apocalyptic genre so much.

For example; one of the the double-filament break lights on my car shorted out and burned one of the filaments. The filament that burned out is the one that actually turns on for the brake light, and I cannot for the life of me figure out what the other one would do. ...actually, it occurs to me now that it might be the backup light, but either way, I can live without that... Anyways, I have been putting off fixing it, and the repair order I got says that it has to be fixed by...well, today, so I didn't have time to wait for a bulb to get ordered right now. So, I filed down both contacts, made a bridge contact, and added a piece of fiberglass tape, so now the brake contact turns on both filaments.

I find this sort of thing much more satisfying than just going out and buying the proper bulb (which I'll probably do at some point anyways, but still), so this made me wonder.. What is your thoughts on the matter? Cludge or Creativity?

[mDust]

Kludge.
How did you open the bulb in the first place?
It might be more rewarding to engineer your own fix, but it's not as good as the actual replacement part 99% of the time. Maybe I'm just picturing in my head something 100x as shoddy as it actually is though.:D Photos?

Autozone will sell you that bulb for around $4, so there's no need to order it.

[msmrx57]

The other filament in the bulb is most likely the taillight. So now neither the brake light or taillight will work properly. Wally world sells those bulbs cheap.

[Luthien]

While I think it's a cool idea, you should probably get a bulb from the store anyway. I love using what's available, but if it ends up not being exactly right, you could get a ticket for it.

[x88x]

if it ends up not being exactly right, you could get a ticket for it.

Actually, that's why I did it in the first place. ;) A repair order that gave me 10 days to fix it...that I kept putting off until the night before the cutoff date. I will be stopping by Autozone or something sometime soon to pick up a proper replacement..for some reason it didn't occur to me that I wouldn't have to special order one.. I guess they are fairly standard.

I forgot to take pics before I put it in, but when I take it out I'll take one. Basically, there were two contacts on the bottom, one for each filament. I filed down both of them flush with the ceramic base and soldered a piece of wire joining them and making a bump where the contact for the now dead filament was. Then, I put a piece of tape covering the old contact for the good filament. Basically, it works as a brake light now, and that's the important thing. Also, it ended up being really easy to get to, so now I can swap out the proper bulb quickly.

[billygoat333]

I probably woulda done the same thing, but do get the replacement ;) haha

[SXRguyinMA]

it will work as a brake light, however at night time when jsut the running light is supposed to be on that brake light will be on at all times, so be careful

[Oneslowz28]

Yea that second filament is the running lights. Your brake lights get brighter rather than just being an on and off type thing.