How to PROPERLY install a reverse light socket.

[Futzy1]

So after almost 2 years, I'm finally getting to the missing reverse lamp socket on my 1973 Dart Custom. I have a generic 1157 one wire socket, and I know it's supposed to ground on the lamp housing, but while the lip is large enough to keep it from just pushing through, the housing is too small to just stay in place.

How am I supposed to attach it? JB? Solder it in place? Etc?

Thanks as always.

 

[RogerRamRod]

I think I would solder it at least a few tack spots, if not all the way around, then make sure it had additional support, such as the JB you mentioned. Hard for me to picture as I don’t have a 73 to look at & reference.
Though, Solder isn’t going to stick unless you have clean bare metal. Might need to solder a wire to the socket, then take that to a ground screw somewhere.

 

[Futzy1]

Thanks. These are just pics I pulled from another thread, but I figured they will give the visual.

In this one, the orange is with the OE that has lips on both the front and the back. The blue is what mine currently looks like.

 

[MoparMike1974]

The factory ones were crimped in place I believe. You can JB them in place and solder a ground pigtail to the lamp holder and ground it to the tail panel.
It may be possible to bend the tabs over to hold it in place but it probably wont ground well so you would still want to add the ground wire.
It wouldnt hurt to daisy chain the ground to all the lamp sockets to prevent future grounding issues.

 

[wireweld]

I glued the socket in with clear silicone and soldered a wire to the socket. Then screwed the eyelet on the wire to the back of the tail light.