brake & turn lights

[chris white]

i really love my bus but want to convert the top old flashers to brake and turn in back and will use all amber in front as turn signals. i hope someone may have done this and have some tips for me...thanx

[somewhereinusa]

Do some checking, I think there are some regulations about how high brake/turn light can be. I think it was on this forum.

[GreyEagle]

TRUCKS, BUSES, MPVs: FEDERAL LIGHTING EQUIPMENT LOCATION REQUIREMENTS

NO MORE THAN 72 INCHES ABOVE THGE GROUND

Link http://www.arenco.ca/normes.pdf

[lornaschinske]

TRUCKS, BUSES, MPVs: FEDERAL LIGHTING EQUIPMENT LOCATION REQUIREMENTS

NO MORE THAN 72 INCHES ABOVE THGE GROUND

Link http://www.arenco.ca/normes.pdf

Where did you see the "maximum" height? I have had the same chart for years (different source). I understood that those were the legal requirements. I have noticed that a lot of the semi trucks are looking more like "christmas trees" due to all the lights on them. Not only are the getting carried away with the side marker lights but I have noticed that an increasing number of the cabs are installing upper brake/turn lights towards the upper rear parts of their cabs. We will use one set of the old flashers as a "docking light (a 75Watt docking light... then I want to go find that yo-yo who left HIS sticks-n-staples RV's docking light on for hours late one night!!) and standard stop/turn/ parking light bulbs on the outer rear (red cover) and a turn or parking/turn bulb in the outer front (amber cover). NOT the original 75W bulbs!


http://icsw.nhtsa.gov/cars/rules/standards/conspicuity/

[Stuff]

you could probably hook the ones up top to work WITH the current ones on the back of the bus but you cant unhook the current ones if thats what you mean.

[GreyEagle]

very last column on the right, under trucks and buses.. top 4th page down.
TRUCKS, BUSES, MPVs: (continued)
FEDERAL LIGHTING EQUIPMENT LOCATION REQUIREMENTS
BASIC EQUIPMENT REQUIRED ON ALL TRUCKS, BUSES & MPVs
DESCRIPTION MANDATORY REQUIREMENTS

Area Equipment (SAE Lens Coding) Functional Purpose Quantity Color Location

Height mm (in.) from the ground 15 - 72 inches / 380-1830 mm

Stop Lamps (S) Indicate braking Minimum 2

Red On the rear - symmetrical - as far apart as practicable

the xmas tree lights are all marker lights on the big trucks......

[lornaschinske]

It does not say MAXIMUM height, just gives a range. I will have the required lights placed in the specified placement ranges... and some extras. Doesn't matter. I will do our extra lights as planned. If it turns out to be a problem in any state we title/tag in, then I will simply remove the bulb.

[GreyEagle]

MANDATORY REQUIREMENTS
Area Equipment (SAE Lens Coding) Functional Purpose Quantity Color Location
Height mm (in.)
from the ground
Stop Lamps (S) Indicate braking Minimum 2
Red On the rear - symmetrical - as far apart as practicable
(no lower than 380mmm - no higher than 1830 mm)
(no lower than 15 inches no higher than -72
from the ground )


Good luck with your build,......... You are way ahead of me I don't even have one yet...

[lornaschinske]

I won't go round and round with you. I have tagged/titled a former commercial vehicle as a recreational vehicle before and I already know that many of the things that you guys think apply, do not apply to a recreational vehicle (must be tagged/titled as such). If I have a problem when I put it out on the road, I will post that. Until then, I will do what I want to the lights. I will have the MANDITORY LIGHTS. I will also have the extra light. The requirements do not address that. As far as I know (based on observation and reading OTHER forums) I can put OTHER additional lights on the bus.

[GreyEagle]

I won't go round and round with you. I have tagged/titled a former commercial vehicle as a recreational vehicle before and I already know that many of the things that you guys think apply, do not apply to a recreational vehicle (must be tagged/titled as such). If I have a problem when I put it out on the road, I will post that. Until then, I will do what I want to the lights. I will have the MANDITORY LIGHTS. I will also have the extra light. The requirements do not address that. As far as I know (based on observation and reading OTHER forums) I can put OTHER additional lights on the bus.

I do not want to go (around) as you call it .......was only trying to help a fellow skoolie out.... It says he, she, it did not say it was mandatory...

It's printed in bold letters at the top the page....MANDATORY REQUIREMENTS

I don't care what you do with your lights, it's your bus, your lights, have fun with it.....

Just wish I was out there too.....

LIFE'S A TRIP, .........TAKE ONE

[lornaschinske]

Just wish I was out there too.....

LIFE'S A TRIP, .........TAKE ONE

Just try to avoid the smoke!

Smoke from the Wallow fire... I25 MM166 You can't see the mountains in the background.

[somewhereinusa]

Not that it really matters, I doubt that the question will ever come up unless one of those newbee inspectors with the crewcut and lots of guns want's to show someone how much power he has.

If it turns out to be a problem in any state we title/tag in, then I will simply remove the bulb

This could actually be more of a problem. Usually these guys say "If a light fixture is there it has to work"

I had one of those guys stop me and he found so many things "wrong" with the truck I'm surprised he didn't arrest me. Original reason for stopping me? "Your license plate is bent" He then proceeded to find things like VIN number plate on trailer has serial number not VIN. ???????? I just be polite and say "Yes sir, whatever you say sir" and go merrily on my way. I'd like to have been there when he explained that one to his commander.

[emberglow]

I often get the impression that the state troopers up here are just happy if you have working lights. In less populated areas its not unheard of to put lens repair tape over a flashlight and duct tape two of these to the back of a trailer as "tail lights."

For what its worth, the last few batches of tourist buses (MCIs) I've seen appear to have the top corner markers in back wired to light up with the brakes and turn signals too. I could imagine a cop arguing that a skoolie's 8-way lights are universally associated with a school bus as opposed to simple tail or marker lights. The obvious argument to that would be that your non-school-bus-yellow bus with lights behaving as tail and turn signals is obviously not a school bus. Again, to any sensible person with critical thinking skills, you're obviously not a school bus, but that doesn't seem to always apply to the police anymore..

Consider that, on a whole, the police today are far more impressed with themselves than they have any right to be. While you might not be violating any law, this might not stop them from ticketing you, arresting you, impounding your bus, etc. Being right does not make up for the time spent in jail waiting to prove it, nor the potential for damage from police-contracted (i.e., "don't have to care") towing companies.

That all said, I don't feel the need to worry about it here. In the lower-48 there's no way I'd have red and amber lenses on my 8-ways. Just isn't worth it to me to fight that battle, even though I know I'm right. Your mileage may vary..

[bapos]

I say wire them up and see what happens? Would it be taking a risk sure....if they stop and pull you over for it say... wow I didnt know that. Im glad you let me know and ill take care of that right now and hop out with a screw driver and remove the bulb. All the time stroking the cops ego and bowing down to the all mighty know it all cop. To answer the question.... yes I do not like cops at all.

Do I think it should matter if you do this...no. I think if anything it would be helpful but common sense has kept me in trouble all my life.

I say roll the dice and do it but be willing to accept the consequences if you tangle an ego driven rooster in law enforcement?

[lornaschinske]

I don't think most cops will look twice at a skoolie. We drove 1700+ miles thru several states, parking at night in parking lots, without tags, flasher lights in place but covers removed. Not one stop, not even looked at twice.