chametzoo
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Post by chametzoo on Jun 24, 2015 14:20:31 GMT -8
I'm looking for a brake/marker light to mount above the rear window, centered. Problem is, the very curved surface. Anything I've considered so far would be pointing UP at the sky. It would be nice to find one with a beveled mount. I've looked at the surface mount LED truck marker lights (horizontal, oval) but they're all kinda cheesy and would not look right. Any ideas here? Thanks! You'll notice the other brake lights are deep "can" type and surface mounted, so the body curve is not as much a factor.
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Ten
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Post by Ten on Jun 24, 2015 18:41:41 GMT -8
Personally, I would consider reflective tape above the window, or perhaps marker lights, rather than the third brake light...but that is just me....
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nccamper
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Post by nccamper on Jun 24, 2015 19:18:02 GMT -8
"Anything I've considered so far would be pointing UP at the sky."
Funny image.
There's always a Clam Shell light. A different look, I know.
By the way, your camper is great and your work area rocks!
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chametzoo
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Post by chametzoo on Jun 24, 2015 19:54:06 GMT -8
"Anything I've considered so far would be pointing UP at the sky." Funny image. There's always a Clam Shell light. A different look, I know. By the way, your camper is great and your work area rocks! I WISH that was my workspace ! Belongs to someone else who knows how to make money at restorations!. Can you show me an example of a clam shell? Thanks.
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chametzoo
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Post by chametzoo on Jun 24, 2015 20:00:47 GMT -8
Personally, I would consider reflective tape above the window, or perhaps marker lights, rather than the third brake light...but that is just me.... You may be right about using simple marker light. I now have a 12v line to that location (skin is off). Not so into reflective tape... But I have thought about a horizontal strip "bar" light which could surface mount easily.
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mountainsounds
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Post by mountainsounds on Jun 24, 2015 20:57:30 GMT -8
What about using a vintage Ford style STOP brake light? Wld be hard to miss.
A small beehive wld be nice too.
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bpmcgee
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Post by bpmcgee on Jun 25, 2015 5:14:55 GMT -8
Chametzoo,
Not sure if this is important to you, but I just looked at the rules for trailer lights and there's no provision for a single "third brake light" like on cars.
The rules say they should "On the rear - symmetrical - as far apart as practicable." That implies they should be in pairs. I'm not sure if a police officer would treat the rules as "minimum requirements" or not.
Obviously, it's a matter of choice whether or not to follow it, but FYI.
Brian
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chametzoo
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Post by chametzoo on Jun 25, 2015 7:32:09 GMT -8
What about using a vintage Ford style STOP brake light? Wld be hard to miss. A small beehive wld be nice too. Sure… a beehive would be nice, but the angle it would be mounted on above the window would have it pointing up at a 45 deg. angle. Does anyone else think that would be odd… or am I being strange about this. Take a vote
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chametzoo
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Post by chametzoo on Jun 25, 2015 7:34:07 GMT -8
Not sure if this is important to you, but I just looked at the rules for trailer lights and there's no provision for a single "third brake light" like on cars. I'm not sure if a police officer would treat the rules as "minimum requirements" or not. Thanks Brian. I would imagine that is a minimum requirement. If I were to put a third light up there, the trailer would be massively more visible, esp. in foggy conditions.
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RinTin
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Post by RinTin on Jun 25, 2015 8:26:03 GMT -8
Thanks Brian. I would imagine that is a minimum requirement. If I were to put a third light up there, the trailer would be massively more visible, esp. in foggy conditions. Yes, the fog up here is a HUGE factor. How about fabricating a small mounting block that would point the light in the right direction? I have also thought about hanging a 4-pin connector off the back of my trailer that I could plug a set of magnetic bumper mounted lights into while towing.
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mountainsounds
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Post by mountainsounds on Jun 25, 2015 14:21:34 GMT -8
I'm also thinking about installing a brake light inside the back window. Maybe something longer and narrow so it's not too obvious when not in use.
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Ten
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Post by Ten on Jun 25, 2015 16:48:47 GMT -8
If you were really dead-set on a single light above the window, couldn't you mount it using a tin bracket, which could be mounted to the trailer in the back side of the window frame itself? Something along the lines of a license frame, which could be attached behind the window frame with the same screws as the window, sorta like the license frame mounts in the back of the tail light base? This would be easy enough to maneuver and would be flexible to point tin the proper direction. If it were me however, I believe I might try to fish the wire inside the wall to use these, or something like them, and build a three light cluster of markers over the window.... www.vintagecampers.com/viewpart.php?partID=2556
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chametzoo
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Post by chametzoo on Jun 26, 2015 9:04:16 GMT -8
Thanks…. these are all great suggestions. While this is a functional and safety need, it also occupies a fairly prominent place on the trailer and should be architecturally correct with the trailer's appearance. So, the ideas I'm hearing from you all start with a possible temporary light that is put in place only when towing. Another idea is to not try too hard to integrate the light, but have it on a bracket (like a license place light), with that bracket fastened within the mounting of the top of the window frame… or even on the inside of the window. Next… build a metal mounting base and cowl that would allow any surface mount light to be adapted to the slope of the surface. Ten, also suggested a row of three teardrop lights across the back. And finally, a 'strip' light innocuously mounted above the window. I might actually go for that last one if I could find a strip fixture that wasn't so cheesy looking.
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Post by vintagebruce on Jun 26, 2015 10:04:52 GMT -8
Wonder if a vintage motorcycle fender-mount brake light would work. Something like this or one of the alternatives on the right hand side. www.jpcycles.com/product/3400521
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chametzoo
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Post by chametzoo on Jun 26, 2015 10:30:01 GMT -8
Wonder if a vintage motorcycle fender-mount brake light would work. Something like this or one of the alternatives on the right hand side. www.jpcycles.com/product/3400521Yes!… I've been looking at those too and certainly would work fit-wise. They tend to be rather large though… often 8" in length. If you look at my photo in the original post above, those round tail lights are about 4" in diameter. A fender mount might look out of scale. But these are all great ideas, I'm just not sure if I want to go "subtle" or make a statement with the light.
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