Additional Tail Lights

[traveldawg]

After coming from a motorhome where the tail lights are huge I thought the 2 single tail lights on the rather large piece of back wall real estate looked kind of small. So I added a few. I hope the guy behind me doesn't get blinded too much. But I hope even more that folks see my brakes and blinkers.



on edit... adding this info as I did get at least one request via a PM for info....

I found the lights themselves on eBay: https://www.ebay.com/itm/291853915473

I found the trim ring at eTrailer: https://www.etrailer.com/s.aspx?qry=A78RXB

The lights are STL78RB or maybe STL78RXB.

You may be able to find the lights eTrailer too but the price on eBay was good.

The are flush mount, you just need to drill a 1" hole for the wiring.

 

[Paul & Deb]

After coming from a motorhome where the tail lights are huge I thought the 2 single tail lights on the rather large piece of back wall real estate looked kind of small. So I added a few. I hope the guy behind me doesn't get blinded too much. But I hope even more that folks see my brakes and blinkers.

View attachment 14260

I like it, I assume you were just able to fish line up through the insulation to the other lights? I hope to add one much higher up the rear wall for ours because the bikes block ours ever so slightly but wasn't sure how easy that would be. I already switched the lights out to LED units which are significantly brighter.

 

[howson]

I already switched the lights out to LED units which are significantly brighter.

Did you just replace the bulb or the entire housing?

 

[Cate&Rob]

Some thoughts on what does not work . . .

I was going to come at this visibility problem with a Centre High Mount Stop Light (CHMSL) as is common on most cars and trucks. But, I discovered that this will not work. Our trailers have "two wire" tail lights, meaning that there is one circuit for the running light filament and the other circuit is for both brakes and turn signal. The truck flashes the brake light signal when both brakes and turn signal are on. So, there is no way to isolate just the brake circuit.

There is a "2 wire to 3 wire" conversion box to separate the turn and brake circuits . . . but this requires tail lights that also have three circuits instead of two. I still like the CHMSL idea . . . but it will have to come with new 3 wire tail lights too.

WRT LED bulbs. I purchased 1157 LED equivalents and found them to be far less bright than the original incandescent tail light bulbs. There are many different kinds of LED bulbs . . . so maybe the ones I tried weren't the best . . . but check their brightness vs the original before assuming that LEDs will be brighter.

Rob

 

[Paul & Deb]

Did you just replace the bulb or the entire housing?

The full units.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007V4XBUE/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

[TucsonJim]

Did you just replace the bulb or the entire housing?

Howard - I replaced the bulbs on our Reflection travel trailer with equivalent LED bulbs. But it caused a problem with my 2016 Ford F350. Evidently the resistance of the bulbs was different enough from the incandescent bulbs, that the Ford thought there was a problem. I kept getting trailer disconnected warnings on the driver's panel of my Ford when I applied the brake pedal. I switched back to incandescent bulbs, and the problem went away. Just to make sure, I popped the LEDs back in, and the problem immediately reappeared.

Jim

 

[gbkims]

I used the Bargman 47-84-610 also - https://trailerparts.com/bargman-47-84-610-taillight.html

As Jim says YMMV with the ITBC & LED lights as the ITBC with their constant diagnostic pulses testing the truck's wiring and the trailer's wiring can be very finicky.

 

[traveldawg]

I like it, I assume you were just able to fish line up through the insulation to the other lights? I hope to add one much higher up the rear wall for ours because the bikes block ours ever so slightly but wasn't sure how easy that would be. I already switched the lights out to LED units which are significantly brighter.

Yes - just fished some wires up to the 2 new light assembly above the original light assembly. Since the walls are all styrofoam (or whatever high tech name GD might give them) it takes a little tugging but the fish tape does most of the work.

 

[Paul & Deb]

Yes - just fished some wires up to the 2 new light assembly above the original light assembly. Since the walls are all styrofoam (or whatever high tech name GD might give them) it takes a little tugging but the fish tape does most of the work.

View attachment 14278

I wonder how high you can go without hitting an obstruction?

 

[Gold Country Livin']

Remember this photo when the guy tore off the rear wall? I wish I could get to somewhere near the top lights.

 

[JCZhome]

I had additional stop/turn/brake lights added also. I wanted them up higher......in their face (so they will hopefully see them even when they're texting) and so the second and third cars back can see them, also.

Here it is with running lights on....




And here it is with the brakes on.....

 

[Gold Country Livin']

JCZ, I think from your earlier posts about this, that the Momentum had a wider sidewall construction where the Reflection is narrow above the rear tables. This made fishing wires more difficult. I don't know if a solution was ever found. Would be nice to have those higher lights.

 

[ChadandMel]

Some thoughts on what does not work . . .

I was going to come at this visibility problem with a Centre High Mount Stop Light (CHMSL) as is common on most cars and trucks. But, I discovered that this will not work. Our trailers have "two wire" tail lights, meaning that there is one circuit for the running light filament and the other circuit is for both brakes and turn signal. The truck flashes the brake light signal when both brakes and turn signal are on. So, there is no way to isolate just the brake circuit.

There is a "2 wire to 3 wire" conversion box to separate the turn and brake circuits . . . but this requires tail lights that also have three circuits instead of two. I still like the CHMSL idea . . . but it will have to come with new 3 wire tail lights too.

WRT LED bulbs. I purchased 1157 LED equivalents and found them to be far less bright than the original incandescent tail light bulbs. There are many different kinds of LED bulbs . . . so maybe the ones I tried weren't the best . . . but check their brightness vs the original before assuming that LEDs will be brighter.

Rob

I bought the ones for my TRUCK at retro solutions and they are super bright! Haven’t done the camper yet, but will eventually.

Really like the triple tails shown above.

I got the same fast blink that Jim is referring to as well. If you have a Ford, you can download Forscan for free (windows only), buy a OBD2->USB cord off amazon for $20, and actually go in and change the parameters for your lights. You can change a lot more too like tire size, TPMS settings etc.

I’m sure this would work for your issue Jim.


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[alanhenson]

If LEDs are messing with the truck or fast blinking then you need a resistor wired in the circuit. Had to do that on my FJ Cruiser.

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[ChadandMel]

If LEDs are messing with the truck or fast blinking then you need a resistor wired in the circuit. Had to do that on my FJ Cruiser.

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That causes unnecessary heat build up. I originally bought these and then found out about forscan for the ford trucks. Plus it was about the same cost for the cord.


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[howson]

...and then found out about forscan for the ford trucks.

WOW--thank you. I had not heard of FORScan. A quick Google search later and I'm stoked! Can't wait to tinker with the settings. According to a post at https://forscan.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=4866 FORScan will work with my '17 F-350. (Autofold mirrors with key fob lock button? Oh yeah, I'm interested.)

Here's a couple of links for the curious: https://www.f150forum.com/f118/fors...sable-features-your-truck-348987/#post4791312 which led me to https://docs.google.com/document/d/1-8dKaS_Spu4Zw4hV_CrKC4tLoP9G8yejqegF1wxIqxY/edit

 

[ChadandMel]

WOW--thank you. I had not heard of FORScan. A quick Google search later and I'm stoked! Can't wait to tinker with the settings. According to a post at https://forscan.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=4866 FORScan will work with my '17 F-350. (Autofold mirrors with key fob lock button? Oh yeah, I'm interested.)

Here's a couple of links for the curious: https://www.f150forum.com/f118/fors...sable-features-your-truck-348987/#post4791312 which led me to https://docs.google.com/document/d/1-8dKaS_Spu4Zw4hV_CrKC4tLoP9G8yejqegF1wxIqxY/edit

You can change a lot.

Bambi mode which keeps the fog lights on with high beams.

Stealth mode (I think it’s called) where if you have push button start, jump out at the store and leave it running, it won’t shift out of park unless the fob is in the truck.

You can change the background on the stereo display.

Enable remote start if you don’t have it (still have to buy the hardware) but saves you a trip to the dealer.

All kinds of fun stuff. Jump over to power stroke army forum and search for it. Guys literally have lists of all the changes and shortcuts how to do them. Great forum too.


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[traveldawg]

I wonder how high you can go without hitting an obstruction?

My assumption is that the studs in the wall are vertical; except maybe where the window is. But you know what they say about assumptions....

After I removed the bottom light assembly (the original one) I ran a fish-tape up as far as the next light and proceeded to drill the hole for the light; then did the same for the top light.

I think you could remove the existing light and see how far up you can run a fish-tape (or something similar) and find out how high you can go.

One interesting note... on the left side (drivers side) the hole is just to the right of a vertical aluminum stud.

 

[campinfool]

I have a drawing of the back wall that was sent to me when I was installing my back-up camera. As usual GD was more than helpful and the engineer was more than happy to email it to me. I have it on my work computer. Not sure if I should post it here or just send it to those interested. Maybe one of the Moderators can direct me in the right direction. It is for the Reflection 337 5th wheel, ours is a 2014.

I would like to add more visibility to the rear of ours also.

Jim

 

[Cate&Rob]

I have a drawing of the back wall that was sent to me when I was installing my back-up camera. As usual GD was more than helpful and the engineer was more than happy to email it to me. I have it on my work computer. Not sure if I should post it here or just send it to those interested. Maybe one of the Moderators can direct me in the right direction. It is for the Reflection 337 5th wheel, ours is a 2014.

I would like to add more visibility to the rear of ours also.

Jim

Jim - This is a difficult question. GDRV does not “publish” any of their drawings but will sometimes break their own rules to help individual owners. Unless GDRV gives you specific permission, this drawing should not be published on this forum (as much as we would all like to have it ). If you choose to privately share it, that is between you and whomever. If someone wants this drawing, please contact Jim by private message.

Rob