What is the Point of Having Too Many Tractor & Trailer Lights???

[heavyhaulerss]

If it's on the truck or trailer it HAS to work. if light is out it is beetr to pull light out. cannot get wrtten up for missing light,unless it is required.

[BanditsCousin]

If it's on the truck or trailer it HAS to work. if light is out it is beetr to pull light out. cannot get wrtten up for missing light,unless it is required.

x2 in agreeance with you and Gman.

My buddy had a small LED light out on his trailer and was going to get written up for it, so he took a hammer and knocked it off. It was an extra light. Cop gave him a break, luckily.

[jagerbomber3.0]

I dont ordinarily like to question peoples authority on message boards but for my own curiosity i would like to see a link to something in the lawbooks that states that a non required light has to be functional at all times. Of course there are the lights that are required to be functional on all trucks but I fail to see how they could ticket you for an add on light that is there for apperance purposes only and isnt legaly required to be on the truck. If this is the case then would a person that adds extra mirrors get a ticket just because one of the add ons got busted even though its an add on and not legaly required to be on the vehicle????? This sounds a little foggy to me. Not arguing and calling anyone a liar but I fail to see how a ticket for this kind of thing could hold up. Maybe i just dont know my regulations well enough.

[heavyhaulerss]

I cannot tell you where it is wriiten in the law, I can only tell you several d.o.t. officers, have told me this all from different states. I think maybe one reason behind this is if a another vehicle, such as a 4 wheeler, is near your truck & keeping an eye on one or more of your lights that are add on's, but not working the other driver may make a mistake, thinking it will give them an indication of your intention, turning, braking e.t.c. most 4 wheel drivers are not aware of what it takes to maneuver a truck, they may be looking at your trailer light add on's thinking they are brake lights & that could cause unintentional consequences. just a thought.

[GMAN]

I didn't have a lot of time to spend on this, but this was pasted directly from the federal website.

Lamps, reflective devices and electrical wiring

§393.25 Requirements for lamps other than head lamps. (a) Mounting.

(e) Lamps to be steady-burning. All exterior lamps (both required lamps and any additional lamps) shall be steady-burning with the exception of turn signal lamps; hazard warning signal lamps; school bus warning lamps; amber warning lamps or flashing warning lamps on tow trucks and commercial motor vehicles transporting oversized loads; and warning lamps on emergency and service vehicles authorized by State or local authorities. Lamps combined into the same shell or housing with a turn signal are not required to be steady burning while the turn signal is in use. Amber warning lamps must meet SAE J845-Optical Warning Devices for Authorized Emergency, Maintenance and Service Vehicles, May 1997. Amber flashing warning lamps must meet SAE J595-Directional Flashing Optical Warning Devices for Authorized Emergency, Maintenance and Service Vehicles, January 2005. Amber gaseous discharge warning lamps must meet SAE J1318 Gaseous Discharge Warning Lamp for Authorized Emergency, Maintenance, and Service Vehicles, May 1998. (See §393.7(b) for information on the incorporation by reference and availability of these documents.)

[chris1]

They can't ticket you for anything but required lamps. They can note non working lamps on the inspection report and with CSA2010 that's points.

[heavyhaulerss]

They can't ticket you for anything but required lamps. They can note non working lamps on the inspection report and with CSA2010 that's points.

LOL. O.K. if it is on your truck or trailer, it is REQUIRED TO WORK! hence required lamps.

[chris1]

There are state/local ordinances that will get you a ticket. Small town in Michigan was 136.00 for non working light(s),doubled fine for a CMV.

[Walking Eagle]

Anyway, everyone knows the more lights you have the faster your truck will run !! Ever tried to keep up with a bull hauler ??

[Roadhog]

I don't know what the number is, but after a certain amount of extra lights,
you qualify for train horns.

[HaulnHorses]

Anyway, everyone knows the more lights you have the faster your truck will run !! Ever tried to keep up with a bull hauler ??

Or a horse truck...

Were 100% LEDS inside and out of our horse wagons.







Why? Safety and were 53' all stainless steel trailers lights are a must.

[GMAN]

When I owned car haulers I had a lot of lights down the side of the trailer. It sure made it easier to back into a hole when it was really dark and I was tired. It made it much easier to see where I was backing. More importantly, it made it much easier for other drivers to see my truck.

[Heavy Duty]

Something else I see every week that will get you a ticket is amber tail lights or stop lamps, amber turn signals are OK if they are only lit as turn signals.

"(c) Prohibition on the use of amber stop lamps and tail lamps. No commercial motor vehicle may be equipped with an amber stop lamp, a tail lamp, or other lamp which is optically combined with an amber stop lamp or tail lamp."

How many is to many?

[Jackrabbit379]

When I owned car haulers I had a lot of lights down the side of the trailer. It sure made it easier to back into a hole when it was really dark and I was tired. It made it much easier to see where I was backing. More importantly, it made it much easier for other drivers to see my truck.

I tell ya what, some of those mobile parking garages have a lot of chicken lights. It's pretty bad when you can light up both sides of the highway.

[Steel Horse Cowboy]

I vote BEER!!!!!

All poll's should be required to have a BEER option!!!!

[Shnerdly]

Beer's good but back to the original question, "What is the Point of Having Too Many Tractor & Trailer Lights??? "

Some people are pleased with the appearance of a truck with a lot of lights and they also probably have a lot of chrome and polished aluminum and usually these people are very meticulous about the total look and condition of their truck.

My point is that everybody is different. Some people iron their boxers and some don't. Some people polish their shoes and some don't. Some people like broccoli and some don't.

The actual point of the lights is only truly known to the person that put them on there.

As for me, I don't drive any more but when I did, I liked trucks that were simple, stock and usually the older the better but in good repair.

[Fredog]

today a customer said to me "boy,your truck sure looks a lot nicer than that crap **** has been sending in here"
and that is why I have chrome and lights

[Aufgeblassen]

Here's the deal: when the day comes that they actually pay me more per mile for having superfluous chrome or lights, that is the day I get 'em!

[classictruckman]

I was thinking about this thread while driving home tonight, I always like to have an extra light in case one goes out. Like having 2 brake lights per side and 2 signal lights per side, etc. Makes me think that if I get stopped with one out I can tell the guy "well it was working when I left, but I installed 2 just in case", probably wouldn't get me out of a ticket though.

[Warlock]

I tell ya, IF the lights are done correctly, they look good. As far as I'm concerned, there should be a marker light at 4ft intervals down the trailer and a minimum of 2 signal lights on the side.

As soon as my new tailer is delivered, you all are probably understand why I spec'd it with more lights.