wcbcruzer

Yea, LEDs are cool. I really want to get cablights now. I've installed them before but I don't know if I wanna drill my current cab. Like you all said, I don't want to deal with another potential leak spot.

Dieseldude4x4

If I remember from my old B51 Mack driving days, the three middle lights came on any time you turned on the lights. The outside two lights came on when you hooked up the trailer as indicator or trailer lights lights. But I could be full of sh, er ah, stuff you know.

LarryRB

If you remember driving a B51, this means when you were born it was chain drive and solid tires

Dieseldude4x4

Use to drive one just like this.




Would love to have this one for a toy.




Not real high on the creature comfort factor either.

Haulin_in_Dixie

All these posts and not one with the answer. If a vehicle is over 80 inches wide it must have three identifaction lights at the highest point applicable and markers at the widest point applicable. A trailer is a vehicle. So a 2500 does not need them because it is less than 80 inches but a trailer over 80 inches must have them. A dually is over 80 inches and must have them.

SOhappy

I honestly thought it was so you knew to switch from highbeams to lowbeams when closing on a tractor-trailer headed toward you on the same highway.

The distance between the truck drivers eyes and his headlamps is large enough on those big trucks that you could be brighting him for several thousand yards before you actually see his headlamps. You can sometimes see the marker lamps much earlier than the headlamps, and if you can see the marker lamps then you are brighting the truck driver. Am I making sense?

(Of course, the previous post sounds much more likely.)

Haulin_in_Dixie

Now now I do remember the chain drive trucks. Noisey as all getout. And they never got a flat either.

Haulin_in_Dixie

For anyone who really wants to know, here is the law on it.


http://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/rules-regul...csr/393.11.htm

Haulin_in_Dixie

And here is the complete FMCSA (dot) regulations:

http://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/rules-regul.../fmcsr/393.htm

CD in NM

Hey Haulin in Dixie.

Thanks for the actual code references. When I replied earlier in this thread I could not remember the actual width of 80 ins, so I just gave a reference to an 8 ft width trailer as that is what most trailer axle/box widths are. Also, many here will make reference that what you supplied is 'commercial' regs but in fact we private haulers/users must also comply with the same regs.

There are also other regs that discuss vehicle/trailer combinations and what is referred to as SPECIFIC lighting needs. I have read them but do not have a link at this time, I will look through all the references made in your link. In any event, when we haul a flatbed that exceeds the 80 ins, even thought IT may have the corner front markers WE must have the cab clearance lights as what we are towing exceeds the 80 ins, is corner marked, but does not have the center/front markers. The law discussed a 'bumper to bumper' lighting situation and how the flatbed differs from other trailers with tall front ends and lighting of them. The commercial flatbeds as used in the semi industry DO have the taller/headache rack-like front ends, so they can comply with lighting the trailer itself with the full lighting req's, but the type of flatbeds used by the private haulers needs to have the truck comply with the bumper to bumper clause in the law. Just a minor set of details, but a noteworthy one.

CD

Haulin_in_Dixie

Well so far as equipment goes, FMCSA says that a vehicle with a gvwr of over 10,000 pounds has to comply with the commercial regs. So the factorys install the lights as required. In actual practice the vehicle pulling being a 2500 does not have to have the lights on it so even pulling a wide trailer it sort of gets away with it. Had many dot checks with the 2500 and no lights pulling 50 foot of 102 wide car carrier. Never had a problem.