Anyone have a link or something relating to rules for headlights. I want to add some KC driving lights and I want to know when and where I can actually use them, legally. I've seen some addons that let you use highand low beams with fogs on (or something like that) but I'm interested in what the law says, only in short-and-understandable form.

thanks
Ron

OH, is there any lightbar/bullbars that are not $300. I like the bullbars, but they are not on the top of my list yet.

 

I think most states require no more than 4 lights lit at a time(I don't know if that is true with more than 1 bulb per housing) and the lights have to be DOT approved.

 

If they are up there mounted and wired you must have them with solid covers on them , so much as one missing a cover can lead to some young hardnose giving ya a few miutes of his mind and some invitations marked " mandatory apearance" off road skys the limit tho

 

I believe driving/fog lights are supposed to be over 55 Watts...

 

another "i heard" they only need covers if the driving lights are mounted at a height that is greater than your existing headlights. ie if they were mounted on a light bar above your cab they need solid covers when driven on the highway, if they were mounted on your bumper below your headlights they do not need covers. (at least the cop that inspected my truck didn't say anything about the two uncovered kc daylighters mounted on the bumper...)

 

Thanks guys
Well, I opened the box and the directions say "check your local ....." but offer the following guidelines

"Many states require that fog lights work only with low beams and driving lights work only with high beams." and they show how to wire them to work accordingly.

So, I guess when I get them on, I will use them as high beams when out in the middle of nowhere and maybe pick up some foglight models to use locally.

Does that fogzilla mod work well?

Ron

 

In Michigan, no more than 4 white lamps may be showing on the front of your vehicle. High beams count as 2 lamps each, therefore, fog lamps on most cars (and trucks) turn off when the high beams are activated.

 

all i know is there is one trooper in OK that dont like driving lites on.

 

He was po'ed because you saw him from miles away with the bright one's.

 

Yep, more than one though. Oklahoma law (and I would guess that many are similar) is that you can have no more than 2 lights over XX candlepower (XX=brighter than a turn signal) lit when there is any oncoming traffic. (I learned this thru research after getting a local citation for driving lights years ago.) Additionally, I believe I recall that you can have no more than 6 uncovered lights facing forward.

Bottom line for me is that any fog/driving lights can only be on when there it no oncoming traffic so I wire them with a relay that kicks them out anytime that the low beams are on. That way they can be on with the high beams if I want them but when a car comes and I click to low, they automatically kick out as well. Pretty much opposite of the way that most late model cars/trucks come from the factory.

 

CA law and most western states requires solid cover for any lighting other than OEM.

 

Is it just me or is this and oxymoron
Tom

 

Here is the section from the California Motor Vehicle Code. Your state will probable be close. All of the states should have the codes on line. Check (your state here) Motor Vehicle Code
I might even have a copy in my truck for one of those special moments.


24402. (a) Any motor vehicle may be equipped with not to exceed two
auxiliary driving lamps mounted on the front at a height of not less
than 16 inches nor more than 42 inches. Driving lamps are lamps
designed for supplementing the upper beam from headlamps and may not
be lighted with the lower beam.
(b) Any motor vehicle may be equipped with not to exceed two
auxiliary passing lamps mounted on the front at a height of not less
than 24 inches nor more than 42 inches. Passing lamps are lamps
designed for supplementing the lower beam from headlamps and may also
be lighted with the upper beam.



24403. (a) A motor vehicle may be equipped with not more than two
foglamps that may be used with, but may not be used in substitution
of, headlamps.
(b) On a motor vehicle other than a motorcycle, the foglamps
authorized under this section shall be mounted on the front at a
height of not less than 12 inches nor more than 30 inches and aimed
so that when the vehicle is not loaded none of the high-intensity
portion of the light to the left of the center of the vehicle
projects higher than a level of four inches below the level of the
center of the lamp from which it comes, for a distance of 25 feet in
front of the vehicle.
(c) On a motorcycle, the foglamps authorized under this section
shall be mounted on the front at a height of not less than 12 inches
nor more than 40 inches and aimed so that when the vehicle is not
loaded none of the high-intensity portion of the light to the left of
the center of the vehicle projects higher than a level of four
inches below the level of the center of the lamp from which it comes,
for a distance of 25 feet in front of the vehicle.

I have argued more times with the CHP for being pulled over for lighting or in vehicle inspections and quoted them their CVC# and was always within the law.

Not less than 12 inches
nor more than 40 inches and aimed so that when the vehicle is not
loaded none of the high-intensity portion of the light to the left of
the center of the vehicle projects higher than a level of four
inches below the level of the center of the lamp from which it comes,
for a distance of 25 feet in front of the vehicle.


Hope this helps.
BTW any thing that does not have an approved DOT or a SAE number on the lens is illegal and if it is mounted on the cab or lite bar it is above the height limit. "Off Road Use" means off road use only and cannot be used on the highway and needs to be covered. But if you are off road you can do what you want.
Jim

 

Ron,
The following is from the Texas Transportation Code:

Here is a link to the Texas Statutes Texas Statutes
Go there and then click on "Transportation Code". On the page that takes you to, go to Title 7(Vehicles and Traffic), Section 547 (Vehicle Equipment). You will find more than you ever wanted to know about lights etc.

Hope this helps,
~Rob

 

Thanks a bunch, I just couldn't find the specs.

After you mentioned it, I just noticed on the box...."offroad use only" oh well. I don't have a place to mount them yet anyway.

Thanks again.

Ron