Using a Third Brake Light from a Pickup Truck?

[Prototear]

Has anyone tried using a third brake light on their teardrop that was made for a pickup truck? I'd like a nice third brake light for improved visibility with the added benefit of white courtesy lights to illuminate the area behind the trailer. This way, a third brake light would be clearly above my aft bicycle rack and the courtesy light would help loading/unloading at night (or even finding my dropped keys in the dark).

I'm thinking of using one like this made for an F-150
http://www.amazon.com/Putco-Pure-Lighti ... 98CNG7QQ6C.



I need about a 20-25 degree slope on the bottom side of it to fit the slope of my roof just a little forward of where the main hatch hinge will be and also no arch or camber on the front and aft edges since the roof has no side-to-side contour. Unfortunately, the sites that sell them only list the compatible truck models and maybe some general dimensions, but no details. The pictures are usually "typical" for some unknown truck model and not necessarily for a specific model. Maybe I could go out to measure the slopes on on the back edge of various truck roofs until I find one that works.

I figure I can leave a cut-out in the roof to accommodate whatever depth it needs under the perimeter or bezel, but only about an inch deep. I'd also like one with a wire pigtail I can connect rather than a unique connector molded into its rear housing so I don't have to hack it to make a connection.

Has anyone had success with this kind of light usage?

[bobhenry]

Mine was hacked from a hitch insert type 3rd break lite. The wiring is very familiar yellow green brown and white it even came with a 4 way flat end installed.

Alas no cargo light though

My install is about 1/2 way down page 2.............

http://www.tnttt.com/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=54115&p=1035375&hilit=lantern#p1035375

[Dale M.]

The third light is a good feature and more builders should probably consider it.... The problem is to get it to function proper as a single brake lamp and nothing more... You may have to run additional wire from brake light switch on tow vehicle all the way back to lamp on trailer, unless you have some whiz-bang controller that will let lamp function as brake light only and not be influenced by turn signals...

My Chevy PU can with a wire for just such purpose at rear of truck but have not spliced it into connector and wired the trailer (yet) ....

Dale

[jseyfert3]

I could make such a controller for about $4 in parts, solid state, no relays to wear out. All it would take is a tiny microcontroller, a transistor, a couple diodes and resistors, solder it up and coat in epoxy. You would need to input the left and right stop/turn wires and ground, and it would output +12 V for the high mount brake light.

I plan on building a custom controller in my TD, allowing separate amber turn signals and red stop/tail lights...while only using the US standard wiring scheme with combined stop/turn signal wires.

Since I plan on making a purchase from Digikey soon, I could throw in a couple extra parts easily if anyone was interested. I plan to have my controller done in a few weeks but cannot guarantee any other controllers would be worked on until that point. (I have a deadline to get my trailer done and will be busy doing that)

[rowerwet]

I wired the third brake light on my tear to the rh turn signal. yes it does flash when I'm turning right, but I want other drivers to be very aware I'm changing lanes to the right as it is the harder side to see on.
I like the idea of a truck 3rd brake / bed light, I would look at junk yards or ebay, you can always add a tapered block to fit the contour of the truck unit. If you want LED lights there are always conversion bulbs.

[GerryS]

Rowerwet, I don't know DOT, but you may run afoul of regulations. I do have to admit though, I like your logic. It amazes me how inconsiderate people are of trailers in general....even the 40 ton variety that have 8 wheels.

Jseyfert3, do you have plans for this? I can build....but I'm not a designer

[absolutsnwbrdr]

This is what I'm planning on using on my build....

http://www.etrailer.com/Trailer-Lights/ ... 89RCB.html

For $20, it functions as brake light and turn signals.

[halfdome, Danny]

This is what I use It's a 3rd brake, clearance, and left & right turn signal light.
They are Made in the USA, by USA workers!
I make a mount out of either aluminum angle or channel to position the LED's straight out as their light is directional.
Danny

[jseyfert3]

Jseyfert3, do you have plans for this? I can build....but I'm not a designer

It's just in my head now. I can draw out a schematic but the problem is my design uses a small microcontroller that must be programmed. This is why I extended the offer of wiring up a few of these devices if people where interested, cause it would not take me long to do so and could not be done unless you already had stuff for programming a microcontroller. Or, if you're comfortable soldering through hole electronic components, I could throw the unassembled parts and a programmed microcontroller into a padded envelope along with the schematic, which means I do (hardly any) work, but you get the lower prices of components since I order from a distributor in bulk vs getting them from, say, Radioshack (where components are super pricey, if they even have what you need).

There may be a way to design it so it does not need a microcontroller though. (microcontrollers make circuit designs much simpler in a number of cases)

[michaelrsydney]

Has anyone tried using a third brake light on their teardrop that was made for a pickup truck?

You can also look at motorcycle tail lights as they can fit well to a Benroy style TD and many other curved rear ends, made as they are to follow the curved rear guard of an M/C.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Tombstone-Tail- ... ca&vxp=mtr

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Smoke-lens-tail ... ee&vxp=mtr

http://www.ebay.com/itm/New-Motorcycle- ... 3e&vxp=mtr

[Esteban]

I really like way the USA MADE TecNiq Red HI Mount Center Brake Turn ID Bar 11 LED Light Trailer Truck light sold by R and P Carriages for $19.95 combines functions.

ID function

Brake function

Turn function
3 lights on

all lights on

left or right (4) leds blink with signal

Will buy one soon.

Edit: it is the same light Danny likes and posted above.
So

Somewhere I saw a third brake light that also has a white back up light function. Lost the link to it. If I had the choice I might buy it instead.

[rowerwet]

I have a set of LED driving lights I got on clearance somewhere to use as backup lights. just haven't gotten around to mounting them, I plan on just flipping a switch in the tear and having back up lights. (I wouldn't back up the tear until I got out and did a recon anyway)
Driving lights should give a better pattern than a truck bed dome light, I think, but anything is better than nothing.

[Prototear]

Thanks everyone for the great inputs!

I understand the need for changing the turn signal logic so the brake light functions correctly. My concern is more about the mechanical fit. I had been thinking about the one from R&P Carriages but I'd need to make a bracket with a vertical face and find a good way to seal the wiring from the elements and not catch lots of debris in the bracket (maybe a piece of aluminum angle with the corner facing up would get me part way there). That one also provides the running lights that I might need since my trailer may end up about 82 inches wide by the time I add fenders. I am also considering this one http://www.superbrightleds.com/moreinfo/truck-trailer-led-lights/braketurn-light-bar-tlb-r11/1027/

I like the looks and angle of the truck light in my original entry but I can't actually find it or what it fits, but it is used as a "typical" picture in many on-line stores. I'm on a road trip to Spokane this weekend so I'm finding that I'm looking at all the truck and SUV third brake lights to see what model might have the right slope for mounting such a light so then I could look up parts based on vehicle model.

For now I'll plan the wiring and don't have to commit yet on a specific fixture until I get closer to being ready to install it.

[halfdome, Danny]

It's not hard at all to make a bracket out of aluminum angle or channel.

The end caps are made out of aluminum angle scrap and glued with super glue, epoxy would work too.

Here it is mocked up on the installed galley lid.
Notice the stainless steel mounting screws that screw into wood blocking on the lid.
Level the teardrop and when the bracket is plumb ( at a 90 degree to level ) your set.
I put a bead of sealant on the aluminum angle edges that go to the lid and also fill the wire hole with sealant.
I also put a bead of sealant around the bracket edges when it's installed.
If your mounting it on the roof the same principals apply.

The bracket mounting holes are the same as the light mounting holes.
A very simple solution for a running light, 3RD brake light and extra turn signals.

The link you show is very nice looking and would work great on a flat surface like the rear of a cargo trailer.
The LED's on that light won't emit the required light output on a curved surface since LED's are directional.
Danny

[Esteban]

Danny, Thank you very much for showing how you mount the 3rd brake light. That will help (me) avoid some pondering and head scratching. I think this may deserve a sticky.