Teardrops n Tiny Travel Trailers

I'm looking at where I want the side marker lights on our build:



I think the front marker light on the lower right makes sense, but for the rear side light, the spare tire would block a light that low:



The obvious solution is to mount the light above the spare. However, I have foam in the walls and the screws holding the light wouldn't get a good bite (at least with this style and size of light, which I like otherwise because it has a reflective surface and two LEDs, as well as easy mounting.) So I'm thinking about mounting it as shown (it's masking taped on in the picture), or perhaps a few inches lower, but at least above the tire holder and on the line with the galley bulkhead. That has an added advantage that I can run the wires in the back of the clothing cabinet, where they won't show.

So the first question--in your opinions, is that back far enough? The rules seem vague on this point. (They say "as far back as possible" or "practicable" depending on which web site one looks at. These would still be back about as far as the edges of the fenders, which is where the back side light often is located.)

Our brake/turn signal/backup lights will be mounted on the hatch, and do not have built in side lights. (Since they will be inboard a few inches side lights there wouldn't be visible to someone forward of the back of the tear anyway.)

I could, however, install a smaller sidelight down low on the side of the hatch. It would still be blocked by the spare tire on this side, but with two rear lights, someone would see the one up high before they came around and then would see the one on the hatch before they clipped us (we would hope). but if I put three marker lights on the side with an amber one in front, and red one in the back on the side of the hatch, should the one "on high" be red, or amber?

Thoughts and opinions?

Thanks!

Tom

So I found this online, and am wondering about the visibility of the turn signals from the front:

"New Mexico Trailer Lighting Laws

Trailers must be equipped with at least 1 red light tail lamp mounted on the rear that is plainly visible from a distance of 500 feet, and must also be equipped with at least 1 white light illuminating the license plate so as to make it visible from at least 50 feet from the rear.

Trailers must have 2 amber clearance lamps mounted on the front of the vehicle, with 1 on either end of the front side.

Trailers must also be equipped with 2 red reflectors, 1 at each side, and at least 1 red or amber stop/break lamp and must be equipped with at least 1 lamp or mechanical turn-signaling device visible from both the front and the rear.

Trailers must be equipped with at least 1 lamp or mechanical turn-signaling device visible from both the front and the rear."

I could mount some small amber lights on the front of the teardrop that flash with the turn signal, but not sure I see the point. Do other states have this law? If NM is the only one, I'll bet it is highly ignored, like many other trailer laws in this state.

Tom

For markers I like using these.

https://www.anythingtruck.com/product/795-33050R.html

I would mount two yellows into the steel framework under the cabin on the front outer corners.
I would mount two reds in the same place in the rear outer corners.
Use two tail lights. Your state might say only one. When out of state you might get hassled about one tail and no turn signals. Most states say if trailer blocks towing vehicles taillights. Trailer needs taillights.

I would not worry about upper markers. With the height of a tear drop. No one is going to say anything about them not being there.

I too found myself unsure what lights were required.
After a bit of confusing research resorted to copy and plagiarize.
We went down to the local dealer that sells new teardrops from the larger brands. Took photos.
Put the same lights on ours. We figure they sell those trailers in 50 states, we should be OK.

Those little coin size button LED clearance lights are exactly what we used at the four corners, amber and red.
Since the trailers we copied had LED marker lights on top of the fenders we used those too.

My side marker lights are in the frame. The only thing I don't like is when driving at night I can't see the trailer in my mirrors because it is so dark. Next time I would put a side marker light up high that would put some light on the side of the teardrop.

A lot of marker light have reflectors built into them.

Todd

The licence plate light has me wondering; I don't need a licence so what will I light
The amber light / blinker sounds like another pain, but would be nice if one can find a nice light?

Is the center of your tire carrier an option for the marker light

Amber marker with turn indicator (3 wire) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01JBZ8970/?c ... _lig_dp_it

Generally the idea is that you want the trailer to be visible. Marker lights on the frame is a starting point. Marker lights high up are easier to see.

Same for tail lights. Closer to the edge of the TD, the better others can see what to avoid. Lights over the wheels help define the width. Tail light on the frame edge are also good.

There are lots of variations out there. A neat led light is one that has stop, right and left turn and running lights: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07CZ6CQT7/?c ... _lig_dp_it.

Thanks for the links

Thank you all for the thoughts. I don't want to mount the lights to the frame, partly because it is a few inches under the shell, and partly because I want to keep the wires protected in the teardrop shell as much as possible.

I thought about putting the light in the center of the spare, but that would add complication, and risk that light would stop working when we're already having a bad day (when we need to change a tire). I'll probably just put the red side lights more or less where I'm showing it in the picture.

These side lights do have reflectors, which makes them better for this job than some others I have. These come from Wallmart so it's easy to replace the lenses if/when they break.

I'm thinking the reference to a mechanical signalling device in the NM regulations probably means they go back to the 1920's. Guess I won't worry too much about signalling turns to the front of the trailer. It's a weird rule that I don't see in any other states' rules, and I suspect few NM law enforcement folks would know it or care. Anyway, we're building our trailer to look professional, so hopefully, the law officer's thinking will be that any company that builds trailers knows what they are doing, and will leave us alone.

We have regulation tail/brake, turn signal, backup lights. (I'll post a picture one of these days.) We will have a pair of each, so we'll do better than the letter of NM law in that regard.

Tom

I've always thought the marker light regulations were fuzzy. For a primer on how some manufacturers interpret it:

https://www.socalteardrops.com/page.php?p=19

http://tinycamper.com/teardropmodels.htm

https://vistabule.com/features-1

https://www.oregontrailer.net/



Tony