temporary tail lights?

[KA]

Hi,
Mercy. I know absolutely nothing about wiring.I will be doing some how-to reading. In the meantime, here is my problem. I will be taking my wheels and axle to the welder who will assemble my chassis. I need to get the trailer home from the welder's so I can start building the cabin. Should I have the tail lights with me when I go to the welder and wire that part for the ride home or should I rent some temporary lights to attach (I'm assuming there is such a thing)? Is there a problem with doing just the tailight/turn signal wiring and adding cabin wiring later? Also, should I put the trailer wires in some sort of conduit? How do I run and attach them from the front of the trailer to the back. Should I weld something onto the trailer to attach the wires? I would really like to get a visual feel for how the back of the cabin looks before I decide where to put the tail lights.

Thanks.
Kris

[asianflava]

We welded my frame at my buddy's shop. When I towed it home, it was night time and I had no lights, no tags, no chains. Since he lives across the street from me, he just followed me home.

I don't know for shure but you might be able to get away with sticking reflectors to the rear if you don' have to go far. If you still are leery, I saw some temporary lights in the last Harbor Freight sale paper. These are the magnetic ones for people who tow cars.

[KA]

Thanks Asianflava,
I'll check out the lights. Also, good idea having another car follow me home.
Kris

[apratt]

Maybe you use those yellow triangle signs that the farmers use on their impelments, but you would want to do it in the day time.

[KA]

Hi Arthur,
I hadn't thought about that idea.
Thanks
Kris

[angib]

Don't all countries have the rule that no vehicle law applies to journeys within 10 miles of home by upright citizens?

Andrew

[Miriam C.]

Don't all countries have the rule that no vehicle law applies to journeys within 10 miles of home by upright citizens?

Andrew

Not likely!
Here it depends totally on the officer.

Ka,

1st call your police dept. You may be able to get away without lights.

You are unlikely to run all your wireing in a single run. I would go to the autoparts store and buy a "Y" set. That is a set of 4 wires that are split brown/green and brown/yellow. You can get a cheap set of lights to use untill you decide to be fancy.

Get the welder to drill you holes for the bolts. If you are sure you don't want holes in your frame then get the magnetic temps.

You can hold the wires up temporarly with wire ties or even string.

PS - brown/green to the curb side
brown/yellow to the drivers side

Good luck
Miriam

[KA]

Thanks for the replies, Andrew and Miriam,
I think I'll call the place where I get my trip permit and see what I need to do. I imagine the ticket could be pretty expensive if I was spotted on my way home without lights....16 miles. I probably could get by with a vehicle following me in the daylight but then again it would be painful to use trailer parts money for a ticket.
Kris

[madjack]

...unless you have far to go just get someone to follow you...if stopped by the po-lice, cry, smile, flirt and remember that it is easier to beg forgivness than ask for permission ......
madjack

white -ground
brown-running/marker lights
green-right blinker
yellow-left blinker

[KA]

Hi Madjack,
Thanks for the wire code info.
I don't think your ticket avoidance technique will work very well, though. It would probably work better if I showed the officer all of my receipts and charts. After about 40 pages, he'd probably let me off just to get me to stop talking.
Kris

[halfdome, Danny]

I went to U-Haul and rented a trailer to haul my chassis home. The $53 was cheaper than a moving/equipment violation. Danny

[Micro469]

I bought a couple of cheap trailer lights and mounted them on an angle iron... the ones with holes in them. Connected up the harness and strapped it to the back of the trailer. Got me where I was going....

[Dale M.]

I bought a couple of cheap trailer lights and mounted them on an angle iron... the ones with holes in them. Connected up the harness and strapped it to the back of the trailer. Got me where I was going....

I have exactly same thing (light bar) I use when I am going to pick up (tow) something when I have no clue as to what shape or if there are any tail/stop lights on it.... Light bar and a few "bungie" cords works well....

Dale

[KA]

Thanks Danny, John, and Dale,
Those are all good ideas. The trailer might just be the way to go.
Be careful with the bungee cords, tho. A friend of a friend just had a problem this week strapping some stuff to the back of a motorcycle with a bungee cord. He leaned over the stuff, pulled the cord tight and then it slipped and hit him right in the eye. The hook cut thru his eyelid, hit his eyeball, and then caused him to pass out. Lucky for him, there will be no permanent damage...a very close call. Anyway, be careful of putting your face near bungee cords when you are pulling them tight. EEEGAADS!
Kris

[madjack]

Kris, I was(am) a commercial driver with over 20yrs and 2million miles behind me...many of those pulling a flatbed trailer and having to tarp loads...you learn real quick to look away and cringe/duck while pulling bungees tight...they hurt!!!!!
madjack

p.s. thanks for the warning on bungees