DOT lights

[BIGDIG]

Would I have a problem if I changed the color of my DOT lights on my tailgate?

 

[RustyJC]

You would in Texas. State (and DOT) law is very clear about red to the rear, amber to the front.



Rusty

 

[C. Harlan]

I have been lucky so far (Knock on wood) about the red bulbs in my clearance lights, that make them look dark orange, like the ones the bullwagons have... I have gotten stopped by local wannabe DOT's, but when I ask them why the cow trucks have them and dont get stopped, they can never come up with an answer. my friend got a warning for his purple bulbs on the fenders of his 3500. . they let him go, but he changed them out a few hours later, as he has commercial tags. I would lay low with the fender lights, but not worry about the roof lights (Knock on wood, once again)... . just my opinion...



-Chris-

 

[lmills]

Most states the DOT will have a fit about it. They want red on the back half and amber on the front half. That has been my experience.

 

[bmoeller]

http://fmvss108.tripod.com/



http://www.harristechnical.com/lamp2.htm

 

[BreaksEverything]

Dig the 3 little markers on the tail gate are the ones I think you are talking about

comm. veh. w/ a grvw of 10k & over need them as the law states but in your area are you really going too get stopped for 3 little lights that are working ?



are you thinkin about red, wt & blue ?

 

[MCummings]

My Duallie doesn't even have the lights on the back anymore. I ruined the tailgate, and replaced it with a 1500 trucks tailgate,, been lightless on the rear (inbcluding liscense plates) for about 8-9 months now. (mudflapless also)



Really depends on your area.



Just my $. 02



Merrick Cummings Jr

 

[lmills]

Our DOT guy's have been real pricks lately. They seem to be pulling everybody over for anything and everything. They used to just target larger vehicles like semis and dump trucks. However lately I have been seeing them pulling over just about any truck especially if you have a trailer. They got my bro-in-law the other week pulling my trailer. They proceeded to tell him that he was in violation by not having trailer brakes and that all trailers in our state had to be tagged for at least 10,000 lb. s as of this year. It used to be if you were tagged at 5,000 lbs you didn't need railer brakes. They couldn't accept the fact that it was tagged currently as a 5,000 lb trailer so technically it should not need brakes. I can guarantee you if I were to take my lights off or change them they wouldn't miss it and I would be fixing it.

 

[skobylenski]

I wouldn't do red, white and blue, as blue is the one color that is reserved for police/emergency vehicles in every state, as far as I know. In the northeast, like BigDig, the cops will be all over you for even one blue light, including your iPod that can be seen from the road when dash mounted. I know someone who got stopped for that, and then the cop made him move it right there on the spot. It sucks too, because blue is such a cool color and my truck is blue, so I'm stuck with purple if I want to do something close to blue. Not that anything is wrong with purple, I like purple a lot, but blue would look better.



Anyway, all I would dare to do would be to change maybe the left-center and right-center lights to amber, or just the center light to amber, simply for variety.



Whatever you do, don't be too surprised if you end up with the blues (or reds and blues) on behind you some night, especially in Ma. (no offence, but they're pretty bad out of all the northeast states).

 

[BIGDIG]

Originally posted by BreaksEverything

are you thinkin about red, wt & blue ?

BINGO

allready on the truck,who else has done it... ... ...

 

[BreaksEverything]

LOL I picked up mine yesterday at the T/S on 95 , I thought you might be having the same idea

they look kewl don't they

 

[HeavyHauler]

Keep em Red

Technically, they could haul you in for having other colors than red on the 3 light bar on the tailgate. Anything over 80" in width has to have the strip of three on the back somehwere. I'm not sure about the fender lights.

 

[BIGDIG]

Re: Keep em Red

Originally posted by HeavyHauler

[B Anything over 80" in width has to have the strip of three on the back somehwere. I'm not sure about the fender lights. [/B]

I have long rubber mud flaps with the 3 red light DOT strip on the bottom of each one,does that count



Hey Breaks,get out of my head... ... ... ... ..... I put them on wed afternoon

 

[BreaksEverything]

I would have done it on wed. too , but I went out tues. night but they were on for 9-11-03



in your head ???there's not enough room

 

[OTRPU]

Last trip to Las Vegas, NV pullin a 30' tag camper trailer. Stopped at a rest stop I-70W in Colorado to talk to another Hoosier Driver. He informed me I had NO red running, turn, or stop lights on the rear of the camper. Crapola. . . everything was working when I did PTI before leaving Lakewood. He offered to follow close behind me till he had to jump off at Grand Junction. From GJ to Richfield, UT I drove like a bat outta hates to land at Richfield Flying J affore sundown. Didn't make it, but didn't get caught. Really cramps my style to have to wait till daylight to drive when running lights aren't required. Still, hate not having lights on a trailer, can't hardly get far enough outside the truck to give arm signals that those following can see. Actually it's just plain stupid to run without proper lighting when haulin. If DOT had inspected me when I had to stop for AZ POE Transporter permit I'd probably still be sitting OOS and paying the fine. Truck goes in Monday to be rewired, all connections soldered and shrink wrapped. I'm done with losing lights everytime I get wet. It's raining somewhere all the time.

More on topic, I see a few road tractors with what I think are marginal amber cab markers. More orange than amber. I wonder if DOT gets on their case about it. Once long ago I was stopped in the wifes Porsche, Denver city cop explained that my amper fog lights on the front were too close to red for his liking. Just gave me a warning ticket, but told me to change them to clear by the next time he saw the vehicle.



Tow Safe,

Steve J.