Mounting trailer marker lights?

[Will24]

I bought some LED marker lights to put on my utility trailer and am curious on the best way to mount them. The side rails of the trailer are flat stock at the top and angle iron at the bottom. Should I drill the rails and bolt them? Should I use heavy self tapping screws? Should I take the time to drill and tap each one and use machine screws?





Help!



Will

 

[QRTRHRS]

Think corrosion. Surface mount markers often as not are popriveted on. Overtime, they loose the ground. Commonly, someone will drill the rivet out and put in a self tapping screw. That does work well and if you loose ground give it a little more tension or better yet, replace it with new. I think bolts will tend to loose the ground a little quicker than something that bites into the metal. Tappers should work fine but think about removal if one breaks.

 

[Will24]

I was thinking I could keep tightening the self tappers, but I was also thinking maybe some dielectric grease would work to help the problem even more. I dunno, I'll figure something out

 

[QRTRHRS]

You could do tighten them as needed. Trailer's do worse if left in the weather rather than garaged. I would not get to worried about it.

 

[Will24]

I wish I had a place to keep it inside, I barely have enough room in our detached garage for my dart. My dad's roadrunner and all my my moms crap take up the attached...

 

[Champane Flight]

Metal

Metal screws are best for grounding. If you are using chains a lot to tie down with, lights with guards are best. I have busted a few lens by sliding the chain across and it falling off the other side onto a light. I am going to put on tiedown rails across the side of the stake pockets to help eliminate this to. Make sure you route wires out of the way and secure. Also insulate any metal to wire contact you may have, in time they tend to chaff and short.

 

[Will24]

Hey champane, I am a heat shrink, solder and split loom nut I can make a simple foglight installation an all day project, but it's the ONLY time they ever need installed

 

[bmoeller]

If it's steel, I use self tappers much of the time. Aluminum, S. S. bolts if I can get to the back-side. You can use dielectric grease or anti-seize compound to help prevent corrosion. Since the lights are L. E. D. 's, if possible, I would use S. S. bolts to help prevent theft. Talked to a trucker one time and he had about 100 of them. One night when he stopped over night, someone or several people, had stolen every one of them. He had used self tappers.

 

[Rob Thomas]

Do you still have the reciept for the lights? Take 'em back, get the 2" round led's with the rubber grommet's, using a hole saw, drill the trailer, mount the grommet, install the lights, and never worry about them gettin' smacked.



On the wiring, using loom, wire all the grounds together, and ground it near the tongue, one ground, one place to look for problems.



Also, don't know how many lights your talkin' about, but it's worth the extra money to use the shrink tube connectors, I have 28 lights on one trailer, and 43 on the other, all with shrink connectors, and no wiring issues ever, even with the salt here in Michigan. Just a thought.



Later, Rob

 

[Hammer]

Will...

I'll agree with what Rob has siad here and offer this to go along with it. With these LED's being a hot and expensive commodity right now I'd also buy the cover plates the guys are using to anchor them in the trailers making them theft proof. Most guys in the heavy trucking industry will use a stainless decorative ring and either rivot them or bolt thru the ring and trailer and use a anchor(lock nut) on the rear side making it more difficult to be stolen. If the trailer sits a long time and the costs of these lights they will be targets and it will not matter if its next to your home or shop. I,myself,know of a gentleman with a 53ft Gold Rush who has all of the rear LED's taken right next to his shop. It included the tailights(12 of them,oval) and clearance(20 on top and 20 down each side,surrounding the door). Lets just say the replacement was expensive and since the lights were changed by him he did not have them secured and off they went... ... Andy