Removing Clearance Lights

[RopinFool]

Hey all, I was recently looking at my truck and decided that it would look better without the cab marker lights. Has anyone removed these lights before? It doesnt appear to be too difficult, the only problem is going to be sealing up the holes. Any ideas on the best way to go about this?

Perhaps it woud just be best to leave it alone!



Any input would be great thanks alot

 

[rbattelle]

I assume you have experience with body work. Although I haven't done the job, it seems to me it wouldn't present any particular difficulties, it's simply time consuming. I figure it would take me somewhere between 100 and 150 hours to do the job, but I'm really slow and meticulous with that kind of work.

Paint matching may be a little tricky, since the original paint has likely faded a bit. But you have the advantage that you can paint the entire roof, so you can "hide" the boundaries between old and new paint a little easier.

If you have the time, go for it! Take pictures so we can see how it all comes together.

Ryan

 

[sevans16]

Clr Lights

It will be quite a job. The holes are 3/4" or so. You will have to weld in plates. So you will be removing the headliner. Better be good at sanding to match the contour of the cab. Then paint the whole roof at least.



I would lean towards some trick lights. Like clear or smoke lenses. Maybe some LEDs?

 

[RopinFool]

Ummm, yeah! I think I will not be removing the lights after all. I think I will look into something like sevans suggested, some clear or smoke lenses with LEDs. Thanks for the suggestion sevans! Any idea where I might find such lenses?

 

[rbattelle]

You will have to weld in plates.

Why not just use some fiberglass matting? That's what I'd do.



Ryan

 

[Cattletrkr]

You do have a SRW right??? CA DOT would love to take your money if you remove the lights on a dually.

I think RECON makes the lights you're looking for.

 

[drury]

I had the lights put on my SRW because I loved the look. One of the major benefits is that they make the truck easier to spot in the Home Depot parking lot.

 

[bighammer]

Duct tape. (the lights will look better to you then)

I think it would be a bit of a job to make the holes disapear. Are any of the visors made to fit trucks w/o lights? (so it might help hide them?)

EDIT: Maybe a different style of lights would be more attractive? Maybe design your own line of recessed flush mount clearance markers...

 

[fkovalski]

Is there not some sort of gasket between the plastic lens and the body?



Why not make some metal plates whose perimeter and curve/ angle matches that of the lens outline. You will need to attach some sort of theaded stud to the underside to mimick the actual scenerio of how the lights themselves would be attached. Paint the plates the same as the truck color and install.



It will not be exactly as if there were no light to begin, but it might replicate the look you want without all the major body work.

 

[Hoefler]

You do have a SRW right??? CA DOT would love to take your money if you remove the lights on a dually.



I think RECON makes the lights you're looking for.

Dual wheel vehicles are required to have them as well as on the tailgate.

 

[NUKEMAN]

I have the Recon LED's on mine and so far they have been great aside from one strange annoyance. The center light is more yellow than amber in color. First I thought it might be something to do with the center light wiring because it has a slightly different harness than the rest. I swapped them and turns out it is the light itself. It's hardly noticeable, but it is different. Also, the Recon's are a sealed unit, not seperable like the OEM ones. They come with wiring connectors pre-installed, but they don't connect to the factory loom so you have to cut and splice, even though they are "vehicle specific"; weird. The quality isn't the greatest, the plastics they use are kinda cheap, but you really can't notice it once mounted.



Also, I ordered the smoke lenses, the package said smoke, but the lenses were clear. Didn't notice until I had already mounted one.

 

[Forrest Nearing]

Dual wheel vehicles are required to have them as well as on the tailgate.

yeah, that's what he said

 

[CDonaldson]

When I bought my truck I was very specific about having the lights. Even though I have a SRW, I tow trailers that are 8' wide. If you tow a trailer that is a full 8' wide you must have clearance lights to meet the DOT. Pretty much all trailers have 8' wide axles on them. The DRW's must have them because their axle/fender width IS 8'. The clearance lights are indicators that your vehicle or what it is towing is 8' wide.



CD

 

[bmoeller]

You can get LED lights that replace the regular 194 bulbs. No need to replace with a different light assembly.

 

[y-knot]

You obviously did not think this thought. While it might seem to the UN-informed that such a job would be as simple as removing the lenses, and adding a cover, the Truth is it would be very complicated and involve much effort and money. The other posters were very much correct in that Dodge put the clearance lights on the roof for a reason, mainly it's the law. Removing them would be then against the law and you would be constantly worrying about the vehicle enforcement teams. I live on the Indiana border, where they are very intent on enforcing the strict laws of Indiana. They do and will pull over for an infraction such as this. Also to all that might or do run there RV through Indiana... ... They do enforce the Indiana laws and RV'ers will be ticketed for infractions, don't kid yourself I live not far from two weigh stations very close to the boarders, and they have RV's pulled over all the time.

 

[klenger]

No offense intended to anyone, but ... the only thing dumber than putting clearance lights on a SRW 1 ton truck would be attempting to remove them.

 

[gsbrockman]

Perhaps it woud just be best to leave it alone!

I think you've answered your own question.

 

[CDonaldson]

y-not is ABSOLUTELY correct about clearance lighting and RV's. Anything sitting at 8' wide MUST have the correct lighting on it's front and corners, that IS the law. Some RV's have them and others do not, but the law says that the front and rear both must be marked accordingly. If you have an RV or a enclosed trailer that is properly marked, then the truck does not have to have them. If you have an RV, enclosed trailer w/o them or pull an 8' wide flatbed then the truck MUST have them. When I bought my 2006 3500 SRW it had them, some 3500 SRW's on the lot did not, those who did not had to have them put on before they could be sold, and I recall a post somewhere either on this site or another site that those sold w/o them were actually recalled by DC to get them put on. That recall stemmed from someone getting a ticket with a SRW and challenging the law about clearance lights on 1-tons, ultimately it was DC who paid the mans fines as it was a factory oversight not installing them. So I guess the only thing dumber about NOT having them on a 1-ton is not knowing the law that requires them.



When I moved to New Mexico 5 years ago, the state required a VIN and lighting inspection on my trucks before issuing a title and registration. I had factory cab lights on one of my trucks and a visor with lights on the other. The state license person commented that my trucks met the legal lighting requirements, both are 1-tons, 1 is a dually and the other is a SRW. I travel a lot pulling my horse trailer and have to stop at livestock inspections now and then in some states, more than once a state inspector has commented that my Ford 1-ton would have been ticked if I hadn't installed the visor clearance lights. I came from Pennsylvania where annual vehicle inspection is a requirement, back in 1989 my inspector told me that I would have to add the visor or cab mounted clearance lights if I was pulling anything 8' wide, which is measured AT the widest point, the axle. Just because the DOT's have not made an issue about horse trailers and such going down the road for private use doesn't mean you don't have to comply with the law. More and more people are complaining about being stopped and getting fix-it tickets or fined for not meeting the lighting laws. Homeland Security is having a real big push about all of this getting corrected, I bet they will win out overall in no time, and everyone will either get it right or pay and then get it right.



The next issue will be about axles in combination and a regular dirvers license. Most all states regular drivers licenses state they are good for any combination of 3 axles and towing 10K. Last time I went through a toll booth I had to pay for 4 axles - 2 on the truck and 2 on the trailer. Could I possibly not have the right driver's license at this point - maybe so. Could I possibly be ticketed and fined at this point - maybe so.



CD