Rear indicator LED upgrade

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Marvel

Marvel

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I’m running American style red lenses on the rear and feel like I need a nice bright upgrade. Seems that what the sun shines (remember that?) on the back of the bus it’s a little tricky to see the indicators according to my wife. Anybody using any nifty custom upgrades to their rear flashers?
 
I used the backup lights as indicators with orange bulbs fitted, works pretty well. I know you can get led guts for oval tail lights, I suspect its actually pretty easy to do yourself, the led strips are pretty available, and its probably been done so will be on the web somewhere.
 
I soon put Hella brand rear lenses on mine to brighten the lights versus the cheapo lenses that were fitted as bought. Defo improved, but I still fancy fitting a pair of bosswerks led units.
Especially as I was slowing to make a left turn off the A68 up here which is a 60 zone single carriageway but very busy. Bright day, Indicating in plenty time and braking, but a transit van racing up behind very nearly ran into my backside.
Just so many things I need so these keep getting knocked back.
 
Marvel said:
I’m running American style red lenses on the rear and feel like I need a nice bright upgrade. Seems that what the sun shines (remember that?) on the back of the bus it’s a little tricky to see the indicators according to my wife. Anybody using any nifty custom upgrades to their rear flashers?
Click to expand...
I fitted led stop/tails from Classicarleds, absolutely brilliant. My USA spec van has the reversing lights converted to indicators, with standard bulbs useless, with leds in, brilliant.
 
You might want to read up on the appropriate regulations before you start messing about with the position & configuration of external lights!?!

The Road Vehicles Lighting Regulations 1989​

https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1989/1796/contents/made

Direction Indicators – legal requirements

https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1989/1796/schedule/7/made

Brake lights – legal requirements

https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1989/1796/schedule/12/made

Reversing lights – legal requirements

https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1989/1796/schedule/14/made

Inboard & outboard, plus upward & downward angular zones of visibility are also an important consideration, which applies to many obligatory lights.
 
Last edited:
Ben72Bay said:
How about running a high level third break light?
You can even get some that have indicators built in.
Click to expand...

I have a nasty suspicion, that using a central brake-light flanked, closely by rear direction indicator lights, such as might be appropriate for a motorcycle, would be illegal if used on a four-wheeled motor vehicle such as a 1968~79 VW Type 2, owing to the minimum-separation requirements of 500 mm, for a vehicle of > 1,400 mm width.
 
Ben72Bay said:
How about running a high level third break light?
You can even get some that have indicators built in.
Click to expand...

Ben72Bay said:
How about running a high level third break light?
You can even get some that have indicators built in.
Click to expand...
I did, sorry not lit up, really bright, and in rear view mirror, you can see that your brake lights are working 👍IMG_20240711_162827.jpg
 
gas1man said:
I have a high level brake light, if you can't see this you should not be driving.:oops::oops:
It's really bright and stretches the length of the back window.

View attachment 8667

J & P
:D:D:D
Click to expand...

Unless your vehicle was manufactured before 1st January 1971, the maximum height for a brake light is 1,500 mm, except where the vehicle's structure makes this impractical, in which case a maximum height of 2,100 mm is permissible. Given that one could retro-fit a high-level brake-light just above the bottom of the window-glass, positioning it just below the top of the window glass might be difficult to justify!

Road Vehicles Lighting Regulations 1989

https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1989/1796/schedule/12/made

Can you see anything out of that rear window!?! If not, you might find yourself falling foul of the Road Vehicles (Construction & Use) Regulations 1986!

https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1986/1078/contents/made

It is all TOO EASY to fall foul of regulations (punishable by fines & penalty points at the least!), when one starts modifying vehicles!!!
 
naskeet said:
Unless your vehicle was manufactured before 1st January 1971, the maximum height for a brake light is 1,500 mm, except where the vehicle's structure makes this impractical, in which case a maximum height of 2,100 mm is permissible. Given that one could retro-fit a high-level brake-light just above the bottom of the window-glass, positioning it just below the top of the window glass might be difficult to justify!

Road Vehicles Lighting Regulations 1989

https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1989/1796/schedule/12/made

Can you see anything out of that rear window!?! If not, you might find yourself falling foul of the Road Vehicles (Construction & Use) Regulations 1986!

https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1986/1078/contents/made

It is all TOO EASY to fall foul of regulations (punishable by fines & penalty points at the least!), when one starts modifying vehicles!!!
Click to expand...
I don't think a copper will be interested in it being 100mm higher than it should be, and if he is, what a dick.
Safety in these old vehicles a paramount, so any decent help is worth it.

J & P
:D:D:D
 
gas1man said:
I don't think a copper will be interested in it being 100mm higher than it should be, and if he is, what a dick.
Safety in these old vehicles a paramount, so any decent help is worth it.

J & P
:D:D:D
Click to expand...
Don't complain later that you weren't warned! Ignorance of regulations is no defence in law!

Besides that, you could have mounted it at the bottom of the window, where it would be more visible to cars following behind the one that is following you.
 
gas1man said:
I don't think a copper will be interested in it being 100mm higher than it should be, and if he is, what a dick.
Safety in these old vehicles a paramount, so any decent help is worth it.

J & P
:D:D:D
Click to expand...
I wouldn’t stress about it too much. Coppers are more interested in illegal car meets and no insurance
 
Last edited:
K@rlos said:
I wouldn’t stress about it too much. Coppers are more interested in illegal car meets and no insurance
Click to expand...
Really don't give a toss, warning or not.;)
Coppers know I'm insured and have an MOT before they even think about stopping me.:):)
Know what I mean.............

J & P
:D:D:D
 

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