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Old 02-17-2013, 04:55 AM   #1
astrungis
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Rear Cornering lights?

Hey everyone - thanks for answering all my "newbie" questions. This is a great site. BTW, I picked up our brand new Montana and drove it to storage yesterday. Now I am gearing up with things I may need in order to do our annual cross-country trip. While towing, I had a tough time distinguishing where the end of the coach was a night making turns. Hey, Art-n-Marge, I noticed your blip saying you had cornering lights. Interesting... what are they / how do they work?
 
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Old 02-17-2013, 07:08 AM   #2
Art-n-Marge
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There were some years that Monty's did not have rear cornering lights (cost reasons?). I'm guessing this is the case on your rig?

This made me almost do some damage at a campground where I made some sharp turns at night and there was no light to see that I almost took out the rear of the rig since I could not gauge where my trailer ended - I could see the middle of the rig but the rearend blended into the dark. I might add there was also slight precipitation further impairing sight of the rig. (Having my wife go out there in these conditions was not a good option). We normally don't drive or leave a campground at dark but with this campout we planned a 10 day trip and less than halfway through the weather turned south on us (Snow, rain, sleet, cold). Then after 3 days the wife got sick, we were blowing through propane and rather than refilling the tanks again just to stay inside the rig because of the bad weather I decided "We are outta here, NOW!" and we headed home. Unfortunately by the time I got things ready for the road by myself (wife was too miserable to help) to get on the road, it was dark.

After I survived the incident with a LOT of getting out and looking, back at the house, I installed some red lamps at both lower corners and these help me "find" the back end on turns in the dark. I used matching shapes and sizes of the already present amber lights at the center and front corners of the rig and purchased two red ones from an RV shop. Then I drilled necessary holes and ran some wires to the rear running/brake lamp for illumination so that they are on when only the running lights are on (make sure you pick the correct wire to tap off). They work great and so far the night driving has been on main roads but it's nice to be able to see the rear end on a turn even in this case.

I can post some pictures of the end result, but gimme a chance to find them.

Here we go (passenger side):


(driver side):


Yup, if you "eyeball measure", they are not the same height because I did the passenger side first, then when I worked on the driver side I had the DOH moment realizing the water inlets meant I had to install this side higher. In either case, on either turn I can see them on the TV side mirrors which is what I needed.
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Old 02-17-2013, 11:42 AM   #3
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http://www.ebay.com/itm/TRAILER-RV-B...935133&vxp=mtr

Art-n-Marge,
Check out the system above. A tad expensive (OK a lot) but the idea of it working off the flashers is a good idea. So you are using the red marker lights on either side in the back to know where the rear is? But does it provide enough light to see a rock, stump or pedestal?
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Old 02-17-2013, 04:29 PM   #4
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I still haven't found a substitute for Joyce getting out and calling me on the cell phone and backing me in. We try never to be doing it at night and if we are using a pull thru, but once in a while there is no choice.
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Old 02-18-2013, 05:27 AM   #5
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I am happy with the cornering lights that are now installed. They provide enough light to mark what I need to see when I leave a place and am driving turns near trees and such. They aren't too obtrusive and provide what I need to get me out. I also think they help others see my back end along with the existing rear lamps. But these cornering lights are mostly for me when maneuvering tight turns when I'm leaving some place.

That lighting system is nice but way more than light than I'd like to be using. If I drive at night it will only be because I am making an unexpected egress from a campground at night and not because I am setting up. I do NOT ever plan to arrive at a place that late. If I do, I'll park somewhere nearby and or somewhere in the campground and save the backing in and setting up when it's daytime and much easier to see.

If my habits change that might be a 'nice-to-have' item on my list, but way low on the priority totem pole for now. Until then I'm like DQDick and will go alone.
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Old 02-18-2013, 10:24 AM   #6
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I would think that buying two (or four ) sealed lamps with brackets, wire long enough to reach the batteries, a fuse holder w/fuse and a switch would accomplish the same thing for less money....
Might try it as I occasionally end up backing onto our trailer pad at night.
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Old 02-21-2013, 04:03 PM   #7
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quote:Originally posted by DQDick

I still haven't found a substitute for Joyce getting out and calling me on the cell phone and backing me in. We try never to be doing it at night and if we are using a pull thru, but once in a while there is no choice.
Wife guiding a back in on a cell phone is a nice way of communicating, especially since our new F 350 Ford has Sync voice activated system for hands free. Great upgrade.....
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Old 02-22-2013, 04:56 AM   #8
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Thanks for the "ammo" F3fifty, I will tell my wife that that is the reason to get my truck.... Two thumbs up for that idea!!!
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Old 02-25-2013, 03:19 AM   #9
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Yes cell phone communication is great with hands free Bluetooth in the cab - until she says I'm yelling at her, which I am NOT.
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Old 02-25-2013, 08:52 AM   #10
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I challenge you to get your wife out there at dark, in sleet, rain and very cold, never having any experience about how to back up and then she's sick to try and help you see what's back there. Nope, I prefer to work alone and figure things out for myself adding what little lights and tricks I can to back up myself. Then I have no one to blame but myself. She, in turn, stays comfy and sticks to what she's comfortable with. It must be working because in a few days we will be celebrating our 38th.
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Old 02-25-2013, 11:40 AM   #11
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quote:Originally posted by F3fifty

Quote:
quote:Originally posted by DQDick

I still haven't found a substitute for Joyce getting out and calling me on the cell phone and backing me in. We try never to be doing it at night and if we are using a pull thru, but once in a while there is no choice.
Wife guiding a back in on a cell phone is a nice way of communicating, especially since our new F 350 Ford has Sync voice activated system for hands free. Great upgrade.....
Could not agree more. Alicia has just as much of a vested interest as I do to make sure we don't tear anything up on the trailer or the campground. Even with a helpful campground host or bystander she is the only one I will listen to when needing assistance parking or getting out.
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Old 02-25-2013, 03:31 PM   #12
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Just food for thought to all that might be interrested. If I'm not mistakining the 7 prong plug has a spot that works with the back up lights on the truck, the hardist part is running the wire in the under belly to the back of the Monty and hooking up some bo-datious flood lights to the rear cap and make it daytime back there.
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Old 02-26-2013, 03:02 AM   #13
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Art is there an advantage to the light placement on the fiberglass over putting the lights on the aluminum. Placing on the lower aluminum would have to be much easier for a lot of MOC members. To find power to run the lights I'd go to the tail lights and use the running lights as the source.
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Old 02-27-2013, 07:30 AM   #14
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I did the wiring just like you suggested Illini - connected to the running light wiring at the tail lamps. My goal on picking that location is that they were at about the same level as the running lights in the center of the rig and might cosmetically look better because of it since I could see those lamps im my mirrors on a turn. I also felt that they would be more stable and less jostled about when fastened to the thicker fiberglass walls than at the thin, shakier aluminim sides. Your installation may vary and don't forget to seal them up REAL well. I just wanted simple illumination I could see from inside the cab and that was a cheap option and minimal labor.
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