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White Night Backup Lights Installed!

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10K views 45 replies 16 participants last post by  trinidad  
#1 ·
I installed my White Night backup lights yesterday (about $120 shipped). They are pretty much plug and play but I used heat shrink tubing on the connector from the 7-Pin harness to the light and then wrapped it with convoluted tubing, then wrapped that in electrical tape.

These are the "Fixed Mount" type so you can still hook up a hitch by popping out the center piece. They look good on the bumper with the exception of the dorky logo. I will either paint it, get a sticker, or put a decorative hitch in there (like one of those propellers :) )

They are wired to turn on with the reverse lights (via the optional 7-pin harness) but I also will be doing a switch inside so I can turn them on for tailgaters / high beamers. The device also has a manual switch on the unit so you can turn them on from outside as long as the ignition key is turned on.

I don't have any pics on a dark road yet, but they give a nice wide area of light.

And now the pics!

On the hitch
Image


In reverse
Image


Stock lights
Image


White Nights
Image


Stock lights
Image


White Nights
Image
 
C
#3 · (Edited)
spta97 said:
They are wired to turn on with the reverse lights (via the optional 7-pin harness) but I also will be doing a switch inside so I can turn them on for tailgaters / high beamers.
Click to expand...
I was wondering, are these DOT legal? The local LEOs have been dinging a lot of people for non-DOT tail lights, mainly the euro type/clear ones, but if they are looking that close they will most likely notice these also. FYI, I know for sure the act of turning them while going down the road is illegal and if caught you will collect a ticket and if it can be proved that these contributed to causing a wreck/bodily injury you could be held liable.
 
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#4 ·
Cillyone said:
I was wondering, are these DOT legal? The local LEOs have been dinging a lot of people for non-DOT tail lights, mainly the euro type/clear ones, but if they are looking that close they will most likely notice these also. FYI, I know for sure the act of turning them while going down the road is illegal and if caught you will collect a ticket.
Click to expand...
I don't think they are - DOT certification is a PITA from what I understand. We'll see how the cops like it. My GF's mini has a rear "fog" light which I don't think there are any laws against. Many cars in Europe have the rear fogs as an option (although not as bright and usually a brighter bulb in the stock tail light housing)

As far as turning them on while driving there are only three situations when I would do that:

1) Someone is riding my ass and will not pass (this happens in traffic where I have almost been rear ended because they are not paying attention to the stop and go. I quick flash of the lights should get their attention).
2) Someone is behind me with high-beams (again - a quick flash should do it)
3) Extreme fog - for safety
 
#7 ·
One other thing since our hitch tube is open at the rear (the end near the spare tire) you are supposed to block it off so water / salt /etc. doesn't get into the light fixture. The instructions said you can plug it with silicone but a 2" hole at 1 AM did not sound like fun.

What I did instead is used a small strip of Peal and Seal. This is a roofing material with a mastic on one end, and a reflective foil on the other. I used it in the place of Dynomat (in my Maxima) because it works just as well and is cheap.

I just cleaned the back of the hitch with alcohol, stuck it on, then hit it with the heat gun to smooth it out. I'm sure it will hold.
 
#10 ·
razzlee said:
If you are changing out the hitch cap, could you use the one that came with the light to plug the hole in the back?
Click to expand...
It would not be a direct fit since the back part of the hitch is not flanged like the front (I was hoping to use my Nissan rubber hitch plug). Also, the cap you see in the picture fits onto the light housing - not the hitch so it has plastic tabs.

If you wanted, you can put it on the back and use some RTV silicone around the edges but you would have to lower the spare tire to have better access. It was late and I was tired so I went the easy route.
 
T
#14 ·
White Night lights

spta97 said:
I installed my White Night backup lights yesterday (about $120 shipped). They are pretty much plug and play but I used heat shrink tubing on the connector from the 7-Pin harness to the light and then wrapped it with convoluted tubing, then wrapped that in electrical tape.

These are the "Fixed Mount" type so you can still hook up a hitch by popping out the center piece. They look good on the bumper with the exception of the dorky logo. I will either paint it, get a sticker, or put a decorative hitch in there (like one of those propellers :) )

They are wired to turn on with the reverse lights (via the optional 7-pin harness) but I also will be doing a switch inside so I can turn them on for tailgaters / high beamers. The device also has a manual switch on the unit so you can turn them on from outside as long as the ignition key is turned on.

I don't have any pics on a dark road yet, but they give a nice wide area of light.

And now the pics!

On the hitch
Image


In reverse
Image


Stock lights
Image


White Nights
Image


Stock lights
Image


White Nights
Image
Click to expand...
For my nissan armada which one do I order, I when to that web page, but I found noting for the Armada. Please give me the item stock number for this item.
Thanks
Trinidad
 
9
#15 ·
Cillyone said:
I was wondering, are these DOT legal? The local LEOs have been dinging a lot of people for non-DOT tail lights, mainly the euro type/clear ones, but if they are looking that close they will most likely notice these also. FYI, I know for sure the act of turning them while going down the road is illegal and if caught you will collect a ticket and if it can be proved that these contributed to causing a wreck/bodily injury you could be held liable.
Click to expand...
I would say no, but at the same time, I don't think it is an issue. DOT legal applies to standard lights. These don't replace DOT lights you have such as turn signals. These are extra lights like off road lights on a light bar. If you removed the stock backup lights, then it would replace those and need to be DOT approved. I wouldn't worry about the law on these. BTW, this is one I'm going to look at really closely also.
 
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#16 · (Edited)
#19 · (Edited)
eXcelon said:
those are sweet. do you have to have a hitch to put it on or can it go on also without a hitch ?
Click to expand...
The nice thing about the fixed mount is it has a pass though for the hitch. However, the hitch insert must have 4 1/2" between the center line of the pin hole and the front.

The lights extend the hitch out a little so the hole is farther away. It explaines it in the instructions and says that if you have a decorative mount you can have a longer piece of metal welded on.

Edit: One thing I forgot to mention is that the hitch pin is now pretty well covered so it takes some tricky hand work to get it in and out. This works out well for me because I just got a hitch to protect it from being stolen so the harder to remove the pin the better. Mine is also a locking hitch pin so you would pretty much have to destroy the lights to get them off.

Also, you need the hitch mount, not the hitch insert to use this light. You could just mount it to the bumper if you wanted though. If you went that route, I would use silicone to stick it up there - it will hold and then when you are ready to take it off you just peel it away.
 
#20 ·
#21 ·
eXcelon said:
those are sweet. do you have to have a hitch to put it on or can it go on also without a hitch ?
Click to expand...
Just reading and doing some research at the web site, I found pics of vehicles without tow hitches that had them installed.
http://www.whitenight.com/viewinstalls.htm
 
R
#23 ·
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