Brake light bar

[crowwing]

Curious too see if anyone out there has installed a brake light bar on their Scamp. I am especially wondering about wiring route. Lately I have become more paranoid about tailgaters and would like to head that trouble off at the pass. Thanks in advance!
John

[John Linck]

I ran wires inside up from a tail light under the ratfur into an upper cabinet and then out thru the roof vent. Not easy but turned out well, though a bit high up on the roof.

[Eddie Longest]

John
I put one on a S-19. It was a LED wide trailer, L/R turn and stop light. I hooked into the normal trailer wiring under the drivers side rear dinette. The Scamp is not wide enough (>80") for the 3 light wide load running light so I did not hook it to the running light. Half of the light blinks for right or left turn. When brakes are applied all the lights light up solid. It has internal circuits to control the light. The light was about 1.5" tall and 18" long. The only issue was mounting it. Scamp rear ends have right much of a curve so I used composite shims as spacers. I will try to find info on the light.
I did some research last year, most Scamps wrecks are a result of being rear ended and most Casita wrecks are roll overs or running off the road.
The light was mounted just under the rear window. I ran the wires in the void in the ratfur under the window then down the rear seam to under the drivers side dinette. Then tied into the wiring under the dinette.
Eddie


Mounting over the widow like John did, you may not have to deal so much with the body curve. My S-19 was lifted that's why I mounted mine under the window.


http://www.ebay.com/itm/USA-MADE-Tec...item43d85c4ff2

[mary and bob]

Put one on my Casita over the window

[Gilda]

I have a question. Why is it that our tiny trailers seem to make many drivers drive badly? On a recent short 2 hour trip we experienced 2 different SUVs (in particular on separate occasions) rushing to pass us on the left in a NO PASS lane as we were merging. There was no mistake that these drivers were intentionally speeding up as we were merging left when there was no one in the space until they suddenly appeared. This was terrifying as we were merging onto a bridge that had only one lane in each direction and no shoulder putting us, them and oncoming traffic in danger. The only thing we could do is drive defensively slowing down and hugging the right of the lane as much as possible. We promptly called the CHP (California Highway Patrol to report them as reckless drivers. We don't know if they were ever caught, but we didn't want these drivers to continue their reckless ways.)

I don't really want an answer as to why people drive this way, but really want to know how we can minimize these kinds of situations from happening. I understand the frustration a driver can feel when they have a large and/or slow vehicle in front of them. I've felt that way myself. In California anyone towing must drive 55 mph or slower. When we're in a higher speed limit area we drive in the far right lane. When on a one-lane road we, as drivers, just have to take our turns, even if we are behind a slower vehicle. That's just part of driving.

In San Francisco, near where I live, many pedestrians are killed or injured because of careless drivers and, truthfully, the carelessness of pedestrians as well. Public service notices all over The City read "Stopping is part of driving." North of SF, where I live, public service notices remind drivers and bicyclists to follow the driving laws especially in areas where accidents have occurred.

Sometimes I wonder if a humorous bumper sticker ("RV There Yet?", "A Rolling Home Gathers No Moss", "Stay Back, I Forgot to Dump my Black Tank", etc.) would help deflate some of the animosity directed our way. On the other hand I wonder if the tailgaters/bad drivers would be more inflamed and determined to drive badly.

[Gilda]

This bumper sticker has both humor and respect "Apologies if you're stuck behind me, thanks for your patience".

[Gilda]

One more comment...Take a look at this Drive 55 ecology movement to save gas. They have a slew of Drive 55 bumper stickers! Drive 55 Bumper Stickers : PEACE TRAIN to DC - Drive 55 Conservation Project

[Perry J]

WHY????
I live 42 miles east of Bakersfield Ca.
Lake Isabella is a popular summer vacation area.
There is a beautiful, but to some an intimidating, 13 mile drive on a two lane road through the Kern Canyon to reach the Lake.
I drove to Bakersfield yesterday,
I watched 3 TT's headed up the Canyon towards the Lake. One with 6 cars behind it, another one with 12 cars behind it and another with 8 cars behind it.
On the way home I was #5 behind a TT going between 30 and 40 mph.
The driver passed 4 very long pull outs where he or she could have slowed down, pulled over and not even stopped to allow us to pass.
I have driven the road for 10 years and can safely drive most of it at 55mph..
Occasionally, some get so involved in the scenery, concentrating on their driving or are just plain rude and don't utilize pull outs and allow others to pass.
Some time people towing trailers ask to be tailgated.
Be considerate and allow faster drivers to pass.

[Sands]

Most states (CA included) have a slow moving vehicle law on the books that looks something like this:

On a two-lane highway where passing is unsafe because of traffic in the opposite direction or other conditions, a slow moving vehicle, behind which five or more vehicles are formed in a line, shall turn off the roadway wherever sufficient area for a safe turn-out exists, in order to permit the vehicles following to proceed. As used in this section a slow moving vehicle is one which is proceeding at a rate of speed less than the normal flow of traffic at the particular time and place.

I have witnessed (in AZ) a driver receiving a ticket for failure to pull over with a long line of vehicles behind them.

[Kevin K]

I have a white metal bracket hooked to the back of the spare tire to hold the extra tail light bars. I drilled a hole in the floor in the back of the trailer to tap into the original wiring.

[crowwing]

Thanks to all that shared their experience and ideas. I think I may pass along the interest and additional safety that a brake light bar provides to the Scamp folks in Backus, either as an add on or a new change. As we all have experienced the anxious folks that follow too close may not be able to see normal brake lights. As to the California perspective I have always thought it was interesting how some folks can take on a dangerous and aggressive persona when behind the wheel. An edge they would not have face to face with others. Some folks do choose to live their life just plain angry but there are those that take that on when behind the wheel. As more of us take on the adventure and enjoyment that RVing brings us we can lead the way by giving folks a brake when we encounter our brothers and sisters pulling their trailers!

[gordon2]

Originally Posted by crowwing

... I think I may pass along the interest and additional safety that a brake light bar provides to the Scamp folks in Backus, either as an add on or a new change. ...

Second set of tail ights (but not a light bar) is an option already (about $100). I have requested it on my build, if its not too late. If they wont do it because that part of the build is already done, then I will add them later.

[Eddie Longest]

I saw this twice on my last (900 mi.) camping trip. The car tags along right at the rear bumper of my trailer in a multi lane road in the left lane behind me. I speed up, they speed up I slow down also they slow down. I was needing to merge left and had difficulty making the merge.
In both cases the other drivers were texting. I suspect they were using the taller trailer as a reference point and the space of my trailer and truck as a right lane safety margin for themselves. Texting and driving don't mix.
Eddie

[Jim Bennett]

I imagine you could do the same on your Scamp as I did on my Escape. I fished wires up from the existing tail lights, to the upper cabinets, and just added two more matching light assemblies up there. Not too hard to do, and it sure makes me more visible, especially with bikes on the back.

[Wayne Collins]

Good on ya all you folks who have added LED light bars to the back of your TT.
Original factory tail/stop/turn lights have been totally inadequate.
As to your own safety: How many of you add extension rear view mirrors on your TV? Your standard car mirrors are not wide enough for you to see what's coming from behind. You'll have fewer surprises when those speed demons pass you at the merge.

[TappyGee]

Originally Posted by Kevin K

Attachment 87591
I have a white metal bracket hooked to the back of the spare tire to hold the extra tail light bars....

Kevin, where did you get the bracket and lights?

[Darral T.]

Here's another option I've had on my Scamp for the past 2-3 yrs. I had some friends following us in the day time and they noticed right off I had added these. It was basically an "experiment" to run wires up to the windows. These LED "strips" came from our local AutoZone for about $35. They are VERY bright and you wouldnt want to look directly into them. They really show up better at night (as all lights). But these are a little cheaper than the standard "bar" LED lights.

The EASY way to mount these were to stick them to the window from the inside. SO, there's NO holes drilled in the body that was the whole idea. They could easily be removed and no one ever know they were there. They're also protected from the elements by the window.

The wiring I did as someone else has already mentioned. THe first photo to show up in my group is how I attached my wires to the existing brake/signal light wiring. Then I ran them to the inside and up through the ratfur and over to the window. BTW, these DO work for both signal's and braking.

Someday, I may replace them and install the bar led light strips made for this type of setup. But so far, these seem to work pretty good with no modification to the shell (holes through the body!).

https://www.flickr.com/photos/503516...7642175530813/

[Kevin K]

TappyGee
Used some scrap steel. Light bars off ebay 3 years ago.

[Darral T.]

GREAT idea! I love ingenious ideas like that. That one is close to my heart... it works with NO additional holes in the shell!!

Originally Posted by Kevin K

TappyGee
Used some scrap steel. Light bars off ebay 3 years ago.
Attachment 87610

[Radar1]

Originally Posted by Eddie Longest

John
I put one on a S-19. It was a LED wide trailer, L/R turn and stop light. I hooked into the normal trailer wiring under the drivers side rear dinette. The Scamp is not wide enough (>80") for the 3 light wide load running light so I did not hook it to the running light. Half of the light blinks for right or left turn. When brakes are applied all the lights light up solid. It has internal circuits to control the light. The light was about 1.5" tall and 18" long. The only issue was mounting it. Scamp rear ends have right much of a curve so I used composite shims as spacers. I will try to find info on the light.
I did some research last year, most Scamps wrecks are a result of being rear ended and most Casita wrecks are roll overs or running off the road.
The light was mounted just under the rear window. I ran the wires in the void in the ratfur under the window then down the rear seam to under the drivers side dinette. Then tied into the wiring under the dinette.
Eddie

USA Made Tecniq Red Hi Mount Center Brake Turn ID Bar 11 LED Light Trailer Truck | eBay

Eddie,
Did you just add shims under the mounting holes to keep the light from bending, or make a 15" long curved shim?
Not sure I understand why the Scamp isn't wide enough to use the running light portion, can you educate me on that?