Checking brake lights

[Postman]

Any ideas on how a solo camper can tell whether or not his/her brake lights are working after hooking up in the day time? If my turn signal lights and my safety flasher are working, can I assume that my brake lights are also functioning?

[Alex Adams]

If you have a folding chair, put a white towel over the back and position it behind the taillight but beyond the side of the trailer so you can see it in the side mirror. Hit the brakes and you should see the red glow. Repeat for the other side.

[Gompka]

Originally Posted by Postman

Any ideas on how a solo camper can tell whether or not his/her brake lights are working after hooking up in the day time? If my turn signal lights and my safety flasher are working, can I assume that my brake lights are also functioning?

Since the turn signals and the brake lights are essentially the same bulb you can assume that if the turn signal works and the parking lights work, the brake lights should do. I somethings wedge something between the brake and the seat to check the brakes that way. A stick or a hiking pole, etc.

[Postman]

Good idea, Alex! Why didn't I think of that?

Sounds a little complicated, Gompka, but I'll try it if the towel and chair method doesn't work.

Thanks for your input!

[mary and bob]

Our Uhaul is wired so that there are amber turn lights and red stop lights, different bulbs. In the truck shops I worked in we had a simple device to hold down a clutch or brake pedal, basically a 3 foot long, 1" or so diameter pipe, with a flat metal piece about 6" long, 3" wide, with a slightly larger than the pipe hole near one end. Rubber "crutch" tips on the pipe ends. Push pedal down with the pipe, slide the flat piece against the seat, it tips back and locks, pedal stays down. Could be made out of wood easily if only used to hold a little pressure on the brake pedal. Or you could buy one.

Edit; a few different types on eBay for $30 to $40. truck pedal depressor

[Postman]

Thanks for the "blueprint," Mary and Bob!

[Byron Kinnaman]

If I have to check by myself I turn the "hazard" flashing lights. And the head lights. The hazard lights are the same lights as the brake lights. The head lights will tell me if the tail lights are working along with checking the side running lights.

[mary and bob]

Originally Posted by Postman

Thanks for the "blueprint," Mary and Bob!

Hope my description made sense. I don't have one to take a picture of, but there is one like what I described on eBay.

[montliz]

One of the things you are checking is to see whether your brake light switch (that is, the switch attached to the brake pedal) is operational. Just because your bulbs are good does not mean you have brake lights, so you'll have to actually depress the pedal and see if that makes the lights come on.

I just use a piece of broomstick cut to the right length and wedge it between the front of the driver's seat and the pedal. It usually doesn't take too much pressure (maybe and inch or so), so the broomstick doesn't have to be wedged in there hard enough to hurt the seat.

Johnny

[Larry C Hanson]

Hi,

I second Byron's method.

I turn on running lights and check all the way around the trailer.
Then I turn on the emergency flashers to check the brake light/turn
indicators on the Trillium... Very simple.

The two walk arounds also give me a chance to look around the
hitch, chains, and tow vehicle for a final check before hitting the road.

Larry H

[terrell]

If your tow vehicle has a fob, by pressing unlock the town vehicle tail lights come on and the trailer lights also. I don't know if the brake lights flash by using this method but worth a try.