starbrightsteve Posted June 16, 2014 Share Posted June 16, 2014 Hi folks! I'm a newbie with a 1986 toyota Sunrader. I drove it home about 600 miles and I am impressed with the engine and transmission. I was also lucky making it home with no issues. The tires are 12.5 years old so first things first, new tires. Before i left Indiana I checked the lights and noticed that none of the marker lights at the top front and rear of the coach work. Why do we need marker lights??? They can leak and i doubt that any low flying planes will hit the coach if they are missing. My casita travel trailer is just as tall and it has no marker lights. What would happen if I just eliminated them? If there were none when I showed up to get my state inspection and all my other lights worked I think everything would be fine. I know the place i get inspection done have never seen a Sunrader and would not miss them. So what do you folks think about eliminating them? I have a lot of repair and cleaning to do to renovate the sunrader and it would be easy to include eliminating the lights. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alvin Posted June 16, 2014 Share Posted June 16, 2014 http://www.grote.com/tech/fmvss/rv_chart.html Looks like national highway regulations, and other references to DOT. May vary from state to state. Plus all those lights makes your rig so pretty. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek up North Posted June 16, 2014 Share Posted June 16, 2014 It's a Federal requirement (FMVSS/CMVSS 108). Anything over a certain width (80") requires them. I don't know what year the regulation was brought in but early Sunraders with the taller front windows didn't have then. http://www.nhtsa.gov/cars/rules/standards/conspicuity/TBMpstr.html Remove them? You might get away with it (or not). Maybe this inspection but not the next one? A it of a gamble going to the work to eliminate them only to have to drill new holes again. Only you can decide. I agree with your low flying plane comment. I believe I've made it myself in the past. Or maybe it was something about a helipad. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MontanaChinook Posted June 16, 2014 Share Posted June 16, 2014 The member "Sunrading Arkansas" bought a Sunrader and replaced the marker lights with reflectors, like you'd have on a bike. People went back & forth on the legality and whether he'd get pulled over. His results aren't the definitive "final word" on the matter, but he took his camper on a big cross-country trip with just reflectors instead of lights, and had no issues. I'm doing a bit of an experiment myself...On the front and back, only 3 of the 5 lights works on my camper. I haven't read the exact law yet to see if it requires a certain amount of lights or just that you have lights. I'll let people know if I get pulled over. I don't do much driving after dark in my camper. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek up North Posted June 16, 2014 Share Posted June 16, 2014 The requirement is pretty clearly stated. 3 in center, one on each side once you're over 80" wide. Whether a cop is bored enough to bother pulling you over for that? But, OTOH, if he's looking for an excuse to pull you over ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MontanaChinook Posted June 16, 2014 Share Posted June 16, 2014 Yes and that's always been my philosophy...never give a cop an easy reason to pull you over. But I don't worry about it quite so much these days as I used to... But I agree with you. Still not sure when (or if) I'll get around to fixing mine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darrel Posted June 16, 2014 Share Posted June 16, 2014 I had a trucker tell my that if you have lights on a vehicle they must work. That means if you have installed any extra lights they must work. He was fixing one that had a short and had got a warning about it. I held a flashlight for him. This was in Oregon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MontanaChinook Posted June 16, 2014 Share Posted June 16, 2014 Good to know. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zero Posted June 20, 2014 Share Posted June 20, 2014 I had a trucker tell my that if you have lights on a vehicle they must work. That means if you have installed any extra lights they must work. He was fixing one that had a short and had got a warning about it. I held a flashlight for him. This was in Oregon. Certainly true in NY and NJ where annual motor vehicle inspections are required. Any exterior light must work regardless if OEM or the owner later installed it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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