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Topic: GV high mounted tail lights? (Read 970 times) previous topic - next topic

GV high mounted tail lights?

Someone posted a picture
 of added LED tail lights on their GV.  How did you run the wires from the high mount to gather the tail light wires.  I have a  panel above my stock lights that keeps the upper area separated.
 How much space is behind the outer shell to the inner shell?
Thanks for any insight.
  I have a nice set of LED and would like to increase my wattage.

Re: GV high mounted tail lights?

Reply #1 –
Mike,

Not sure about your coach, but on ours there is a lot of open space between the back panel in the rear cabinets and the outside fiberglass skin of the coach.  I know because when I was replacing my rear clearance lights with LED light units, I let one of the power wires fall back inside the hole.  In order to find it, I had to cut a access opening in the back corner of one of the upper storage cabinets in the bedroom.  It is just 1/4" plywood and easy to cut with a sharp box cutter.

If your coach has a rear view camera, you probably have a removable panel in the middle of the upper cabinets.  Pull it out and you can get a good idea how deep the opening is between the back of the cabinet and the fiberglass.

You could cut a small round hole in the horizontal panel (in the engine compartment) above each stock tail light.  Then let the wires from your new high mount lights drop down inside the open space until they are laying on the horizontal panel, and catch them with a hooked fishing wire stuck up through the round holes.

(Photos are from when I was installing my wireless rear view camera transmitter)
1993 U280 SE 40' WTBI, Build: 4359
C8.3 300hp, 6-Speed, Exhaust Brake
960 watts on the roof (6 x 160)
Sorento (or BOLT) on a Kar Kaddy SS
"Nature abhors a vacuum"

Re: GV high mounted tail lights?

Reply #2 –
I think Nitehawk is who you are looking for.  Drop him a P/M if you cant find the pics. you are looking for in the media section. http://www.foreforums.com/index.php?action=profile;u=1158

This may be the thread you are looking for Adding 17"x1" wide LED taillights 

Mike
Pamela & Mike 97 U 320

"It's not what happens to you, but how you react to it that matters."

Re: GV high mounted tail lights?

Reply #3 –
Unfortunately I found that the corner cabinets in the bedroom are right up against the "ribs" on the outside. No gap between the back of the cabinets and the fiberglass. So I ran the wires into the cabinet inside corners and down thru the shelves until I exited into the engine compartment where I tied into the regular wiring harness.
I used three wire extension cord plus a single wire for a ground.
Nitehawk,  Demolition Lady, & our NEW master, Zippy the speeding BB cat.
1989 Grand Villa 36' ORED
Oshkosh chassis, 8.2 DD V8
2006 Saturn Vue AWD

Re: GV high mounted tail lights?

Reply #4 –
Thanks Nitehawk,  That is exactly what i need to know.  I wont waste my time trying to run them up the outer skin.

Re: GV high mounted tail lights?

Reply #5 –
Always interesting to me how different the construction can be on seemingly similar coach models.  But that's Foretravel for you.
1993 U280 SE 40' WTBI, Build: 4359
C8.3 300hp, 6-Speed, Exhaust Brake
960 watts on the roof (6 x 160)
Sorento (or BOLT) on a Kar Kaddy SS
"Nature abhors a vacuum"

Re: GV high mounted tail lights?

Reply #6 –
I've noticed a few pickups with an LED strip mounted under the tailgate that duplicates the factory tail lights. They plug into the four-wire trailer connection. I'm tempted to get one and mount it directly over the engine hatch. Shouldn't be too hard to run the wire over to one side, then down and back over to the plug. Even if I had to add an extension it shouldn't cost much. I think they just glue on.

Re: GV high mounted tail lights?

Reply #7 –
Quote from: kb0zke –
I'm tempted to get one and mount it directly over the engine hatch.
I did something like that with a simple red LED light strip.  Stuck it to the edge of the frame.  Wired it to the brake lights.  Looks good at night!

PS:  I reduced the BRIGHT light output from the LED license plate light by about 50% after these photos were taken.
1993 U280 SE 40' WTBI, Build: 4359
C8.3 300hp, 6-Speed, Exhaust Brake
960 watts on the roof (6 x 160)
Sorento (or BOLT) on a Kar Kaddy SS
"Nature abhors a vacuum"

Re: GV high mounted tail lights?

Reply #8 –
Not that we travel much at night, but I wanted my LED lights visible above our Saturn Vue so mounting them above the rear access door wasn't giving me the additional visibility I wanted. The Vue is tall enough to block most of the coach taillights and an engine compartment light bar.
I even made a light bar using the same 17" LED lights and I can mount it on the rear spoiler. I ran the wiring from the coach to the front of the Vue, then a wiring harness to the back of the Vue. Now I can plug the rear light bar into the lower flat four connector for when we are towing with the coach. Or, I can move the flat four connector on the rear light bar to my upper flat four connector that came with the Vue for towing a trailer. We like this additional high lighting when we are in busy traffic going at crazy speeds while bumper to bumper.
Nitehawk,  Demolition Lady, & our NEW master, Zippy the speeding BB cat.
1989 Grand Villa 36' ORED
Oshkosh chassis, 8.2 DD V8
2006 Saturn Vue AWD

Re: GV high mounted tail lights?

Reply #9 –
I have been trying to come up with fix for those Isuzu tail lights, thank you to nitehawk and chuck and Jeannie I think I'll use both the vertical mounted leds and the brake strip in the rear grill. 🥰
 I'll check and post a follow up as I have a spare pair of tail light assembly's somewhere in the shop, in a box, ha. Maybe someone is in need.
Mick
88 Grand Villa 36' ORED 3208 (throwaway)Cat.
 Build # 3150
Happiness is the maximum agreement of reality and desire.

Re: GV high mounted tail lights?

Reply #10 –
Anyone else looking for the 17" tail lights try googling Kai Tai inc and do a search on their website. Price has even gone down to $22.99!! The first 17" lights I found were the clear so I looked further down on the site and there they were!! The red Led 17" lights!!
Incidentally, we are quite pleased with the performance and durability. Two years running now, on both the coach and the Saturn Vue.
Nitehawk,  Demolition Lady, & our NEW master, Zippy the speeding BB cat.
1989 Grand Villa 36' ORED
Oshkosh chassis, 8.2 DD V8
2006 Saturn Vue AWD
 

Re: GV high mounted tail lights?

Reply #11 –
 I travel a lot at night towing the race trailer. I also want the lights above the trailer. That requires the lights to be just under the top edge of the body about a foot.