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Posts: 3864
| I have a new-to-me Durango and I can't see anything out the tinted back window or rear side windows when backing up. Anybody have ideas on how to add addition lights on the rear of a SUV?
Thanks for the suggestions. |
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Posts: 4080
Location: Elko - Lake Vermilion | Back up camera? They do sell these things Ya know.
My wife has one on Her 36ft. Motor Home and can back up within 6" of the garage. Pretty slick.
Jerome |
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Posts: 129
Location: North Metro - Twin Cities | Check out iball back up systems, know lots of guys who love them. http://www.iballhitchcam.com/ Also learn to use and rely your mirrors exclusively. I also have a Durango but I never look out the back window. |
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Posts: 34
| THERESA have a pretty cool light the plugs right into the round socket that my light harness plugs into. You can set it to stay on or to go on only in reverse. It works pretty well when you're backing a trailer with no boat in during darkness (especially on older non LED trailers that you have to unplug). I can't remember the name but you should be able to find it on any of the normal sites. |
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Posts: 3479
Location: Elk River, Minnesota | Hiya,
Question for you...
Is this for just backing up a trailer at night, or just backing up in general with or without a trailer at any time throughout the day or night?
Also, if it just backing the trailer, is the trailer wider than the truck?
Steve
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Posts: 406
Location: Stones throw away...finally!! | Open the rear hatch on the vehicle. |
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Location: Ontario | I suspect his problem is at night time, I have the same problem with my Tacoma with cab.
I was thinking installing spotlight at the back as well. |
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Posts: 181
Location: St.John, Indiana | Had the same problem on my pickups with caps. Cabelas had some 55watt halogen docking lights that come with a illuminated rocker switch I mounted on my dash. Mounted the lights on each side of the hitch.
The problem with SUVs is when you open the back hatch all the interior lights come on. That's the problem with my wife's Expedition. Will add backup lights to her vehicle the year. |
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Posts: 2691
Location: Pewaukee, Wisconsin | Ranger, if its just backing up your Durango I would buy a Night Blaster light. Someone else posted it without the name. It plugs into the 7 pin trailers plug and can be used in two ways. Full on or only on when your in reverse. If you need better lighting backing up your trailer I would add two Peterson flood lights under your back bumper. I have both on my truck for plowing snow and everything else. Just run a hot wire from your fuse box to the back of your truck. Add a toggle or rocker switch between the fuse and the lights. Ground the lights good when you install them on the back. You could also set them up by running a hot wire straight from your battery, install a inline fuse 20 or 30 amp between your battery and switch. Never run a hot wire without a fuse.
Those things in either side of your truck are mirrors. Learn to use them. Lol. I have not turned around backing up anything for years. Trucks with caps on them don't allow good views looking over a shoulder. Good mirrors are essential. |
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Posts: 929
Location: Rhinelander. | yeah use your underwater camera. They work great out of the water to
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Posts: 1185
Location: Wishin I Was Fishin' | About 10 years ago I added clear oval lights to the back of my boat trailer. I had to run more wire and change to a different plug.
It sure makes a huge difference when Up North and it is very dark out. Way better then backing the boat into a tree.
They are the same size as the oval waterproof trailer lights that have the rubber grommet around them. I got them at the semi trailer parts supply company in Appleton, Road Equipment Parts Center. They even had the metal brackets too.
I am in the market for one of the aftermarket rear license plate cameras. I hate backing up to hook up the trailer alone.
Edited by Jomusky 1/22/2012 8:45 PM
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Posts: 2894
Location: Yahara River Chain | On my 89 GMC Suburban I installed halogen lamps from JC Whitney in the back up light socket in the taillights of the truck. The do run hotter so you don't want them to stay on for extended periods or they will melt your taillight lenses Might be able to get those at any auto-parts store. |
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| Marshall - 1/22/2012 8:08 AM
Open the rear hatch on the vehicle.
That was my first thought. I have to open my tinted canopy on my truck and I back a 620 down a 108" wide fenced, curved driveway with 102" of trailer in the dark and it works for me.
I'd also recommend lights on the house/garage rather than on the boat or trailer. I've got a flood lamp on the side of the house as well as lights on the garage and it's easy to back up when you can see everything, everywhere...not just where back up lights or a camera are pointing. But that's my take on it. |
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Posts: 3864
| My biggest challenge is backing the trailer into the water at night. Opening the entire rear gate is not an option for a couple reasons.
Great ideas above, thanks folks. |
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| If you can't just open the back gate, I could suggest what I saw a couple duck hunters do and what I've considered, and that's to temp mount a big flood light. They used a clamp on their rack, a cord and a battery sitting in the back of the truck. They clamped it on, hooked up the terminals and used it for getting their duck boat/blind set up and torn down in the dark. You use a clamp or some sort of magnet to mount one and then when you're done, just take it down, unplug it and roll it up and put it in a little tote or something. And you could mount it anywhere....back of your truck, on your boat, in your garage for emergency lighting if you needed it. |
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| Why can't you just use your mirrors???? |
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Posts: 2894
Location: Yahara River Chain | Daily Driver - 1/23/2012 1:47 PM
Why can't you just use your mirrors????
You need to tell people this? Doesn't everyone do this? |
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| Obviously not if he needs a special light to back up...if you use your mirrors instead of turning your head around, it is very easy to back up a trailer. I'm really confused by this.... |
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Posts: 233
Location: Iowa | I have backup lights on my trailer, which really helps. I have seen a light kit in cabelas that goes around your receiver that I thought would be handy.
But I would have to agree with daily driver, learn to use your mirrors. If your constantly have your head turned while your backing your boat in the water just isn't right to me.
Jeremy |
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Posts: 3240
Location: Racine, Wi | I just use my mirrors, but for super dark launches, you can throw a headlamp on the pier to give you a point of reference for where the edge of the pier is. Simplistic and adds the reference you need to know where you need to aim. |
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Posts: 1710
Location: Mt. Zion, IL | Have you thought about adding guide on posts? I have some on my trailer with reflective tape that helps me see the trailer when backing at night. |
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Posts: 956
Location: Home of the 2016 World Series Champion Cubs | KISS!
Two flash lights (they're already in the boat cuz you are going fishing at night right?) placed in rod holders at the rear corners of the boat positioned horizontally and aimed rearward or angled, whatever your preference. Keep it simple. Or just a single 1,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 lumen/candlepower/watts whatever pistol gripped spot/flood lights that most guys have in their boats anyway will also work in a rod holder. Come to think of it you could land aircraft with those suckers. I Also do a lot of night trolling with planer boards. I also use glow stix on my boards. Snap those babies at the ramp before backing and lay them along your lane or the edges of the launch ramp (as Joel recommended) to guide you there. Once in the water pick them up and stick them in your boards and no loss if happen to roll over one. They dont light up whats along side but if you line them up properly and stay inside them, you dont need to see the trees/stumps, boulders at the sides of the lane/road. I think with all options, wired or wireless, the placement of the lights is best at the rear of the boat/trailer not at the bumper. With your boat on the trailer and lights at the bumper you get a lot of light flashing back at you off of your boat as well as casting shadows created by the boat. |
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Posts: 107
Location: central illinois | Buy some back up lighting to fit around your hitch. I use 2 Craftsman 19.2 volt flourescent lights to mark my driveway to make it easier to back up at night. I simply cannot see my driveway due to a lack of street lights on my block. These work great. They also work great at boat ramps with no light. They give you something to aim at. I drive a truck for a living so I always have 2 flashlights that I can throw on the ground to mark poorly lit and difficult docks when needed. |
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Posts: 956
Location: Home of the 2016 World Series Champion Cubs | Another thought, buy some cheap driveway reflectors. Place them before backing. With or without the steak in the ground.be creative rig something. They don't take much light to reflect well enough with the reflectors for you to see your lane. Tail lights, backup lights and brake lights for that matter will work well enough. Pick em up when ur done. No batteries. |
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Need Much More Light For Backing Up, Ideas?