Roof Lights

[bmyohn]

I just got my Zacatal roof rack today...and it has four lights on top in a v shape...i was wondering if MA required caps on the top...my woodshop teacher has a jacked up Land Rover with lights on the roof and are spliced into the highbeams...he has no caps on his...is that legal???


I guess my question is...do i have to have caps on my roof rack lights in MA???

[bmyohn]

bump before i get a ticket...jk

[RichP]

It's based on state law, ask a trooper. Guys from NY and NJ have gotten warnings and tickets here in PA for not having covers. Usually lights come with covers.

[sidriptide]

Land Rover with lights on the roof and are spliced into the highbeams...he has no caps on his...is that legal?

oh hell no it's not. technically if you have anything spliced into your factory harness they are NOT supposed to work on hi-beam. like all factory driving lights.

i dont think you need to have covers on driving/fog lights but i'm not positive. check out the RMV website for regs.

[Rob Mayercik]

oh hell no it's not. technically if you have anything spliced into your factory harness they are NOT supposed to work on hi-beam. like all factory driving lights.

This has always confused me. If it's illegal to have driving lights on with the high beams, why the heck do all the instructions tell you to wire them up that way?

Of course, in NJ they don't seem to know the difference between driving lights and fog lights...

[bmyohn]

i think that these arent considered fog lights since they are so high up...but i will look into it!!!

[whatevah]

fog lights and driving lights have different beam patterns... fog lights have a wide pattern, and driving lights are a bit more long range, like a handheld spotlight. fog lights should be as low as possible, to light up the ground. driving lights can be anywhere, but IMO should be on or above the bumper for better range. roof-mounted lights aren't of much use in fog or snow (trust me. lol).

most states don't like accessory lights on the roof, so unless you drive on a lot of dark deserted roads, you should consider covering them. my state doesn't specifically say that they must be "covered", but the DMV code says that they're not allowed, so that means they need to be covered/non-functional. That said, I run with them off most of the time, as the police in my state are pretty easygoing on lights (as long as they're off!). my covers are actually just brush guards, so they left around 60% of the light through even if they're attached.

[bmyohn]

i have these lights on the roof...

http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p307/bmyohn/RoofRackLights002.jpg

i will try and find a town cop somewhere and ask him what he thinks..i have ahard plastic covers that came with them and i also have KC yellow foam pads...they are in the car so if i ever get stopped i can trow them on there if he has a problem with me...thanks for the help

Brendan

[Rob Mayercik]

fog lights and driving lights have different beam patterns... fog lights have a wide pattern, and driving lights are a bit more long range, like a handheld spotlight. fog lights should be as low as possible, to light up the ground. driving lights can be anywhere, but IMO should be on or above the bumper for better range. roof-mounted lights aren't of much use in fog or snow (trust me. lol).

This is true. I should have mentioned that my Hella 550s are on the front bumper in the factory fog locations (for a '92, that's on the top of the bumper).

Still my question holds - everything I've ever read says driving lights are for use with high beams, including the installation instructions that come with the things. What the devil is the reasoning that states use to say "thou shalt run driving lights with the low-beams only"?????

I've tried running the driving lights with the lo-beams, but kept getting flashed by oncoming drivers who thought I had the high beams up. Part of that was aiming - they were probably pointed a bit off. I got fed up and switched them to trigger with the highs, and wired it so I could select the trigger line by which holder I put the fuse into (which I do when I'm heading to inspection).

[bmyohn]

i have all mine on seperate switches...the two on bumper on one...the two inner on another and the two outer ones on a different switch...if i need them on theyre right by the gauges or by the rear windshield wipper switches...i didnt even mess with the factory wiring...i made my own circuit!!