Date: Thu, 20 Sep 2007 12:38:53 -0700
Reply-To: VW Doka <vw.doka@GMAIL.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: VW Doka <vw.doka@GMAIL.COM>
Subject: Re: Back-up lights
In-Reply-To: <009601c7fbba$0b3f38d0$170c9804@gpa207joel>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="Windows-1252"
I agree with Joel on this one. A small fog light makes a great back-up
light.
On thing that I do different though: I put the relay in the back close to
the fog light (behind the tail light) and only run one wire to the switch on
the dash. I pull the power from the B+ post on the alternator (fused of
course). The switch on the dash completes the ground circuit side of the
relay to switch on the fog light. The up side to this is that even if the
wire rubs through, nothing will short out.
Oh yeah... you should never, ever, use the fog light to light up that guy
behind you with his high beams on. That would just be wrong... ;)
Cheers,
Jeff
-----Original Message-----
From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com]On Behalf
Of joel walker
Sent: Thursday, September 20, 2007 12:11 PM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: Re: Back-up lights
> In addition to terrifically under-powered headlights on a Vanagon,
> the back-up lights are also below expectation.
> For back-up light improvement, I haven't seen any Vanagon specific
> kits. I have seen a KC Lites kit at JC Whitney (2x 55W!). Any other
> votes in this category?
the best backup light fix, in my humble experience, is ...
a fog light. on the rear bumper.
no, really.
see, you buy TWO kits of fog lights (four individual fog lights, plus
relays).
put two of the lights on the front bumper, put one light on the rear
bumper, and put the last one under the rear seat as a spare. :)
the one on the rear bumper is really hard/dirty work to run the wires
up to the dash, but it's worth it ... a fog light in the rear REALLY
lights up the night and allows you to actually see where you're
backing in the woods or a campground.
now, a couple of Gotchas when you do this:
- the flat rectangular type fog light works best ... the round ones,
especially anything like the older 5-inch round ones, are kinda big
and almost cause a problem with the rear hatch opening/closing.
especially closing. especially if you have your fingers where the
hatch and the fog light meet. :( but the flatter/rectangular ones give
you more clearance. and seem to work almost as well as the round ones,
in regard to light output.
- wiring the rear fog light up to a switch and relay in the dash,
rather than off the normal vanagon backup light switch on the
transmission, allows you to NOT use the fog light during the daylight
hours. saves wear and tear on the fog light bulb. and at night, in a
big parking lot or some such, you really don't need it. so you can
wait til you do need it and flip the switch on the dash.
- pulling the wires is a bitch. :( sorry, it is. to get the wires over
the gas tank, a straightened out old wire coat hanger works well: tape
the ends of the wires to one end of the coat hanger and push it
forward over the tank. then lower the spare tire and you should be
able to grab the coat hanger/wires and pull them on over. i pushed the
wires through the little keepers/cable-tie thingies that the original
wiring harness goes through on its way up to the dash so my fog light
wires didn't dangle down to catch on anything.
- pay attention to the glass portion of the fog lights. there should
be a 'top' marking. that needs to go on the top. ;) some fog lights
are built to go UNDER the bumper, and you have to remove some small
screws in the sides/front of the housing and flip the glass if you
want to mount them on the top of the bumper.
i do NOT recommend putting fog lights UNDER the bumpers. especially on
the front bumper. i lost two sets of fog lights before i wised up ...
inclined driveways, those concrete thingies in parking lots ... the
fog lights stick down farther than you thought. :(
that's my story and i'm sticking with it. :)
good luck!
unca joel
