The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area General Truck Talk Invisible at night?

I was driving home on the dark TransCanada Highway last night – a moonless night with just the stars – and another motorist told me that he almost crashed into my truck's back end.
I have the standard red rear tail lights and a licence plate light. Because the truck is black, he said I just faded into the darkness. Although he said he could see the lights he had no depth perception of where exactly I was in front of him because the truck was so dark and so was the highway.
Anybody know of some stealth-like reflector strip that I could put on the bumper that would be nearly invisible to the eye in the daylight but shine brightly at night?
I sure don't want to ruin the look of my '53 3100 but I also don't want to get creamed by a transport driver making up time in the middle the night…
Any ideas?
Cheers,
John

John,

Here is black "invisible" reflective tape. I found it in a search I have no idea if it works.

Here are other possibilities?

I have a few ideas:

1. Can you use LED bulbs in your taillights so you're more visible? These style are the best and are very bright: LED Tail Light Replacement Lens
2. How about a third brake/tail light?
3. There are reflectors that you can put into the bed rolls as well.
4. Only if 1, 2 and 3 don't work, can you stick magnets to the back of reflective strips so that you can apply them to the back of the truck in ideal locations only when driving at night?

As far as depth perception that sounds like his issue, but I know several people who have run stock style taillights on their rides and were nearly invisible from the rear, even in the sun, nevermind at night. Their travelling companions (me included) strongly encouraged them to put in LED's, and now their lights are nice and bright. I put LED taillights on my vehicles to ensure people can see me. I suggest you try the same.

Idea 1

...other tape...

Idea 2. 45 LED tail lamps....super bright, but still sit low...

...idea 3. 3rd led brake lighter... Sits in back window with suction cups.


...brake lighter easy install (a kid can do i t )

Adding more visibility is a good idea. When I'm driving my '38 I'm always paranoid and watching my mirror in case someone doesn't see me. At night I sometimes put on a flashing red LED light like bicycles use. I put a strong magnet on it and stick it to my back bumper.

I can understand the depth perception problem given the small size of the stock tail light compared to what most motorists are used to seeing. I small light appears like a big light much further ahead. I like the Dads suction cup 3rd light! Where did you get that?
Carl

http://jandlenterprise.com/products/products.htm

They have it in 12v and 6 v

Most vehicles on that Hiway would be pickups and larger, would they not? Their line of sight is over top of your tailgate and higher. You are going the wrong way with additional lumination. Whatever kicks up, dust, dirt, snow, mud...as your driving will tend to obscure low down lights like you have. Tape will bake on and never come off and not look good on your truck. LED good idea and actual LED's in the bed roll would be custom, safer and good height. There are two good post on those, search "bed roll lights".

I have had the same problem, usually with people following too close to see my taillights and are accustomed to looking for the 3rd brake light found on modern cars. I'm adding 2 different 3rd lights on mine, a "line of fire" style led strip under the tailgate which also has turn signals, and a vintage 3rd brake light at the front of the bed.
BTW, my truck is a light blue, and I have that problem day or night.

Your right. It is a daylight issue also


Dad had a second set of lights higher on the bed in the 70's

...1973...
...1984...


...another example....IRWIPI....



I think that was common back then and is a good idea.

Probably not for the show trucks , but daily drivers might be a good idea

one of my many never finished projects...

John,I see you list your '53 as a resto mod so you should have no problem with affecting the 'originality'.

I'm definitely in favour of LED tail-lights and a 3rd brake light.
We have different laws concerning turn signals etc so I fitted amber bed-roll lights for the turns and LED units in the stock locations for tail/brake. I added a third brake light in the back window for high level.

LED stop/tail lights and bed roll turn signals

3rd Brake Light

The purists might not like it but I for one would rather be safe than sorry!

The way that people run up on me when i'm both brakeing or turning is telling me that they can't see my brake lights/turn sigs during the day either.

I have an extra set of oem style tail lights and toyed with mounting them up high on the rear bed sides but they just didn't look good. The Oswalds truckster came to mind...
I think the round style looks much better.
An LED strip mounted center of the wooden stake side running along the rear of the cab just might work, now that this thread has enlightened me to 6v LED strips

Dave

Griswold: Clark, Ellen, Rusty and Audry. Clark will tie you to the roof for messing up his name

Folks are so used to seeing high mounted 3rd brake lights they are almost a necessity.

I mounted a 94-'09 GM Suburban 3rd Brake Light on the back of my '65, it fits like it was made for it.

http://i645.photobucket.com/albums/...%202011/2041659940103882008qlEjFD_fs.jpg

http://i645.photobucket.com/albums/...0Light%20Jan%202011/ThirdBrakeLight8.jpg

http://i645.photobucket.com/albums/...0Light%20Jan%202011/ThirdBrakeLight4.jpg

I don't care how many lights you have, where they are place the lights or how conspicuous a vehicle is, rear end collisions occur. The last time I was rear ended personally, I was in a 2 year old white GMC 3/4 ton waiting to make a left turn. A guy in a 4 wheel drive pickup a admitted going 50 in a 30 an claimed he didn't see me on a sunny day. He had minimum insurance, but in Texas we still have a 1929 case that is still on point "Stowers Furniture Co. v. American Indem. Co., 15 S.W.2d 544 (Tex. Com. App 1929)." which held that if an insurance is offered to settle within the maximum of the insurance and refuses, the maximum of the insurance is lifted. In the last 10 years, we have had 3 incidents where one of our trucks were rear ended. Our bulk trailers are white, have 2 4" LED stop lights conspicuoucy tape. And all three drivers claimed they "didn't see" our truck. All 3 incidents resulted in litigation and and the oposition's insurance finally settled. If people are day dreaming, texting or have tunnel vision, they just aren't going to see whats in front of them.

Even with the 3rd brake light like I have you still have a problem with low tails at night and day.

The 3rd brake helps with when applying brakes or signaling.

That's where a higher position tail lamp might help.


I used the reflector tape when I took a couple Long road trips with some overnight driving. Thought it would help the truckers see my slow moving pickup on the road.

I used the reflector tape on the bumper and back of cab. I first laid down some painter quick release tape then put the reflector tape over that. Easy to remove that way.

I really like the way this GMC show truck ran his tails/tie down hooks
...picture...

Dads50, All good info, thanks for posting. Where did you purchase the stock tail lamps with LEDs?? Do they just connect to stock sockets or do you need to splice wiring? Appears "the Kid" should have his own youtube channel, sent his brake light video to my grandson.

Thanks
Jim

Thank you


The tails I'm using are led lenses. I already had the housings
Most the vendors sell them.
I believe they are made by united pacific, they get wired in.

...link...

I like the brake lighter a lot. Probably do that at some point.

Anyone else notice the sharp-looking 64-66 in the road test video?

Classic parts does not give any details in their catalog Gus.
Did your packaging say United Pacific? Are those pictured 6v or
12v and what is the white lens off to the side of the red one
in the catalog picture???



Denny Graham
Sandwich, IL

I have considered using a Slow Moving Vehicle (SMV) orange triangle on the back of my old beast. Last week I called the DMV and they said it would be fine; however, some verbiage on their website indicate that a SMV sign should be used for vehicles travelling 25 MPH or less. I will need to find the real answer. A magnetic SMV sign would be great...anyone know a source?

Paul

The white lens a for the license plate on the drives side tail
It's been 4 years since I installed them but I'm almost 87% sure they were packaged united pacific. I do remember I purchased them from Tucker's

Here's the package for the parking lamp
...pic...


4 years ago they required a minimum of 7.7 volts, so only for the 12 v system
They may have a 6v system now. I don't know.

yes. About 1:09 into the video. Nice truck, it makes my truck disappear

Paul,
My understanding of the smv triangle has always been, as you stated, that it should be used only on equipment traveling 25 mph or less. Mostly this applies to farm equipment, although I think I've seen them on some golf carts as well.

Rich,

The "less than 25 MPH" is what has me concerned. The officer I spoke with said it would be okay, but you know how conflicting information goes. My truck will be travelling faster than 25 MPH. I would like to install some easily removable safety material on the back of the truck to alert approaching vehicles.

Paul

Try this site or 6 v LEDs bulbs

...link...

What I like about the lenses I used is that they used 45 LEDs spread across the lens , but they required at least 7.7 volts to 14 volts

I don't recommend the dropping resistor, you're likely to get much dimmer lights if it does work. Best to look for 6V units.

I'm still 6v and I don't care for the LEDs on an older vehicle so my solution was to replace the lenses with the new plastic type and upgrade the brackets inside my tail lights to take 21cp bulbs. They are significantly brighter than the stock 6cp bulbs and the plastic lenses allow much more light to pass thru. The combo also seems to illuminate the entire tail light lens rather than create a small hot spot.

Here's a pic comparing the lenses...plastic is mounted to the bracket and the glass one is hanging below.
https://farm7.staticflickr.com/6051/6321986157_bc78b90429_z.jpg

Pic of the plastic lens and 21cp brake light bulb illuminated.
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7122/7657592246_24eec390ce_c.jpg

This time you are absolutely correct 46gmcpu, wish you had a
real name though, I'm not much for hiding behind handles you
know. Don't know where my head was when I posted that, must
have been up an unspeakable part, hope that image isn't to raw
for you since I know how sensitive you are.
I was thinking in the reverse direction,12v system with 6v
lights, so you are quite correct, those units wouldn't even
light up under 7.7v as the specs state.

I'll pull my previous post so as not to confuse the
issue. Now please edit your post and remove your
quote of me, which you seem to be so fond of doing.
We don't want to continue to confuse any future readers.

Denny Graham
Sandwich, IL

Hi, guys:

As always, thanks for the great advice. I've made the modifications and I think it both looks good and does the job -- making me very visible from the rear.

I installed LED tail light inserts from The Old Car Centre in Langley, B.C., Canada. Locally I had a sign shop cut me a piece of the black 3M Scotchlite Reflective tape that is 3" x 40".

Here's a link to see the before and after lighting effects:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/jbcxxqakwkldxzd/Daytime-Nighttime%20rear%20of%20La%20Noche.pdf?n=20292275

The only problem? By installing the LED tail lights I totally messed up my Dakota Digital (Rostra) cruise control! Had to buy a 5-Pin 30-Amp relay and change up a couple of connections. It's all working now!

Cheers,

John