"Plowmans Back-Up-Buddy"

[Richard P]

I just developed this "little guy. I wanted something removable for plowing season, no installation marks or anything, and I came up with this. I wanted additional reverse lights when plowing, and some more rear/rear intersection coverage other than my SWS 16310 LED bar.


I got 2 Federal Signal PAR36 LED lights in Grote housings, 2 Whelen TIR3s off to the sides and 2 Generic wide beam driving lights all attached to a class 3 removable hitch. It plugs into the 7 way trailer plug and the cigarette lighter, its on 2 switches color coded for the lights.


Any improvment suggestions? Im looking to produce more, But the cost is high, I may go El-Cheapo par36s and pimp pods for LEDs and use the same driving light. The PAR 36s is used are $72 amber and $135 blue, i think I got the TIR3s for $80, Grote rubber housings $10 each, plug was $8 hitch on sale for $29 plate steel I have tons

 

[dmathieu]

Nice idea!


Dan

 

[philyumpshus]

Great idea but I can see it getting smashed and covered in snow.

 

[Richard P]

Great idea but I can see it getting smashed and covered in snow.

Already got that covered, 1/2" plate steel brackets and the lights are rubber housings, they flop back and stretch out like a whore! The hitch sticks out more than the lights, giving a bump stop to solid objects, the lower lights are slim steel housing, thin lights means less resistance to snow, show can got around, over (between light and backet) or under. Ive had the same lights under my front bumper and gone through snobanks with out them even coming out of aim. as for residual float around show, yeah, LEDS wont melt them (even though these produce a small amount of head) Its not too much to cleam them off every now and then.

 

[JohnMarcson]

I like the concept. I like the idea of mounting on a slid in hitch.... and I'm sure it shows up very well. The side LEDS would be mice for backing out into the road while doing a driveway.

 

[Shawn L]

We had a similar issue with our 1 ton dump trucks, anything on the rear is a bad location for a light, the shop put some whelen par 36 leds and we have tried various strobes but they just simply take too much of a beating. we started using the standard semi truck stop tail turn lights, rubber mounted in the metal "L" brackets, we put 4 on the back of each truck, 2 amber and 2 red, the red ones are wired so that the "low brightness" wire ( would be the tail light on the normal application ) are hooked to the brake lights and the "high brightness wire " ( normally the stop/ turn ) are wired to the sho-me flasher. the first couple of trucks we did didn't have the brake lights hooked to these at all , but we decided to try it on the later trucks, they are decently bright in the flash mode, and when the 2 other red lights light up with the brake lights they do add some extra brake light to the rear, of course if the lights are flashing you cant see the brake lights light up.


this was a low cost attempt to try and find something more durable for the rear. these have held up pretty well and even though we have broken a few its an easy replacement and no one gets their butt chewed for breaking a light.

 

[bfd740]

Pretty cool idea. You could probably save some of the cost by using 4 PimpPods or two linear LED's mounted at a 45* angle.

 

[NPS Ranger]

Any improvment suggestions?

 

[03dodge2500]

looks good man!

 

[Richard P]

Pretty cool idea. You could probably save some of the cost by using 4 PimpPods or two linear LED's mounted at a 45* angle.

I thought that too, but although theyre very bright, I wanted a larger foot print, as discussed in the "ohio DOT going Green" thread. Ive always seen the PAR46 incandessant lights before anything else on a plow, so PAR36 LEDs should work well. Theyre on a simple eyecatching pattern, large enough to be seen and still very simplistic. plus removable!


NPS Ranger:


Theres still room for truck nuts!


John:


That was exactly my point for the Side LEDs, I had such a problem with that 2 years ago when plowing (no snow at all last year). I had a crew cab long box ford, and quite a few of my clients were on a a busy road, especially at rush hour. I hacked my revers lights out and slid TIR3s facing the side of the ruck in there, worked extremly well! plus I had the same driving lights under the bumper, plus work lights in my Turbo Beam and my slickstik.

 

[ark_firefighter]

If this is something your going to produce for a business keep in mind that not everyone runs blue.


Great idea and looks good, Just keep tweeking with it until you are happy

 

[unlisted]

I'd suggest making flat bar longer (wider spacing between the lights) and (this is personal preference for Ontario) have the blue on the left (drivers) side.


Nice idea, have you considered LED work light(s)? I saw a works truck a few weeks ago with one- and holy heck did it light up a good area- bright clear white light for a good 40 foot distance.


Oh and don't know if anyone else suggested it- have you considered flipping the hitch 180 degrees- so it "rides up" instead of down? (thus having the lights and bar stock higher)

 

[Richard P]

If this is something your going to produce for a business keep in mind that not everyone runs blue.

Great idea and looks good, Just keep tweeking with it until you are happy

It would be sold through the business I have. The blue is on a seperate switch for those using split colors as stated above, those using sigle get a straight lighter plug. At this point, Im pretty satisfied with it, Now to make a trial economy version with Pimp Pods Unibond PAR36 LEDs, theyre a fraction of the cost, Ill try that next month after court, need to save the bucks! lol I may even put grip tape on the flat bar as a step.


Unlisted:


I though blue would have been on right side, same as police, too late to change now lol.


i did think of LED floods, but I wanted spot, and LED is 5 times the cost of these small thin spot/driving lights.

 

[dmathieu]

I've considered putting a couple of small rotators (like Cadets) on the corners of the step bumper. Already have a double 55 watt B/U light mounted under the hitch frame.


Dan

 

[Richard P]

I've considered putting a couple of small rotators (like Cadets) on the corners of the step bumper. Already have a double 55 watt B/U light mounted under the hitch frame.
Dan

I thought that too, throw a small SWS 201zm strobe on the bitch, but i thought up a more definate visible method thats just as removable and does more functions all in one unit.

 

[dmathieu]

Innovative. I like that.


Dan

 

[TJW]

Richard,


Very creative. Just an FYI, looks like someone has beat you to the punch based on the idea/platform. Their's seems to be more of a back up aid versus yours appears to be more of a warning light aid.


FYI they've got a patent pending.


http://www.back-upbuddy.com/

 

[Richard P]

no way, as if, same name too. oh well, Ill think up something else!


I even did a back up buddy search to be sure I didnt use the same name! lol

 

[gman021]

is blue legal to use? Can you have as man blue lights for towing as you want?

 

[ems60]

Why don't you use the same concept except where the ball is come up with straight stock, then the cross piece for the lights, level with the top of the tailgate, use a short bungee cord to the corner holes to stabilze the top bar?

 

[03crownvic]

On a similar note about using a rear hitch for interesting lighting setups, I live near an interstate exit with a truck stop and get to see many different types of lighting on wide load pilot vehicles that often stop when passing through. I have sometimes seen their lighting (minibars mostly but some have fullsize bars) mounted on a metal pole that is attached to the slide in device for a rear hitch. The pole must be very sturdy as it always extends above the vehicle's roofline to give a front/rear/360 degree signal and the wind apparently doesn't affect it with vibrating or swaying. Some of their mounts and setups are pretty neat and well made to be homebrewed and I often get an up close look at them when they are stopped for fuel and rest breaks.


BTW, the China made LED bars some of them use are always disappointing with their poor visibility and lack of intensity.

 

[kitn1mcc]

you could use a set of the steel boxes with whelen 500 series

 

[Richard P]

is blue legal to use? Can you have as man blue lights for towing as you want?

Blue was designated Snow plow in Ontario since the dawn of plows, but recently removed, still can be used with city contract or private properies

Why don't you use the same concept except where the ball is come up with straight stock, then the cross piece for the lights, level with the top of the tailgate, use a short bungee cord to the corner holes to stabilze the top bar?

Thats a good Idea, But Im keeping the warning lights at eye level, I already have a roof mounted minibar, the warning lights were just additional though and idea to rear lighting in reverse.

you could use a set of the steel boxes with whelen 500 series

I wanted PAr36 for the large footprint, and the steel boxes would cost too much, I can get the rubber housings down to $5 each, plus theyll flex and stretch when impact happens, and return to original. Where as the steel would bend, dent or permanently distort.