2018 Toyota Camry Install

NJEMS1

Member
Mar 26, 2017
38
NNJ
While I am still an EMT in New Jersey, I am not particularly active as there are some changes happening in the town I live. (contracts with hospital EMS).

My day job is as an insurance investigator. The company I work for has a number of contracts with large trucking companies (JB HUNT, UPS, FED-EX, etc.) These companies know that they are targets for insurance claims if/when they become involved in an accident. They will call our office and have us respond directly to the accident scene and start our investigation.

The area I cover is from Ocean County, NJ, all the way across the state to Trenton, and north. I also cover parts of upstate New York as well as the Bronx.

This puts me, at times, on the side of some of the busiest highways in the county (I-95, the parkway, Route 80, 287, 87,84, the GWB, cross bronx. You name it, ive probably been on the shoulder of it.)

While we try to do our best to get off the highways, it doesnt always work out. In order to avoid or minimize the risk of being struck, as well as being scene by traffic, some of us out fit our vehicles to increase visability.

My car is not used for any type of response, thus the minimalism in the front. I only have lights there in case I need to drive up the shoulder around traffic to get to an accident.

The build is simple:

FRONT:

(2) Feniex Cobra T-3's. Synced in Amber

REAR:
(2) Feniex Cobra T-3's. Synced in Amber in the headliner. Set to a slow alternating pattern.
(2) Feniex Cannons in the reverse lights. Synced in Amber
(2) Feniex Cobra T-3's on an LP bracket. Synced with the cannons in Red.

All are wired professonally, to a single toggle switch on my dash.

Thats all folks. Simple, clean, and effective.

IMG_0197.jpgIMG_0202.jpgIMG_0203.jpgIMG_0198.jpgIMG_0199.jpgIMG_0202.jpgIMG_0198.jpg



 
Last edited:
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NJEMS1

Member
Mar 26, 2017
38
NNJ
Lol roadside insurance response, well thats a new one.

Its more common than you might realize. The quicker a company can complete a liability investigation, the better it is for them.

Like I said, sometimes I find myself on the side of the busiest highways in the country. I'm just trying to make sure I'm seen.
 
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unlisted

Lifetime VIP Donor
May 20, 2010
7,333
NA
Personally I would sync all the rear lighting and have it all on the same flash pattern as the upper rear window lights. The lower looks just a bit too busy with that flash pattern IMO.

More so if only being used on scene, as a traffic blocker/ID.
 

Jarred J.

Lifetime VIP Donor
May 21, 2010
11,580
Shelbyville, TN
I didn't think t3s and cannons were syncable...

Sync the t3s together and slow the cannons down..
 

NJEMS1

Member
Mar 26, 2017
38
NNJ
I didn't think t3s and cannons were syncable...

Sync the t3s together and slow the cannons down..

They are on some patterns. There were a couple patterns that were giving me issues and not syncing perfectly which is why I ultimately chose that pattern. I can always go and rework them.

Im going to change the grill lights to a blue/amber dual color so I have something if I ever need to respond to an EMS call, and I may add a 4200 mini.
 

pdk9

Member
May 26, 2010
3,834
New York & Florida
How hard was it to install the LAWs???
Usually Toyota’s are a pain in the butt to install LAWS/HAWs b/c they’re double-sealed housings, but I haven’t worked on one of the newer ones

Lighting package looks solid to me. I would slow down the rear L.P. and rear LAWs. Since you mentioned getting some amber/blue up front, I would move the grill amber T3’s to the rear and scrap the red (leaving it all amber to the rear) if you’re using it just for insurance work purposes. If you decide to go back to vollie POV, then I could see you having a little blue to the rear (mixed in with the amber) but only used when responding as a vollie (not for insurance work). Not a big deal if you have all amber for work, but you’ll likely draw some negative attention if running any red or blue while doing your insurance work IMHO. Just my 2 cents bro
 

NJEMS1

Member
Mar 26, 2017
38
NNJ
How hard was it to install the LAWs???
Usually Toyota’s are a pain in the butt to install LAWS/HAWs b/c they’re double-sealed housings, but I haven’t worked on one of the newer ones

Lighting package looks solid to me. I would slow down the rear L.P. and rear LAWs. Since you mentioned getting some amber/blue up front, I would move the grill amber T3’s to the rear and scrap the red (leaving it all amber to the rear) if you’re using it just for insurance work purposes. If you decide to go back to vollie POV, then I could see you having a little blue to the rear (mixed in with the amber) but only used when responding as a vollie (not for insurance work). Not a big deal if you have all amber for work, but you’ll likely draw some negative attention if running any red or blue while doing your insurance work IMHO. Just my 2 cents bro

I appreciate the input!

The reverse light housings on the newer camrys are not double walled. It was simple to get two holes drilled and everything run. Theres tons of space for the flashers under the trunk lid. The front headlights are double walled. I wanted laws in there, but decided agaisnt it and went with the t3s instead.

As far as the red to the rear, Ive never had a problem. I've been running red in the rear for years as a volly in my other cars, and even the new NJDOT safety/roadside patrol trucks are implementing amber forward, amber/red to the rear. I've even seen some tow trucks with it recently.

I've always been a proponent of "whats the difference of a strobe/law/lighthead in the rear being red as opposed to a red turn signal that flashes red when the hazard lights are on.

I want to keep something in the front, and the t3s are fine for now. I don't really want all amber in the rear though. I get your point, but its bad enough that no one respects anything on the side of the road with just amber lighting, so I think the red just gets a tiny bit more attention. IMHO its not overdone.
 

RyanZ71

Member
Jun 14, 2011
1,001
Denver, Colorado
I would suggest something more busy and attention getting in the rear windshield.. too few dim lights it seems.. I do like what you have done though.
 

NJEMS1

Member
Mar 26, 2017
38
NNJ
I would suggest something more busy and attention getting in the rear windshield.. too few dim lights it seems.. I do like what you have done though.

Ryan, not sure what you mean about "too few dim lights". The video was taken outside in direct sunlight on a 90 degree day so im sure they appear dimmer than they are. The T3s in the rear glass are behind 35% tint so that cuts it down some, and the reflectors in the camrys reverse lights arent the best, but in person, it does the trick.
 

NJEMS1

Member
Mar 26, 2017
38
NNJ
Updated on July 4th, 2018.

I had some time today, so I went and slowed down the rear pattern as suggested. I couldnt get to the wires on the T3s in the glass to sync it all up today. Its way too hot out for 11am to be messing around in the sun.

I think it looks a lot better with the slow patterns. Sorry for the crappy angles in the video, I park on the street and couldnt get directly behind it now. Ill get better ones when im at my office tomorrow

 

NJEMS1

Member
Mar 26, 2017
38
NNJ
I was able to run by my office today and made use of the slightly overcast weather and the open parking lot.

I think the slower pattern def gives it more of a "Hey, I'm here" attention grabbing, without screaming, "Hey, look at all the blinkys on my car." Subtle and simple.

Here is the new 360 of my car, with the new patterns. I still am going to change the pattern on the from lights as soon as I have time to take apart some panels under the hood to get to the wires.

 
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Kendreth

Member
Jul 28, 2011
141
Nashua, NH
looks much better slower. the amber in the top of the rear window needs a lighthead with a bigger footprint( like a set of feniex 200's or even whelen avengers) if your working on roadsides with highway speeds, IMHO. otherwise great simple and safe!
 

emtpals

Member
Apr 8, 2013
134
IL/WI
Looks great!

I would also agree with the others, when you can afford it go with a bigger light head on top of the rear window. Even though you don't respond much on the side of the highway, I would also recommend a dash light on the front window by the RVM or just above it. Many times while responding through highway traffic on the side, vehicles (especially trucks) do not see the grill lights and try to stop you from going around them.
 

NJEMS1

Member
Mar 26, 2017
38
NNJ
Looks great!

I would also agree with the others, when you can afford it go with a bigger light head on top of the rear window. Even though you don't respond much on the side of the highway, I would also recommend a dash light on the front window by the RVM or just above it. Many times while responding through highway traffic on the side, vehicles (especially trucks) do not see the grill lights and try to stop you from going around them.

It's funny you say that, I actually just bought a cobra dash light on ebay for $30. I know its the oldest model, but it was a new demo w/ cord and the optics will be good for punching through the tint. My windshield has a factory tint strip on the top that cuts out light output really bad. Eventually, depending on what I do with the rear, ill hardwire it in and incorporate it into a 4200 mini so I get better control of what comes on at what time.

I MAY invest in a feniex bar for the back w/ T/A function, but that will have to come down the road (im using all feniex because I have a friend who is a dealer)
 
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Kendreth

Member
Jul 28, 2011
141
Nashua, NH
I would go with the Fenix stick or any other stick type traffic advisor. Sounds like your mostly on scene rather than responding. so if your gonna spend hard earned money on safety i would work on the back first. My $.02 BTw nice ride
 

NJEMS1

Member
Mar 26, 2017
38
NNJ
I would go with the Fenix stick or any other stick type traffic advisor. Sounds like your mostly on scene rather than responding. so if your gonna spend hard earned money on safety i would work on the back first. My $.02 BTw nice ride

I am 100% on scene. The only time the front lights help is if I'm on a surface street or sometimes in a parking lot, just to give an ID that my car is there. The T/A is on the list at some point, but for now I think this does the trick.

And thanks, this is my 3rd camry. I worked in sales at a toyota dealer for 5 years prior to this gig and ive liked them.

My next car will be an SUV though, for sure
 

Kendreth

Member
Jul 28, 2011
141
Nashua, NH
i very much like that your setup is low profile though when its off you would never even know they were there. good look with that body style.
 

nerdly_dood

Member
Jun 15, 2010
2,312
Georgia
Also not a fan of red on a non-emergency vehicle but other than that really not bad at all. Superb flash patterns for what the car is used for. If it were me I'd just use a Class I magnet-mount beacon but I'm weird.
 

NJEMS1

Member
Mar 26, 2017
38
NNJ
Also not a fan of red on a non-emergency vehicle but other than that really not bad at all. Superb flash patterns for what the car is used for. If it were me I'd just use a Class I magnet-mount beacon but I'm weird.

I just picked up a firebeam (which happens to be my favorite light of all time) I think in many cases its still brighter than certain LED dash lights, depending where they are mounted. I'm going to find a magnet for it and keep it to throw on my dash or roof.
 
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NJEMS1

Member
Mar 26, 2017
38
NNJ
Updated the Camry just a little. Replaced the cobras in the front grill with dual color Mpowers.

I used a 15 degree spacer so they face out perfectly instead of pointing up like the cobras.

I think they fit a ton better in the small space.
 

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