help with preplanning

JJ7850

Member
May 26, 2010
83
Pennsylvania
I wrecked my truck the other day and the insurance company totaled it. So this means new vehicle and new light setup. Ive basically settled on either an 06 Ford Explorer Eddie Bauer Edition, or an 05 Dodge Durango. For this vehicle im opened to either a bar light or a slick top, either way i dont want to go all out like my last set up. Im thinking a roof bar with two grille lights and two deck lights, or an undercover bar with two girlle lights, two license plate mounted lights and something in the rear glass. LEDs are a must here and the budgets basically opened to anything at this point. All the lights on my old ride were smashed in the wreck with an exception of a dual talon and two tir3s. Im looking to basically start from scratch here and am looking for some advise on what you guys think. Another thing, Ive always have been a big whelen guy so keep that in mind. Thanks for the help!
 

Fast LT1

Member
May 24, 2010
2,018
Sedgwick County, KS
Me being a chevy guy i'm not sure which one to go with, the durangos have front wheel bearing problem, and my friend who drives an explorer has had a lot of problems. Though i like the look of the explorer better!


Upfront:


Whelen Inner edge


Grille lights of you're choice


HLF


Sides


Tir3's or small microman bar


Rear


Microman Bar


pimp pods on LP bracket


haws in reverse lights


We have a small town near hear that has that same setup in a durango (unmarked) except the microman bar, they have a whelen tam85, i think it is, and the thing kicks ass!
 

NPS Ranger

Member
May 21, 2010
1,989
Penn's Woods
Since you're relatively new here, I'll post my usual blurb about the statutes for lights in PA. They changed in 2007 and became much more restrictive. If you're a vollie (blue-lighter) you're limited to 2 lights one of which must be visible 360 degrees, or a blue (only) lightbar. No clear, no amber. No grille lights, no HLF. If you're a POV authorized emergency vehicle (red lights, fire chief etc) you have more latitude.


However, no longer are ANY interior lights (dash/deck/windshield) permitted for ANY privately owned vehicle in PA, whether blue light (vollie) or red (POV emergency vehicle). In addition, for POV's, "the installation or use of additional flashing or strobe lights in existing vehicular lighting modules/assemblies, such as headlights, parking lights, taillights, is expressly prohibited."


I'm pointing this out because some of the younger PSP troopers coming out of the academy are enforcing this like crazy. Yes, people ignore the law all the time but I'd hate to see you invest big $$$ on lights and then get a citation and have to remove them. I'm sure some vollie fire chiefs are still saying "hey anything's good" but they're often not aware of the new regs and anyway they're not the ones paying your ticket. If you're a vollie you can have a fullsize blue Liberty and it's apparently still compliant, because it's "one lightbar."


http://www.pacode.com/secure/data/067/chapter173/chap173toc.html


http://www.dmv.state.pa.us/pdotforms/vehicle_code/chapter45.pdf
 
Last edited by a moderator:

mpaine

Member
Dec 20, 2011
732
USA
NPS Ranger said:
Since you're relatively new here, I'll post my usual blurb about the statutes for lights in PA. They changed in 2007 and became much more restrictive. If you're a vollie (blue-lighter) you're limited to 2 lights one of which must be visible 360 degrees, or a blue (only) lightbar. No clear, no amber. No grille lights, no HLF. If you're a POV authorized emergency vehicle (red lights, fire chief etc) you have more latitude.

However, no longer are ANY interior lights (dash/deck/windshield) permitted for ANY privately owned vehicle in PA, whether blue light (vollie) or red (POV emergency vehicle). In addition, for POV's, "the installation or use of additional flashing or strobe lights in existing vehicular lighting modules/assemblies, such as headlights, parking lights, taillights, is expressly prohibited."


I'm pointing this out because some of the younger PSP troopers coming out of the academy are enforcing this like crazy. Yes, people ignore the law all the time but I'd hate to see you invest big $$$ on lights and then get a citation and have to remove them. I'm sure some vollie fire chiefs are still saying "hey anything's good" but they're often not aware of the new regs and anyway they're not the ones paying your ticket. If you're a vollie you can have a fullsize blue Liberty and it's apparently still compliant, because it's "one lightbar."


Pennsylvania Code


http://www.dmv.state.pa.us/pdotforms/vehicle_code/chapter45.pdf

Okay, first i wanna say that im not against you at all, i'm against this dumb law. Here's what I have on my 2004 Chevy Suburban:


2 Whelen LINZ6's in the Grille


2 Microman 20" LED Lightbars in the visor area


2 Whelen Vertex's in the DRLS


4 SOS Ghosts to the sides in the passenger and cargo windows


4 Pimp 4LED pods, 2 on each runningboard


1 Whelen Dominator D8 to the rear


2 Synced Whelen Talons (AMBER) to each side of D8 (for non emergency warning)


2 Whelen Vertex's in the backup lights


2 3LED SOS lights on an LP bracket


1 Whelen PA Air Horn Plus (NOT used in response, only in place of the regular car horn)


1 Whelen SP314 Speaker


1 Whelen Cencom Gold Controller


I live right by the State Police barracks in Fogelsville. Every time I respond to a call, I pass them, with all my lights going, and every time they pull over for me. This law is ineffective and idiotic. If you're going to be responding to an emergency call, do it safely and be seen. How dare they put a restriction on how "visible" you have to be when going to an emergency. It's just asenine. Another fine example of the government needing to be in control again...
 

Tom

Member
Dec 18, 2010
3,083
Taunton, MA
I've never been a fan of Dodge trucks.


I would keep the setup simple. A few well thought out lights is far more effective than a bunch thrown on a car (not saying this was your case, just my opinion)


1x Interior lightbar


2x grille lights


1x intersection bracket


2x lights on int bkt


2x 4-module warning bars (rear windows)


1x 6/8-module warning bar


4-6x LED Hide Aways
 

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