Have I got this wrong?

[Snoop]

I was just checking out the pics of Codlords truck (nice truck by the way and in the best colour!) and I noticed that the rear lights are different to mine, having the reversing lights in the clusters. Mine has the spare underneath, which means I have reverse lights in the centre of the tailgate.

Is it possible to swop the rear light clusters from a Surf with the spare on the back to ones without and then tint the clear cluster reverse lights red and fit fog lights in them instead? Would this work, has it been done before?

Or am I just a numpty and this all wrong? (the likely result!)

[Darren]

It's not exactly the same idea as you suggested but I have the spare wheel underneath and reverse lights in the middle also. I painted one reverse light red as has been suggested on this forum before and wired it as a fog, unfortunately it failed the MOT because the light wasn't close enough to the offside of the vehicle ( I think from memory it had to be within 40cm) Painting both and finding tail lights with reverse lights in would get the same reaction I think.
I am back to a fog light under the bumper (which I smashed again last weekend )
I have seen reports on here from people who have done the same and passed MOT's, maybe my MOT station was being stricter than others but I looked it up on the web at the time and the rule they quoted was right.

Many have suggested cutting a hole in the rear bumper and putting a flush mounted one in there but I think thats not for me as I would worry about cracking it whilst "touch parking" atleast under the bumber mine does give and twist up under if pushed gently. I just have to improve on remembering to remove it before going off road!
Darren

[Snoop]

I have the same problem with the underbumper fog light and have now attached it via velcro so if it falls off I just stick it back up again but I hate the 'added on' look of it.

I thought if I could do as I'm suggesting above and swop the clusters but make the cluster reverse lights into fogs instead of the existing reverse lights, I will not fall foul of the rule you failed on and I would not have to rewire my reversing lights. I would just wire up the new fogs and tint the cluster lenses. It seems too easy/neat to me though so I'm waiting for the technical reason why it can't be done or you'd all be doing it LOL!

[codlord]

I don't see why you could not swap the clusters - I think they are the same size/shape, but wiring could be a little awkward - you will have to find the reverse light wire on the loom that goes to the tailgate.

If you can find some way of tinting one of the reverse light lenses I would just do that and convert one of those - a lot less hassle/money. I have details on my site how to do it cos I tried it with a painted bulb but it never really worked, but if you can successfully tint the lens it may work.

On my new truck I am going to fit 2 flush-mounted fogs in the bumper like others have done.

I have heard about that "failing MOT becuase the light is not near the offside" thing but I really don't understand it becuase as others have said a lot of brand new cars now have fog lights in the centre of the vehicle (Mazda RX-8, most of the Peugots etc.) are all these owners going to find their car fails its first MOT after 3 years!!?!

[Snoop]

Excellent. Cheers Codlord, I think I might give it ago then. Not worried about the wiring, shouldn't be too hard and clusters are usually easy to tint. I think it should make a nice clean job.

I had been toying with the idea of clear/lexus clusters but then have to put reflectors somewehere (been through all this hassle before when I had custom made lights on my show car) so you've still got stuck on bits.

I'll let you know how it goes

[Robb.]

I was just checking out the pics of Codlords truck (nice truck by the way and in the best colour!) and I noticed that the rear lights are different to mine, having the reversing lights in the clusters. Mine has the spare underneath, which means I have reverse lights in the centre of the tailgate.

Is it possible to swop the rear light clusters from a Surf with the spare on the back to ones without and then tint the clear cluster reverse lights red and fit fog lights in them instead? Would this work, has it been done before?

Or am I just a numpty and this all wrong? (the likely result!)

I have changed one of my back reverse lights to act as the fog light (red bulb) then tinted both reverse clusters with black tint spray to blend in with truck (which is black) - looks wicked and works well

[Darren]

I have the same problem with the underbumper fog light and have now attached it via velcro so if it falls off I just stick it back up again but I hate the 'added on' look of it.

I thought if I could do as I'm suggesting above and swop the clusters but make the cluster reverse lights into fogs instead of the existing reverse lights, I will not fall foul of the rule you failed on and I would not have to rewire my reversing lights. I would just wire up the new fogs and tint the cluster lenses. It seems too easy/neat to me though so I'm waiting for the technical reason why it can't be done or you'd all be doing it LOL!

Sorry I misunderstood which lights you were going to tint, It does sound like your way would miss the rule I fell foul of. I would be keen to see the results if you try it. Codlords got a good point though I don't understand how new peugots etc get by the rule, I hadn't thought of them
Darren

[stormforce]

Sorry I misunderstood which lights you were going to tint, It does sound like your way would miss the rule I fell foul of. I would be keen to see the results if you try it. Codlords got a good point though I don't understand how new peugots etc get by the rule, I hadn't thought of them
Darren

just been reading this thread about the fog lights,the wife has got an imported celica and that has got the fog light in the centre and that went thru the mot with no probs when it was imported last june and most of the other import cars but not 4x4s had the fogs in the centre and not to the side.So whether its down to the mot station or they've relaxed the law a bit on the positioning of fog lights.

[Darren]

Just found this

http://www.motester.co.uk/cog.html#lights


"Rear Fog lamps must be fitted to the centre or offside of the vehicle"

[Snoop]

Finally got all the parts and the time to do this - just finished.... and happy to say it worked a treat!

I'll try and explain what I have done because it isn't very clear from the above discussion about whether it was possible or not.

Basically, my truck has the spare underneath and the reversing lights in the middle of the tailgate. Both rear clusters had just a combined light/brake light and indicator and appertures just for the required 2 bulbs.

What I have done is swopped my original clusters with the clusters from a truck with the spare wheel holder on the back. These have reversing lights in them so appertures for 3 bulbs. So my truck now looks like it has 4 reversing lights, but I have to say it doesn't look strange.

I bought some high power red LED bulbs that are a direct replacement for standard fog lights and wired them into the reversing lights in the new clusters. Thus I now have high power fog lights on each side of the truck and my original reversing lights still in the tailgate.

Total job time took about 20 minutes once I'd got the additional wiring bits from the scrappy and the job looks really neat and tidy.

I've taken some photos and will get them up as soon as I can.

[dirtydog]

Good old boy - you didnt go for Dannos "kitchen halogen downlighter in rear wheel carrier" effect then

[Snoop]

Good old boy - you didnt go for Dannos "kitchen halogen downlighter in rear wheel carrier" effect then

Nah, I don't have the rear wheel carrier. I did think about getting a domestic halogen floodlight and tinting the glass red though

[dirtydog]

Nah, I don't have the rear wheel carrier. I did think about getting a domestic halogen floodlight and tinting the glass red though

Forgot that you didnt have a carrier hence the whole issue in the first place