question about utility trailer lighting

[keakar]

I just got a small utility trailer 4ftx6ft and the wiring is shorted out so I need to rewire it.

it also has two little amber marker lights on it that are bad/not working. im thinking all I need to do is run the wire up to the tail lights and I don't need to bother with hooking up marker lights but im not sure what the lighting rules are for utility trailers.

if I remember correctly, for boat trailers, only when trailers get to be of a certain length where the distance from truck to tail lights to the trailers tail lights before you are required to have amber front marker lights on them.

the trouble is, im not sure if utility trailers rules are different.

can anyone tell me for certain if I need to go out and buy amber front marker lights for the front of the trailer which will be mounted about 4ft from the tail lights?

its a trailer like this: (but mine has the rear gate)

[keakar]

hmmm, guess nobody really knows the answer?

I will just wire up the back lights and leave the front marker lights disconnected then.

I just always want to do things the right way when I do something

[ChrisD]

Only required for trailers over 30'

[AubreyLaHaye458]

I wouldn't even worry about lights on that trailer.


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[redaddiction]

Originally Posted by keakar

hmmm, guess nobody really knows the answer?

I will just wire up the back lights and leave the front marker lights disconnected then.

I just always want to do things the right way when I do something

Remove the side lights completely instead of just disconnecting. If they are there, they are required to work.

[fishingonewild]

I would rewire the whole trailer and get every light working for two reasons one is safety for ur self and others on the road and two to keep the hungry cops away from giving ya a ticket for faulty lights or burned lights .

[Nautic Star]

Call State Police Troop in your area. I would rewire to original lighting.

[swamp snorkler]

Originally Posted by redaddiction

Remove the side lights completely instead of just disconnecting. If they are there, they are required to work.

Do this, if you leave them on rewire them. I would take them off and put some refelctive tape on the side rails.

[keakar]

Originally Posted by ChrisD

Only required for trailers over 30'

ok thanks, I thought it was much shorter like 20 ft but its good to know that and what the "real" number is

Originally Posted by redaddiction

Remove the side lights completely instead of just disconnecting. If they are there, they are required to work.

well the marker light brackets were just tacked on and were in the way of running the wires so I knocked them off with a hammer. the main reason I needed to rewire is they were shorted out because the wire was pinched in a small crack where the marker light brackets were blocking the path the wire needed to pass so they had just wedged the wire in the tiny 1/8" crack with sharp edges between the two ends of angle iron and there was no other place to pass the wire. with the brackets knocked off there is no more obstruction to running the wires safely or that could cause damage to the new wires and there is no visual evidence left that the trailer ever had marker lights.

Originally Posted by AubreyLaHaye458

I wouldn't even worry about lights on that trailer.


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those are my thoughts too but I wanted to be sure they weren't "required" by law first.

Originally Posted by fishingonewild

I would rewire the whole trailer and get every light working for two reasons one is safety for ur self and others on the road and two to keep the hungry cops away from giving ya a ticket for faulty lights or burned lights .

well I agree with your thoughts but as explained just above this quote, the marker light brackets were removed and I wasn't sure if it was required that I should bother drilling a hole and remounting them to put the marker lights back on it.

Originally Posted by swamp snorkler

Do this, if you leave them on rewire them. I would take them off and put some refelctive tape on the side rails.

that's a great idea, I had thought about adding a stick on reflector, but the stick on reflectors I have used in the post didn't impress me with quality and reflection. the reflector tape sounds like the perfect solution

[keakar]

thanks to all of you and I appreciate all the advise from everyone, not just those I quoted.

its great to have you guys around here to give good sound advice when needed