Auxilliary lights for dolly

[soundsuperio]

I have a Kar Kaddy SS dolly with full light package.
The question is whether I am required to have a second set of lights on the back of the towed car while on the dolly.
I could find nothing in our state laws, Demco says not needed but a local officer said I need them.
Any input will be appreciated.

[Mr_D]

I did when towing my '05 Ody before I went back to four down. I already had the Ody wired for lights so I just added a connection to the dolly (also a KK-460).
It depends on your local laws, some say that the car lights are needed since they are so far away from the dolly lights.

[Rockwood27]

In the past, I used magnetic lights in addition to the dolly lights. I don't anymore, I just use the dolly lights. I still haul the lights in the MH...just in case... I often travel 2,200 miles from NH to FL each year and the LEO have not bothered me in NH, ME, VT, MA, CT, NY, NJ, PA, VA, WV, PA, KY, TN, AL NC, SC, GA, FL, and a few other states.

[Scarab0088]

The officier who told the OP they were needed should have been more specific...

The Dolly lights for brake and turn are 50 state, Canada and Mexico compliant as far as all the makers believe...BUT...there are several places that require "Marker" lights to be within X inches of the rear corner of the towed load.

Like in CA, the Vehicle Code is so specific as to say the tow requires a "6 lumen" light to be illuminated from sunset-sunrise, located within 12 inches of the rear most corners.
Easy-fix - we just turn on the car's parking lights when driving at night. It only uses a tiny bit of battery power.

Best luck

[Dennis Dean]

Originally Posted by Scarab0088

The officier who told the OP they were needed should have been more specific...

The Dolly lights for brake and turn are 50 state, Canada and Mexico compliant as far as all the makers believe...BUT...there are several places that require "Marker" lights to be within X inches of the rear corner of the towed load.

Like in CA, the Vehicle Code is so specific as to say the tow requires a "6 lumen" light to be illuminated from sunset-sunrise, located within 12 inches of the rear most corners.
Easy-fix - we just turn on the car's parking lights when driving at night. It only uses a tiny bit of battery power.

Best luck

Maybe I am speaking out of turn here but I believe I am required to comply with Federal law in all 50 states; however, I am only required by law of the state I hold a drivers license in for all other requirements. Example if I drive in texas I am not required to have a class B cert for my over 26K or 40ft long RV and any officers that says otherwise would be wrong, by the same token if I had a texas license I am required by texas law to have that class b cert. My dolly complies with federal law for Brake, park, and turn signal that is all I need for my state as well, so that is all I have need for.
Would extra lites be a good idea? maybe, can't hurt, but at the same time anyone that can't see my car tail (with reflective lens) 3 feet from my dolly lites probably would not matter if I had them there or not.

[Timon]

Originally Posted by Scarab0088

The officier who told the OP they were needed should have been more specific...

The Dolly lights for brake and turn are 50 state, Canada and Mexico compliant as far as all the makers believe...BUT...there are several places that require "Marker" lights to be within X inches of the rear corner of the towed load.

Like in CA, the Vehicle Code is so specific as to say the tow requires a "6 lumen" light to be illuminated from sunset-sunrise, located within 12 inches of the rear most corners.
Easy-fix - we just turn on the car's parking lights when driving at night. It only uses a tiny bit of battery power.

Best luck

I went over this with the CHP and they said the dolly turn and brake lights were OK as long as you can see some turn or brake lights from the rear. However, you'll have to turn on the parking lights so the vehicle outline is visible.

If you add a toad charge to your vehicle then you won't run your battery down but you will have to remember to turn on the parking lights. On many older cars you could wire a relay to do this. On the newer cars that control the lights over the CAN buss it's very hard to do so you'll have to do it by manually.

[Scarab0088]

Originally Posted by Dennis Dean

Maybe I am speaking out of turn here but...

My comment was aimed at the OP's registration state ...Michigan might have a similar law about marker lights as other states...and this was maybe what the officer who spoke to the OP was citing.

And, while reciprocity surely applies to driver's licenses, it does not always apply to vehicle equipment. Like, just because I can legally tow 2 trailers in CA (i.e. boat, behind a 5er), I cannot do that everywhere.

So, we simply turn on the parking lights (easy peasy), because we do not want that local po-po who is having a bad day to decide it's time to find an equipment violation to issue a citiation to the "out-of-towners" who will surely just write a check to settle the infraction.

Safe travels

[photopilot]

It may be legal, but I prefer to have lights where the car following can see them easily. I use a light bar even though it takes time to put on. They put center mount stop lights on cars for a good reason (besides being regulated...)

Walt

[soundsuperio]

Thanks for all the replies. I plan to add magnetic lights just to be safe.
I hope to find a "Y" adapter so I can plug in the magnetic lights and the dolly to the MH.

[photopilot]

My light bar (I think from Demco) has a plug with the adapter as part of the wiring. I got the one with suction cups as the Prius deck angle, plastic spoiler, and available steel surface wasn't suitable for magnetic mounts.

Walt

[Scarab0088]

Originally Posted by soundsuperio

Thanks for all the replies. I plan to add magnetic lights just to be safe.
I hope to find a "Y" adapter so I can plug in the magnetic lights and the dolly to the MH.

Great idea! And safe too
Here's a splitter... they are available many places.
https://www.amazon.com/LEDGlow-Y-Spl.../dp/B00R4V67BY

BUT WARNING, about the magnetic style toad lights...we used a very nice set from a mail order place. They worked well - UNTIL we took them off.
Roadway dirt can get under the magnet and act like sandpaper on the car's paint. Just a warning to be careful about that.

Best luck

[Mr_D]

Originally Posted by Dennis Dean

Maybe I am speaking out of turn here but I believe I am required to comply with Federal law in all 50 states; however, I am only required by law of the state I hold a drivers license in for all other requirements. Example if I drive in texas I am not required to have a class B cert for my over 26K or 40ft long RV and any officers that says otherwise would be wrong, by the same token if I had a texas license I am required by texas law to have that class b cert. My dolly complies with federal law for Brake, park, and turn signal that is all I need for my state as well, so that is all I have need for.
Would extra lites be a good idea? maybe, can't hurt, but at the same time anyone that can't see my car tail (with reflective lens) 3 feet from my dolly lites probably would not matter if I had them there or not.

You must comply with any state laws when in that state for vehicle requirements. You might be in full compliance with the Federal Law, but if you go into another state that has different lighting requirements, like lights on the corners if the load is over XX feet behind the trailer then you MUST comply with that law. Same with auxiliary braking on trailers and toweds.
There is reciprocity on drivers licenses and vehicle insurance but not for other motor vehicle laws.

[Waiter21]

I made a "Y" adapter for use with my dolly.

One end plugs into the MH, One end into the dolly lights, and the other end into the toad lights.

From the perspective of the other driver, a car being towed is very unusual. the more I can make my toad visible, the safer it should be.

[spsm]

Good question soundsuperio ....often wondered about that myself, plus a workable license plate light when towing 4 wheels down.