clear tail lights ???

[RAM MAN]

Anyone have them ? Tried them ? Been hassled by the cops for them ? Swapped in "colored" lights because of them ?

What is your opinion of this latest fad ?

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"Good Luck on your project."

[Toe]

I personally don't like em, they just don't do it for me. I have those RAM tail light covers, which I think look much better. So far I haven't been hassiled by any cops. I did a little road trip last summer, and none of the cops in the West coast states bothered me about them. Even got a speeding ticket in CA and they didn't mind them.

Just my .02

[1 ram]

I don't care for the white tail lights either. Here in milwaukee they are illegal.
So you don't see to many cars or trucks with them.
Payton

[RufusTheRam]

leave them to the rice rockets, or should i be politically correct... "import tuners"

[MOPAR NUT]

I AGREE. I DON'T LIKE ANYTHING THAT HINDERS THE DUTY OF ANY LIGHT ON A VEHICLE. SAFETY SHOULD ALWAYS COME FIRST!!! UNLESS IT IS A SHOW TRUCK.

[ehostler]

If you mean replacing the red taillight lens with a clear taillight lens, that is against federal law. DOT has mandated that Brake lights WILL be red and that the rear blinkers WILL be red or amber.


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'96 Dodge Ram 1500 SLT CC 360 4X4
'68 Charger 383-4

[SweetnLow]

Well it looks like Im the thorn in the side on this matter, again.

I have "clears" as they are known, on my truck, but they fit with the truck to. Blue truck, white stripes. They work well. You can see pics of it here:
http://expert.cc.purdue.edu/~cooke/indyram/indyram.html

As for hastled by police, nope, I even made a point to ask local and state law enforcement officers as to them and their legality, in both cases, they said, "if they light up red, your fine" and I havent had any problems to this day. Their was a rather large argument on this on the Dakota Mailing list not to long ago, and no clear conclusion was made. The actual written law was gone over and no where did it say the lense had to be red/clear/blue/purple/etc, it just said rear brake lights had to be red, etc reflectors, etc..... I like em, and Im leavin em on till someone tells me other wise. They are always red, and I have LED lights to make sure of that.

-Clay

[ehostler]

SweetnLow - You are very correct. 49CFR571.108 states:

TABLE I-REQUIRED MOTOR VEHICLE LIGHTING EQUIPMENT OTHER THAN HEADLAMPS
Multipurpose Passenger Vehicles and Trucks

Taillamps ............ 2 red
Stoplamps ............ 2 red
License plate lamp ... 1 white
Backup lamp .......... 1 white
Turn signal lamps .... 2 red or amber

It does NOT specify lens color, only light color. The original post only mentioned clear lenses, it did not mention colored lights or internal lenses.

State and local laws can require that the lenses be the above colors, however, most will just go with DOT. Keep that in mind, if you decide to drive cross country with the clear lenses.

Ed


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'96 Dodge Ram 1500 SLT CC 360 4X4
'68 Charger 383-4

[This message has been edited by ehostler (edited February 24, 2000).]

I once had a red-lighted CB antenna in PA. I got hassled for that. Two bears told me that only tailights could be red.

Don't know about clear lens on the back though.

I guess it's like everything else; All cops do not know all the laws. Guess it just depends on who you get and how picky they want to be.

[D150adam]

Clear lenses are illegal in many areas because when the bulbs aren't burning, the lens itself is not as reflective as the red ones. That can be a real safty hazard. Plus it's just a universal rule that they are red to avoid confusion.