Whats behind you????

Just a quick question to all the D40 owners out there, (other model owners can answer as well) but can anyone see out the back at night when reversing. I'm not sure if its just me and my eyes but it seems that the reverse lights or bulbs aren't real bright.

I want to install work/reverse lights and I am unsure of how to do it. I thought about having them come on when I select reverse but then that may be more trouble than its worth. I have also thought about having them on a switch so I can choose when they come on.

Has anyone done an install like this and can they provide some info on the best way to run wires etc.

Many thanks

I have a D40, yeah it can be tricky, especially because I have tinted windows which are twice as dark as the legal limit.... Connecting up some additional reverse lamps would be very easy, you could just get a cheap fog light kit and install them under the rear bumper, with the relay coil wired up to the reverse lamps active wire going into the tail light assembly.

you could even purchase some 12VDC LED lights which could probably wire straight up to the reverse light wiring without the need for a relay (LED's are very low wattage so shouldn't be a problem to wire straight into the existing circuit)

Some of these would probably work fine http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=220528180076&viewitem=

My in-dash navigation system's standard camera has night-vision included, and it's reasonably wide-angled.

If you're mounting white lights on the rear of the vehicle, they must only come on when reverse is engaged. There may be some concession in the law relating to work lights. Hopefully the law includes something about the handbrake being engaged before the work lights can be operated.

I can see fine out the back, if all else fails the steel bar is there.

I too don't have a problem with reversing. I've got a camera but hate using the thing and only use it initially too make sure there is nothing small directly behind me. I find that the reversing lights work adequately to get out of most driveways I've come out of and rely only on the side mirrors given that the tint on the canopy makes looking out the interior mirror at night useless.

However I reckon the hardest part about mounting an extra reversing light would be figuring out where to put it. Finding the wire for the cable takes 2 secs once the light is removed and adding a wire to that down to your new globe wouldn't be hard.

I can't see sh*t out of mine with tinted windows and now a canopy on. I have an LED strip light that I bought for camping. I am going to test that out at night and if it is bright enough I'll mount it onto my new rear bar whenever it finally gets made.

Id reccomend go LEDs thet way you dont need to run heavy wire for a 55w reverse light just tap into existing wire harness as they use bugger all power.

I have 2 round LED and some shittoff tint and was suprised at what I could see by the amount of light they put out.

You could find a nice suitable shape set and fit them into your tailgate.
If you wanted to go that way look up LEDauto they have a fair range.