Route Clearance Lights as Reverse Lights on M923

[nf6x]

Those of y'all who have experience with the Truck-Lite model 07392 LED flood lights that I've seen discussed here before: Would a pair of those, mounted under the bed of my M923, be suitable as reverse lights? Or are they too large and/or bright for that application?

I think that the light I'm considering is the one on the left side of this picture:



I'm planning out a few mods that I want to make to my truck, including reverse lights, a reverse camera, and a lighted license plate bracket. I'm looking at a heavy-duty reverse camera system and thinking of mounting the camera under the bed above the tow pintle, both for general backing up and hopefully to make it easier to hitch up a trailer without a helper. I'm thinking of mounting the lighted license plate bracket on the back of the upper metal portion of the left mud flap. And I'm eyeing a crossmember under the bed as a possible location to hang a pair of reverse lights, pointing downwards and backwards. I plan to add a reverse gear switch; I've read here that there's a pipe plug on the transmission that will receive hydraulic pressure in reverse gear, so that might be a good spot for a pressure switch. I'd naturally link everything into the blackout lighting system so that neither the reverse lights nor the backup camera (which has IR LED lighting) would come on in blackout mode. Not for any practical reason... I just like to be thorough!

Here are the camera and monitor that I'm looking at for the reverse camera. The system isn't cheap, but it looks much better than the typical cheap and flimsy backup cameras that are all over the net:

C1800A-HD | Convoy Technologies
Extreme Series Waterproof Monitor | Convoy Technologies

I'm not sure where I'll mount the monitor in the cab, and I'll probably need to play around with it to find the best spot. If it works out well, my HMMWV might get one, too.

 

[Derrickl112]

Subscribed. I also want to add a reverse light, but I will be using the same type used on the m35a3's. Do you have a picture showing the plug in the trans?

 

[nf6x]

I don't know where the plug on the transmission is yet. I remember reading about it in a thread here a while back, but I haven't gone looking for the plug yet.

Do you have a picture or link for the M35A3 reverse lights? I'm not familiar with them yet. I'd like to consider my other options, too. The route clearance lamps are just the first ones that came to mind. I'm leaning towards going all-LED on my truck.

 

[Derrickl112]

Backup Light For M35A3, 01-6201-93

You might be able to replace the bulb with an LED light. There is a thread on here showing a direct replacement for the mil bulbs..


I also want to add a back up alarm.

 

[Derrickl112]

http://www.steelsoldiers.com/deuce-modification-hot-rodding/76024-my-m109a3-going-100-led.html

 

[nf6x]

Those look like the same backup lights that I used on my HMMWV, minus a metal mounting bracket. I picked out those lights because they're the ones used on the soft-top ambulance variant of the HMMWV, so they seemed fitting. Yeah, I'll put those on my list of options if the route clearance lights aren't suitable.

 

[nf6x]

I ordered a few LED bulbs from McMaster-Carr to try out on my truck. I got a white wedge-base one for the license plate bracket, which needed a different bulb anyway since it came with a 12V bulb. I also got one each red and green bayonet base bulbs to try out in the turn signal lever, warning lamps and gauge illumination lamps. I think the blackout driving light on my truck is already an LED type, and I got a set of LED composite lights for the four corners of the truck. I just haven't gotten around to installing it all yet. I also haven't done anything with the marker lamps yet... not sure if I'll replace them with sealed LED types, or try swapping out the bulbs in the existing housings.

 

[wsucougarx]

I used two of those aurora armor lights for back up lights. I put them on a switch so I can turn them on while off roading. I put an indicator light with the switch so I don't forget to turn it off.

 

[Recovry4x4]

Mark, you say the camera an monitor are not cheap. Can you clue us in on a ballpark figure? They look top shelf.

 

[zout]

The shown LED lights are the newer style than I have on my overhead rack for forward illumination - trust me - these babies are bright and flood the entire foward area of the vehicle for a long ways.

SO - if you would want to use them on the rear for backup - they are bright and not knowing where you will be backing up into at all times - there could be times you may want that extra brightness. Otehr times might be overkill - but you will be able to see.

I have the earlier style with a different housing but the bulbs 24v are the same. Flip the switch with 4 of them on the roof rack and its Holy Crapola time.

 

[6x6guy]

No light is to big- it's getting the job done- and nobody or anything gets damaged in the process.

 

[flibob]

Good lights are kinda like air conditioning .. after you have it don't know how you ever got along without it

 

[nf6x]

I'm not concerned about the lights being too bright in off-road situations; I'm more concerned about them possibly being too bright in urban situations around other vehicles. That's one of the reasons that I'm considering a location that's under the truck bed and set back from the rear edge a bit, so that they could be angled downwards such that the edge of the main beam would be below a driver's eyes in a normal car at a reasonable following distance. Maybe I'm over-thinking it?

The price quoted to me on the camera system was well below what I was told is the MSRP, so I don't know if the manufacturer would appreciate it being broadcast to the world. I'll PM interested folks. Note that I haven't ordered the system yet, and I don't know what else may be required to install the system properly such as additional cables, connectors, etc. If and when I install the system on my truck, I'll certainly post about it with lots of pictures on my web site.

I'm also considering a backup alarm, but I'm hesitating because the sound of those things really annoys the snot out of me.

 

[Derrickl112]

Has anyone had luck finding where to put the switch? I found where the m35a3 back up light switch goes, but can't find any info on where to put it on the m939's.

 

[wsucougarx]

I just put mine on a separate rotary switch so it can be used whenever you want. I made sure I put an indicator light on the switch so I can see she's on.

 

[nf6x]

I found an Allison manual for the MT600 series online recently that said there should be a plugged 1/8" NPT port on the right side next to the dataplate, where a pressure switch can be installed for reverse gear sensing. I haven't looked for it on my truck yet, but I might get around to that this weekend.

That brings up another couple of questions: Does anybody know the actuation pressure that the switch should be rated for? And how about the maximum pressure that the switch needs to withstand? I don't know if I'll find an original Allison switch to use, so I may need to use some other random hydraulic pressure switch.

 

[Ferroequinologist]

LED lights draw hardly anything compared to their incandescent equivalents, so I doubt that you will need a high rated switch. You could always put a relay in if you were worried about the draw.

I was in Northern tool yesterday, and guess what I saw?

And yes, they are listed as 12-24v.

TruckStar LED Flood Light — 1350 Lumens, 4in., 12/24 Volt, 18 Watt, Model# 1492115 | Automotive Work Lights| Northern Tool + Equipment

I might pick up a couple for the collection truck, and just see how they do.

 

[jw4x4]

I think the concern is with the hydraulic pressure exerted on the switch, not really with the amp draw. I, too would like to have reverse lights hooked to the trans. And a back-up alarm which would be on a jumper switch so it could activated only when deemed necessary.

 

[nf6x]

Yes, I was asking about the hydraulic pressure. Both the desirable pressure at which it turns on for proper operation of the lights, and the maximum pressure that the switch must withstand without damage or leaking.

I should be getting the backup camera system sometime this afternoon, by the way.

 

[Derrickl112]

I think the concern is with the hydraulic pressure exerted on the switch, not really with the amp draw. I, too would like to have reverse lights hooked to the trans. And a back-up alarm which would be on a jumper switch so it could activated only when deemed necessary.

That is what I plan to do.

Yes, I was asking about the hydraulic pressure. Both the desirable pressure at which it turns on for proper operation of the lights, and the maximum pressure that the switch must withstand without damage or leaking.

I should be getting the backup camera system sometime this afternoon, by the way.

I bought the same switch used on the m35a3's. Now that I know where to put the switch, I'll hook everything up tonight and test it out.