3rd high level brake light

[Speedtrip]

Hi all,

I'm currently looking for a high(er) level brake light for road use. There's lots of different options out there but I'm wondering if anyone has tried Caterham's race brake light:

https://caterhamparts.co.uk/rear-lights/5677-race-brake-light-unit-assy.html

At the moment this is my preferred solution but I'm just a little concerned about the legality and aesthetics of the install. Ideally I would like to fit a light around the "X" in the FIA roll bar. 

Any thoughts and a photo of fitted example that would be  greatly appreciated.

Thanks, 

Andy

 

[StuB]

Hi Andy,

I fitted one a few years ago using a P'Clip fixed around the centre of the FIA bar, although I only had a single diagonal.  Nice and bright and in the perfect position, unfortunately I don't have any pictures.  The other option, which i have also done on another car, is an LED strip light from Car Builder Solutions.  I trimmed off the plastic lugs with a Stanley knife and you can glue, cable tie or velcro it to the underside of the top of the roll bar.  Again it's a good position and can still be seen from under a half hood.

Would recommend buying the wiring loom from Caterham (if they have stock) as it makes it a very easy job.

Good luck.

Stu

Edited to add picture of the second option

http://www.dropbox.com/s/z0b0hjyowas2mue/007%20%282%29.JPG?dl=0

and I found couple of option 1

http://photos.app.goo.gl/mwQynJy8pCJZdLqB3

http://photos.app.goo.gl/X9T8jo8PZ5g1rWlm1

[SM25T]

48LED from Car Builder Solutions.

[Jonathan Kay]

What Stu says, and there's a lot on related options in the archives including a Guide, but unfortunately it's scattered across multiple threads.

Added lights of this sort probably won't breach regulations for use on public roads, and are very unlikely to cause a problem at MoT inspections.

Jonathan

PS: We finally cracked how to show a Dropbox image inline.

http://www.dropbox.com/s/z0b0hjyowas2mue/007%20%282%29.JPG?raw=1

 

[paul richards]

If you fit race light on the cross it will seriously interfere with rear vision. Go with 48 LED strip under top of roll bar and use the high level brake light loom from Caterham. Makes the installation very easy.

[Speedtrip]

Many thanks for the response.

I have considered fitting a strip-light to the top rail but as I haven't yet got a half hood. Ideally I'd still like to keep the option to use the full hood in the future, so would prefer to fit something lower.

One of the suggested options looks good were a round race light has been installed behind the "X". I'll give this some more thought. I've seen it said that LED race light need an inline resistor. Can anyone suggest a suitable example and where it could be obtained - I'm totally inept!

I quite like the look of the below which shouldn't be overly big and obscure too much if installed vertically. This one can be set to flash, so would a resistor still be required if used as a brake light?

https://caterhamparts.co.uk/rear-lights/5476-rain-light-race.html

Thanks again,

Andy

[Mrp]

How I mounted mine

Mrp

 

[TomB]

Mine is bonded with the same stuff used to glue the front wings on - Tigerseal or Sikaflex. I held it in place with a couple of cable ties while the adhesive cured meaning light at least is neatly flush against the roll bar.

 

What annoys me more is the wire - it is currently is taped under the bar and covered with black insulation tape and looks a bit like a bodge. Id rather have it routed through the bar, but that would required drilling holes and feeding the wire through.

[SLR No.77]

Tom's certainly looks much tidier bonded in place with Sikaflex instead of using P-Clips .... which are the work of the devil, hideous things and should be reserved for under-bonnet use. As long as the rollbar is black the tape covering the cable is hardly noticeable.

Stu.

[Edzup Ezzer]

Tom,

You'll have everybody tut-tutting if you do as you suggest and drill a hole in the bar and thread the wire through.  Frankly, I doubt you'd ever regret doing it that way as the bar (I'm assuming it's the FIA type with diagonals) is probably the strongest part of the car and if ever (dread the thought) it was called into 'service' would survive better than the chassis it's bolted to, but that's just my view. 

There is an alternative however, which is to bond the cable to the bar with a bead of Sikaflex or whatever.  Done carefully this can look ok.  

Ezzer

[Speedtrip]

I'd been wondering about drilling the bar to hide the cable. I too doubt very much it would compromise the bars effectiveness.

Does anyone know if the diagonals are simply butt welded to the main frame ie so there's no hole to thread through?

Andy

[SM25T]

Ran my cable under the rear brace bars of the roll bar under a strip of black insulating tape. Can't see it. Been there for many years.

[Nick T]

Andy,

 

I did fit a round FIA light to the center of the X bar after shamelessly plagiarising an R500 online posting on how to do it.

 

However being OCD, I did change the fitting arrangement slightly. Happy to send you a photo if you would like. The CC wiring part did help massively and the wires are still there. However being small and round it does not affect (too badly) rear vision. I like it because you can still use a SBFS hood. 

 

Cheers

 

Nick 

[Speedtrip]

Nick,

A photo or two would be fantastic if you could.

cheers

Andy

[mike150]

Got one of the Hella LED brake lights from car builder solutions after reading this thread. Stuck on with some 3M tape and plugged into the spare Caterham plugs below the fuel filler. Seems a good job, hopefully prevent getting rear ended someday!

[Felixgogo]

I did the same as Mike, my car is pre 06, so doesn't have the spare plugs, so I got the Caterham sub loom.  The LED is the Hella unit, from CBS, stuck on with Velcro, and the grey plastic back plate of the unit 'painted' with permanent marker pen in black.

Wire feeds along the underside of one of the rear diagonal struts into the boot, stuck on with black insulating tape. Been there over 7 years now, still looks spot on.

 

[L777JDP]

Hello,

Sorry to resurrect an old thread, but I'm after fitting a high level brake light. I noticed Mike150 mentions spare plugs to plug it into below the fuel filler cap. Does anyone know what years or models would have these? I've got a 2013 Roadsport SV.

Thanks,

[L777JDP]

Hello,

Sorry to resurrect an old thread, but I'm after fitting a high level brake light. I noticed Mike150 mentions spare plugs to plug it into below the fuel filler cap. Does anyone know what years or models would have these? I've got a 2013 Roadsport SV.

Thanks,

[Jonathan Kay]

I think that you might have.

Can you find anything in the boot, and if so what are the colours of the wires? (IIRC some Sevens have accessory power wires.)

Jonathan

[SM25T]

You will certainly have the wires. Might be in boot on offside. Might be under boot floor.

[TomB]

Any thought how to tastefully hide the wiring on a yellow painted roll bar?  I don't really want to put black insulation tape underneath it.  I could use yellow tape I suppose.  Has anyone ever drilled a small hole and succesfuly manage to thread the wiring through into the boo this way? 

 

 

[David aka Blue7]

You should definitely have a brake light spur on a 2013 car, it should be off side on other side of the wheel arch and it is a spade connector, can't be sure but male I think.  Just use a circuit tester to verify the circuit.

Just to throw another suggestion into the discussion, I fitted a rectangular rain-light, similar to (but more reliable) the Caterham one to supplement the carp standard brake / side lights.  I now have JAL led rear lights with clear lenses and they are so bright that a H/L brake light is really no longer necessary.

[SM25T]

Don't drill the roll bar. Go for yellow insulating tape.

[Tim S]

Picking up TomB's suggestion of drilling a hole to thread the cable through.....when fitting a high level brake light for me my auto electrician absolutely refused to drill any holes in the roll bar for fear of damaging it's integrity. 

[Tazio]

Tom, dont drill the roll bar, makes it worthless and destroys the integrity