magnetic taillights for trailer

[e9999]

recently got myself some cheap HF magnetic tailights for picking up derelict trailers or in case the regular ones conk out (good peace of mind when travelling out there). Great deal for $10 with 20' of wire. Got me a free CL trailer the other day cuz I had the lights ready to go and could get there fast .

Of course, I didn't expect the lights to fall off the trailer on the freeway somewhere and be ground down just a tad by asphalt....

So, great to have but don't trust the magnets on these things, they're not like the older ones I had that were really really hanging on there...

that is all...

 

[greentruck]

I've got a set of the LED ones from HF. Maybe different than the lowball ones? Probably the same magnet. Used them to get the M101 home from Iowa. Thought the magnets looked questionable before I started, so took along some phat zipties. I looped these through the rear bumper loops on the M101. Good things, because one came loose, but didn't go anywhere.

My recommendation: Always use the zipties for backup to the magnets.

 

[Brian in Oregon]

A lot depends on the quality of the magnets used. I've never had a problem with the spendier U-Haul set of magnetic lights I bought years ago. But I've seen the Harbor Fright (!) ones fall off with a sneeze.

But zipties are a good idea regardless.

 

[ntsqd]

None of the trailers that my HS Auto Shop instructor owned had lights on them. He had one set of high quality mag mount lights and had made up an "extension cord" for the longer trailer(s). Oddly, he didn't get many requests to borrow any of them.....

 

[e9999]

shamefully, I did put zipties on some of the wiring but just forgot about the lights... sheesh....

the falling ones had a 1/4" high 3" across round magnet. Really not strong. I had some much older metal ones (who stopped working from corrosion on the bulb sockets) who had some big rectangular mags inside the housing and some thin metal blades coming through to contact the trailer. Those were much stronger. So what I did is I took the lenses from the old ones and fitted them to the damaged new one and it should still work if DYI-looking with bolts going through the plastic lenses. Oh well... Good to have around no doubt for $10, especially when you realize your lights are not working 5 mins before the big camping trip...

 

[Brian in Oregon]

Yup, I keep a set of magnetic lights in either my FJ40 or my pickup when towing a trailer just in case the trailer lights fail. They've come in handy twice in the last 8 years. And I always take them when purchasing a trailer. Almost invariably if the lights even work, the plug won't be wired to standard anyway.