MM550 rear lighting

[bigman]

Are there any legal requirements for rear lighting in India ?

The mechanic has suggested a Bolero rear cluster for my MM550 but I think they look a bit out of place and spoil the look of the MM550.

The following picture (credit to Harjeev, direct link to the image as it is already hosted on t-bhp)) shows a nice simple rear light setup (I think same as army setup). Is this ok for road legal road use ? Also are the two round discs either side of the rear hatch just reflectors or rear fogs ?




The other setup catches the eye is what Krishna has on his MM550 :


(credit to Krishna aka Kittigadu)

I can get hold of some Land Rover NAS (round - 100mm) easily in the UK, but if such lights are readily available in India then very little point.

[Parm]

law in india says the rear lights on a vehicle should have two brake/stop lights along with the normal red lights.

there should be two indicators in yellow/orange colour.

there should be two reflectors in red along with the lights mentioned above.

one reverse light also to be provided.

there is no law on mandatory fitment of rear foglamp, but some manufacturers are providing it as a standard OE fitment.

both the jeeps in the photos you posted have legal on road tail lights. you can put any kind of taillight on your jeep as long it follows the law in india.

[bigman]

Thanks for your reply Parm.

Are the army combi lights on the MM550 in the picture : indicator/rear-side light combos ?





So If I got some of them all I need is brake lights and reverse light(s) ?

Can the army black out lights be incorporated into the setup to satisfy the legal requirements ?

[Parm]

Originally Posted by bigman

Thanks for your reply Parm.

Are the army combi lights on the MM550 in the picture : indicator/rear-side light combos ?

Attachment 101032



So If I got some of them all I need is brake lights and reverse light(s) ?

Can the army black out lights be incorporated into the setup to satisfy the legal requirements ?

this combo is used by the army, and it is street legal to use them on your vehicle.

this combo has the normal red light along with stop/brake light in the red unit under the orange indicator. all you need is a reverse light and a rear fog light if you experience foggy conditions.

black out lights are more of a show off in a non-army vehicle. you can use them if you wish to.

[Parm]

here are few photos of black out rear tail lights and normal taillights. hope you get an idea what to do with your vehicle's taillights

[bigman]

Thanks for that. Makes it even easier if those round combos are 3 in 1 (side, brake and indicator). I will add fogs as it can get quite foggy during the winter in Punjab & Haryana and 1 reverse light like on the Jodhpur jeep.

[Parm]

Originally Posted by bigman

Thanks for that. Makes it even easier if those round combos are 3 in 1 (side, brake and indicator). I will add fogs as it can get quite foggy during the winter in Punjab & Haryana and 1 reverse light like on the Jodhpur jeep.

always have good reflectors in the front and rear of a vehicle, cause at night with its lights switched off, the reflectors work and let other people know your vehicle is parked! make it seen at night.

have a single bright foglight at the rear and few good ones in the front.

[fazalaliadil]

Originally Posted by bigman

The mechanic has suggested a Bolero rear cluster for my MM550 but I think they look a bit out of place and spoil the look of the MM550.

I can get hold of some Land Rover NAS (round - 100mm) easily in the UK, but if such lights are readily available in India then very little point.

Bigman,
The Bolero rear cluster does not look bad but never good either, had it on my white Jeep. As they were already fitted when I bought it there was not much I could do.. as removing it would mean refilling the cavity created by the fabricator. It is perfectly street legal here the round lights on a MM550, but for reverse do install a small, 3" Lumax reverse light under the rear bumper as the halogen in it is very bright and is excellent for reversing even in pitch dark conditions, soon you will see it in pics that I will be posting this week, watch out for the thread
"Completed! Working on my MM540".
Now, the Landrover lights, forget the headache and go for Indica (commercial model) rear tail lamps that has a combo of parking, indicator and brake lights as individual lights mounted on the black C pillar vertically,
thay are near exact in demensions and looks to what you have in mind.
Yes, reflectors like Parm has rightly pointed out,
Happy Lighting.

[bigman]

Thanks fazalaliadil,

I don't think the land rover NAS (just a pair of fogs either side) will be too hard to fit into the rear bumper next to the round combi lights. Then I can just add a reverse light on the drivers side (again to the bumper but floating above the bumper).

This is what my paintbrush (never been good with photoshop) mock up looks like with a round fog added to the passenger side (in reality there will be one on drivers side as well) (credit to Harjeev for the excellent picture):

Keeps the lights nice and simple (hopefully does not look like some kids attempt at using round lights to turn it into a Ferrari Jeep)

[Parm]

Rear fog lights are never in pairs, its always a single rear fog light on the rear of the driver's side.

Reverse light on the passenger's side.

two rear fog lights switched in fog or at night will confuse the vehicles coming from the rear, because it will make it look like a stopped vehicle.

so rear fog light is always a single light, not in pairs!

[bigman]

Thanks Parm,

Any reason for having the reverse on the other side ? I saw a picture of an army jeep (and that jodhpur jeep) and the reverse is on the drivers side.

Also is it not better to have two fogs (when I was in Sweden a few years ago I noticed lots of cars with two rear fogs) ? I know having one might make it easier to distinguish but is there any other negative ?

Also I would put the round combi lights on the lateral sides as opposed to my picture which shows them on medial side.

Thanks.

[Parm]

Originally Posted by bigman

Thanks Parm,

Any reason for having the reverse on the other side ? I saw a picture of an army jeep (and that jodhpur jeep) and the reverse is on the drivers side.

Also is it not better to have two fogs (when I was in Sweden a few years ago I noticed lots of cars with two rear fogs) ? I know having one might make it easier to distinguish but is there any other negative ?

Also I would put the round combi lights on the lateral sides as opposed to my picture which shows them on medial side.

Thanks.

if you have the rear fog light on the same side as the driver side, suppose you park the car on the road and you have your rear fog lamps on or you are driving in foggy conditions, the vehicles coming from behind will be able to make out the outline of the vehicle. and people can make out which side is the right or left of the vehicle.

but alas, there is no directive from the motor vehicle act, and drivers are not educated about the usage of rear foglights as well as the front fog lights.

in europe the cars are equipped with two rear fog lamps, because in some european countries you have to switch on the left rear fog light and in some countries you have to switch on the right rear fog light.

the first ford ikon came equiped with one reverse light and one rear fog lights, but the owners never got to know why ford gave only one reverse light?? the other was for the rear fog light!!

i was in europe from austria to holland and the countries i passed through....germany, belgium, france...have to use either side rear fog light. it was kind of confusing for me!!

you can put the rear fog light and the reverse light as per your own requirments and ease.

[bigman]

Excellent informative reply.

I think I might just go for 2 fogs if there is no law stopping me. Plus I hate people who hog your tailend so if it confuses them and makes them think they might keep their distance.

[Parm]

Originally Posted by bigman

Excellent informative reply.

I think I might just go for 2 fogs if there is no law stopping me. Plus I hate people who hog your tailend so if it confuses them and makes them think they might keep their distance.

"Pawer Break...Keep Distance"! (Power Brake....Keep Distance)

[jeepster09]

Check the rear lights I have used on my MM 550. Did not want the original ones on the corners of the body hence used these ones.