Side lights

[Geoff30]

Does anyone know what the rules are regarding sidelights. I have swapped my headlamps for sealed beams on my 200tdi, this obviously means I now have no side lights. I do have 8 leds built into my roof bar lights that come on when sidelights are switched on, are these enough or do I need to sort something at a lower level???   

[stretchy]

hiya chap. im realy not sure what sealed beams are but I recently was looking into upgrading my headlamp bulbs but was told that to do that you have to upgrade the whole lamp as the lens is only designed for that bulb and if its changed to say halogen bulbs It wont pass an mot. disco 1 lamps are realy c**p lol I dont know anythink about side lights realy but I imagine the gadgit that checks them on the mot ramp is at bumper levlel like the headlamps so im not sure youd get away with having them on the roof. just a guess.

do you have a link to your new lamps ??

[Budgie]

As far as I know, you need to have front side lights on the front of the vehicle for an MoT.
Don't your sealed beam units have a gap in the mirror for a sidelight to shine through, like this:


You can get the harness from VWP.  ;)

[Geoff30]

hiya chap. im realy not sure what sealed beams are but I recently was looking into upgrading my headlamp bulbs but was told that to do that you have to upgrade the whole lamp as the lens is only designed for that bulb and if its changed to say halogen bulbs It wont pass an mot. disco 1 lamps are realy c**p lol I dont know anythink about side lights realy but I imagine the gadgit that checks them on the mot ramp is at bumper levlel like the headlamps so im not sure youd get away with having them on the roof. just a guess.

do you have a link to your new lamps ??

I just used the headlamps and mounting bowls from a Rangerover classic,not renowned for been good but they do not fill with muddy water everytime I go play, the sidelights as you are aware are seperate on a range and defender. As for MoT sidelights are not checked on a machine just visually to ensure they come on, it is the beam pattern tested on the machine, although I could be wrong because I frequently am !!

[BigA]

i have just had a quick look on here http://www.ukmot.com/1-1.asp#Text_top and cannot see any mention of side lights? is it one of those MOT grey areas i.e. if you dont have them you cant be failed, if you do and they dont work, you can be failed?

[ChrisW70]

Lighting

Lighting is covered under the Road Vehicle Light Regulations 1989, based on UN ECE regulation 48.

The vehicle classification determines which front, side and rear lamps and reflectors are mandatory, which are allowed and which are not permitted. There are also rules on positioning and colour. The highly reflective outline rear and side marker strips designed to make trucks more easily visible at night also come under the vehicle lighting regulations.

For a copy of the regulations go to: The Road Vehicles Lighting Regulations 1989.

[defuzz]

Don't some of the Later Disco 2s have a side light bulb in the indicator housing?  eg they have a constant orange light??

or is that just in america?


does that mean you have round lights on the front of your disco now? Got any pics?

[GreedyGibson]

The lights need to be at the front and outer part of the car as the testing manual says "lamps required by regulations to be fitted to a vehicle to indicate its presence and width when viewed from the front." HTH

[Geoff30]

Don't some of the Later Disco 2s have a side light bulb in the indicator housing?  eg they have a constant orange light??

or is that just in america?


does that mean you have round lights on the front of your disco now? Got any pics?

Yes it now has round lamps, had considered putting sidelight in my indicator, might go that route if orange turns out to be an acceptable colour.
will take pic and add it.

[Geoff30]

OK have read throught the regulations posted and I am still not really sure. I am thinking that the only real problem is that the lights on my roof do not mark the actual front of my vehicle.
Therefore I shall wire something up to be safe.

[defuzz]

nice, round lamps look pretty good!

How about replacing the amber indicator lenses for some clear ones with orange bulbs for indicating and white for sidelights

[Geoff30]

nice, round lamps look pretty good!

How about replacing the amber indicator lenses for some clear ones with orange bulbs for indicating and white for sidelights

Cheers!
That not a bad idea, where can I get clear lenses and how much are they??

[defuzz]

I've seen them on ebay before, not sure on price.

[stageonesimmo]

They tend to go for around 40 odd quid a pair!  :shock:

I'm looking for some for mine, but I'm not paying that much!

[SteveGoodz]

Does anyone know what the rules are regarding sidelights. I have swapped my headlamps for sealed beams on my 200tdi, this obviously means I now have no side lights. I do have 8 leds built into my roof bar lights that come on when sidelights are switched on, are these enough or do I need to sort something at a lower level???   

Geoff,

Unless I'm mistaken (and I often am) in MOT and lighting regulation parlance side lights are known as "position lamps" and are covered here - www.motuk.co.uk/manual_110.htm

Hope that helps :-)

[Shabba277]

my td5 has side lights in the indicators, however its also got them in the headlamps too, so the ones in the indicators are probably just cruise lights.  Could you not just wire the side lights up to the main dip beam , they would come on as side lights on the stalk cant see that being a problem for the mot man, and would save fitting more lights?
Ady

[Geoff30]

They tend to go for around 40 odd quid a pair!  :shock:

I'm looking for some for mine, but I'm not paying that much!

Definitely wont pay that much, I break 2 many would cost me a fortune. Think I going to get some landrover 90 round sidelights and use them.
Thanks for all the advise everyone.

[defuzz]

yeah, a defender sideligth could look pretty cool in the bottom inside corner of each light, starting to look like a TD5!