Clearance Lights

[72hiboy4x4]

I found the Federal requirements for lighting here.....

http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/cars/rules/sta ... Mpstr.html

numbers 2 & 3 are what we are looking for here.
numbers 6 & 7 are for the rear of the vehicle.

here is the link for Federal trailer regs.
http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/cars/rules/sta ... rpstr.html

Note: these are federal rules.. your state may vary!!

[68F250]

Hey, I haven't thought about this in decades but maybe you guys know the answer. In the '60s my parents would drag me along camping all over the US. We spent a lot of time driving at night on the interstates and one thing I noticed was the color of the lights on the roof of the big rigs. The three in the middle of the roof were usually amber but sometimes the center one was green. For some reason back then I thought that the green light meant they had a 2-way radio.

[72hiboy4x4]

AFAIK green lights are only legal for fire trucks (including off duty and volunteers personal trucks)
never heard of the CB connection

[Crazy_B]

What I was wondering is about how far apart they put on from the factory. My real Dad had a 65 ford and it had only the 2 on the outside. Its the only one I've ever seen that way.

[hardtailjohn]

Crazy, they used to do the bigger trucks like that... until they were required to throw the three in the middle as well.
As far as the green lights, I'm not sure.. never heard that one before, but will ask on the ATHS website.. if anyone knows, it will be there. I used to have 6 blue lights under the door on my '78 Pete, and got pulled over one day and was nicely informed by the officer that they were worth $100 each for a fine .. only emergency rigs can have green or blue according to him... needless to say, I popped my pocket knife out and removed the blue lenses on the spot, and he was happy . I replaced them with amber that evening when I got home.
John H.

[68F250]

John, I had made the quick assumption about the green lights back when I was around 10 years old and have never thought about it again until this thread. I think I made the assumption because those trucks seemed to have extra antenna(s). Maybe some trucks had blue, or green and blue? The memory's foggy. This was in the mid 60's, wonder if the color rules were as strick then? Thanks for checking it out!

[Jerry1256]

I have a 68 Camper Special with the clearance light on the lower front fenders. Are they an aftermarket addon or were they an option?
By the way they do not function.They were made by Dietz anyone know?

[72hiboy4x4]

This is from Keith's ID'ing page....

'68 & '69 Camper Specials and F350's had front marker lights made by Dietz. They ran off a separate circuit with a relay and circuit breaker mounted on the passenger side. This circuit also powered the clearance lights on the roof and the marker lights on the stake & platform trucks.

'70-later got the wraparound turn signal lights in the front which made the front marker lights redundant.

http://www.fordification.com/67-72ID.htm
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as for them not working,
#1 check/replace the bulb
#2 check for power at the socket with the switch on
#3 if no power, trace wiring back until you find power, then repair.

[Jerry1256]

would you happen to know where I can find the new clearance Deitz lights? Mine are really showing there age and Im having a hell of a time finding the bulbs.There is power to the lights ,when I pree a bulb (albeit the incorrect bulb) it does light.
So if you know anyone who carries the assembly or even the bulbs .
thanks
Jerry

[72hiboy4x4]

looks like dennis carpenter might have them.
part # 15442 in the 2003 catalog. I don't see a price tho. sorry

www.dennis-carpenter.com

[Jerry1256]

Thanks Mike
I sent off an email to them. I dont see them listed on their site.

[hardtailjohn]

Barry,
I posted that question for ya on the ATHS board and mostly got various responses, but nobody thought it indicated a 2 way.. mostly it seems it was just a driver's way of personalizing his truck or a company truck.
Check it out if ya wanna www.aths.org and go to the discussion page.
John H.

[68F250]

Thanks John! Boy that generated a lot of interesting responses! So it was just for jazzing up the appearance. I knew I'd seen blue too. Thanks again! That brought back some good memories of on the road.

[rjewkes]

Mine came off of an f100 4x4 highboy.
72 model and i put mine on like they do on the semis in some places.

the center one first just centered over the chrome trim's center on my windsheild. and the outer set out and four inches from the front edge and 3 1/2 from the side edge. and the other too smack in the middle equadistance from the center and outer light and on a semicercle pattern the midle lights both ended up 3 1/2 inches from the front edge.

they can be for looks, extra noticable from further away without blinding any one.

And if you put a switch between your running lights(mine wire back to the left running lights)and the lightset you can use them to signal truck drivers or shut em off if your alternator quits you.

Safer using them to flash a driver it is safe to pass by flicking these than to pull and push switch for headlights.