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Fri Sep 01, 2006 12:59 pm

I just got my 3rd eye brake light from J.C. Whip-me today and I am wondering if I can stick it on the TOP of my hatch window? It will go over some defrost wires. Will that be a problem?
I taped it on with scotch tape to the bottom of the window and then to to top of the window to see the difference in how it looks from the back as well as how my view is from the driver's seat looking in the rear view mirror. I like the brake light better up in the higher position at the top of the hatch window.

Fri Sep 01, 2006 1:09 pm

The LEDs shouldn't get hot enough to damage anything. Post a pic when you get it mounted- that's the one I keep meaning to order too.

Fri Sep 01, 2006 3:30 pm

Here's the one I got from JC Whitney over three years ago. Still sticks firmly to the glass. Only problem is that it isn't that bright. Two weeks ago I went on a short camping trip around NS with my parents following behind in their car. At one point, I asked my dad if all my lights were working okay (they were), and then asked how my third brake light was. He didn't know I had one. :shock: That was during daytime driving. At night, it does show up better, obviously. As for mounting, put it up high.

I think I'm going to get one from Daniel Stern lighting - more expensive, but advertised as being far superior to other "junk". After all, why have one if it doesn't really work that well?

Fri Sep 01, 2006 4:02 pm

Quote: think I'm going to get one from Daniel Stern lighting

Do you have a link or information on this vendor? Also, what if your bulb burns out? Can you access the bulb from a "back plate".

Thanks in advance.

Fri Sep 01, 2006 4:17 pm

http://www.danielsternlighting.com/products/products.html

There is a ton of really good info on the site - check out the tech page. He is very responsive to email as well.

As for access to the brake light - this is an LED light (I think 16 or 20 of them), so I don't expect to EVER have to change a bulb (or LED). I think there is access by popping off the back plastic cover, but I've never tried.

Looking at the photo again, maybe its those two screws on either side visible from the outside that hold the housing on. In that case, I'd say no.

Fri Sep 01, 2006 4:48 pm

Here is mine. It's not LEDs, but it works - plus it was only $4 at Harbor Freight.

Sat Sep 02, 2006 2:22 am

Here is one of the Harbor Freight lights.

It worked out nice on the bus. Should help prevent getting rear ended. Since the busses are slower than all the crazies every once in a while I've tapped the brakes when it appeared a fast approaching vehicle might not see our weak tail lights.
Have had one on the bug for years. That one came from Pep Boys.

Tue Dec 15, 2009 8:03 am

anyone know how to get there third brake light to blink a few times when you first step on the brake and then it stays solid after a few seconds.
is it just some kind of inline relay?
i've seen it on a few vehicles around town and i think it would be great for the bus to keep from getting hit.

Tue Dec 15, 2009 8:08 am

benw82 wrote: anyone know how to get there third brake light to blink a few times when you first step on the brake and then it stays solid after a few seconds.
is it just some kind of inline relay?
i've seen it on a few vehicles around town and i think it would be great for the bus to keep from getting hit.

Here's a few:

http://signaldynamics.com/products/BLSM/blsm.asp
http://www.comagination.com/bflasher.htm

Tue Dec 15, 2009 8:20 am

EZ Gruv wrote: Here is mine. It's not LEDs, but it works - plus it was only $4 at Harbor Freight.

That looks fairly dim as well--not even as bright as the already relatively dim stock rear lights. I want one that really grabs your attention.

Tue Dec 15, 2009 11:58 am

it looks like the reduced brilliance is the angles involved. The lights, including Daniel's, aren't designed for a window at close to 90 degrees so one is looking at the lights/refector at an angle. Once needs to locate one for a vertical window - maybe something from a truck store where people sell camper shells with vertical windows.

Tue Dec 15, 2009 12:16 pm

jtauxe wrote: EZ Gruv wrote: Here is mine. It's not LEDs, but it works - plus it was only $4 at Harbor Freight.

That looks fairly dim as well--not even as bright as the already relatively dim stock rear lights. I want one that really grabs your attention.

That is because that window was darkly tinted - I have since removed the tinting and it is a lot brighter.

Tue Dec 15, 2009 12:32 pm

that harbor freight item appears discontinued

Tue Dec 15, 2009 12:49 pm

although I do plan on adding a third brake light, I put these on all mine. The reflector strips available at most flaps or truck stops. At night they really show up when someone is behind you. You can see from the flash during the day how they light up.

Tue Dec 15, 2009 3:44 pm

Wow- thread resurrection. :shock:

I ended up going with the Hella LED light from Daniel Stern, although I see they've gone up in price considerably since I bought mine. Installation was very easy- just measure where it needs to go and stick it on with the 3M doublesided tape; I stuck it at the top so the wires were better hidden and to get it up as high as I could. Run the wire to a brake light wire (I used the left side since that's the side the wire comes out of the assembly) and tap it in using the supplied wire tap. No worries about voltage drop since LEDs use so little voltage. It also came with small plastic pieces to secure the wire along the window molding. The bus rear window isn't exactly ninety degrees so it works just fine- it's definitely an improvement over the stock brake lights. Honestly I think most people are so stupid these days that they expect a third brake light and aren't looking down at the factory lights on the bus. I can't access my Photobucket account from here or I'd post a picture.

Like meinvw I also have reflective tape on the back of the bus although I used white tape that fits almost perfectly in the contour of the bumper (where it's indented). It's not very noticeable in the daytime, but it definitely catches your eye at night when you cruise up behind it. 3M also makes reflective tape in a multitude of colors including the very cool black to white.

Wed Dec 16, 2009 2:30 pm

I also went to the Hella LED brakelight from Daniel Stern, shortly after my above posts. The difference is night and day.

I'd never heard of those brake light pulsing modules before - I think they would be a great idea (on my other vehicles, too).

Wed Dec 16, 2009 9:22 pm

Pulsing lights are not legal in the US.

dwill49965 wrote: I also went to the Hella LED brakelight from Daniel Stern, shortly after my above posts. The difference is night and day.

I'd never heard of those brake light pulsing modules before - I think they would be a great idea (on my other vehicles, too).

Wed Dec 16, 2009 10:24 pm

chabanais wrote: Pulsing lights are not legal in the US.

Which sucks because pulsing actually works to wake up the sleeping masses at the wheel as they talk on their cell phone, while checking themselves out in the mirror, and playing with the stereo while texting. I'll tap mine when I see trouble ahead.
on topic: I want a third brake light too, that's two old threads tonight that have spawned additions my project list. Thanks

Wed Dec 16, 2009 10:28 pm

Mercedes is working to have the law changed.

Wed Dec 16, 2009 10:31 pm

I like the third brake light Daniel Stern sells as well. But the thing is that none of the high-mount third lamps are angled near perfectly vertical with their mating surface(s). if I used model 39 for 57° to 80° back windshields, would this affect medium- to long-range visibility at all? It looks good for the earlier Vanagons (when DID they start to add them?), but for a bay/split I'm not sure.
Honsetly, I think all brake lights should pulse or brightness-spike to have most chance of snapping the text driving dolts out of their 'lol I r drivng' somnambulism. :x