How Do You Remove a Running Light?

[ltorgy]

I now have tons of ideas for power to a backup camera. Now the question is: where is the best place to mount the camera? If it doesn't matter, I might mount it near the listen plate light rather than on top near the tail running lights.

[ghaynes755]

Personally I like it up high. Gives a better down angle so you can back a bit closer to objects behind (especially if you solo 90% of the time. The Voyager has a great angle of view. Even up high I still see about 1/4" of the sky behind the trailer.

And this is just an observation but in rainy weather the camera is still usable. Plenty of airflow helps keep it somewhat clear and once the rain/road mist stops clears right up. Tip, I also occasionally give it a wipe with RainX.

And lastly a better spot for the antenna since it is up at the roofline rather than having the signal travel completely through the trailer.

[ltorgy]

Thanks. I will keep that in mind when mounting the camera. Lyle

[terrylarock]

I have a 2010 23 ft Flying Cloud Airstream and want to know how to replace a marker light? I broke one of the clips off removing it. Since it is a sealed unit do I just cut the wires and connect the new one with wire connecters? I am trying to install a Voyager backup camera and want to use the marker light to power it. It seems that I need to make another hole under it to run the wiring, Am I in over my head?

[Howard L.]

Originally Posted by terrylarock

I have a 2010 23 ft Flying Cloud Airstream and want to know how to replace a marker light? I broke one of the clips off removing it. Since it is a sealed unit do I just cut the wires and connect the new one with wire connecters? I am trying to install a Voyager backup camera and want to use the marker light to power it. It seems that I need to make another hole under it to run the wiring, Am I in over my head?

Here is the newer light with the arrow shaped clips. I think the base is the same base when the "L" shaped clips were used. Don't know what clips your 2010 has, but the new light should work--order from Airstream--cut wires and wire connect new light. Also, I would think about just staying with your old light. Do all your connecting then use 3M 5200 to basically glue the "broken clip light" back into its plastic chrome base. It takes 5200 a few days to set up completely, so tightly tape the broken light to it's base and don't touch for a couple of days. It will be a permeant bond.

[Bigventure]

You can just put a dab of silicone on the light. It will hold it good. You don't want super permanent.

[Howard L.]

Respectfully to BigVenture, I would not let silicone near my trailer--well maybe a SOB but not an Airstream. A dab of 5200 will not fail in holding your light, but you can remove it if you ever must. You will, at that time, probably have to replace the light and plastic base. Johnson center sells them both--buy now for a spare. If you still prefer to not use 5200, try ParBond. That is what we use to water tight seal the lights to the bases and it will act as a glue also.
After all this, if still in doubt, just replace the thing. You have 3 to 4 inches of extra wire inside the hull that allows the light to be pulled free and worked on. Wires are caulked and run through a rubber grommet. Take your time, spray with silicone, work them out easily.

[ltorgy]

Originally Posted by Howard L.

Respectfully to BigVenture, I would not let silicone near my trailer--well maybe a SOB but not an Airstream. A dab of 5200 will not fail in holding your light, but you can remove it if you ever must. You will, at that time, probably have to replace the light and plastic base. Johnson center sells them both--buy now for a spare. If you still prefer to not use 5200, try ParBond. That is what we use to water tight seal the lights to the bases and it will act as a glue also.
After all this, if still in doubt, just replace the thing. You have 3 to 4 inches of extra wire inside the hull that allows the light to be pulled free and worked on. Wires are caulked and run through a rubber grommet. Take your time, spray with silicone, work them out easily.

Hi Howard. Just curious. I was thinking of using silicone to attach the rear camera to my AS since I could remove it if I didn't like the placement. Why 5200 or ParBond over silicone? Or were you just referring to the light only? Thanks. I am learning a ton on the forum as a new AS owner. Lyle

[Howard L.]

Originally Posted by ltorgy

Hi Howard. Just curious. I was thinking of using silicone to attach the rear camera to my AS since I could remove it if I didn't like the placement. Why 5200 or ParBond over silicone? Or were you just referring to the light only? Thanks. I am learning a ton on the forum as a new AS owner. Lyle

If you think about where you have seen silicone used around your house: on glass, metal, ceramic, mortar, wood, it will eventually release and peel off like a big ugly rubber band. There is just so many other compounds that will seal and are good adhesives also. Airstream has a number of other things they use: Acryl R, Silkaflex, Trempro. AdSeal is a silicone based compound used if you really want silicone.

Airstream Exterior Protection and Body Care

Any product you use that you feel confident will hold your camera securely and not fail, will not be something easy to remove (I am assuming you are not going to drill holes and mount with screws). One other suggestion would be to use "Hot Glue" gun to attach your light and camera. Alcohol will release hot glue and will not damage your skin's baked on finish. The paintless dent repair guys use hot glue for dent repair tabs when they can't get behind the metal to work the dent out of autos. I'm just not sure how secure it would make your camera.

BigVenture is correct, 5200 is something you think of as permanent. It can be removed, but requires a chisel (that's why a one time fix of your light with broken tab clip). Don't use it to seal something to the trailer skin directly unless you don't plan on removing and want a forever seal and glue. ( I installed a Sirius/XM antenna to my roof with 5200--lifetime subscription to the service)

Idea: buy a battery powered remote back up camera. I have one, stick to on the back bumper if I need it.

Another idea: whether new like you or an old hand, experiment with any new fix-it idea on an area of the trailer that will not be seen if you mess up. I open the rock guards in front to test an area if I'm not sure what will happen. I have a paint touch up process for areas of damage to the skin I use and I worked it out behind the rock guard first.

[Bigventure]

The way I was implying use of silicone was between the lens bottom (sealed unit with a solid back) and the already attached base. Both of these are plastic. Just to hold in on. It would not be in the weather or even seen.

As far as attaching the camera use double sided tape that you can pick up at Home Depot. Then use Silka Flex on the exposed edges of the tape.

[ghaynes755]

Or use VHB 4950 tape on the Voyager base with a bead of Sikaflex 221 around the outside edges to prevent water from getting in. Use the genuine 3M product, usually on Amazon rather than HD. I did a pull test on some tape when I got it. 3/4 inch square between two pieces of aluminum. Cleaned the surface and attached. Let it sit for 15 mins (full bond is something like 24 hrs.) Fish scale to measure and in a shear pull it took 35 lbs. The Voyager isn't going to leave the trailer if you but a long or couple of long pieces on the base.

[lewster]

Originally Posted by ghaynes755

Or use VHB 4950 tape on the Voyager base with a bead of Sikaflex 221 around the outside edges to prevent water from getting in. Use the genuine 3M product, usually on Amazon rather than HD. I did a pull test on some tape when I got it. 3/4 inch square between two pieces of aluminum. Cleaned the surface and attached. Let it sit for 15 mins (full bond is something like 24 hrs.) Fish scale to measure and in a shear pull it took 35 lbs. The Voyager isn't going to leave the trailer if you but a long or couple of long pieces on the base.

Great advice !!!

I have found that the best adhesive combination for holding down most items, including solar panels, is VHB tape and SikaFlex 221.

The VHB sticks immediately and the Sika has a 2 fold purpose: sealing out water incursion from the VHB and adding an additional layer of bond strength. In over 10 years of installing solar, I have never had a panel loosen with this adhesive combination.


Lew Farber
RVIA/RVDA Nationally Certified Master Tech
Master Tech Energy Systems, Inc.
AM Solar Certified Installation Center
Lifeline Batteries**Magnum Inverters
541-490-6357

[ltorgy]

Thanks Howard, Bigventure, Gary and Lew. I've been educated and now have a plan for installing my rear camera without making it permanent. I may also try the glue gun trick or fabricate a battery for the camera. I should post my solution once I get it figured out (maybe in a different thread). I'm somehow liking the idea of mounting high and looking down, but barring a battery pack, that would mean tapping into the rear running light. My wife refuses to let me drill any holes in the skin of our brand new AS (for now). At any rate, thanks for the numerous ideas.

[ghaynes755]

Learned it all from Lew....

[bbodenstein]

I too am installing a rear view camera (RV Rearview Camera Systems). 2009 International 25 FB. Plan to do it up high on rear below middle clearance light as recommended.

So I am poking around clearance light trying to figure out how to get lens off to start with. Looked for suggestions here but nothing was working. So decided to climb down and experiment with one on the side of trailer. Hmmm same issue, nothing would budge. Finally decided I was going to have to sacrifice a light to figure this out. Carefully began to pry self contained red lens with LEDS off. After quite a bit of effort accomplished the mission.

Sure enough there were these nifty black tabs at each end of the lens body plus matching receptacles in chrome plastic base. Just one problem... both tabs were liberally smeared with caulking before snapping on lens assembly, I'm guessing by some joker on the assemby-line. Same deal on the roof light and none of the other clearance lights snap off as intended by the design. To be fair, my trailer is a one previous owner used one so possibly previous owner popped each light and decided to make sure they would never fall off on the roar. Argrrrrrr. Now that I can study the entire assembly after removing chrome backing, it's obvious that caulking should only be done with the light base mounting screws and wiring openings.

I've ordered 2 new assemblies and it should be an interesting project getting them installed since in the process of having to rip these two lights out I have just bits of wire to connect to.

Anybody have any opinion as to whether I should try and buy the newer metal clip versions or stick with plastic ones?

[Howard L.]

Buy metal newer ones. All look the same when installed. As you know, old L type are difficult to remove without breaking.

[Rich W]

[QUOTE=bbodenstein;1719630]Sure enough there were these nifty black tabs at each end of the lens body plus matching receptacles in chrome plastic base. Just one problem... both tabs were liberally smeared with caulking before snapping on lens assembly, I'm guessing by some joker on the assemby-line. Same deal on the roof light and none of the other clearance lights snap off as intended by the design. To be fair, my trailer is a one previous owner used one so possibly previous owner popped each light and decided to make sure they would never fall off on the roar. Argrrrrrr. Now that I can study the entire assembly after removing chrome backing, it's obvious that caulking should only be done with the light base mounting screws and wiring openings.
QUOTE]

My AS lights are exactly the same way. When I bought my AS, one of the marker lights was out. When I took it apart it was full of water and heavily rusted. Since I was going on a trip so I just cleaned it all up, replaced the bulb and put it back on the AS.

I blamed a PO for being over zealous with the caulk too. When we took ours in for service at Jackson Center this summer, I pointed this out to the technician I was working with. According to him, that's standard practice on the assembly line.

It doesn't make any sense to me. If they were to be water tight, they should be built that way, like the ones on my boat trailer. By filling them full of caulk they can't drain the condensation and they fog up, then rust. Although others on my AS are working, they too are fogged and I can see the water drops on the edges. It will be a project sometime to replace them all with LEDs, but not now.

[bbodenstein]

Originally Posted by ghaynes755

There are two types of marker lights. Older style had latches that were black plastic tab like latches. New ones, my 2015 had the newer style which are metal pieces that are about 3/8 inch apart that hold the lens on with the spring action when inserted into the base.

Spring model easy to remove, not so much with the older style.

Here's a photo of the newer style.

Attachment 247049

Be careful when you order replacement clearance lights. As this thread indicates there are two types of LED clearance lights. Please correct me if needed but the earlier (original) type had 2 plastic tabs on the lens assembly which supposedly snapped into the chrome colored plastic base. These tabs often (usually) broke on removal. Especially in my case where factory apparently caulked over the tabs . Really??? thanks a bunch AS. No wonder I had to use a crow bar nearly to get them off!

The later,and I would hope improved, model clearance lights use metal spring-like "thingies" that snap into the base. Sorry, I don't know exactly what these look like since I have just ordered them using part number from AS. FYI AS Part # is 512860 for red. I assume amber is nearly same part no.

Also, I asked AS about the new metal bezels that slip under these lights apparently to deal with corrosion issues around the lights (I picked this up in some other threads so I thought I would order a couple of these as well and see what they do. These come in 2 styles: flat AS Part # 115563 and curved AS Part # 115564. Don't really know whether I need but wanted to see what they look like and try on my 2 replacement lights. Figured they might cover up gunk that was around original lights.

Btw, was surprised a bit that one can buy no parts from AS. Must go to a local dealer and the good news is I have one of the best within a couple hours of here (Outdoors Mart) at least first impressions anyway.

Will let you know how it goes when I do the install.

[Howard L.]

Also, I asked AS about the new metal bezels that slip under these lights apparently to deal with corrosion issues around the lights (I picked this up in some other threads so I thought I would order a couple of these as well and see what they do. These come in 2 styles: flat AS Part # 115563 and curved AS Part # 115564. Don't really know whether I need but wanted to see what they look like and try on my 2 replacement lights. Figured they might cover up gunk that was around original lights.


Flat go under all lights except the 3 red at top in back, curved there.


Sent from my iPad using Airstream Forums

[bbodenstein]

I received the replacement lights for the two lights I had to nearly destroy in getting them off trailer. I also received the metal castings that go under these lights which I ordered at the same time. I like the look of these but have questions on how to install.

The back of the metal casting goes against the trailer body but without a gasket I guess since nothing came with them? Is this right? I'm tempted to cut my own gaskets out of paper gasket material from auto parts store. Thoughts?

Also, on the wiring... When my old lights came off the trailer I was left with just very short wires protruding from AS body. Have I heard that I should be able to tug at the wires and pull out an inch or so of new wire?

Would I also caulk around the metal at the body and what would be recommended caulk? Seems like I would want a very small bead of something aluminum colored ideally.

btw... Please clarify exactly why AS developed these bezels apparently as an add on and also are they including these in new units? Seems like I heard about these in the discussion of corrosion issues. Is that correct and if so, how would these help the corrosion issue?

Lots of questions so thanks for any info you can offer.