Bailey running light position

[trevorwmasongmail.com]

Is there any reason why I can't remove the upper front nearside running light on my Bailey unicorn Valencia Mk4? It is positioned so near to the awning rail that I have twice dragged it off when fitting the awning and now I have lost the outer cover completely as I hadn't realised it was loose before an outward journey. That meant that it was too late to buy a new one and the sharp edged internal fittings of the light damaged the awning as it was being dragged over it despite efforts to hold them apart.

I can see no reason for the light being there other than for cosmetic purposes unless the design rules stipulate it. Other caravans of a similar age do not appear to have them and so why should Bailey put them in such a stupid position. In talking to other Bailey owners I am not the only one to have had this problem.

If there is no obvious reason not to do it then I would ask my local agent to do it to (hopefully) avoid any issues of the warranty being invalidated against ingress of water, etc.

 

[Jcloughie]

Is it the one on the side at the top as in this picture?



I don't know why Bailey put them there, at the front, anyway. It is known that they can cause confusion at night for following cars as if the van moves slightly from side to side, it appears as if the light is flashing on and off.

My Lunar has then near the back, they look exactly the same. I had to change mine due to a small accident. The dealer did it when doing some other work. I was pleasantly shocked with the bill for under £8:00. Full light and labour. So it must have been very easy.

John

 

[trevorwmasongmail.com]

It is that one. Hadn’t thought about the flashing bit but I can imagine that it might be a problem. If anyone from Bailey is monitoring these pages I would love a comment from them.

 

[otherclive]

Is it the one on the side at the top as in this picture?

View attachment 946

I don't know why Bailey put them there, at the front, anyway. It is known that they can cause confusion at night for following cars as if the van moves slightly from side to side, it appears as if the light is flashing on and off.

My Lunar has then near the back, they look exactly the same. I had to change mine due to a small accident. The dealer did it when doing some other work. I was pleasantly shocked with the bill for under £8:00. Full light and labour. So it must have been very easy.

John

Mine has rear high level lights and the nearside one was damaged by a overhanging branch. They are very easy to change once you understand how the lens comes off. And they are cheap too. I keep one as a spare just in case.

 

[trevorwmasongmail.com]

Mine has rear high level lights and the nearside one was damaged by a overhanging branch. They are very easy to change once you understand how the lens comes off. And they are cheap too. I keep one as a spare just in case.

Thanks for the tip but I want to get rid of it all together. It appears to serve no useful purpose other than to hinder and, in my case, damage the awning when putting it up.
Why would Bailey be daft enough to put it there? I can’t be the only one to have experienced this problem. Anyone else out there?

 

[Beachball]

I would take it back to your dealer and ask them to remove it hopefully avoid any issues to your warranty invalidated against ingress of water i hope you get it sorted asap

 

[trevorwmasongmail.com]

That is the way that my mind is working as well. Thanks for your comments and support. I’ll try to remember to update this thread with the outcome.
Would anyone from Bailey who might be monitoring this thread like to comment?

 

[JezzerB]

Totally agree ,makes putting the awning a twperson job to hold it clear of the light. Never thought of getting rid.great idea.

 

[trevorwmasongmail.com]

Thanks. There were two of us at the time but there was a light wind which was blowing straight onto that side and pushing the awning against it.
I can’t see any reason for it being there. There are other makes of caravan which don’t have lights there so I don’t think it can be anything to do with design regulations.

 

[Beachball]

Totally agree ,makes putting the awning a twperson job to hold it clear of the light. Never thought of getting rid.great idea.

Hi JezzerB With our new porch awning it could be a three man job everytime we arrive my back seems to go and cannot put it up . what was a brand new awning has not been out of it bag so when we go next season ? i am hoping for some help from some one in the site wardens .

 

[Beachball]

That is the way that my mind is working as well. Thanks for your comments and support. I’ll try to remember to update this thread with the outcome.
Would anyone from Bailey who might be monitoring this thread like to comment?

Hi i use to have a Bailey caravan but not that model and i would , ( get rid of it) but hoping there is someone else on this forum who got the same caravan , and model and to give his comment .

 

[Lutz]

Front (and rear) high level clearance lamps are a legal requirement for all trailers over 2.1m wide

 

[Clifford_374377114]

Why are they there? You have to understand that the people who design caravans, never use them so they are not aware of the stupid things they do that the user has to put right.
I can never understand why the front lights are so low down (they never used to be) - they get covered in dirt easily and cannot be seen on both sides from oncoming vehicles.
Cliff

 

[Buckman]

Front (and rear) high level clearance lamps are a legal requirement for all trailers over 2.1m wide

Not sure who told you that as it appears to be incorrect. Buccaneers are 2.5m wide and they do not have the front high level clearance light.

 

[otherclive]

Front (and rear) high level clearance lamps are a legal requirement for all trailers over 2.1m wide

My current and two previous caravans have only had them on the rear.

 

[Beachball]

i would agree with Buckman i use to own a Elddis Crusader 2.3m wide and that did not have the front high level clearance light .

 

[Lutz]

Not sure who told you that as it appears to be incorrect. Buccaneers are 2.5m wide and they do not have the front high level clearance light.

Here's a summary of vehicle lighting requirements:

https://www.hella.com/hella-com/assets/media_global/673_Legal_Requirements_Brochure_HELLA_EN.pdf

Those applicable to trailers start at page 28

 

[Buckman]

Lutz sorry to disillusion you but that is a marketing website wanting to scare you into buying stuff that you do not need.
Do you really believe that a caravan manufacture would build a caravan that does not comply with the legislation. It does not apply to O2 trailers like caravans.

 

[Lutz]

Lutz sorry to disillusion you but that is a marketing website wanting to scare you into buying stuff that you do not need.
Do you really believe that a caravan manufacture would build a caravan that does not comply with the legislation. It does not apply to O2 trailers like caravans.

The link that I provided references all the legal requirements (primarily ECE-R48) so there is no reason to believe that they are trying to scare anyone to buying stuff that is not needed.
Where O2 trailers are excepted, they have referenced such exceptions, too.

 

[JezzerB]

Understandable then if it's legally needed but our Buc which we now have has them at the rear-obviously we put the awning on the front-simples. None at the front on the side.
Beachball if we're ever on site and you see us-Black Navara and Bucanneer come over and ask-more than happy to help -I broke my foot and a kind person helped my wife put ours up=we've seen him since which is always nice.

 

[audiorob]

My marker lights are also at the rear corner which I would think is more usual. I thread my porch awning from the rear and have not found a problem with the light unit, maybe the profile is different. I had thought that they were a legal requirement to show the height and width of the trailer when towing in the dark, although wonder whether the light at the front corner would serve this purpose. Anyway good to know that apparently spare plastic lens covers are available and the whole unit is cheap to replace.

 

[Raywood]

The lights are a legal requirement so simply removing them is not possible. They could be moved, but you are then left with having to fill the hole with something and fitting the lights elsewhere. I would discuss it with your dealer or engineer and see what they can suggest. They are better at the rear which is where they have been on our caravans though.

 

[Beachball]

Understandable then if it's legally needed but our Buc which we now have has them at the rear-obviously we put the awning on the front-simples. None at the front on the side.
Beachball if we're ever on site and you see us-Black Navara and Bucanneer come over and ask-more than happy to help -I broke my foot and a kind person helped my wife put ours up=we've seen him since which is always nice.

When we got the caravan last year we were stopping at a site called the
Blue Rose Caravan & Country Park Brandsburton we had manage to put our Outdoor Revolution compactalite pro classic 250 porch awning 4 days in my back went the person behind who had a Kampa Ace Air 400 we had begin talking from day one he came around he said what wrong he help my wife take it down and into the bag we thank him with a bottle of wine .
So if i see you i will take you up on that offer Thanks

 

[Dustydog]

Lutz is absolutely correct. Caravan lights are mandatory .In fact an unhitched caravan parked on a road at night must be lit! It’s the Law.

 

[otherclive]

My present van as high level marker lights at the rear. It also has front white running lights that are set very low. On bad days these get dirty very quickly and also due to their positioning are not very visible to on coming traffic. But they are better for the driver than on a previous S5 Bailey. On that van the front white running lights beautifully illuminated in the drivers mirrors. Not very helpful on night trips.