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Disable Amber running lights

Mike1220

By Mike1220
in Modifications & Accessories

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Mike1220 Senior Enthusiast

Mike1220

Posted
  • Author
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Excerpt directly from the Alberta Vehicle Equipment and Regulations:

 

40(1)\A motor vehicle that is 2.05 metres or more wide, including
its load, must have 2 amber clearance lamps on the front.

 

(2)A motor vehicle that is 2.05 metres or more wide, including its
load, must have 2 red clearance lamps on the rear.
(3)Subsection (2) does not apply to a truck tractor.
(4)A trailer that is 2.05 metres or more wide, including its load,
must have 2 amber clearance lamps on the front and 2 red
clearance lamps on the rear.
(5)The clearance lamps on a vehicle must be controlled by a
circuit that is independent of the circuit that controls the headlamps
and tail lamps of the vehicle.
(6)The clearance lamps on a vehicle must
(a) be located as close as practicable to the top of the vehicle,
(b) be in a horizontal row symmetrically about the vertical
center line, and indicate the width of the vehicle, including its load.

(6) A motor vehicle that is 2.05 metres or more wide, including

its load, must have 3 amber identification lamps on the front.

 

Pretty sure that's talking about roof mounted cab lights... clearance lights can't flash like signals and also according to GM specs the overall width of a Sierra 1500 is 2.032m (80") which is narrower than the required 2.05m(80.7"). They also require a minimum of 3 amber identification lamps if you're wider than 2.05m...

 

Then in regards to the actual applicable regulations for DRL's.

 

Daytime Running Lamps

(12)The daytime running lamps on a motor vehicle may emit
amber or white light.

 

Which is fine because of the white LED strips on the front. The ONLY thing the law enforcement could possible get you with is Side Marker Lamps:

 

 

Side Marker Lamps

37(1)A motor vehicle or trailer must have the following:

(a) one amber side marker lamp on each side and as close to
the front, excluding a trailer tongue, as is practicable;
(b) one red side marker lamp on each side and as close to the
rear as is practicable;
© if it is more than 9.2 metres long, one amber intermediate
side marker lamp at or near the midpoint.

 

 

But I'd put money on the fact that 80% of law enforcement doesn't even know those vehicle equipment regulations and you would never get a ticket for no amber side marker lights. Besides there too busy looking for guys with window tint, "widened exhaust systems", and tires sticking out halfway past the fenders.

 

 

 

I figured that anyone who does it is likely to not get a ticket, however I wanted to let anyone in that area know that technically, it is against the law, just incase if they ever run into that one cop that actually cares about little things like that. Also I was just told this info from Morris, I didn't double check it or anything. Just posted incase.

 

 

 

 

For anyone who wants to do this without cutting the truck's harness, one option that y'all could go with is to make a jumper like those people who are getting Rigid Industries or other off road pods in their fog lights. They are getting a 5202 to HID plug, however, for this you can get a 7443 to 7443 "extension" like this

http://www.ebay.com/itm/like/140819695044?lpid=82&chn=ps

 

This would allow you to plug into the truck's harness, cut the corresponding wire on the jumper, and then plug into your bulb

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hutch08 Enthusiast

hutch08

Posted
Posted

I had a couple 7441 bulbs laying around from another vehicle so i thought I'd give them a try. They're the same base a 7443 except single filament. They did have a little bump near the base that made them difficult to push in. After grinding the base a little they fit like a glove and worked only as signals. Try them first because they'll only work one way.

 

Also tried snipping the contacts off of the factory 7443 bulbs and they worked as well. The 7443 have 2 sets of contacts, the inner ones are the drl/park lamps and the outer are for the turn signals.

 

I didn't have to remove the headlights either, if you reach in behind the fender well you can actually get to the twist lock connector. A small pair of needle nose pliers helped twist them back into place. You will need to remove the airbox though which simply pops out of the grommets by pulling up on it.

NitroDatsik Senior Enthusiast

NitroDatsik

Posted
Posted

You can also just pull both 15a fuses. Somehow mine blew and everything worked except the parking lights.

That seems to be the easiest method and easy to fix incase the law acts up.
NitroDatsik Senior Enthusiast

NitroDatsik

Posted
Posted

Bad news for Silverado people running Anzo Headlights. The u bar led is getting direct power from the parking lights. I took out both fuse 28,29 from under the hood and the parking lights + u bar went black. :-(. I put the fuses back in there and I was able to squeeze my hand on the side where the extra battery goes and remove the top light bulb. Damn do the lights look sexy without them lol. So next best thing to do is either remove the bulb terminal for parking light or snip the wire.

morrislee Enthusiast

morrislee

Posted
Posted

The reason I am so worried because I have been told by my buddy that he knows several people got ticketed for no amber running lights. I am not sure if he was clear on the condition though.

 

 

In any regard, I want to do 3 amber lights in my grille like the raptors do :D

hutch08 Enthusiast

hutch08

Posted
Posted

The reason I am so worried because I have been told by my buddy that he knows several people got ticketed for no amber running lights. I am not sure if he was clear on the condition though.

 

 

In any regard, I want to do 3 amber lights in my grille like the raptors do :D

If you're in Alberta there's no regulation on amber running lights. Just can only be white or amber. Alot of guys used to go swap in blue LED's and that's a big no-no to mr. law.

 

And those raptor running lights aren't just for looks... they're wider than 2.05m so they require a minimum 3 clearance lights on the front and also at the widest body points.

morrislee Enthusiast

morrislee

Posted
Posted

If i am incorrect on understanding the width, the 80" is not accounting the mirrors. I am sure we are way over that with the mirrors. Unless mirros dont count?

hutch08 Enthusiast

hutch08

Posted
Posted

If i am incorrect on understanding the width, the 80" is not accounting the mirrors. I am sure we are way over that with the mirrors. Unless mirros dont count?

Mirrors don't count..

hutch08 Enthusiast

hutch08

Posted
Posted

Wohoooooo!!! I am legal!!??

Legal in regards to not needing clearance lights... and DRL's can be amber or white.

 

The only regulation that you'll be breaking is the section on side marker lamps. The law states that while looking at a vehicle from the side there should be an amber near the front and a red light near the back. You can see the headlights from the side so i don't foresee that ever becoming an issue.

morrislee Enthusiast

morrislee

Posted
Posted

Legal in regards to not needing clearance lights... and DRL's can be amber or white.

 

The only regulation that you'll be breaking is the section on side marker lamps. The law states that while looking at a vehicle from the side there should be an amber near the front and a red light near the back. You can see the headlights from the side so i don't foresee that ever becoming an issue.

:( ok :(

TX_AT Enthusiast

TX_AT

Posted
Posted

I tried the easy route first (removing fuse 28 & 29) and it didn't work. For us Sierra guys removing these fuses also cuts power to both of our LED strips. Gonna have to go the other route.

NitroDatsik Senior Enthusiast

NitroDatsik

Posted
Posted

You can reach all 4 bulbs from the hood without removing the grill Headlights. In the driver side just reach through the hole on top of the wheel. On the passenger side u need to remove the air filter then reach through the hole that's there.

hutch08 Enthusiast

hutch08

Posted
Posted

Officially renaming this to the "Tron Mod"...

 

 

Tron_Legacy_1366x768-1-.jpg

 

Here's my 15' All Terrain, 35watt 4500k HID headlights and 5000k LED foglights.

 

20150207_202854_zpsb0fapcyf.jpg

 

20150207_203049_zpsqj3xu5vk.jpg

 

20150207_203014_zpsaxkpujay.jpg

 

 

 

As a side note... This only affects the parking lamps and night time function of the amber lights for us Canadians. During the day only the LEDs are used as DRLs and the amber function as turn signal only. At night they automatically come on with the low beams which we cannot turn off once shifted out of park. Now the ambers solely function as turn signals and hazard lights.

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