Does anyone use them? I was getting my mill ready this week to go on a journey, and discovered an unfinished job. last year when I began refurbishing the wiring, I striped all the chewed up shorted out trailer wiring. I had purchased new wire and lights, but somehow got distracted from the job, and then, when the need arose for my flat bed trailer, I had used it on it. I had forgot all about it until I went to check the lights on the mill and there was no way to plug them in. I went in the house a bit bummed that I had an additionally chore to do before I could leave and there in the mail was the new harbor freight catalog. They had magnetic trailering lights on sale for $18.99 I think I paid more for the wire and lights I had used on the flatbed. So I picked a set up. Went out just now and had trailer lights working on the mill in about 5 minutes. I guess we'll see how they work as it is 186 miles to my property.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10001/lights.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1539710904)
I have a set from them I use on some of my farm equipment. Treat the wires gingerly the ones I have are soft and break easy.
I use them but be sure to put at least one bungee strap on them to make sure they don't fall off going over bumps.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10095/20161105_104204~0.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1539712289)
We use them for moving jobsite office trailers from job to job. They work great but like Jim Rogers said make sure you bungee or tie wire them from falling off should you hit a bump.
Professional towing companies use them all the time, when towing a car hooked to the "stinger" bar behind a rollback truck. A quick search showed professional grade ones priced around $100. They use 90# magnets and a heavy duty cable plugged into a 4 wire round socket. An adapter would be needed to connect to a 4 wire flat plug.
Just went out and bungied them to the mill. :) I hope to leave in the morning. I wouldn't attempt to leave this afternoon for fear of the Mackinaw bridge being closed when I got there. very windy today. I'm sure it wouldn't stay closed, but I have other things to do than sit waiting for a road to open.
Jeff,
How high does the winds get on the bridge. It is quite a bridge to go over which my wife and I did last year after the pig roast.
Good luck . Beautiful county.
Ron
The winds get fierce up there. A west or east wind has a long ways to blow and build speed across the lakes and then whistles through the straights. I think the bridge can sway up to 35ft east and west center span in a severe blow.
0-20 mph — No restrictions: Bridge speed limit is 45 mph.
20-35 mph — High wind advisory: Vehicles should travel no faster than 20 mph across the bridge.
35-50 mph — Escort mode: Any high-profile vehicles, such as semi trucks, must wait to be escorted across the bridge. The escort is intended to make sure the high-profile vehicles maintain properly low speed. That speed will be no more than 20 mph, but could be less.
50-65 mph — Partial closure: The bridge is closed to high-profile vehicles. Passenger vehicles not towing anything may cross the bridge, but at no more than 20 mph.
65 mph and above — The bridge closed to all traffic.
I've been on the bridge in a hail storm when all traffic stopped and it was big time scary how much it was moving.
With those winds I don't think a bungee cord will hold the lights! Wow that's amazing!
There sure is not much to stop it. It sure is an impressive structure thou even when you see it from a distance.
Ron
I put DOT reflective tape (red and white) on all my trailers, especially on the sides. There is no way that someone won't see your trailer when you've got that stuff on it. Of course, the trailer lights are essential but are most visible from the rear.
Tape the wires in a few places too. As said, they will break if the wind gets to whipping them too much.
Jeff,
I bought a set of those for my Davis Little Monster backhoe so I could tow it up to my property. The magnet on those lights is not the strongest. They moved a bit and I was only doing 55-60. The lights sat up on the square fenders so they took the full wind. The wire is pretty flimsy so I second that you need to make sure the wire is not flapping in the breeze or it WILL break.
If regular lights were attached to a removable bar it could be removed on site and stowed, out of harms way, in the truck. Frank C.
My lights are on a bar that holds the plate
It clamps on the back of the mill.
Tape the wires to the frame.
Works well
I used them when I pulled my mill home for the first time. A few zip ties to hold the wires and they rode just fine for the ~60 miles ride home.
Quote from: ronwood on October 16, 2018, 03:55:00 PM
Jeff,
How high does the winds get on the bridge. It is quite a bridge to go over which my wife and I did last year after the pig roast.
Good luck . Beautiful county.
Ron
Strong enough to blow a Yugo off! Google it.
We used them all the time when moving farm equipment for the JD dealership I worked at. One manufacturer (Sunflower ??) of tillage stuff mounted them permanently on their equipment; also sold them as an accessory. I still have a set in the shop.
Guys around the dealership called them "Drag Lights". Wonder why???
I have some I put on my mill and towed it 1,200 miles. They weren't Harbor Freight though, got them on Amazon. Freeway speeds, thunderstorms, winds, and 100 miles of washboard gravel road and they didn't budge. Lights (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0725RF3PL/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1)
A good thing to do, on cheapo magnetic trailer lights.
Is to change the magnets for nice neodymium magnets. No more bungee needed. (well, if stuck well)