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From the June 2008 issue of Trailer Life Magazine:
I CAN SEE THE LIGHT
Once you get the hang of it, hitching up can be mostly trouble-free;
however, certain moments can sometimes require some much appreciated
extra help. One of those moments is while hitching up at night.
Because most tow-vehicle reverse lights provide limited illumination
of the hitch area, the process is usually relegated to a helper
holding a flashlight.
White Night rear lighting systems of Hendersonville, North Carolina,
has developed a universal lighting system for hitching assistance,
and it can also be used for other applications. Using two 55-watt
halogen lamps encased in high-impact ABS, the White Night is designed
to fit nearly any tow vehicle by simply using the correct install
kit. Along with the lighting system, I suggest using White Night’s
optional Plug N’ Go adapter No. 4149. Using the Plug N’ Go
eliminates the need for hard-wiring as long as the tow vehicle
is equipped with a standard seven-pin receptacle and has a charge
line wired in.
During testing of White Night’s Fixed Mount No. 4199, which
is designed to mount on a 2-inch receiver, I had to use large chain
quick links to extend the safety chain loops below the housing.
White Night, however, is up front about specific application issues
and provides several mounting options that take varied interferences
into consideration. Also, once the White Night was in place, the
holes for the safety pin did not line up. The company suggests
drilling new holes, but that can be somewhat problematic for most
owners. An easier solution is to use a receiver extension; keep
in mind this may impact handling for some combinations by further
extending the distance from the rear axle of the tow vehicle to
the ball.
Using the Plug N’ Go adapter brought the total installation
time to about 10 minutes. In use, the White Night’s rear
lighting system far exceeded my expectations, not to mention overall
quality. An immense amount of rear lighting made hitching in the
dark no different than in daylight — and my helper was able
to stash the flashlight. There’s a three-way switch for manual
use or you can set it up to automatically come on when the backup
lights are illuminated. The White Night rear lighting system now
has permanent residence on my truck and I have found a number of
additional uses for the lights when in camp.
The White Night basic system retails for $89.95, the Plug N’ Go
is priced at $13.99 and install kits range from about $10-15 depending
on the model.
For more information call (888) 884-7637 or visit www.whitenight.com.
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