mounting extra brake lights on 1.5” struts, NO drilling.

[LosAngeles]

Hi all. I have a weird little project on the go.

For complex reasons I won’t bore you with …….

(don’t ask why I want to do this)
😉

... I want to mount these 3” high x 8” wide light plastic trailer brake lights on these 1.5” truck camper tie down horizontal metal struts... down below the rear of the truck camper.
but I do NOT want to drill into the struts, nor bolt into them, for obvious reasons. 🙂

I don’t own tin snips or a full shop (otherwise I could fairly easily make some custom metal brackets for the job ... that would quickly rust and be ugly)

I want to do this securely so they don’t rattle and fall off, and I’d like to keep the lights as sealed as they are, if possible.

The trailer tail light kit is less than $30 and I don’t want to have to spend a bunch of $ or time on the mounting.

One option would be to remove the front lens (on each)
Then drill small holes thru the back of the plastic box

Maybe about 2” apart... top to bottom that is. Maybe 6 holes total per box. (So 3 zip ties)

Use strong Zip Ties to secure the box to the struts

and then use a good outdoor caulk to re -seal up the holes from the outside - to keep road crud out of the back side of the boxes.

I thought about using bolts / pipe strap / wood / etc but all that gets more ugly and time consuming I think.

These lights will simply plug into the flat trailer lights outlet on the back of the pickup, so isolated from the main trucks brake lights.

Any other simple and clever way to mount these extra brake lights? Ideally something that does not rust or rattle.

The kit comes with a license plate holder that will not work in my situation, by the way.
Thanks!

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004L073H8

[Lwiddis]

If the lights aren’t claiming good water resistance and mounting without compromising that resistance, I believe you’re wasting your time. eTrailer has a number of inexpensive weathertight rear lights

[gbopp]

Epoxy strong magnets to the back of the light housing.
Or, use your zip tie idea and caulk the holes to keep water out.

[LosAngeles]

travisc wrote:
Check your local truck stop for different lighting options and brackets

Thanks.... nowhere near any truck stops... good idea tho! 🙂

[travisc]

Check your local truck stop for different lighting options and brackets

[LosAngeles]

Here is a pic....

https://imgur.com/a/0iru39g