bumper light bar

I am thinking of fitting a bumper mounted light bar, so I can fit a couple of driving/spot lights to my disco, but alot of people are telling me that these are now illegal & will fail an M.O.T.

is this true ?

FFS :doh:

no

There are loads of regulations on vehicle lighting. Height from ground, distance from side of vehicle, when they come on, alignment, colour of bulbs. Yup I'm pretty sure that if you try hard you could make your vehicle illegal and get an MOT fail.

Mind you, you could fit a switch.

phill900r said:

I am thinking of fitting a bumper mounted light bar, so I can fit a couple of driving/spot lights to my disco, but alot of people are telling me that these are now illegal & will fail an M.O.T.

is this true ?

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From what I was told, under bumper = fog light's, above bumper = spot/driving light's. So long as the light's are spaced evenly between headlight's and they are no stronger than the candle strength of the headlight's all is fine. If stronger bulbs are used (for off-road use only) then they should be on a separate switch in order to comply with the law and pass an MOT.

You can fit fogs at headlamp height too, some manufacturers put them in headlamps. Driving lamps can only work with main beam. Must be the correct wattage for road use. No higher than the headlamps. Fitted in multiples of two and equally spaced. Ideally with a switch. If they are not legal ie too powerful too high incorrectly mounted, you can still have them, you just can't use them on the road so must have a switch fitted or the police will pull you! Same with incorrect use of fogs! It's an offence

New to the forum just thought I'd say hi and stick my nose in. Used to be an mot tester.
I think you'll find you can stick as many lights as you want where you want as long as they aren't dangerous to other road users and pedestrians. And you don't have them turned on for the mot. They aren't part of the test hence can't fail!

Diesel Do said:

You can fit fogs at headlamp height too, some manufacturers put them in headlamps. Driving lamps can only work with main beam. Must be the correct wattage for road use. No higher than the headlamps. Fitted in multiples of two and equally spaced. Ideally with a switch. If they are not legal ie too powerful too high incorrectly mounted, you can still have them, you just can't use them on the road so must have a switch fitted or the police will pull you! Same with incorrect use of fogs! It's an offence

New to the forum just thought I'd say hi and stick my nose in. Used to be an mot tester.
I think you'll find you can stick as many lights as you want where you want as long as they aren't dangerous to other road users and pedestrians. And you don't have them turned on for the mot. They aren't part of the test hence can't fail!

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Pretty decent informative 1st post for a noob, and you said hello too! Should keep the wolf pack off your case

Dewin said:

Pretty decent informative 1st post for a noob, and you said hello too! Should keep the wolf pack off your case

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Certainly makes a nice change!

sirwingalot said:

Certainly makes a nice change!

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Aye, let's hope it's a sign of things to come ... but it is still only their 1st post...

phill900r said:

I am thinking of fitting a bumper mounted light bar, so I can fit a couple of driving/spot lights to my disco, but alot of people are telling me that these are now illegal & will fail an M.O.T.

is this true ?

Click to expand...

is the op is referring to fitting a bull bar with lights on the bull bar?

fitting a metal bullbar is now illegal ....it has to be a plastic a bar. however an exising metal bullbar can remain fitted. its illegal for a shop to sell a metal bull bar so you wont be able to buy a new one anyway.

but its a plod concern not an mot failure

yes it is the Light bar i was asking about & not the lights. I wasn't thinking of buying one I was thinking of making one made out of steel tube, with the lightS mounted to it.

so if I do fit one would it have to be removed for the M.O.T & would/could the police pull me over for having it fitted.
the link below is what I was thinking of

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Land-Rove...arts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item3a62043976

Unless the mot regs have changed recently metal bull bars etc will pass, as long as they don't have sharp edges or sticky out bits that could be classed as a danger to pedestrians etc.
An mot is a very specific list of things to test. If it isn't on the list it doesn't get tested. The only way something that isn't on the list can become a failure is if it can be classed as blatantly dangerous, like having a pair of spear heads welded to your bumper cos they look pretty! But you could get away with them in the middle of your roof because it's very unlikely to cause a passer by an injury. You don't consider running people over for an mot really it's more people walking past being injured or catching them as you drive past. Rusty wheel arches cannot fail an mot unless they're 12" from suspension mount or something else important which could be weakened. BUT if they have sharp edges it's an instant fail as a danger to pedestrians (bit of gaffer tape sorts it). It's one of the few regs that can fail something that isn't normally tested,
So basically if your light bar has nice rounded corners and no sharp edges it should pass. I don't think light bars come under the heading of A bars and bull bars as you can still buy them from reputable suppliers. And I think you'll find it's not an offence to have a bull bar fitted but it is to sell one or for a garage to fit one. Also if your vehicle was sold after it became legislation it will have to be a plastic one. But existing metal ones are allowed, as long as you tell your insurance company who will be the biggest problem.