REVIEW – In the event you haul bikes on the again of your automobile, you is likely to be taken with enhancing the visibility of the rig for these behind you, particularly when you may have bikes in tow. Relying on the bikes and the bike rack, it’s extremely seemingly that some or all of a taillight could possibly be blocked by all the rig. The Hollywood Racks Security Gentle Bar solves that subject. By plugging into your automotive’s electrical system, it gives working lights, blinker assist in addition to brake lights under and generally to the again of the saved bike setup. Learn on to learn the way properly the Hollywood Racks Security Gentle Bar carried out for me.

What’s it?

The Hollywood Racks Security Gentle Bar is a multi-color LED mild bar, built-in into the automobile’s trailering system and will be added to just about any rear bike rack to offer not solely rear working lights, but additionally blinker and brake mild assist.

What’s within the field?

• Bicolor LED Gentle Strap Meeting – Contains 4 Pin flat trailer connector.
• 4 Pin flat trailer connector tester
• 4 Pin flat trailer connector to 7 pin spherical connector adapter.
• Hollywood Racks Metallic Clamps X 2
• Additional Lock Washers for Clamp X 2
• 1” X 18” Velcro Strap X 4
• Cable Strap
• Assortment of zip ties.

{Hardware} specs

• Enter Voltage: 12VDC +/- 15%
• Working temperature: -15 °C to 60 °C (5 °F to 140 °F)
• Waterproof/Dustproof Ranking: IP67
• Brake lights (flash amber, then excessive brightness crimson)
• Operating (low brightness crimson)
• Left flip sign (driver-side amber)
• Proper flip sign (passenger aspect amber)
• Emergency flashers (each driver and passenger sides amber)
• Word: Reverse/backup lights are NOT included within the mild bar, nor can they be added

Design and options

The fundamental design of the Hollywood Racks Security Gentle Bar could be very straight ahead. The LED mild strip has two colours, crimson and amber, with the crimson LEDs having each common and brilliant capabilities. The sunshine bar’s connector is a normal 4-pin flat trailer connector, nonetheless the setup ships with the 4-pin to 7-pin spherical adapter, already populated so in case your automobile has the 7-pin spherical connection, you need to be good to go by simply plugging the Hollywood Racks Security Gentle Bar 4-pin connector into the adapter, after which that straight into your 7-pin spherical socket.

One very good contact is the 4-pin flat trailer connector tester which aids within the wiring of 1’s automobile if no trailer wiring is current or permits one to test the prevailing wiring if in case you have a difficulty. The tester is straightforward having 3 LEDs, coded with the LED closest to the bottom connection being lit when the working lights are on, the center LED, for the left-turn sign and the final LED for the right-turn sign. Each the center and the final LED are lit to point a braking state of affairs.

The guide incorporates connector wiring diagrams to assist within the wiring of 1’s automobile to the connector must you want it.

Setup

The set up video from Hollywood Racks is an excellent place to start out. That stated, the setup was very straight ahead with the set up information, particularly since I’m putting in onto one of many supported Hollywood Racks, bike racks, the Hollywood RV Rider EBike Rack, on this case. For these needing to put in a non-Hollywood Racks bike rack, the Hollywood Racks Security Gentle Bar actually comes with all of the Velcro straps and a single sling like strap, to mount the sunshine bar onto nearly any bike rack. Once more the set up information could be very helpful on this state of affairs as properly.

If the Hollywood Racks Security Gentle Bar is mounted to one of many supported Hollywood Bike Racks one can merely use the 2 included steel clamps that are particularly designed to work on their very own bike racks. The set up information particularly mentions Hollywood’s Sport Rider and RV Rider racks. I’d contact product assist if you happen to had been planning to apply it to a special bike rack from Hollywood Racks to see if the included steel clamps will work with their different fashions.

Since my automobile was already wired with the 4-pin flat trailer connector, the set up was even simpler. I merely positioned the 2 included steel clamps, indifferent the big sling strap from the sunshine bar (I gained’t want it), and slid the sunshine bar via the 2 clamps. For my footage and the video of the product, I didn’t use the 2 1-inch Velcro straps on the ends to firmly safe the sunshine rack to the bike rack. You will want to do that within the precise setup as these straps will preserve the sunshine bar from sliding out of the clamps.

Efficiency

Whereas I can’t communicate to what the lights appear like on the highway behind me, I did take some footage (previous movie time period) of what the Hollywood Racks Security Gentle Bar appears to be like like in operation on the again of my automobile within the storage with the quick video under. I’ve been very impressed with this addition to my bike rack. I particularly see this as an virtually obligatory addition if one makes use of one of many massive bike rack bike covers as it could virtually assuredly clean out all the rear of the automobile.

Even if you happen to shouldn’t have a Hollywood Racks bike rack, I believe the Hollywood Racks Security Gentle Bar is a good addition to any bike rack and really feel assured that the assortment of straps and tie downs would permit the rack to be hooked up to simply about any hitch mounted bike rack on the market.

It’s price declaring that the sunshine bar isn’t just a stagnate set of LED lights, however as an alternative has animations that attracts these following’s consideration to the sunshine bar each time it’s activated. Within the case of the blinkers, the sunshine bar will animate from the middle out to the top within the course of the flip, and within the case of the braking occasion, each blinkers will animate out from the middle to the top, after which the crimson LEDs will illuminate up brightly.

Lastly, there may be what I really feel is a crucial doable subject talked about on the Hollywood Racks net web page for this product that I’ll duplicate right here for comfort and completeness’ sake. It has to do with utilizing the Hollywood Racks Security Gentle Bar with automobiles that make the most of LED lights as the sunshine bar was designed for use with typical incandescent automotive lights. Please reference this part under:

Some newer automobiles, together with the Ford F-150 with a factory-installed tow package deal, should not suitable with the LED Bar or different LED trailer lighting methods. It’s because the automobile’s tow package deal or electrical system has been designed for use with automotive mild bulbs. These mild bulbs require extra electrical present than LED lights. For these automobiles, the LED Bar will both not operate in any respect or operate incorrectly. They could additionally produce a warning mild in your sprint that one among your mild bulbs is out OR trigger your flip indicators to flash quicker than regular. It’s because the automobile “thinks” there’s a bulb out as a result of low electrical present of the LED.

These automobiles embody:
2016-2023 OEM tow package deal geared up Ford F- Collection vans, sprinter vans,
Expeditions, Excursions, Explorers, Rangers, Broncos, and Mavericks.
Different automobiles embody newer BMW, Audi, Volvo, Chevrolet, and GMC with OEM tow packages.

For LED Bar customers experiencing dashboard warnings or quickly flashing flip indicators, you must buy a 4-pin flat to 7-pin spherical adapter with a built-in electrical resistor. This adapter mimics automotive bulbs’ electrical present, doubtlessly resolving compatibility points. Whereas we can not assure common compatibility, it has confirmed efficient typically. Buy the adapter at Etrailer.com or Amazon for seamless integration.

What I like

• Animated Lighting
• Very Versatile Mounting Help
• Sturdy Construct
• Nice Buyer Help

What I’d change

• Actually nothing, easy product, nice implementation

Closing ideas

The Hollywood Racks Security Gentle Bar is a straightforward product. That stated, there isn’t any doubt that including this bike rack accent will enormously enhance the visibility of your automobile from behind each when you may have bikes in tow, and even if in case you have the bike rack folded up into the automobile.

I need to give a shout out to Hollywood Racks buyer assist for the way in which they dealt with a mishap I had throughout my testing of the system which was 100% my fault and so they had been very responsive and nice in arising with an answer. With out going into any element I need to add that they didn’t know I used to be doing a evaluate on their product whereas they had been serving to me out. Thanks Hollywood Racks!

Whereas I shouldn’t have a canopy for my bikes but, I do plan on getting one and the Hollywood Racks Security Gentle Bar can be an important a part of my bike toting rig!

Value: $149.99
The place to purchase: Hollywood Racks Security Bar Retailer.
Supply: The pattern of this product was supplied by Hollywood Racks.