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
