Replacement driving lights

[Keith Cooper]

I have a defective driving light on my 2000 Beaver Patriot Thunder (40').  When I contacted the folks at Monaco for parts they advised the correct replacement lamp was a Pilot PL-195 4" and that they are no longer able to obtain them through their supplier. 

I was able to locate the lights on the internet. However, when I went to replace the light I found the opening diameter is in fact 4" but the lights which were on the unit are actually 3" in diameter. The problem is in attaching the 4" lights the bracket needs to extend back 4" from the lens. The Pl-195 bracket only extends back approximately 2 3/4". Is there an adapter plate or are these in fact the wrong lights? If they are the wrong lights what is the correct part #?

By the way the bracket assemblies attached to the lights differently preventing me from just swapping brackets. Picture attached

[Bill Johnson]

If the original light is the one on the left in your picture, it would appear that it is the same as what came on our Patriot.  The diameter of ours is 4 inches and when I replaced one of ours (due to rock damage), the replacement easily fit on the original bracket.  Again, from your picture, the light on the left appears to be identical to ours and is a four inch light.  The number on our lights is:  HR, E11 12.5, 048357.  I do not know if this is the part number but those are the only numbers located on the lens.
Bill

[Joel Ashley]

Those are the same numbers that are on both my original and a replacement lamp lenses, Bill.  A 2006 Monterey.  But the new casing is different from the original, and it is in fact the same light as Keith's new one.  I had to do a little adapting of the mounting flange.  Also, the wire connectors were different, as appears to be the case with Keith's, and had to be changed to plug into the coach wires.

My guess is that you have the right light, Keith, and it is standard fare now for most rigs.  But you will have to do some adapting as I did, perhaps fabricating a piece of 3/4 or 1 inch steel strap to go between the new bracket and the coach.  Or maybe the old bracket could be cut and drilled as an adapter;  although just looking at it, I'd say do some measuring, make a new one with bends in it to align the lamp in its hole properly, drill some holes, and bolt it to the new light's bracket.

Unfortunately, motor home driving lights seem to make good rock targets.  And mine was $49 at BCS in Bend.  Next time I shop the auto parts stores first.

-Joel

[Keith Cooper]

Bill,
Thanks, the light which I removed from the Beaver is the one on the right. What that tells me is that either the bracket which is attached to the light on the left needs to be replaced (its length is approximately 2 3/4") or there is a different and shorter U shaped bracket that the lamp bracket attaches to on the motorhome. Either way my next step will be to contact Monaco to determine what is available. That should help me determine what action to take next. If I am unable to obtain the appropriate bracket for the lamp or chassis i will try to have two new brackets fabricated.
Keith

[Keith Cooper]

Thanks Joel,
That is what I thought might happen. For future reference, the replacement lights are available from Amazon @ $38.71 per pair

[Jerry Carr]

Can the driving lights be replace with LED lights? They would last longer and use less power?

[Joel Ashley]

LED's are typically a lot more expensive.  What a lot of us have discovered the hard way is that driving lights get broken by rocks before they wear out.  Since your typical alternator puts out plenty of amps to power them, I don't think that's a factor in choosing LED or standard.  For something that's in harm's way, I'd rather spend less on it, than more on a version with a long life that it will never reach anyway.

Keith, there are no adapter plates;  you have to fabricate them.  I've become well healed at making aluminum and steel adapters for many installations on my coaches, from coax cable reels to club egg plaques.  It's not difficult;  you just have to be precise in the final dimensions after each bend.  

Just looking at your photo, I'd find a short piece of steel similar in width and thickness to the new bracket - most home centers should have what you need.  Bend it in a "U" shape with approx. 1 inch wings and a 1 1/4" center section.  Drill 2 matching 3/16" holes in both the "U" adapter and the short wing of the new lamp's bracket, and bolt them together with 5/32" bolts and lock washers.  A properly sized hole in the adapter's opposite wing will take the old lamp's mounting bolt.  Alternatively, you can bend an "L" adapter instead of a "U" and bolt it to the bracket's long section.  Or you could bend down the short wing of the bracket and bolt a short "L" adapter to it.

Obviously there are several options, and I am only guessing at dimensions;  you have to determine the exact measurements that will provide the best alignment of the light.  You might want to use POR-15 paint, or at least Rustoleum, to finish your fabricated bracket with.

I'd also be real tempted to cut and bend the old lamp's bracket as the adapter;  it already has the mounting bolt hole.  But whether it will be as strong after you cut it is questionable -  thinner metal may be why it has two legs.  You could cut it off at about 2 1/2", flatten the two arms together in a vice, and use two bolts to mount it to the new bracket.  Your call.

-Joel

[Keith Cooper]

Good advise, I will probably make an L bracket with the following dimensions 14ga steel .75" W x 1.5" L e/w elongated .25" hole on side A. Side B = .75" W x 4" L w elongated .25" hole. Hole sizes match the current bracket.
FYI professional fabrication costs approximately $75 for 2 brackets.

[Jim Crawford]

Keith great post,  I too am having issues and in need to replace the driving lights on my 2003 Patriot. Would  you happen to have the part number that was used when making the purchase on Ebay for these driving lights ?

[Neal E Weinmann]

I just completed a purchase and replaced a broken driving light on my 2005 Monterey based on this thread. Just search Pilot 195 on Amazon and both driving lights and fog lights will come up. Had to change out the pin connectors for spade connectors to match the coach, but other than that it was a direct replacement. Thanks to all the posters on this thread!