MARKERS

Marker Lights For Peterbilt Trucks

Marker and clearance lights define the outline of a commercial truck to other drivers in low-visibility conditions -- they're a safety requirement and a commonly cited out-of-service violation when burned out or missing. FMVSS 108 requires specific placement and color for marker and clearance lights on commercial vehicles over 80 inches wide. We carry replacement marker lights in LED and incandescent options for Peterbilt trucks, in the amber and red configurations required for front and rear placement.

Frequently asked questions about marker lights

How many marker lights does a Peterbilt truck require?

A Class 8 truck over 80 inches wide requires three amber clearance/identification lights across the top front, three red clearance/identification lights across the top rear, amber side marker lights on the front half of the vehicle, and red side marker lights on the rear half. The three lights across the top front and rear are the identification lights -- they must be evenly spaced and positioned as close to the top of the vehicle as practicable. This is a commonly inspected item, and missing or non-functional lights result in citations.

Are LED marker lights worth replacing incandescent on a Peterbilt?

LED marker light upgrades are one of the most practical and cost-effective maintenance investments on a commercial truck. LED lights last many times longer than incandescent bulbs, eliminating most of the marker light replacement work during the truck's service life. They also draw less current, which reduces the load on the alternator and wiring system. Most LED marker lights are direct replacements for incandescent fixtures and simply plug into the existing wiring harness with no modification required.

Why do marker lights fail so quickly on the trailer but last longer on the tractor?

Trailer lighting connections are subjected to significantly more abuse than tractor lighting -- the trailer electrical connector at the nose of the trailer sees repeated connect/disconnect cycles, weather exposure, and pin corrosion that degrades the circuit. A poor ground connection at the trailer is the single most common cause of lighting problems. The vibration environment on a trailer is also more severe than on the tractor, which accelerates bulb filament failure in incandescent lights. Upgrading trailer marker lights to LED and maintaining clean, sealed connections addresses most trailer lighting reliability issues.

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