# 1Up rack signal light solution



## jizzim (Dec 1, 2006)

First off I am not a shill for Admore Lighting based in Canada. I do not work for them or did I get any discount. I am just a dude from Texas who needed a good lighting solution. 

I drive a Wrangler and have a 7" hitch extender to clear the spare and added the Kuat Pivot to the 1Up. The entire combo sticks out about 2 feet behind the Jeep from the spare. 
Over the weekend I emailed Admore on a whim and someone replied back. Guess they work on Saturdays over there. I was told that they now make a bike rack specific light bar with a 4 pin already connected. It wasn't on their website. The light comes with a 1Up specific mounting bracket or a universal bracket. 

The light was $159 shipped. Yes it was expensive. This is just a heads up for someone looking for a turnkey lighting solution for the 1Up rack. Yes, I understand you can put together something for much cheaper. Then again the 1Up wasn't cheap either.


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## jizzim (Dec 1, 2006)

Finally got the light installed after I swapped out the 1.25" hitch bar to the 2" hitch bar on the 1Up. I didn't feel like using the 1.25" hitch bar with the adapter plate anymore.


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## Flyer (Jan 25, 2004)

A good setup in states where cops can hassle you for light interference. In Colorado or Utah (I pretty much bike only in these states) I haven't been hassled ever. Cops would be pulling people over all day long. I have a Wrangler as well as a 1UP, and I use the 1UP extension to clear my 35" spare.


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## Shark (Feb 4, 2006)

I grabbed a pair of motorcycle LED strips from Amazon and a trailer plug, around$25 total I think, definitely good to have something back there


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## jizzim (Dec 1, 2006)

Shark said:


> I grabbed a pair of motorcycle LED strips from Amazon and a trailer plug, around$25 total I think, definitely good to have something back there


Yeah I looked at different solutions before hand.

I wasn't worried about cops. I was more worried about the idiot drivers we have in my neck of the woods. Just needed something to grab their attention so I wouldn't get plowed into.


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## slcpunk (Feb 4, 2004)

jizzim said:


> Yeah I looked at different solutions before hand.
> 
> I wasn't worried about cops. I was more worried about the idiot drivers we have in my neck of the woods. Just needed something to grab their attention so I wouldn't get plowed into.


Cool. I think I want something like this, but I'm always switching between 2, 3 and 4 racks which makes installation a pain unless it just clips/unclips easily and has extending wires somehow.

guessing the cheapo/amazon route is the trick in that case.

oh - for the light bar is it brake only or turn signal and reverse too?


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## JohnJ80 (Oct 10, 2008)

Shark said:


> I grabbed a pair of motorcycle LED strips from Amazon and a trailer plug, around$25 total I think, definitely good to have something back there


This is what I did too and I'm super happy with the outcome. If that was your suggestion all those months ago - thanks!

I did buy that POS of a light bar that 1UpUSA sells for $90. It interferes with the fat bike kit on one of the add-ons I have and the wiring is just ridiculously flimsy and poorly thought out. They ought to take that off their website, it's terrible.

I saw first hand how important it is to have supplemental lighting if you have more than 1 bike on your rack. There is just too much in front of the tail lights to see them. With a light on the back of the rack - it's far far better. I got a first hand look at this when we were moving my son to his new city and I followed behind my car with the light bar on it. The taillights get kind of hard to see behind two sets of wheels and the light bar on the back is vivid.

I wired mine up so the lights on the rack are off as running lights but when I touch the brakes or turn signals they light up. Especially vivid and eye catching at night. The car provides adequate running lights normally.

J.


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## slcpunk (Feb 4, 2004)

links to Amazon? i've looked at a bunch but never know which ones to trust because there are so many of dubious quality!


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## JohnJ80 (Oct 10, 2008)

Here are the lights I used. They have sticky back tape on the back side so I just stuck them in place. I bought 4 of the light strips and put two on the main part of bracket at the rear (one near the top, the other aligned near the bottom) and then spliced it together, soldered the wires, and attached them a trailer harness.

Here are the lights:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01L8YZ0II/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Here is the harness:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0000AYFTV/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

So the lights are permanently mounted on one of my add on kits. This kit always goes to the back when on the rack. If I have only the rack on the car, then I don't feel I need the lights. If I did need the lights with one bike (for example if I had my bike covers on my bike that completely cover the bike and are opaque, I'd just add the last add on and leave it empty.

J.


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## slcpunk (Feb 4, 2004)

Awesome. I was wondering about how to handle that part. I think I might shoot for something that mounts on its own to avoid having it stuck to one add-on. Maybe. Thanks for the links.


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## JohnJ80 (Oct 10, 2008)

Why would you be stuck to one add on? Just make that one the last one in the line. You really don't need extra lights for one bike unless you're putting opaque covers over the bike.

J.


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## slcpunk (Feb 4, 2004)

JohnJ80 said:


> Why would you be stuck to one add on? Just make that one the last one in the line. You really don't need extra lights for one bike unless you're putting opaque covers over the bike.
> 
> J.


Well, I could try to use the one with lights last every time, but we have 2 racks between 2 cars ( one double, one single + 2 add ons), and the add-ons may go on one or the other car at any time, so it would require more planning. Probably could make it work though ( usually they go with the double rack to make 3 or 4 )


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## J_Westy (Jan 7, 2009)

I made a set years ago with a pair of Optronics surface mount trailer lights that I velco'ed to the rack.

I got them from the local parts store, but I think they were these:
Optronics International > PRODUCTS > LED Lighting > LED Stop/Turn/Tail > Products


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## Can-Am (Jan 23, 2009)

jizzim said:


> Finally got the light installed after I swapped out the 1.25" hitch bar to the 2" hitch bar on the 1Up. I didn't feel like using the 1.25" hitch bar with the adapter plate anymore.


Silly question : Is that standard width for a 1up ? I'd like one for my Wrangler but looks almost too wide. Thanks


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## jizzim (Dec 1, 2006)

Can-Am said:


> Silly question : Is that standard width for a 1up ? I'd like one for my Wrangler but looks almost too wide. Thanks


Standard is 1.25" and you can add an adapter to make it fit 2" hitches. Or you can get a 1Up that's 2" without the need for an adapter.


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## davec113 (May 31, 2006)

Lights are a good idea, I'd do it with more than 2 bikes.

This is my solution for my 2-bike rack... You can get reflective tape at most hardware stores.


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## JohnJ80 (Oct 10, 2008)

J_Westy said:


> I made a set years ago with a pair of Optronics surface mount trailer lights that I velco'ed to the rack.
> 
> I got them from the local parts store, but I think they were these:
> Optronics International > PRODUCTS > LED Lighting > LED Stop/Turn/Tail > Products


That's what I did first pass as my v1.0.

In the last couple years, my wife and I have been taking more day trips instead of long road trips and putting the lights on each time was one more step and more time. When the LED motorcycle strips came out, they are just so small and trim that it made sense for me to just attach them to an add-on stage. One less thing to do before we go for a ride. So for us, that's v2.0.

J.


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## theGliberal (Sep 25, 2009)

Do you have a part number for the Admore Light? TIA


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