Bulletguy Posted May 27, 2014 Share Posted May 27, 2014 Last year i had some 'jobsworth' tell me about not displaying a rear warning sign on the back of my box. Had a look at these things most of which are made by Fiamma but come just as a plastic square with four holes drilled through. I wondered how they fit on a Back Box so phoned a couple of dealers to ask how they fit. Neither really know when it comes to Back Boxes as they said they are meant for cycles so suggested i screw it on......which in my opinion isn't a very clever idea as you've then got the problem of water getting in....even if using a sealant. Any suggestions or has anyone fitted one on their back box? http://www.johnscross.co.uk/fiamma-rear-warning-sign.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Billggski Posted May 27, 2014 Share Posted May 27, 2014 Mine's tied on with string. Very high tech! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StuartO Posted May 27, 2014 Share Posted May 27, 2014 There is a requirement to display a suitable warning sign if you have anythingoverhanging beyond a certain distance behind your vehicle's rear lights. I can't remember off hand what the distance is but I think it is quite short, so the jobsworth might have been right. It's the sort of thing French Policemen would use as an excuse to march you to a cash machine and relieve you of some money. You could hang a light board (i.e. an extra set of rear lights, like a trailer board but without the triangles) on the box but one of those Fiamia warning signs is probably a better and neater solution. I suggest you ask a tame traffic cop what the alowable overhang is and if your box exceeds it, suppress your irritation at the interference of the jobsworth and screw it on! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Uncle Bulgaria Posted May 27, 2014 Share Posted May 27, 2014 I think I read somewhere that one country requires the warning sign to be aluminium whereas others are happy with the (cheaper) plastic sign. I can't remember whether the aluminium country was Italy or Spain. I bought an aluminium one to cover all eventualities. I use bungee cords to retain the sign. Richard. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pepe63xnotuse Posted May 27, 2014 Share Posted May 27, 2014 One of our previous vans came with a Fiamma board riveted to the back box...and that never leaked. (I seem to recall that they hadn't used the existing "attaching"" holes but had spaced them out into the corners?..although I'm sure the reflectors on ours were positioned further in than the one in that link). I did replace the original board because it was very faded and the grommets had rusted and instead of rivets, I used small S/S bolts with white plastic screw cap covers.. It's a few years ago now and although I can't be certain, I should imagine that I would've used a dob of sealant around each hole and on each bolt. That didn't leak either..although it did fade as badly(or as well?)as the first *-) I did intend to swap it for the aluminium type but just never got around to it.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keithl Posted May 27, 2014 Share Posted May 27, 2014 And the direction of the stripes is also very important! From memory they must point downhill to the centre of the road. So technically you need to rotate the board 90 degrees when you cross the channel, or even easier set it ready for the continent as you're more likely to get told off over the water than at home :D Keith. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bulletguy Posted May 27, 2014 Author Share Posted May 27, 2014 Uncle Bulgaria - 2014-05-27 4:51 PM I think I read somewhere that one country requires the warning sign to be aluminium whereas others are happy with the (cheaper) plastic sign. I can't remember whether the aluminium country was Italy or Spain. I bought an aluminium one to cover all eventualities. I use bungee cords to retain the sign. Yes some countries are ok with the plastic others insist on the aluminium......simply because the stripes are reflective. *-) Daft part about it the plastic ones have four reflectors on anyway! Keithl - 2014-05-27 5:10 PM And the direction of the stripes is also very important! From memory they must point downhill to the centre of the road. So technically you need to rotate the board 90 degrees when you cross the channel, or even easier set it ready for the continent as you're more likely to get told off over the water than at home :D Must point to the offside of the vehicle so in Europe what would normally be our nearside! I'm very tempted just to get some red tape like this; http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/New-High-Intensity-Reflective-Tape-Vinyl-25mm-50mm-100mm-150mm-200mm-300mm-610mm-/181275535610?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&var=480301502971&hash=item2a34dd28fa The Back box is already white anyway so just a matter of trimming a few lengths and remembering to stick 'em on 'the right way'! Of course where i go you have to drive with headlights permanently on......pretty daft when most of the time the sun is so bright you can see vehicles from miles away......if you can't then you shouldn't be driving at all!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pepe63xnotuse Posted May 27, 2014 Share Posted May 27, 2014 BG..as you travel a fair bit, wouldn't it just be worth biting the bullet(bad pun intended)and just get the aluminium one? https://store-pjzoy.mybigcommerce.com/fiamma-rear-warning-sign-aluminium.html ..although in this link, it states they're "..not for Spain" ? http://www.thule.com/en/gb/products/rv-accessories/rv-bike-carriers/rv-bike-carriers-accessories/thule-rear-warning-sign-_-307619 :-S Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
starvin marvin Posted May 27, 2014 Share Posted May 27, 2014 Keithl - 2014-05-27 5:10 PM And the direction of the stripes is also very important! From memory they must point downhill to the centre of the road. So technically you need to rotate the board 90 degrees when you cross the channel, or even easier set it ready for the continent as you're more likely to get told off over the water than at home :D Keith. Exactly right! the stripes are supposed to point to indicate the side that vehicles following are to overtake, ie very important. I was speaking to a m/homer in Spain who claimed to have been fined for having his sign pointing in the wrong direction. So do it properly! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rubberrat Posted May 27, 2014 Share Posted May 27, 2014 Attach with bungees. If in doubt, everything can be attached with bungees. The Fiamma ones will point the right way if you can read the word Fiamma printed on it without standing on your head. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davidmac Posted May 27, 2014 Share Posted May 27, 2014 Hi I got an new aluminium sign from outdoor trail on ebay £9.95 Regards David Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigal55 Posted May 27, 2014 Share Posted May 27, 2014 davidmac - 2014-05-27 7:29 PM Hi I got an new aluminium sign from outdoor trail on ebay £9.95 Regards David hi david do you have a link for tis item thanks alan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bulletguy Posted May 27, 2014 Author Share Posted May 27, 2014 pepe63 - 2014-05-27 6:15 PM BG..as you travel a fair bit, wouldn't it just be worth biting the bullet(bad pun intended)and just get the aluminium one? https://store-pjzoy.mybigcommerce.com/fiamma-rear-warning-sign-aluminium.html ..although in this link, it states they're "..not for Spain" ? http://www.thule.com/en/gb/products/rv-accessories/rv-bike-carriers/rv-bike-carriers-accessories/thule-rear-warning-sign-_-307619 :-S Cost isn't the issue......it's the idea of screwing it onto my back box lid i don't like or want to do. Yes 'bungees' would do the job but that makes it easy to remove by some light fingered toe rag. How come nobody commented on my DIY idea of that red reflective adhesive tape? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chas Posted May 28, 2014 Share Posted May 28, 2014 4 dabs of Sikaflex should do the job, position the red strips for Europe regulations, I am pretty confident you wont get any hassle in G.B. :D After all the dam sign is to indicate a overhang at the rear of the vehicle >:-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pepe63xnotuse Posted May 28, 2014 Share Posted May 28, 2014 Bulletguy - 2014-05-27 11:33 PM How come nobody commented on my DIY idea of that red reflective adhesive tape? I would assume that these are *standardised/recognised signs, so just sticking some strips of tape on the back may not satisfy Euro-plod anyway..? (*If they weren't and you could stick anything on the back, then Fiamma, Thule etc would just be selling rolls of "branded" reflective tape instead... ;-) ) Also, with the "proper" signs only being 6 quid(and davidmac even getting a decent ali' one for a tenner),it hardly seems worth the messing about..? If you don't want to use "mechanical" fixings, then as chas says, stick it on with a decent **adhesive./mastic. (**Off Topic: Having said that, we had one of our plastic MPK mushroom vents "spring a leak" at the weekend and that had been fixed on with Sika 512.. When I got home I was able to just lift it clean off..it may as well have been stuck on with Sellotape!?(..and I had fastidiously cleaned, scoured and panel wiped both surfaces!).So it does make me wonder about some of the "roof furniture" that vans have "stuck" on with the stuff..? 8-)) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AliB Posted May 28, 2014 Share Posted May 28, 2014 Number Plate Tape. http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/SearchCmd?srch=number+plate+tape&action=search&storeId=10001&catalogId=10151&langId=-1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lennyhb Posted May 28, 2014 Share Posted May 28, 2014 pepe63 - 2014-05-28 8:54 AM (**Off Topic: Having said that, we had one of our plastic MPK mushroom vents "spring a leak" at the weekend and that had been fixed on with Sika 512.. When I got home I was able to just lift it clean off..it may as well have been stuck on with Sellotape!?(..and I had fastidiously cleaned, scoured and panel wiped both surfaces!).So it does make me wonder about some of the "roof furniture" that vans have "stuck" on with the stuff..? 8-)) You can't blame the adhesive if whoever fitted the vent didn't do their research and get the right adhesive for the material to be bonded. The mushroom vent was probably made from polypropylene and there are only a very few specialised adhesives which will bond to polypropylene . Edit: I think the Fiamma sign is polypropylene so Sika probably will not work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pepe63xnotuse Posted May 28, 2014 Share Posted May 28, 2014 lennyhb - 2014-05-28 10:20 AM You can't blame the adhesive if whoever fitted the vent didn't do their research and get the right adhesive for the material to be bonded. The mushroom vent was probably made from polypropylene and there are only a very few specialised adhesives which will bond to polypropylene . I wasn't so much "blaming" the adhesive, as just giving a general heads up to not blindly trust it... ...and it's not as if I used a tube of "no nails" from B&Q..The likes of Sika 512 etc, gets highly rated/used on here and on other MH forums(.eg sticking "plastic" drip and roof mouldings on, securing "plastic" solar panel brackets etc), so I would've liked to assume that sticking/sealing something as run of the mill as a small "plastic" caravan/motorhome mushroom vent , would not have called for any of the "very few specialised adhesive"... :-S Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
starvin marvin Posted May 28, 2014 Share Posted May 28, 2014 Bulletguy - 2014-05-27 11:33 PM pepe63 - 2014-05-27 6:15 PM BG..as you travel a fair bit, wouldn't it just be worth biting the bullet(bad pun intended)and just get the aluminium one? https://store-pjzoy.mybigcommerce.com/fiamma-rear-warning-sign-aluminium.html ..although in this link, it states they're "..not for Spain" ? http://www.thule.com/en/gb/products/rv-accessories/rv-bike-carriers/rv-bike-carriers-accessories/thule-rear-warning-sign-_-307619 :-S Cost isn't the issue......it's the idea of screwing it onto my back box lid i don't like or want to do. Yes 'bungees' would do the job but that makes it easy to remove by some light fingered toe rag. How come nobody commented on my DIY idea of that red reflective adhesive tape? Perhaps because its a crap idea. As its been pointed out several times you need to turn it through 90 deg between the UK and frogland etc, for the sign to be correct! I attach mine to my back box with bungees and had no probs over the years. Should it get nicked, buy another. Simples, end of. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bulletguy Posted May 28, 2014 Author Share Posted May 28, 2014 Maybe i'm being too fussy? (lol) Seems something like No Nails is the only 'cast iron' solution.....literally! Regards size i haven't seen anything in print stating the dimensions must be 50cm x 50cm....but if so, what's the difference in reflective red tape stuck on a white box at the same dimensions? *-) Thats actually better than the Fiamma plastic boards as they just have reflectors at each corner. Only the Ally ones are fully reflective but i don't need (or want) one of those. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bulletguy Posted May 28, 2014 Author Share Posted May 28, 2014 starvin marvin - 2014-05-28 11:11 AM Perhaps because its a crap idea. As its been pointed out several times you need to turn it through 90 deg between the UK and frogland etc, for the sign to be correct! I attach mine to my back box with bungees and had no probs over the years. Should it get nicked, buy another. Simples, end of. Got a link regarding legal requirement of one in the UK? And no....i'm not on about which way the stripes point either, i already know that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lennyhb Posted May 28, 2014 Share Posted May 28, 2014 pepe63 - 2014-05-28 10:51 AM lennyhb - 2014-05-28 10:20 AM You can't blame the adhesive if whoever fitted the vent didn't do their research and get the right adhesive for the material to be bonded. The mushroom vent was probably made from polypropylene and there are only a very few specialised adhesives which will bond to polypropylene . I wasn't so much "blaming" the adhesive, as just giving a general heads up to not blindly trust it... ...and it's not as if I used a tube of "no nails" from B&Q..The likes of Sika 512 etc, gets highly rated/used on here and on other MH forums(.eg sticking "plastic" drip and roof mouldings on, securing "plastic" solar panel brackets etc), so I would've liked to assume that sticking/sealing something as run of the mill as a small "plastic" caravan/motorhome mushroom vent , would not have called for any of the "very few specialised adhesive"... :-S Unfortunately when you buy plastic products they often do not give the information needed to enable the correct choice of adhesive. Most adhesives suitable for plastics will work with most plastics apart from polypropylene (I was only guessing the vent could be made from poly). I am not aware of any adhesives you can buy off the shelf that I would trust with poly. I'm no expert just talking from experience. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
derek500 Posted September 21, 2014 Share Posted September 21, 2014 davidmac - 2014-05-27 7:29 PM Hi I got an new aluminium sign from outdoor trail on ebay £9.95 Regards David Can't find them on the website. Everywhere else is charging around £30. Couple of questions. Do they look the same as the plastic ones and would it only be evident at night? At £30 a pop, bungee leads would not be very secure and it would be better to padlock it on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Archiesgrandad Posted September 22, 2014 Share Posted September 22, 2014 I used to secure the number plates to my cars with the sticky tabs, and in one year lost 2 from the Jag and one from the Audi. At twenty quid a throw that ain't funny, and the two fixed penalty notices at forty quid apiece did not add to the joy. I now use nuts and bolts. AGD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rayjsj Posted September 23, 2014 Share Posted September 23, 2014 pepe63 - 2014-05-28 8:54 AM Bulletguy - 2014-05-27 11:33 PM How come nobody commented on my DIY idea of that red reflective adhesive tape? I would assume that these are *standardised/recognised signs, so just sticking some strips of tape on the back may not satisfy Euro-plod anyway..? (*If they weren't and you could stick anything on the back, then Fiamma, Thule etc would just be selling rolls of "branded" reflective tape instead... ;-) ) Also, with the "proper" signs only being 6 quid(and davidmac even getting a decent ali' one for a tenner),it hardly seems worth the messing about..? If you don't want to use "mechanical" fixings, then as chas says, stick it on with a decent **adhesive./mastic. (**Off Topic: Having said that, we had one of our plastic MPK mushroom vents "spring a leak" at the weekend and that had been fixed on with Sika 512.. When I got home I was able to just lift it clean off..it may as well have been stuck on with Sellotape!?(..and I had fastidiously cleaned, scoured and panel wiped both surfaces!).So it does make me wonder about some of the "roof furniture" that vans have "stuck" on with the stuff..? 8-)) I have fitted several 'bits' to the roof of my daughters VW camper, wind deflector, tv aerial etc., using only Sikaflex, this was 5 years ago, and they are still firmly attached. All I did was clean the area with isopryl alchohol, to make sure there was no wax polish, no roughing or scouring, can't remember whether it was 512 or 221, but that batch anyway was good stuff, they have a short 'Shelf life' though. Ray Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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