Hitch Brackets

Hitch Brackets

Why warning whip is so important safety feature on a vehicle

A warning whip can be the most important safety feature on a vehicle, but if you don't know what it is, it may be tough to visualize. While warning whips may be used in both industrial and personal environments, those used in mining, construction and other outdoor workplaces require a heavy duty requirements for on-road or off-road terrains.

Warning Whip Description

The whip itself is the fiberglass or steel body that may or may not have a light at the top. It's basically a rod that can come in a variety of sizes, beginning at three feet all the way up to twelve feet. The length of the warning whip rod will depend on the clearance height for the vehicle or the size of the vehicle itself. The width of the rod may vary as well, depending on whether it is made of fiberglass or steel. Typical diameters of the rods are ¼" for steel and ½" to ⅜" for the fiberglass. This narrow width helps to keep the warning whip flexible for bouncing around rough terrain. Mounting the whip securely is of high importance. The mounting base most likely will have a threaded hex base, with an option for adding a light. It may or may not have a "hot plug" to be able to connect the top of a lighted whip, but can easily be ordered if it is not standard.

Warning Whip Bonuses

An added safety feature to a warning whip is a light and its protective lens at the top of the rod. The light can be available in a wide range of sizes and shapes, and typically in the colors of red, amber, yellow, blue and green. There are lights that are flashing, sometimes with more than one color for greater visibility, some that are "glow worm" shaped and some that are a traditional bulb shape with a 12 volt amp. A colored protective lens over the bulb will help protect it from damage by weather or overhangs that it may occasionally run into. A screw off top is best, to allow easy light replacement on the warning whip. A flag at the top of the whip will identify who the vehicle belongs to and can be assigned to different work groups of the mine or other industrial setting. A reflective "X" on the flag improves visibility at night. Some warning whip manufacturers even can have a flag made with a company logo. Accessories for a warning whip are numerous, including a wide variety of flags, a magnetic mount base that may have a power cord that can easily be plugged into the auto lighter, hitch mounts and mounting brackets, and heavy duty springs for lighted and even unlighted models. Hot plugs and easy mount adapters with hot wire pigtails can be found as well. Now that you know all about what a warning whip looks like, you'll more likely recognize it when you see it - in the personal landscape or the industrial world.

About the Author

Attention Astro Van owners, need to mount a full size spare tire on my 04 Astro Van?

Have a 16 inch rim tire and feel the best place would be a bracket off my trailer hitch - don't think the back doors will support the weight. Would be grateful for any suggestions or solutions you might have.

check out the following site for door, bumper and hitch spare tire mounts for your astro

http://nextag.com/spare-tire-carrier/search-html

hope this helps

HIDTH-66X2 HID Work Light - Trailer Hitch Bracket Mount - HID Flood - 12600 Lumen - 12/24VDC