China vs name brand led bars etc

[RadioRambo]

I recently ordered these lights was bouncing back and forward between these and some name brand and still trying to decide on light bars for my 2020 jl Rubicon I have also ordered
MORIMOTO XB LED TURNS i hope that's not another mess. Just curious on everyones thoughts of name brand lights all together and China names .

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[Strommen95]

At some point you will regret ordering the Chinese stuff if you go that route. Spend more now and save later on.

 

[Frezski]

Buy once cry once. When it comes down to factory headlight replacement, I tend to steer away from changing it because of all the design and engineering involved in getting it to work properly and safely. If converting stock halogen headlights to a LED, I would try to source an OEM version. Same goes with fogs if you care enough about a matching set.

I always use BD as my primary choice, and if i have to, Rigid as my #2 for any type of auxiliary lights. I warned a coworker about a 20" light bar he found cheap on the web. It was some knock off Chinese light bar. He's satisfied, but when he showed them to me, I wasn't impressed. Brackets did the job but looked sloppy, if I remember right he had to go pick up some hardware because it arrived missing stuff. To each their own. Two of my pods with the wide cornering lenses covered more distance and spread. Really, it's all about getting the right coverage in zones and buying the appropriate lights/lenses needed for your intended use.

On a side note, you mentioned you hope it's not another mess? You mean the side markers and turn signals in the fenders? Just take your time and buy a pry tool and try to be gentle when removing the splash guard to access the inner fender. Keep in mind most of those push pins are designed for one time use. Also when putting in the markers/removing the old, it may be easier to just take off the fender so you can work with more comfort on a work bench. Nothing fun about working on your back or at awkward positions if you can help it.

 

[four low]

A lot of products SOLD in the US are actually made in China. Isn't Bestop one of these ?
Unless the product description specifically states "Made in the USA ", it probably is outsourced to China. Also watch for " assembled in the USA", that's foreign manufactured parts.

 

[2Wheel-Lee]

There's something to be said for cheap LEDs. And against.

I had some of those cheap LED pods as backup lights on my truck that are sold under 100 names. The first set started having a condensation problem within a couple months. Over the next few months some of the LEDs started dropping out until after about 9 months, 5 of 6 were dead on one side and all 6 were dead on the other. They were $12.

On the next set of the same thing, one complete assembly filled up with water within a few weeks and died soon after. The other one followed the similar death pattern as the previous set of lights. Again, only $12.

Is it worth $12 every 6 months ago for backup lights vs more expensive and better quality ones? Arguably.

Though I had a set of Hella halogens ($100ish?) on that truck for 12 years until one was smashed by a rock.

Pay once cry once or accept they may be disposable.

 

[RadioRambo]

A lot of products SOLD in the US are actually made in China. Isn't Bestop one of these ?
Unless the product description specifically states "Made in the USA ", it probably is outsourced to China. Also watch for " assembled in the USA", that's foreign manufactured parts.

Yep this is my delimma double paying for a light that just gets a different sticker slapped on it

 

[RadioRambo]

Buy once cry once. When it comes down to factory headlight replacement, I tend to steer away from changing it because of all the design and engineering involved in getting it to work properly and safely. If converting stock halogen headlights to a LED, I would try to source an OEM version. Same goes with fogs if you care enough about a matching set.

I always use BD as my primary choice, and if i have to, Rigid as my #2 for any type of auxiliary lights. I warned a coworker about a 20" light bar he found cheap on the web. It was some knock off Chinese light bar. He's satisfied, but when he showed them to me, I wasn't impressed. Brackets did the job but looked sloppy, if I remember right he had to go pick up some hardware because it arrived missing stuff. To each their own. Two of my pods with the wide cornering lenses covered more distance and spread. Really, it's all about getting the right coverage in zones and buying the appropriate lights/lenses needed for your intended use.

On a side note, you mentioned you hope it's not another mess? You mean the side markers and turn signals in the fenders? Just take your time and buy a pry tool and try to be gentle when removing the splash guard to access the inner fender. Keep in mind most of those push pins are designed for one time use. Also when putting in the markers/removing the old, it may be easier to just take off the fender so you can work with more comfort on a work bench. Nothing fun about working on your back or at awkward positions if you can help it.

Good points you brought up I agree with ya but the factory lights just seem like candles to me. Even LEDs

 

[Chocolate Thunder]

Morimoto LEDs have a fairly good reputation in various different automotive applications (other than the Jeep community that is always all about the U S of A with everything). The Retrofit Source is a reputable lighting product vendor that provides good service and carries them.

 

[Frezski]

Oh I agree, the factory LED are yes an improvement over the halogens but far from adequate. I have the OEM led package, and I feel overall satisfied with the low beam setting. The high beam is a joke. I've played with quite a few replacements over the years on other vehicles I have owned. Looking into design and engineering is important to me. Understanding the type of lens (projector or a standard diamond cut housing) has a lot to do with beam pattern and light refraction. Long story short they need to be designed to co exist with one another. I am no lighting expert, but from my experience just because you slap an led or hid bulb with higher lumen output doesn't mean you're gonna actually put all that light in the area you intend to put it. Kind of a waste. The biggest offenders are the ones who place them in non projector lenses. Even then, projector lenses may refract a little light where it's not suppose to be. They just do a better job with focusing the beam pattern with better cut off.

Other than that, just do the best homework you can and purchase a product that fits your budget. There are manufacturers out there - Chinese made or not that make decent products, you do not have to go top tier.

 

[BadAssBumbleBee]

Morimoto LEDs have a fairly good reputation in various different automotive applications (other than the Jeep community that is always all about the U S of A with everything). The Retrofit Source is a reputable lighting product vendor that provides good service and carries them.

I ran the Morimoto XB LED fog lights in my 2012 JK Rubicon for 5 years without a single issue. I even had my DRL's set to the fog lights so they were pretty much always on.

 

[RadioRambo]

I ran the Morimoto XB LED fog lights in my 2012 JK Rubicon for 5 years without a single issue. I even had my DRL's set to the fog lights so they were pretty much always on.

I'm not so much worried about the morimotos has I am the other set of China head lights I ordered. The morimotos is the drls and turns I really appreciate the the input it's like a 10 ton brick off my shoulders.

 

[oceanblue2019]

I recently ordered these lights was bouncing back and forward between these and some name brand and still trying to decide on light bars for my 2020 jl Rubicon I have also ordered
MORIMOTO XB LED TURNS i hope that's not another mess. Just curious on everyones thoughts of name brand lights all together and China names .

I work in an industry where China is absolutely ruthless with copying foreign engineered products. They can reproduce anything, with piss poor quality in most cases, but good enough to fool many. It is a huge issue and leading to all sorts of traceability challenges to prove authenticity of manufacture, etc, etc.

Say no to China crap as if you do not it is only a matter of time until you have no other choices left due to attrition.

 

[RadioRambo]

I work in an industry where China is absolutely ruthless with copying foreign engineered products. They can reproduce anything, with piss poor quality in most cases, but good enough to fool many. It is a huge issue and leading to all sorts of traceability challenges to prove authenticity of manufacture, etc, etc.

Say no to China crap as if you do not it is only a matter of time until you have no other choices left due to attrition.

Well said

 

[Goin2drt]

I work in an industry where China is absolutely ruthless with copying foreign engineered products. They can reproduce anything, with piss poor quality in most cases, but good enough to fool many. It is a huge issue and leading to all sorts of traceability challenges to prove authenticity of manufacture, etc, etc.

Say no to China crap as if you do not it is only a matter of time until you have no other choices left due to attrition.

Well then don’t buy a single LED. 99% of every LED comes from China. Oh and while you are at it you should go live in the forest in a wood house you build yourself because sadly I bet 50%+ of what you own is made in China. You should also sell your Jeep. Parts on that are made in China as well.

The problem is picking out the good from the bad. Sadly I also don’t think the expensive “US” made are really made in the US either. They might be designed and plans drawn here but then they are made in China to that companies spec. There really is no way of knowing if an $800 LED light bar is that much better or maybe worse than a $100 bar. The real difference is in the LED. Is the company using a top supplier like Samsung or some POS supplier. I have a huge problem just blindly paying double or triple because the company selling the expensive one just tells me “it isn’t those cheap China crap and you have to pay for quality”.

 

[Edorand]

I had 2 sets of China LED headlights on my JK. The first pair constantly had condensation [after disassembling/resealing twice] and the next pair halo kept having dots burn out. I had a bunch of no-name China light bars and spots but the wire thickness, quality, paint finish and mounting hardware was always bottom of the barrel. I have a Baja Designs light bar now and while pricey, if I add up all the different lights I've gone through in the past, I could've just bought this once.

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