LED Auxiliary Lights best setup combination

[O11111O]

Hello, I'm trying to figure out the best front light setup options for my Jeep JLUR. There's too much information out there but not enough comparisons of setups like what I have in mind, nor the BD and KC specs are comparable or give real-life comparisons. I'm looking to get the best bang for my buck and have fun out there!

I'm looking for someone that has actual experience running these lights!

Here's what I do know:
- I'm thinking 2 pairs of lights: BD Squadron Sports and either a pair of KC Flex Era 3 or 4 or a pair of Baja Designs LP4.
- A pair of lights on the A-pillar and another pair on my factory steel bumper, to the sides of my winch.
- Most off-roading will be done in dry, dusty environments. Occasional heavy fog, occasional snow.
- I'll be getting all the lights with clear lenses and using amber covers when needed.
- My Jeep has the factory LED package (not being replaced) and everything will be powered through my Jeep's factory aux switches.

My setup ideas are:
1. Squadron Sports Driving Combo on the bumper and KC FE3 or FE4 Spots on the A-pillar
2. Squadron Sports Driving Combo on the bumper and BD LP4 Spots on the A-pillar (with side covers to avoid glare on the hood, but they would provide additional light to the sides of the Jeep)
3. BD LP4 Driving Combo on the bumper and Squadron Sport Spots on the A-pillar
4. KC FE3 or FE4 Combo on the bumper and Squadron Sport Spots on the A-pillar
5. May replace the Squadron Sports for Squadron Pro's on any of the previous combinations if there's a notable advantage and I find a good $ deal.

Questions:
1. Which setup will maximize the lighting and visibility the most?
2. Will the Flex Eras or the LP4 overpower the Squadron Sports and therefore I should only get the bigger ones and forget the Squadrons?
3. Lastly, for mounting over the rear bumper (not under due to occasional rock crawling). Which would be the best setup for off-roading, fog lights, additional reverse lights and occasional work on a trailer in the back? Baja Designs Squadron Sport or BD S2 Sport or BD S1 ? And which lens configuration?

THANK YOU VERY MUCH IN ADVACE, I do appreciate all input and experience!

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[BajaDesigns]

Hello, I'm trying to figure out the best front light setup options for my Jeep JLUR. There's too much information out there but not enough comparisons of setups like what I have in mind, nor the BD and KC specs are comparable or give real-life comparisons. I'm looking to get the best bang for my buck and have fun out there!

I'm looking for someone that has actual experience running these lights!

Here's what I do know:
- I'm thinking 2 pairs of lights: BD Squadron Sports and either a pair of KC Flex Era 3 or 4 or a pair of Baja Designs LP4.
- A pair of lights on the A-pillar and another pair on my factory steel bumper, to the sides of my winch.
- Most off-roading will be done in dry, dusty environments. Occasional heavy fog, occasional snow.
- I'll be getting all the lights with clear lenses and using amber covers when needed.
- My Jeep has the factory LED package (not being replaced) and everything will be powered through my Jeep's factory aux switches.

My setup ideas are:
1. Squadron Sports Driving Combo on the bumper and KC FE3 or FE4 Spots on the A-pillar
2. Squadron Sports Driving Combo on the bumper and BD LP4 Spots on the A-pillar (with side covers to avoid glare on the hood, but they would provide additional light to the sides of the Jeep)
3. BD LP4 Driving Combo on the bumper and Squadron Sport Spots on the A-pillar
4. KC FE3 or FE4 Combo on the bumper and Squadron Sport Spots on the A-pillar
5. May replace the Squadron Sports for Squadron Pro's on any of the previous combinations if there's a notable advantage and I find a good $ deal.

Questions:
1. Which setup will maximize the lighting and visibility the most?
2. Will the Flex Eras or the LP4 overpower the Squadron Sports and therefore I should only get the bigger ones and forget the Squadrons?
3. Lastly, for mounting over the rear bumper (not under due to occasional rock crawling). Which would be the best setup for off-roading, fog lights, additional reverse lights and occasional work on a trailer in the back? Baja Designs Squadron Sport or BD S2 Sport or BD S1 ? And which lens configuration?

THANK YOU VERY MUCH IN ADVACE, I do appreciate all input and experience!

Thanks for considering our Brand for your build. I know there will be a handful of people with a bunch of different setups that will give some input. I know @Jeepless runs Baja Designs and will definitely give you some great feedback on our products. Once you narrow it down if you want to reach out to me directly with any questions feel free.
Email: [email protected].
Best,
Brandon

 

[dragoneggs]

I basically went with your #3.

To answer your questions...

1. Of course the best set up is #3

2. The LP4 would over power the SS if you are pointing them in the same direction. I have the amber LP4s on the bumper pointing forward. The amber provides superior visibility and light throw, especially in snowy conditions. The SS on the A pillars serve a different purpose... they are my ditch lights. I don't want light thrown over my hood.

3. I'm all ears on this one... I haven't completed my rear end yet. Only Oracle Flush lights so far.

 

[O11111O]

Thanks for considering our Brand for your build. I know there will be a handful of people with a bunch of different setups that will give some input. I know @Jeepless runs Baja Designs and will definitely give you some great feedback on our products. Once you narrow it down if you want to reach out to me directly with any questions feel free.
Email: [email protected].
Best,
Brandon

Thank you Brandon @BajaDesigns for the response. Let's see what @Jeepless or others have to say, and I also appreciate @dragoneggs 's input and then I'll email you for sure. Thank you!

 

[Cyber_Jeeper]

There is a very long thread about backup lights here. It’s a good read. https://www.jlwranglerforums.com/forum/threads/backup-lights.10763/

As for the forward lighting options, I would recommend doing an easy trail at night and evaluating where you wish you had (more) light. High speed desert runs vs. twisty forest roads vs. slick rock crawling all necessitate different styles of lights. Adding tons of spots that throw a mile down the road won’t help while rock crawling. And wide floods won’t help while at high speeds.

You can always try to brute force it and install all the lights, but I think it’s cheaper to identify the area that doesn’t have light and pick a light and beam shape to fill it in. I created a thread while ago and put lots of beam shots in showing the lights I put on mine.
https://www.jlwranglerforums.com/fo...ing-pattern-mini-review-with-pictures.100650/
I personally, I would try to avoid too much overlap in beams. It’s just wasted light to me.

 

[O11111O]

I basically went with your #3.

To answer your questions...

1. Of course the best set up is #3

2. The LP4 would over power the SS if you are pointing them in the same direction. I have the amber LP4s on the bumper pointing forward. The amber provides superior visibility and light throw, especially in snowy conditions. The SS on the A pillars serve a different purpose... they are my ditch lights. I don't want light thrown over my hood.

3. I'm all ears on this one... I haven't completed my rear end yet. Only Oracle Flush lights so far.

Thank you for the input @dragoneggs !! Yeah, let's see what others suggest for tail lighting.

As for your setup, #3 is probably my favorite, just like you. Are you running Squadron Sports or Pros? Which lenses do you have on them?
I would have your exact same setup, except I was thinking of the Squadrons being Spots and pointing them straight forward, as a far-away spot. Unless, of course, if you suggest that becomes unnecessary due to the LP4's (although I feel they're located too low to be good spots).

 

[dragoneggs]

I hope more chime in here... sort of surprised at the slow start.

I should add that I went with the driving/combo lights up front. They are not too low for me. They fill and they throw big time. Granted, I don't have experience with roof mounted lights but I don't drive off-road fast at night, and to me that would be the scenario for wanting your lights higher and brighter.

Definitely get the amber lens covers if you go with LP4s clear. These puppies are super bright. Don't let the size fool you into thinking you need bigger.

For the Squadrons, I went with the Sports Wide cornering beams since they are pointing to the ditch. IMO no real need for the Pro's for this 'zone'. They will obviously throw more light but most of my use is in forest type vegetation so no need.

Even if money is no object I wouldn't put the Pros on the A pillars for 'ditches'. I'm sure the desert guys would disagree but how far do you need to see out to the sides. Too much light close up can be blinding to the point you lose definition. You can overdo it.

Configuring light is a science and an art. My BIL is a commercial lighting designer. I see him as more of a designer/artist. I think that you really need to configure your lighting based on your terrain and vehicle use at night. How fast, how far, street legal... questions you personally need to answer.

Have fun with this.

 

[AcesandEights]

I've posted this before, with a lot more words. You said most bang for the buck, then talked about brands that cost bucks. Don't start that way if you want bang for your buck. What conditions are you running and what do you need to see. It's likely that a set of Hella 500 and a set of Hella 700 will be more light than you can use, for far less money. I won't go into all the detail, but most of the time you're paying for light you can't use, because of the branding and marketing.

Now I'm getting wordy again, but how fast will you be driving, and how far and what pattern is the light. If you're driving 60 mph, it takes one minute to go one mile. Do you need light that shines a mile (the lights dont shine that far by the way, but I'm illustrating a point), and gives you one minute of sight distance? What if you're driving 20 miles per hour, like you might if off road? Do you need a light that shines 2000 feet (more than 1/3 of a mile at that speed, giving you a minute of sight distance)? The answer is no.

So what do you need? The answer is a robust light that is inexpensive, a Hella 500/700 at $75/pair.

 

[lashlee]

I put a pair of Squadron Pro's on the pillars for ditch lights, and a pair of LP6's on the bumper of my wife's JLUR. Crazy amount of light, but not what you've got on your list though. Personally I feel like if you stick with quality products you won't be disappointed.

 

[roaniecowpony]

My answer to your first question is: I wait until daytime to off-road. I want to see the outdoors. I'm there for the scenery more than technical wheeling. If I had to run the Rubicon trail only at night, I would not go, no matter how many lights I had.

That said, I appreciate the capability of good lighting for the needs of certain driving. But from a practical standpoint, I don't want or need a full width, roof mounted light bar, nor pillar lights. But, I did mount BD Squadron Pro combination beams in the fog light position for high speed nights on remote highways where wildlife and other hazards are a concern. I want to cover some additional areas for moderate trails that I might get caught out on after dark. But not full on rock crawling lighting.

I don't do high speed off-road, so I would never buy the big lights designed for 100 mph desert racing with the exception of the Squadron Pro lights i have for remote highways. I really like the BD small lights. I have 4 S2 Pro lights behind the grill of my truck. They aren't noticeable by even the state troopers , since they're buried inconspicuously. For the Jeep, I might mount some S1 flood or wide beams for side fill. But I'm not satisfied with a pillar mount because they're conspicuous to thieves and vandals.

 

[cosine]

Hello, I'm trying to figure out the best front light setup options for my Jeep JLUR. There's too much information out there but not enough comparisons of setups like what I have in mind, nor the BD and KC specs are comparable or give real-life comparisons. I'm looking to get the best bang for my buck and have fun out there!

I'm looking for someone that has actual experience running these lights!

Here's what I do know:
- I'm thinking 2 pairs of lights: BD Squadron Sports and either a pair of KC Flex Era 3 or 4 or a pair of Baja Designs LP4.
- A pair of lights on the A-pillar and another pair on my factory steel bumper, to the sides of my winch.
- Most off-roading will be done in dry, dusty environments. Occasional heavy fog, occasional snow.
- I'll be getting all the lights with clear lenses and using amber covers when needed.
- My Jeep has the factory LED package (not being replaced) and everything will be powered through my Jeep's factory aux switches.

My setup ideas are:
1. Squadron Sports Driving Combo on the bumper and KC FE3 or FE4 Spots on the A-pillar
2. Squadron Sports Driving Combo on the bumper and BD LP4 Spots on the A-pillar (with side covers to avoid glare on the hood, but they would provide additional light to the sides of the Jeep)
3. BD LP4 Driving Combo on the bumper and Squadron Sport Spots on the A-pillar
4. KC FE3 or FE4 Combo on the bumper and Squadron Sport Spots on the A-pillar
5. May replace the Squadron Sports for Squadron Pro's on any of the previous combinations if there's a notable advantage and I find a good $ deal.

Questions:
1. Which setup will maximize the lighting and visibility the most?
2. Will the Flex Eras or the LP4 overpower the Squadron Sports and therefore I should only get the bigger ones and forget the Squadrons?
3. Lastly, for mounting over the rear bumper (not under due to occasional rock crawling). Which would be the best setup for off-roading, fog lights, additional reverse lights and occasional work on a trailer in the back? Baja Designs Squadron Sport or BD S2 Sport or BD S1 ? And which lens configuration?

THANK YOU VERY MUCH IN ADVACE, I do appreciate all input and experience!

i run the bd lights on my jl. current setup is lp4 clear spot on the a pillar. lp4 clear driving combo on the bull bar. squadron sport amber driving combo on the front bumper (just above the l plate).

heres my views. i love bd lights. the squadron sport amber does well in bad weather. the lp4s will light up everything. i did have the squadron pro clear driving combo on the a pillar. just decided to upgrade to the lp4 spot. the lp4s will cut out / over take the squadron sport just because the lp4 puts out 8750 lumens of lights. my a pillar light are aim forward to light up whats in front of me. but it does light up the side enough. the hood glare is not all that bad on the spot. the lp4 driving combo on the bull bar gives a 42* wide spread of lighting which is nice. i've thought about the lp6. with the lp4s setup, i'm happy with them. maybe on the 2nd jeep i'll put a set of lp6 ambers driving combo on the front bumper and squaderon sport pro on the a pillar. i do like the clear lens, however i might swap over to the amber lens. as for the rear, i couldnt help you on that since i already have a pair of rough country spot and they fit well in the rear bumper cutout. if it was me, i would get the bd s2 flood to light up the immediate area.

 

[conFUcius]

I went with dual mounted Rigid side shooters offset on the cowls in white LED and LP6s in amber on the bumper.

The white LEDs on the cowls are more than sufficient for most uses but I like the look and the option of the amber LP6s for other situations.

 

[Sargeoverland]

Hello, I'm trying to figure out the best front light setup options for my Jeep JLUR. There's too much information out there but not enough comparisons of setups like what I have in mind, nor the BD and KC specs are comparable or give real-life comparisons. I'm looking to get the best bang for my buck and have fun out there!

I'm looking for someone that has actual experience running these lights!

Here's what I do know:
- I'm thinking 2 pairs of lights: BD Squadron Sports and either a pair of KC Flex Era 3 or 4 or a pair of Baja Designs LP4.
- A pair of lights on the A-pillar and another pair on my factory steel bumper, to the sides of my winch.
- Most off-roading will be done in dry, dusty environments. Occasional heavy fog, occasional snow.
- I'll be getting all the lights with clear lenses and using amber covers when needed.
- My Jeep has the factory LED package (not being replaced) and everything will be powered through my Jeep's factory aux switches.

My setup ideas are:
1. Squadron Sports Driving Combo on the bumper and KC FE3 or FE4 Spots on the A-pillar
2. Squadron Sports Driving Combo on the bumper and BD LP4 Spots on the A-pillar (with side covers to avoid glare on the hood, but they would provide additional light to the sides of the Jeep)
3. BD LP4 Driving Combo on the bumper and Squadron Sport Spots on the A-pillar
4. KC FE3 or FE4 Combo on the bumper and Squadron Sport Spots on the A-pillar
5. May replace the Squadron Sports for Squadron Pro's on any of the previous combinations if there's a notable advantage and I find a good $ deal.

Questions:
1. Which setup will maximize the lighting and visibility the most?
2. Will the Flex Eras or the LP4 overpower the Squadron Sports and therefore I should only get the bigger ones and forget the Squadrons?
3. Lastly, for mounting over the rear bumper (not under due to occasional rock crawling). Which would be the best setup for off-roading, fog lights, additional reverse lights and occasional work on a trailer in the back? Baja Designs Squadron Sport or BD S2 Sport or BD S1 ? And which lens configuration?

THANK YOU VERY MUCH IN ADVACE, I do appreciate all input and experience!

I run squadron sports as my fogs, and I just switched to xl80s for ditch lights and Jesus they are so bright. I have an older set of the squadrons so they are less bright than new but they still light everything up. I don’t get a lot of glare on my hood, so you should be okay. I have ocd about matching lights, I find it weird when people use lights or any products from other companies.
your lp4 won’t over power the squadrons as they will be in different zones.
I run 2 s1 as Chase lights and they are super bright. Matched with the Oracle tail lights it’s almost painful to look at.

 

[OrneryBear]

You really can' go wrong with BD products. My experience with them has been phenomenal. My company sells BD squadron pros as landing and wingtip lights for experimental aircraft and in the almost 12 years I've been working here we've not heard of a single failure from our customers.

I'll be running their SAE lights in the mopar steel bumper to start and then I'll add more as I find I need them.

 

[roaniecowpony]

You really can' go wrong with BD products. My experience with them has been phenomenal. My company sells BD squadron pros as landing and wingtip lights for experimental aircraft and in the almost 12 years I've been working here we've not heard of a single failure from our customers.

I'll be running their SAE lights in the mopar steel bumper to start and then I'll add more as I find I need them.

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