Lighting options

[Shooting or Jeeping]

Looking to add some aux lights and I’m somewhat versed. However, there are huge discrepancies between some of the options. I’m not adding a light bar, just two to the front bar. Curious how I’m seeing $60 lights with high ratings and $300 lights with the same ratings- and same stats.

Anyone have a go-to light they like?

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[GtX]

For forward facing lighting I always go with Lightforce Striker 170s.

https://www.quadratec.com/products/97060_0010.htm

They have filters that snap on in a variety of colors that alter the beam pattern. They also adjust like a Maglite.

 

[spurly]

Baja Designs Squadron Sports. Can easily change the lens pattern and color as needed.

 

[Kenny]

PIAA

 

[Shooting or Jeeping]

So then the question- these are the 200-300 range. What has made them clearly different than the cheaper versions?

 

[spurly]

So then the question- these are the 200-300 range. What has made them clearly different than the cheaper versions?

I lile baja designs because they put out a more white light than a blue light like your cheaper lights. And for $15 a light, I can change from amber to clea, to spots to floods in under a minute.

 

[GtX]

So then the question- these are the 200-300 range. What has made them clearly different than the cheaper versions?

I ran Lightforce Striker 170 for 150K miles on my last rig with zero problems. I also ran an $80 light bar that leaked and shorter in 3 months of on road use and didn't work when I needed it. I'm going for the Lightforce experience this time around on the JLURD.

 

[Nomad]

The Baja sports have heavy cast aluminum housings and rubber gaskets to be waterproof, heavy stainless brackets. Totally solid. some cheaper lights are plastic housings and flimsier brackets. That being said I have a friend with a Raptor and he has lights all the way around that thing, all the cheap ones, and after 2 years they all still work. That might be a perfectly good option, and you'd have to have 5 failures before you were on the wrong side of the equation. I went for the Bajas because I didn't like the looks of the cheap plastic ones.

 

[AustinL911]

black oak led is what I will run when I eventually make the move

 

[JL Willy]

Added these

 

[Kenny]

Added these

What kind of bracket is that on the spare tire for the lights?

 

[JL Willy]

https://www.quadratec.com/p/zroadz/...ckets-led-light-pods-jeep-wrangler-jl-Z394951

 

[EZMFE]

Looking to add some aux lights and I’m somewhat versed. However, there are huge discrepancies between some of the options. I’m not adding a light bar, just two to the front bar. Curious how I’m seeing $60 lights with high ratings and $300 lights with the same ratings- and same stats.

Anyone have a go-to light they like?

As to not waste your time... If you are the type of person that has to have the best of everything than just go buy BD LP6's or LP9's and be done with it. Some people want the best of the best and are willing/able to pay for it. Otherwise, the following may help:

Do you want spots, floods, or driving lights (spot/flood mix)?
Do you have a preference on the type of light (Halogen, HID, LED)?
What color of light do you prefer (5000k, 6000K)?
What shape would you prefer (square, round, rectangle)?
What size would you prefer (3" - 9")?
Where exactly do you plan on putting these and what do you visualize seeing where these lights are going to be (spread apart, close together)?
What is the dollar amount that you need to stay under?


My first recommendation would be to buy the latest model of whatever light you are looking at. LED technology is getting better and better and when looking at an older model of the same light, the lumens will be lower compared to the newer model (Rigid Pods for example: Dually, D2, D-Series Pro). They may look, feel, and taste the same so if going off pictures alone you might just be buying something that is far older than you realize.


Second recommendation would be to decide what will fit where you want it to go. A small 3x3 cube may not be big enough for your taste, so you want to know what will fit the space that you are installing them in. Physically obviously but visually is what I am getting at.


Third recommendation would be to take a look at the lumens of the light versus the price. Lumens are definitely not everything but they do give you a starting point and most light mfg will post the raw lumens of the lights.


Let's say you wanted spot/flood (aka driving) lights, you wanted each light to be above 4000 lumens each, and you don't want to spend more than $300 for that pair... That rules out a ton of lights that would either be too expensive or would not be up to the task and that is not including some of the other needs/wants that you may have.


Once you find the lights that will fit the bill you have to look at the smaller items. How are the connections on the lights? Are they bare wires or do they have a waterproof connections already on them? Does it come with a wiring harness or are you going to have to buy one? What about the finish on the product... You will see with some of the cheaper lights that their coatings are painted on and not powder coated. Some coatings are not as good as others and they will fade much faster than a better brand would. What about the dust/water resistance rating (IP67, IP68, IP69K)?


I started to list out a bunch of different brand lights and the price, specs, etc but I decided not to do that. I'm going to give you one light that I feel is a decent light for the price and for you to compare against the others. I do not own these lights but would buy them based on their specs and price point.

KC Highlites SLIMLITE LED 6” Round - 5000k - 7260 Lumens each - 44W/4.0A - $329 pair


If you take look at the cube lights that @JL Willy posted on their A-Pillar mounts above. Those look to be Rigid D-Series Pro's. One set of floods (202113) and one set of Spots (202213). Those run $150+ a pair and have 3168 Lumens each. If they would of went for the Driving lights (502313) instead of spot/flood, those lights would have 6 LEDs instead of 4 and would have 4752 Lumens each. The price is around $300 for the pair of those though. So for the money it seems he made a smart buy (cost/specs/quality). BTW, I have the exact same setup sitting here next to me

 

[Miloe]

PIAA

Kenny
How's the wind noise with the 5 rounds overhead?
Details on what you did there please.

 

[melendez69]

What kind of bracket is that on the spare tire for the lights?

It won't fit larger tires... too bad it's not adjustable.

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