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pbear

LED Light Bar Advice

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pbear

 I've been  thinking about  buying a light bar for my truck for quite some time now.  Driving up the Armstrong highway at night can be interesting and my eyes aren't what they used to be. I heard that they are quite popular among the thieves of Thunder Bay, and can be stolen quite quickly.  Does anyone have any advice about which type/size to buy, some mounting suggestions (in grill/over cab) and how to install them so they are not easily stolen.  

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xf800

In October my work truck got a 40 inch light bar mounted on the back rack it sure did make a difference. It was a auto works one with Cree lights with fogs in it. Then I got one for my personal truck I went with a 30 inch curved light bar and mounted in the grill. See a lot more with the curved and went with spot lights instead of fog I found mounted it lower was brighter than mounting it on the back rack. The bad thing on the work truck is I get a glare from the mirrors so impossible to use your mirrors but run a lot of bush roads so not really a problem. Some people say if you mount them above the cab you also get a glare but have no idea. One thing was told spend the money on a good one than a cheap one. The one I got life time warranty on the leds and water sealed. I have the 30 inch curved auto works with Cree lights which they have a high review online. 

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hunt or be hunted

Don't cheap out on the light bars trust me it normally turns out bad, I got 2 friends that have had their wiring harness catch fire from the cheap ones, and many more just burn out quick or leak water at the seams 👎 Spend the money u will get what u pay for 

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eddylives

So here is my experience so far......

I purchased and installed a riorand brand 20 inch bar from amazon.ca $80 and installed in lower front bumper of a F150......theft resistant with excellent light output. 6000K 8000 lumens

Upgraded trucks and put same bar in lower bumper of a Nissan Titan behind a billet aluminium grill......grill blocks too much light and is no good , I have replacement mesh grill to install soon lol

I also stuffed a strait 32 inch light bar from amazon , prime choice auto brand $65....6000K  12000 lumens.....behind the grill...this required an after market grill to achieve(a diamond shape honey comb style) and the light is decent but it is also dimmed by the grill and it is what it is.

You can get good quality lights from amazon for a lot less than the almost identical led locally.

Also ordering a light harness can save a lot of hassle if you do not do well with relays and wiring yourself.

 

That`s the led light bar portion.......here is the led headlight portion lmao

F150 upgraded to led headlight 9007 high/low beam.....atshark brand ....amazon.ca worked great and improved light greatly (same result when transferred to grand am)

Titan....9006 low beam.....car rover brand..80W 6000K 8000 lumens.....drastic improvement over stock halogens

Titan....9005 high beam....atshark brand...110W...6000K 10400 lumens....let there be light!!! hahaha as bright as hell compared to stock halogens

 

Now here is the hard part

Different vehicles have different issues with LED headlights.....some are plug and play...F150....Titan....both older so newer is ???? to me.

Others will not work at all......Dodge trucks seem to be ones with great issues trying LED headlights and they won't work at all as far as I know

 

 

You can always PM me pbear if you don't want detailed info like make year of your wheels on the open forum

 

And just an FYI about aftermarket lights......right now we seem to be getting away with them locally.

Other provinces like BC and AB they are required to be covered while traveling on public roads/hwys , the fine for uncovered is brutally high out there if the RCMP nail you

 

 

 


Have no fear of perfection.....you will never reach it

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tracker

Here is what I have. The bar is a 24 inch curved. The flood lights are on a separate dash switch but all can be shut off with the old time floor mounted dimmer switch. Makes it hands free for quick shut off. All hardware is welded to prevent theft.

20170117_113802.jpg

20170117_113910.jpg


Tracker

Team NOSA Homepage

 

Born to Fish, Forced to Work

<')(((((>{

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pbear

Thanks for the feedback, now I just need to do a bit more research and pull the trigger. 

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eddylives
16 minutes ago, tracker said:

Here is what I have. The bar is a 24 inch curved. The flood lights are on a separate dash switch but all can be shut off with the old time floor mounted dimmer switch. Makes it hands free for quick shut off. All hardware is welded to prevent theft.

20170117_113802.jpg

20170117_113910.jpg

 

I wonder how many of the younger members would have known what that switch was with no description lol


Have no fear of perfection.....you will never reach it

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eddylives

As for security of these light bars it can be pretty hard depending on the thief 

I have heard of bars literally ripped off of trucks when out in the open.......the goofs just break the brackets while tearing them off

Nothing is 100% safe but i think the more buried and inaccessible they are the better.....but that often results in poorer performance.

Thieves are more often opportunists than smart lol.......they all need to be shot with balls of their own excrement


Have no fear of perfection.....you will never reach it

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Some Old Guy
3 hours ago, eddylives said:

 

I wonder how many of the younger members would have known what that switch was with no description lol

Or snapped off the signal wondering why the high beams wouldn't come on!!!

 

Roger


R.T.R. Respect the resource!

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levi64

I don't know what type of light bar to recommend to you. I don't even know what mine is I think Premium light bars but i'm not sure, I know it is awesome. I drive to work at 5am 25 ks, on back roads, secondary highways so i don't run into many people at all. I don't use it if i;m in an area of moderate traffic.  It is curved with 4 flood bulbs on either end, the rest are spots, its 24 inch and I love it.Mounted on top of my bumper fits great and I think its the perfect location. Lights up the ditchs very well and gives very good light to the front. If you hit a deer with one on, well the deer is obviously suicidal. For your needs you will love it.  For security, nothing is safe if some azz wants it.

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