Auxillary lighting questions

[Paddy McMahon]

I want to install a Defiant or Randy Ellis bar with some lights. Can the stock alternator keep up with four KC or Hella type lights if they are all running simultaneously? I am also wondering about the difference between 6 or 8 inch dia. lights. Not doing any Baja racing, just aux lights for EMPTY highway use and off road in the hills. I am on a $500-600 budget for bar and lights. Any suggestions?

 

[JKloppe]

W/V= A You most likely have a 136 A alternator



You will be fine.



I like HID because of more output and the bulbs are not effected by vibration. One pair will put out more light and draw less current the 4 KCs. A inexpensive way to get some good light is buy new Hella bulbs and ballasts for $280 off ebay, then put them in the housing of your choice.



I put Hella HID FF200 in my fog light spot and they work great, if you dont have to have a light bar that could save you some money. If you use a housing designed for hid you will get a better beam pattern and will need less lights.



Susquehanna Motorsports Home Page has some great waterproof relays and has all kinds of lights.

 

[seafish]

I have a pair of unused, uninstalled Hella FF200's in the box which I could sell to you for 10% off. I decided to mod my Ute bumper to fit the Warn Dual Beam fog/driving lights instead of using the Hellas. They are a very nice light though. PM me if interested.

Clark

 

[Matt400]

I decided to mod my Ute bumper to fit the Warn Dual Beam fog/driving lights instead of using the Hellas.

Hey Clark, are they operational yet?

 

[BZieg]

Yes, you'll be fine. I run Hella 4000's 4 of them, I would recommend them. By the way they are NOT HID.

 

[Matt400]

I want to install a Defiant or Randy Ellis bar with some lights. Any suggestions?

Randy is a KC distributor so you can ask for a package deal on the bar. He sells all the KC stuff so whats not listed on his site just ask for.

I have that bar on mine and am using the KC slimLite in a Driving beam, works real nice.

 

[thashane]

Hella makes great lights. If you plan on doing much offroading, save your money and dont get HID's, as the HID's are bad in the dirt. Not bashing HID's, as I they do put out some good light, but the color of the light makes it hard to read a dirt road.

 

[seafish]

Hey Clark, are they operational yet?

Matt, you had to ask didn't you??

Let me take a minute and tell you...



It has been one HELLUVA project getting this lighting upgrade done and done the way I want it. At some point, I might have even reverted back to HID like JKloppe did-- https://www.turbodieselregister.com...-transmission-discussions/191334-how-hid.html



BUT, I was concerned about the highly polished UTE bullguard scattering the intense light, and I also thought that I could do a less expensive headlight upgrade and still get GREAT lighting.



SO, I did order the Warn SDB-160HBE Dual Beam Fog/driving lights. I payed $350 for them. They seem to be a high quality unit, but they are enclosed in a HUGE, buttugly ABS housing which was NOT going to fit inside the UTE bumper. And there was NO way that I was going to mount them where I could actually see them (they are THAT ugly!!!) I almost sent them back, but then I decided to take them apart... Lo and behold, when I removed the well sealed reflector and lense assembly, it had 2 threaded tabs on each side that PERFECTLY fit the mounting bracket that UTE provides to use with the Dodge OEM fog lights. BUT, the holes in the UTE were only for the 4" oem's and the Warns are a 6" lense. In order to position them correctly in the bumper, I had to enlarge the hole in the bumper, AS WELL AS cut a curved notch into the uprights that support the bull guard, and slightly cut and redrill the UTE mounting bracket. I had a freind who is an exceptional welder do all of this for me and it HAS turned out great, but chalk up another $200.



OK, so now I still needed a rock guard to protect the hi quality Warn glass lenses which are now unprotected from their housings, so I ordered an extra pair of these KC chrome mesh steel rock guards-- KC HiLites Rock Shield, Chrome . These mesh guards match my aftermarket stainless grill, and fit and trim out the new hole in the UTE perfectly, as they are also a 6" diameter. As a metter of fact, they also tightly fit onto the rubber gasket that selaed the Warn lense/reflector assemplby to the Warn housing. To top it all off, I also decided to order a pair of IPF Fatboy 80/60 H4 bulbs to upgrade the 50/60 watt H4 bulbs that came with the Warn. The Fatboys burn brighter at low beam because of the way they reflect the light inside the bulb, and they have gotten rave reviews. Ooops, only another $100 for guards amd bulbs.



AND, I STILL need to come up with a wiring diagram and switches and relays to make this all work with the factory plus other switches, but I THINK that will be relatively straightforward. :-laf



AND, I still need to modify the UTE mounting tabs on the bullguard part of the bumper in order to nicely mount the pair of Stainless KC 6" 100 watt Dayliters ($150) that I will use only for High beam supplements.



So to make a long story short:-laf, I am using Warn, KC and IPF parts to upgrade my foglights and Low Beams, and KC lights for my high beams.



AND, I still need to put it all together, AND I really doubt I will have time till winter, BUT I will definitely keep you all posted with pix and all.



I HAVE tried the Fatboy bulbs in the Warn reflectors, and they do seem to light things up at night REALLY well. I will aim them by placing an adjustable stainless cap screw which threads into the mounting bracket in 2 locations, and then bottoms out inside the face of the bumper. The allen head will be accessible through 2 small holes in the front of the bumper. Oh yeah, I also have to remember to prime and paint the back of the warn reflectors with high temp black, otherwise they will tend to corrode in the winter time.



And Matt, ALL OF THIS is cause you so casually mentioned the Warn Dual beams in one of your lighting threads #@$%!. So I have YOU to blame for all of this trouble, AS WELL AS what I am fairly confident will be an awesome looking and performing upgrade to my truck. Oo.



PS-- I have MANY links to other high quality dual beam lights if people want them.

 

[JKloppe]

Hella makes great lights. If you plan on doing much offroading, save your money and dont get HID's, as the HID's are bad in the dirt. Not bashing HID's, as I they do put out some good light, but the color of the light makes it hard to read a dirt road.

#ad




Tell Josh Baldwin that, or any other off road racer.



Off-road motor sports is why we have so many choices of great HID lights.

 

[Matt400]

when I removed the well sealed reflector and lense assembly, it had 2 threaded tabs on each side that PERFECTLY fit the mounting bracket that UTE provides to use with the Dodge OEM fog lights.

First I gotta say. . your post back was very entertaining :-laf :-laf

but hey- do you suppose they would then mount in an OEM bumper then?

I will definitely keep you all posted with pix and all.

Can't wait!! will love to see what you have been up to.



I am interested to know if you will end up using the HBE's more narrow & shorter Spot beam to fill in just past the oem lows or the wide short fog beam for low supplement.

PS-- I have MANY links to other high quality dual beam lights if people want them.

Do share! Oo.

 

[EGroeneveld]

I installed the light bar onto my 2005 Dodge Dually from DRD found here: DRC Bumpers for Dodge Ram Trucks



Along with a set of 4 Baja Designs- Soltek Racing Lights lights found here:

DRC Accessories for Dodge Ram Trucks



I bought the non-HID version and have been very happy with the setup. I have them tied into the highbeams so they only come on with the highbeams. I bought 2 spots and 2 driving lights. It lights up the backroads very well. I want to do the same setup on my Excursion now.

 

[Paddy McMahon]

Thanks everyone for all the info. Those HID lights are spendy! I think I'll start out w/ out the HID lamps and worry about an upgrade if the necessary lighting and an influx of cash warrant it in the future.

 

[Matt400]

PS-- I have MANY links to other high quality dual beam lights if people want them.

What have you found, and how is the beam pattern on those Warn's?

I think I am gonna change my lighting again

 

[JCrockett]

I have had great luck with Light Force lights, very tough and you can adjust the beam pattern from flood to pencil, they offer 3 sizes 140mm, 170mm and 240mm, this is the diameter in mm, I have a set of 240' and 170's on my truck. Hit a moose with a set and they didnt even break. It was a slow impact, but still. Truckers up here hit birds with them and just keep driving. depending on what size you go with they could fit your budget.

#ad

 

[JDerrick]

I really like the Lightforce lights also. They are very tuff. I removed my original set ( 140 mm) from my 99' before I sold it and now they are mounted on my 06'. Soon to be sistered with another set (170 mm ) as soon as the funds are available for the purchase of a reunell bumper to mount all four on... . Great lights I recommend them to anyone, especially if your truck will see extended off road work. They hold up extremely well in the cold with snow and salty conditions too... . I have used most all of the other brands, and have friends whom have used any others that I have not and ALL have failed where the lightforce products came shining through. . Keeping in mind that all of these different lights are expensive so invest in something that you like, I wish that I had spend the money on lightforce products years ago when I started using off road lights, instead of wasting the cash on all of the others. but this is just my $0. 02 .

 

[pwknapp]

I really like my Defiant light bar with 3 Hella 4000 8" lights. It is coupled with a PIAA harness and could'nt do without the "old fashioned" foot switch suggested by Paul Fox @ Defiant.



Only thing I would change is make it 2 pencils and 1 fog instead of the 2 fogs and 1 pencil I have now.

 

[PJay9]

Try reading this page for very good information. I have drive and fog on my UTE bumber. Daniel Stern Lighting Consultancy and Supply

 

[continentaldrifter]

I went with the Lightforce 240's. Hope they're as good as i've read about them. Best deal was central4wd shipped for $311

 

[justme]

I have a set of Piaa 510s set up to run with the lowlights, a second set of Piaa 510s for the high lights, and finally a set of Lightforce 240s operating independently on my Road Armor bumper. I drove I-90 from Seattle to Chicago in January timeframe. The roads were horrible, slick, and DARK at night across Idaho and Montana but the Lightforce were my saving grace.



The Piaa's augment the primary factory lights, not much more than that. I wired the Piaa's into the primary circuits so that they come on automatically. If I loose the Piaa I will look for something with a lot more oomph to them.



I love my Lighforce lights. I have nothing bad to say about them.

 

[Matt400]

I have a set of Piaa 510s set up to run with the lowlights, The Piaa’s augment the primary factory lights, not much more than that.

Just curious. . what pattern are they- fog, driving or ATP?