Driving Lights, Who has done

[brobeson]

I am looking to install some really good Driving lights.



Where has who mounted what.



Under the bumber, on top of the bumber, on brush guards or what.



What brand lights and have you changed the 55 watt for 100 plus or what.



Has anyone changed the stock head lights bulbs with some real good ones?



TIA



Bob

 

[RonaldLarson]

I had 100 watters mounted at hood level on my Ramcharger. They were from Dick Cepek and did a good job. I was looking at a new Warn catalog yesterday, and they show some good looking lights. They also show the patterns of light and list the reflective range for each different type, and suggested mounting places. Good place to start.

Ron

 

[Thomas]

I installed PIAA 60XT driving lamps about a year ago. They are supplied with 85 watt bulbs. These lamps, along with the Brite Box and fogs-on-with-high-beam, are far superior to the Mopar-engineered system.



The lamps fit the openings in the front bumper and are attached to an aluminum channel that I installed in the bumper above and behind the rectangular openings. Cooling does not seem to be compromised.

 

[NVR FNSH]

Thomas,

Can you take a picture of how you mounted the PIAAs?



TIA,

Brian

 

[EMDDIESEL]

I have PIAA 520's mounted on a Smitty Bilt "Outland Sport" stainless steel bumber guard. It is not one of the big brush guards, it only goes as high as the bumper. Basically, its a light mounting rack. It has holes pre drilled to mount up to 3 sets of lights. I was going to mount my lights right on top of the bumper but there was no clearence since the factory plastic bumper cover is not really as wide as the steel bumper underneath.

 

[Thomas]

Brian,



I have no easy way of providing a picture—sorry. The picture above is a part of a scanned photograph that I took last January.



The PIAA's have the typical single bolt type of mount, about ½ inch diameter. I installed the lamps with this bolt pointing up, attached to a length of 1 X 2 X 1/8 aluminum channel. The channel is a bit shy of 3 feet long and fits between the inner bumper brackets, 1¼ inches in front of the A/C condensor and ¾ inch above the foglamp sight shields. The channel is attached, two-inch wide flat surface down, to the inner bumper brackets with "L" shaped brackets—extremely rigid. As I recall, this was a no-drill install. The upper fascia was removed from the bumper while I fabricated, installed, and adjusted.



Other than the lamps, nothing shows unless the hood is up. Then, a bit of the channel can be seen if I look straight down with my eyes near the A/C condensor.

 

[45A1]

I was thinking about putting some piaa 80xt's on top of the bumper, but am wondering about clearance for opening the hood. Will the lights clear the grill when it is opened? I've also considered the outland sport mount, but does anyone know if it will work with mopar tow hooks?

 

[Papa Joe]

Thomas, now THAT is a nice installation.

Good job, Joe

 

[Thomas]

45A1,



This should take you to the PIAA page with 80 XT lamps:



http://www.piaa.com/displayLamp.php3?inc=80pro.html#





The dimensioned drawing should help you answer the "will they fit?" question.