Advice on lightbar location and color

Hood and windshield glare. Even if you move it far back, it illuminates dust and fog particles in air in front of windshield, they reflect light back, you see nothing.

Offroad lights on hood and roof are for looks, not for purpose.

 

Here are some of the items I used.

$19 True MODS 6 Pack 4-Pin 12V Bosch Style Fused Relay Switch Kit [Interlocking Harness Socket Holder] [14 AWG Hot Wires] [SPST] [30 Amp] 12 Volt Automotive relays with Fuse for Auto Cars

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$33 4 Post Power Distribution Block Bus Bar with Cover - Made in The USA - 250 Amp Rating - Marine, Automotive, and Solar Wiring - Set of 2 (5/16")

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$9 Twidec/5Pcs LED Lighted Rocker Switch Toggle 12V 30A SPST 3 Pin On-Off Blue Round Dot Switch for Car Boat Marine ASW-20D-BU

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$96 Rigidhorse 42" Curved LED Light Bar, 300W Super Bright Flood & SpotBeam Combo - 52000LM Off Road Driving Single Row Light Bars for Trucks for Jeep Trucks Boats ATV UTV Cars

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I may upgrade my grille and bulge as well. I've had mine off enough times it would only take a few minutes

 

Yeah same. Used to be scared to take off the grille, but once you locate the 2 clips that make taking it off hard, you’re golden.

I don’t try to yank it off anymore like most tutorials show you.

 

My advice on light color for use in the road would be amber. Legality issues regarding street use aside, amber is much nicer in your eyes when running the back highways at night.

I have a lot of Baja Designs lighting up front. A 30” OnX6 in the bumper slot, a 40” S8 in the hood bulge, and Squadron fogs and ditch lights. The fogs and OnX6 are amber, while the S8 and ditch are clear.

The light reflection off road signs with the white light is blinding. So much that my wife doesn’t like me to use the S8 or ditch lights when she’s with me. No complaints with the OnX6 or fogs though.

I have amber lenses coming for the S8 and ditch lights…


Glare off the hood isn’t too bad with the ditch lights, but it’s there. The bigger issue is the glare off rain with the hood bulge and ditch lights. Similar to the street signs. I don’t run this lights when it’s raining. Hope this improves with amber lenses.

 

Nope. Torrential rain, snow blizzard, heavy fog - turn all lights off but fog lights and crawl in almost complete darkness. At least you'll see the road a few feet ahead. Everything else just blinds you with the reflection.

 

Agreed, with the conditions you’re describing, there won’t be any advantage to throwing more light at the problem. If the weather is that crappy, lighting is not the answer.

I was referring to more mild situations. Regular rain and such, and amber vs clear for normal driving.

 

For regular driving stock LED headlights is more than enough. I only use fog lights in wilderness, when trying to locate a side trail in darkness to spend night away from the main road. Spot lightbar I never use. Wish I had it couple of times, when traveling at night far up north, where there's no traffic, no light, but I'm wiser now and don't travel at night Night is for rest.

 

In Houston, including me, I am starting to see more trucks run with their fogs on full time. Yea, we get bad weather sometimes, but a lot of the times those are hard rain that last for 15-30 mins and the like.
I have the SS3 Max in amber and am super stroked on how well it performs. Sometimes I turn it off to let the oncoming traffic pass (think school buses in the neighborhood trying to navigate with cars on the side) and with just the LED headlights, all of a sudden it puts my LED headlights to shame.....lol
I think the overall weather condition/driving requirement would tell what you would need.
I would agree that amber, while lower on the lumen specs, actually is more than enough for most.
I do have a 42" in the front bumper, combo setting with amber glass on both ends and white in the middle, white is so blinding that I can't even see the amber.
Thinking to swap out all the white with amber glass so at least I can use it when need to.....

 

Howdy neighbor, I'm over here in Palacios.

 

Howdy, you are half way when I visit Port Lavaca, 71 - 35 along that back stretch in the middle of nowhere and a two-lane road that goes for miles....

 

I go to Port Lavaca all the time (closest HEB). Do you ever go to Matagorda beach? I like to go there and camp

 

So to play devils advocate. If you were driving on a logging road on a dark night in the north Maine woods after a snowfall. Would you rather have your light bar or one up high? You and I both know a light bar up high in that situation would be better than yours.

Your statement of high light bars having no use is short sighted. Correct, they don’t have as many situational uses, but they do have scenarios where they shine.

 

I actually visit an old couple friends of mine down there, so no camping but that sounds about right....
Should try that some time when the weather is nicer and I am overdue for a visit to the old couple friends....

 

I had offroad lights mounted on the roof basket, on the hood (pods) and now they are mounted in front of the grill. When flood lights are on, I see everything, even trees 50 ft high. If I need to see 100 ft high, I step out and turn them up by hands. But I never had to see 100 ft high in wilderness at night.

Also after snowfall I don't turn offroad lights on, because fresh snow reflection glare is too much for my eyes

 

Hmmm. Agree to disagree on this one, Sir.

I drive a lot of wide open rural highway and we have a ton of wildlife that like to play Frogger. I will drive with a pile of lights turned on when I drive after dark. This includes my morning commute to the office and my drive home for half the year. I like to see the animals eyes reflect at me as soon as I can, as well as any other potential stuff. In other words, I like to make driving at night feel like driving during the day…. I can see an oncoming car’s headlights as they are coming around a corner or over a hill and shut down the lights before I blind them.

Amber light is less aggressive on my eyes when reflecting off my street signs.

 

I have a double curved 42” in my grill. It’s great and all when I go hunting. It’s also great when I’m either in Blackforest, HWY 83 or I25 in between Monument Hill and Parker. I come across a lot of Elk and Deer and even came close to hitting a few.

 

TLDR, but I would suggest using weatherproof relays even if they are mounted inside the cab. Or upgrade to an aux panel.