LED Light Bars

[D_Eclipse9916]

At least once a month I am making a trip to VIR/Summit/Pick your Poison. A lot of the trips are at night and on not very well lit highways/roads. A lot of the times by myself. All loaded up, I am about 20,500lbs and about 52 to 54 feet long.

The stock headlights were fine with a little open trailer. With all that weight and length, my stopping distances and reaction distances are much farther. The truck is a 2007 (classic) GMC Sierra 2500. Putting HIDs in the stock housings are out of the question cause that doesn't really increase the light and sprays it everywhere.

Possible solutions (suggest any as well!):
1. LED Light bar - Gauranteed to get more light. How are the throw on these things? Will I get pulled over for running one on a dark stretch of road with nobody around? Expensive, but I can transfer to a new truck if I decide to go down that route in 2 years or more.

Doing something like in the bottom grill like this (not the top one):


2. Denali headlights into the Sierra. These have projectors built in, and are easily retrofittable with HID projectors. Not sure I like the look though. However would be more stock and I would ALWAYS have the increased light even with people around. Still somewhat expensive since I need to buy retrofit projectors, denali headlights, and a real HID Kit

[CaptainHenreh]

Transformation to brodozer begins...

[JPolen01]

Transformation to brodozer begins...

LED light bar on public roads should be an automatic ticket. I've been blinded by one of these a couple times by the same truck and it is bad. You can't see anything with one of those coming at you.

[CaptainHenreh]

Transformation to brodozer begins...

LED light bar on public roads should be an automatic ticket. I've been blinded by one of these a couple times by the same truck and it is bad. You can't see anything with one of those coming at you.

leave it to the marylander to ban shit he doesn't like.

[Senor_Taylor]

Transformation to brodozer begins...

LED light bar on public roads should be an automatic ticket. I've been blinded by one of these a couple times by the same truck and it is bad. You can't see anything with one of those coming at you.

Exactly this. LED bars, or any offroad lights are not for road use. All it takes is one corner where you didn't see the other person in time and couldn't get your lights turned off quick enough for an accident.

[V1GiLaNtE]

Transformation to brodozer begins...

LED light bar on public roads should be an automatic ticket. I've been blinded by one of these a couple times by the same truck and it is bad. You can't see anything with one of those coming at you.

Exactly this. LED bars, or any offroad lights are not for road use. All it takes is one corner where you didn't see the other person in time and couldn't get your lights turned off quick enough for an accident.

Keep in mind also that any "offroad" lights are legally required to be covered at all times unless offroad. I have not gotten a ticket, but I have heard plenty of stories of Jeepers getting pulled over for not having covers over auxiliary lights.

EDIT: I think they most also must be wired to the low/high switch in that you cannot run Aux lights in conjunction with your high beams.

EDIT2: Get the Light bar. See if you can pickup a 8-18" LED bar to run in the front bumper.

[D_Eclipse9916]

Transformation to brodozer begins...

LED light bar on public roads should be an automatic ticket. I've been blinded by one of these a couple times by the same truck and it is bad. You can't see anything with one of those coming at you.

Exactly this. LED bars, or any offroad lights are not for road use. All it takes is one corner where you didn't see the other person in time and couldn't get your lights turned off quick enough for an accident.

God If I get one, now I know how to piss off you two. :lol:

That IS one of my concerns. Although you have to remember, I am using this on roads where I am AVOIDING tight turns with a big trailer. I just really hate modding the look of my truck with aftermarket headlights.

Good question would be: Wouldn't my high-beam HIDs be doing the same thing to piss you off as an LED bar? I assume with an LED Bar I could get something a bit more direct than "spray light everywhere"?

[D_Eclipse9916]

So it looks like they have "spot" and "flood". The spot seems great. I can aim it to be the same as low-beams height. Why not?

[JustinG]

EBAY headlights and a legit projector/retrofit?

But considering the location of said race tracks, and the path there, I would wire up a single LED bar to be on with highbeams and over ride with a switch.

[Kaan]

replace your factory "fog" lights with a projection light like your headlights. thats the "clean" way to get around the police issue and stay within the easy inspection issue as well.

if you do go for the light bar option, you need to be careful of the reflection off your hood when you mount it overhead. it can be irritating to deal with.

[D_Eclipse9916]

:facepalm: No one ever actually reads my posts. Guess I will figure it out on my own.

Thanks Cabell, I think I will do that, I think I can fit a 20 or 30 like in that picture above.

[WRXtranceformed]

replace your factory "fog" lights with a projection light like your headlights. thats the "clean" way to get around the police issue and stay within the easy inspection issue as well.

if you do go for the light bar option, you need to be careful of the reflection off your hood when you mount it overhead. it can be irritating to deal with.

That's exactly what I was going to recommend, beef up your fog lights with projectors or a HID kit. If they are properly aligned they would be really helpful during bad weather as well.

The other easy button option would be to upgrade the bulbs in your lows / highs right now. How old are they? All bulbs dim over time and it might be helpful to upgrade them.

Wanted to give you another option besides #1 (which sounds illegal) and #2 (which looks weird, is probably more expensive and may not make enough of a difference)

[ScottyB]

probably a completely pointless thing to ask with a 2500 pickup getting 10mpg, but those roof mounted bars probably don't help aero much....i know on police cars the roof lights account for a not-insignificant amount of drag, and those have a rounded profile compared to a big flat LED bar. when you're towing hundreds of miles at a time i wonder if it would make a difference.

if you're worried about blinding people running LEDs, i'd just tie the swtich into your high beam relay. its not like you're going to be running your highs around other people.

alternatively, instead of running a big bar, what about going with smaller spotlight LED fogs mounted on/under the bumper which gives you the ability to also aim off to the ditches which could really help prevent deer strikes?

[JPolen01]

Transformation to brodozer begins...

LED light bar on public roads should be an automatic ticket. I've been blinded by one of these a couple times by the same truck and it is bad. You can't see anything with one of those coming at you.

leave it to the marylander to ban shit he doesn't like.

No fucks given when it comes to me being blinded while going 50mph. They are already "off road use only" as others have said. Carry on with your MD hate anyway. Haven't heard it in about 13 days.

[D_Eclipse9916]

if you're worried about blinding people running LEDs, i'd just tie the swtich into your high beam relay. its not like you're going to be running your highs around other people.

alternatively, instead of running a big bar, what about going with smaller spotlight LED fogs mounted on/under the bumper which gives you the ability to also aim off to the ditches which could really help prevent deer strikes?

It would fit in the lower grill for the 20" LED bar. The smaller fogs don't really have a good place to mount them to look concealed. Ideally you wouldn't even see this LED Bar.

And yes, the lights would only be on when I used my high beams.

I will be honest, I don't even worry about deer anymore. Travelling 65mph at 10+ tons...avoiding a deer is more risky than just going through it since the deer can change directions at any point. I am worried about abandoned cars on the side of the road, debris, and being able to look up to predict more situations. I guess having the light is more an illusion of being able to avoid something than actually being able to. hrmm

[PDenbigh]

I good friend mounted two 14" bars BEHIND his front grill of his Tahoe (more discrete, and in order to mostly avoid the "must be covered" law) and wired them to come on with high beams. They still make a big difference even going through some honeycomb grill. Obviously it reduces throw and spread. Just an idea if the reduced air flow won't bother your cooling system.

To answer your question, the throw on them is great. The spot/flood is a nice combo because you get throw and spread - good for avoiding critters coming at you from the side.

I have a 12" one on my ATV and it really makes a huge difference at night. I used a cheaper Amazon one, but disassembled it before install and sealed it well. So far so good - several submissions and driving rains, though not an 80mph driving rain.

On the F-150 I love the HIDs. So much bright. I do still intend to (someday) put an amber bar down low for snow and fog.

No hard data for you but some additional anecdotal to hopefully help with the decision.

[V1GiLaNtE]

Oh yea, I was just going to suggest DJ if you could fit a LED bar behind the grill that would keep it clean and reduce the possible unwanted attention. A spot should throw enough light at low level to keep the road well lit if aimed properly.

They do sell ones which are curved and may fit better.

[D_Eclipse9916]

I good friend mounted two 14" bars BEHIND his front grill of his Tahoe (more discrete, and in order to mostly avoid the "must be covered" law) and wired them to come on with high beams. They still make a big difference even going through some honeycomb grill. Obviously it reduces throw and spread. Just an idea if the reduced air flow won't bother your cooling system.

To answer your question, the throw on them is great. The spot/flood is a nice combo because you get throw and spread - good for avoiding critters coming at you from the side.

I have a 12" one on my ATV and it really makes a huge difference at night. I used a cheaper Amazon one, but disassembled it before install and sealed it well. So far so good - several submissions and driving rains, though not an 80mph driving rain.

On the F-150 I love the HIDs. So much bright. I do still intend to (someday) put an amber bar down low for snow and fog.

No hard data for you but some additional anecdotal to hopefully help with the decision.

Thanks!

I wish I could do a new truck. In fact I was starting to search around, but for a diesel crew cab long bed with leather/sunroof/nav that I already have would be $50k+ after discounts. Considering my truck is paid off and reliable and already has the mods I like (air bag rears, retrax tonneau, hide-away gooseneck, and 800lb/ft+ of torque) I just can't justify 30k more in cash.

[PDenbigh]

I hope you didn't somehow infer that I suggested getting a new truck from that :-). The F-150 comment was to say "I have HIDs and I STILL want a light bar in spite of that, so I get where you're coming from."

[D_Eclipse9916]

I hope you didn't somehow infer that I suggested getting a new truck from that :-). The F-150 comment was to say "I have HIDs and I STILL want a light bar in spite of that, so I get where you're coming from."

That's alright. I know all you big ballers with your newish ford trucks :lol:


So the ebay/cheapie/amazon ones work? I might just order a 20" amazon one for $50 and hit it with some RTV. Its not like I go offroading with my truck (and learned my lesson highway all-seasons dont do well in sand at 80psi).