Bull/Push Bar thoughts? Suggestions?

[Indispensable Explorer]

So, running for more than an hour each week down a small, unlit, truck route has taught me that the lights on my beloved Explorer are pathetic. I don't have too much faith in the "upgraded" halogens or the aftermarket LED upgrades(too many bad stories). After some thoughts I landed on the idea to get my Explorer a Bull/Push Bar(with a set of street legal lights), however budget is a problem with it being 20 years old, I don't want to make a large investment in a vehicle that can be totaled with someone sneezing on it.
I would like your thoughts on Bull/push bar options, tips, alternatives, pictures would be awesome if you have them. I am also interested in lights that are street legal if you know any.
Thanks!

 

[96Green]

do your lights need to go on a bullbar? While I agree some do look pretty cool, they are somewhat expensive.

Here's what the front of my Explorer looks like these days:

I'm running aftermarket projectors, which for ebay junk are actually pretty decent. (I don't have the halos wired up, because they look like butt, though.)

I'm running a license plate bracket with round LED spots, which are pretty good for throwing light down the road

I've also got an LED lightbar (Auxbeam X-Series) which is set up as a flood. It just craps out tonnes of light. It's a lower end lightbar price-wise, but it performs pretty well.

Obviously, a lot of this can't be used in the presence of other traffic, but, for dark country roads, it's a pretty damn decent combination.

 

[Indispensable Explorer]

Nice rig you got there! I don't need a bull bar to mount my lights on, I would prefer it, but when it comes down to it I really just need the function of the lights. My plan now will probably be to get some bar I can mount lights on without drilling onto anything. Ironically, the beams I chose to be my lights are the same brand as your light bar. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00FWD83RW/ref=ox_sc_sfl_title_1?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=AFLE0NKKTARYW
My idea is to set up two of these lights as low beams, the other two as high beams. With your Auxbeams did you improve the water resistance?
Thanks for your input!

 

[96Green]

Nice rig you got there! ...
My idea is to set up two of these lights as low beams, the other two as high beams.
With your Auxbeams improve the water resistance?
Thanks for your input!

Thanks!
I'm pretty sure you will want to install a switch, at least on your 'low beam' set, to allow you to turn them off (i'm assuming you plan to relay them right off the headlight circuits), as these are not suitable for use in areas with oncoming traffic.
As for waterproofness, I have yet to see any leakage into my lightbar, but... knowing how it goes together (I took it apart to paint parts of it), I could see how leakage might occur. There is a seal, but, it wasn't seated properly in my unit (an issue I fixed while I had it apart). I would NOT mount mine anywhere it might get immersed in water, but, it seems fine in rain, snow, etc...

 

[Indispensable Explorer]

Thanks again. I would love to get some auxiliary lights that are dim enough but most of these auxiliary lights brag about how bright they are. My plan was if they were too bright I would put a tint on the lights to help dim them. I would properly aim them so not to blind people ahead of me, or people in the other lane as well. Do you think the tint might work if they're too bright?

 

[96Green]

It's not really about the brightness, its about the spread. They will dazzle oncoming traffic. If you dim them enough for that to not be an issue, they will probably be fairly useless to you. This will likely be an issue unless you get lights that are actually headlights (i.e. have a DOT approved headlight beam pattern).