Ultimate set of off road lights?

[SouthernSAR]

I was thinking of putting a metric s***ton of lights on my truck... like 18 of them. Anyone have any ideas on how I could mount that many lights? I was thinking 6 on a brush guard, 6 on a light bar, 2 on either roof rack, and 2 on the backs of the roof racks.

I'll add that I have no use for any of these lights beside the ones on the back. This would be purely for the hell of having them and to have to ability to say "f you" to those idiots who drive with their high-beams on.

 

[OffTrac]

Upgrade your alternator.

My two PIAAs on the brush guard have provided plenty of light for my uses and I live in the sticks. Nobody leaves their lights on long if they ignore the short courtesy "please dim your lights." I have some for mounting to the rear just haven't gotten around to it.

I can't see any reason for that many lights, but it's your truck, your money. I can't even think of a way I could have fit 6 on my brush guard.

 

[FIND]

18 lamps? Forget JUST an alternator upgrade. Why have that many lights? Getting ready for the zombie apocalypse, only going to use a couple at a time and want spares you can turn on when the other ones burn out, but don't want to risk being eaten by a zombie when you are changing bulbs? There comes a point where you are making so many lumens that you are hindering your ability to see, and imagine the heat.

In that case, instead of buying 800 bucks worth of incandescent lights, buy a couple 10" SR series LED lightbars from rigid. 3200 lumens a piece for a 35 watt draw? Yes please... Roughly $600 bucks for the pair though, ouch. But, 7000 lumens, that would match the light output from 4 off-road lights with 35 watt HIDs or high wattage incandescent in them, considering lumen loss for optics and such, with a lifespan in the 10s of thousands of hours longer. They would also be less susceptible to vibration or rough conditions. You could also add a couple of Rigid's dually lights for another $200 if you find yourself needing a couple thousand more lumens, and you have still saved the money you would have spent on an upgraded alternator, extra battery and wiring. I plan on getting some myself at some point, when I am not busy spending money on other things.

For the rear, be careful with that, it is not legal to use off-road lights on road, and you could pay some hefty fines for flashing someone behind you.

Anyway, look at those trucks that compete in baja races. Even before switching to LEDs, none of them were running that many lights, and for good reason.

 

[SouthernSAR]

I could find 18 of the cheap-o lights from like wal-mart for 90 bucks or so... but the alternator and extra battery things and whatnot are things I didn't think about. And again, I would like to reiterate that I have essentially no use whatsoever for getting that many lights.. haha. Purely a "what the hell" kind of thing.

 

[FIND]

I don't know why you would want 2 of those cheap-o walmart lights. They will only last a couple years if that before breaking or rusting. Get a pair of quality lights and some 55 watt hid retrofit bulbs for that price and mount a work lamp on the back. Done. You will thank yourself later.

 

[OffTrac]

I don't know why you would want 2 of those cheap-o walmart lights. They will only last a couple years if that before breaking or rusting. Get a pair of quality lights and some 55 watt hid retrofit bulbs for that price and mount a work lamp on the back. Done. You will thank yourself later.

18 is more than 2; more is better

 

[SouthernSAR]

Alright, I give up. When I have a need for 18 lights I'll do it. In the meantime I will definitely try putting some actual high-quality lights sort of angled down in the rear and use them as back-up/bed lights. Done. Thread was meant as a joke.

Edit- although it was a joke I still think it would be badass and I might do it someday... if I ever do you guys will be the first to see it.

 

[FIND]

Sorry, hadn't realized you meant it as a joke. There are a lot of people who would ask this question seriously, so, you never know. I didn't mean to come off as rude, just trying to help.

 

[College Student]

I sorta like the look if you would have instead said you'd be replicating i am legend with full 360 roof rack attack so no matter if there is no light when your around people would wonder if the sun is on earth

i could fifteen on just that front in driver meaning if u had the same on the other side then you would encounter 30 lights, stating that the explorer is smaller than the expedition i still believe you could manage to pull of 20 just on the rack easy

 

[SouthernSAR]

Sorry, hadn't realized you meant it as a joke. There are a lot of people who would ask this question seriously, so, you never know. I didn't mean to come off as rude, just trying to help.

It's all good. I thought it better to give up than to argue my point, I hate arguing with people =P. And you did help, because I didn't really think about other things that would be affected by wiring ANY lights lol. I was in the "plug and play" mindset so to speak.

and College Student, that's essentially what I had in mind. Minus the roof rack. But I don't think it would look too cool without a roof rack.
Ha, coolness factor. :thumbdwn:

 

[rookieshooter]

If you do put some in the back, I recommend Hella Work lights. I have one mounted on my rear roll bar and have had it for years. It has twin Halogen bulbs and the lens is made to throw a very wide light pattern.
Had two until one got knocked off which busted the housing. But all was not lost, it's now my portable emergency light thanks to fiberglass glass, resin, 12' of cord, handle and switch ha ha.

 

[OffTrac]

Wasn't trying to argue with you either. Just walking through the process, how they'd be used and mounted where/how, too. Didn't realize it was a joke, though.

I think around 10 lights would be more efficient. 4 brush guard, 4 front of roof rack, 2 on back.

 

[mr_valingo]

Personally i think offtrac is in the right track. If you want to be obnoxious about it go big. 7in or better. But a ton of walmart specials will get the wrong attention

 

[LONO100]

yup, it would probably be more practical to get a few really really powerful lights as opposed to a gang of little walmart lights for the sake of space, wiring and placement. either way, if you plan on going big with lights, you will def need to upgrade your alternator like everyone else has been saying. you might even need an extra battery. it could get costly.

 

[Paraphoe]

I've run 4 Walmart lights for years, and they're a waste of money. You can barely tell when I flip them on nowadays. I get much better Mileage out of my PIAAs and KCs.

I'm glad I clicked this thread though, because I had no idea that SR light bar existed. And now I'm going to buy the **** out of it.