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Strobe Lights

Discussion in 'Lighting' started by southerntaco889, Jun 17, 2010.

  1. Jun 17, 2010 at 6:45 PM
    #1
    southerntaco889

    southerntaco889 [OP] Well-Known Member

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    Hey guys, just got the my new 07 Tacoma DoubleCab Prerunner TRD Sport today (whoop whoop!) and i'm looking to install my strobe lighting that I use for my firefighting position in the heads and tails. Has anyone on here ever done this? I've put dozens of strobe kits in Chevys and Fords but never in a Toyota. Reason i'm asking is the headlight is a 3 piece unit and i was wondering if i drilled my 1 inch hole in the flat area right in front of the main bulb if it would stick all the way throgh into the bucket or would it be recessed back down in the unit. I know what im askin might be kinda hard to understand but any questions you need answered to help me just ask and i'll do my best to answer.
    Thanks
     
  2. Jun 18, 2010 at 10:55 AM
    #2
    Zombie Runner

    Zombie Runner Are these black helicopters for me?

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    oil change...
    I doubt anyone here has done this mod due to legal reasons.

    as far as sticking out into the shield will depend on how long your stobe bulb is. be carefull though b/c when you flip on your high beams your bulb actually moves up and shines over the top of the shield, if your stobe bulb was in the way I dont think you would have high beams anymore
     
  3. Jun 18, 2010 at 11:02 AM
    #3
    cgs2k2

    cgs2k2 old man

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    I have strobes installed in my truck. White in the heads, and red in the tails.

    I bought it used, and it was a plow truck, so that's why they are there.
    As far as install, I can't help ya since they were there when i bought it, but ill take a look and see if I can see anything.

    And: in response to Keason, I get what you're saying, but I DO in fact still have full use of my highs, so there must be a good spot to place the strobes to still have full functioning lights.
     
  4. Jun 18, 2010 at 11:02 AM
    #4
    1BlkT

    1BlkT Mod'n on a Budget

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    I'd be worried about ruining a set of headlights and having them fog up.

    What if you mounted them in between the crossbars on the grille? That way you could remove them later on without leaving any damage.
     
  5. Jun 18, 2010 at 11:45 AM
    #5
    Zombie Runner

    Zombie Runner Are these black helicopters for me?

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    oil change...
    take a look and see how yours are mounted cgs, please.

    as for mounting them behind the grill, well they need some sort of housing to fit in. otherwise its just a bulb flashing which wouldnt be bright or very noticable.
    Im sure you could get a cheap set of fogs and swap the bulbs out for strobes though
     
  6. Jun 18, 2010 at 1:45 PM
    #6
    southerntaco889

    southerntaco889 [OP] Well-Known Member

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    yeah this kit is actually just bulbs and a power supply. U drill 1 inch holes into your headlight buckets and insert the bulb through them. They have a neoprene seal on the base so they don' leak. I've done dozens of kits like I said before and not one of them has ever leaked. I'm going to have grille lights also but nothing beats strobes for moving traffic over. BTW cgs2k2 can you post a pic of where yours are drilled into the bucket at? Just a pic through the lens will work. I was just worried about placement.
    Thanks everybody.
     
  7. Jun 18, 2010 at 1:52 PM
    #7
    Holden02

    Holden02 Well-Known Member

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    Not sure on the 2nd gen. Just eye ball it mainly. There's a lot more room in the Ford headlights. Main thing is to make sure your mounting surface is nice and flat. If you put it as close as you can to the front lens you should be fine.
     
  8. Jun 18, 2010 at 1:54 PM
    #8
    Holden02

    Holden02 Well-Known Member

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    I can get you a sweet deal on a set a LED warning kit. Wouldn't be Hide-A-Way tho.
     
  9. Jun 18, 2010 at 2:47 PM
    #9
    Fire931

    Fire931 Well-Known Member Vendor

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    meh.. forget the strobes and just got with some leds in the grill..

    i have two tir3 led's in the grill (one white, one red) and a whelen talon in the dash and i can move traffic like no other...
     
  10. Jun 18, 2010 at 7:08 PM
    #10
    t_e

    t_e Well-Known Member

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    put the strobes in the fog housing... theres more room for clearance and you get better intersection angle. the headlight is very tricky because of the multi-layer. the strobes are longer than led hideaway so you could put them in the headlights in certain areas.
     
  11. Jun 19, 2010 at 12:12 AM
    #11
    skytower

    skytower Well-Known Member

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    Hitch and wiring, aux back-up light, rear strobe lights, radio and underseat sub.
    I put my rears in the reverse lights. I'll send you a picture.
    The fronts are another story. It appears there is 3 layers of plastic to drill through to put them in the headlights. I'm looking for something to put in the grill.
    I have yellows for working on breakdowns. I don't need fronts, usually.
     
  12. Jun 19, 2010 at 6:22 AM
    #12
    southerntaco889

    southerntaco889 [OP] Well-Known Member

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    I would go the full LED route as far as putting them in the dash, grille, back window etc. but cash is kinda tight right now and I need to get this stuff back up and working. Would love to have a talon though! I had a old Whelen DashKing I was using but it almost hangs out over the radio in my new truck. As far as putting them in the fog lights idk about that. I haven't looked but I doubt that the back of the light is flat enough to install the strobe tube in. can anybody guestimate about how thick the layers of plastic are about 2 inches back from the lens? In the flat spot in front of the main headlight?
     
  13. Jun 20, 2010 at 12:51 PM
    #13
    southerntaco889

    southerntaco889 [OP] Well-Known Member

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  14. Jun 29, 2010 at 9:22 AM
    #14
    TallTacoma

    TallTacoma Bear fvcker!

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    LEDs pull less juice and are more reliable than strobes.
     
  15. Jun 29, 2010 at 9:27 AM
    #15
    skytower

    skytower Well-Known Member

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    Hitch and wiring, aux back-up light, rear strobe lights, radio and underseat sub.
    Less current, yes. Less light output, yes. Keep that in mind.
     
  16. Jun 29, 2010 at 12:18 PM
    #16
    TallTacoma

    TallTacoma Bear fvcker!

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    Strobes are better for white light, but if you're going red or blue lights LEDs, IMO, are superior.
     
  17. Jun 29, 2010 at 12:35 PM
    #17
    skytower

    skytower Well-Known Member

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    Hitch and wiring, aux back-up light, rear strobe lights, radio and underseat sub.
    Head to head, yes. Colored strobes suck. LEDs have better colors, but a white strobe in a colored lens will have better daylight visability.
    I do like that the LEDs are more durable, longer lasting and lower power consuming. There's always a trade-off:(
     
  18. Jun 29, 2010 at 12:51 PM
    #18
    trdtaco10

    trdtaco10 Well-Known Member

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    I have a sound off dash light and it is one of the brightest lights I have ever seen for its size. Its a red/white and both are very bright regardless if its night or day. Remember also that its the change in patterns that gets peoples attention. If you were to go with a dash light and grill lights and/or wig wags in the fog lights, you could have a different pattern on all of them and get a crap ton of attention. If you do end up getting a little money, I'd sell the strobes and use it towards some leds. I recommend Sound Off. They are some of the brightest leds I've ever seen.
     
  19. Jun 29, 2010 at 3:44 PM
    #19
    uood8

    uood8 If You Search...You Shall Find.

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    Led's have better visability all the way around. We have a couple cars left with strobe bars and the new led bars blow them away, day or night. I've been about 300 yds away from the lights and hands down the led's take the cake no questions.

    <--- Whelen Led Bar / Led Grille Lights / Led Deck Lights / Wig-Wags :)
     
  20. Jun 29, 2010 at 4:09 PM
    #20
    Caduceus

    Caduceus Well-Known Member

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    Uh... sort of. If you're running the more recent LED's, then yeah, they're passing the strobes and certainly the dinky bulb/mirror combo.

    But it's only been the past few years that the LEDs have been that way. Maybe 2-3 only.
     

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