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Driving/off road lights help

Discussion in '2nd Gen. Tacomas (2005-2015)' started by GeoTaco, Dec 17, 2009.

  1. Dec 17, 2009 at 3:55 PM
    #1
    GeoTaco

    GeoTaco [OP] the town is back that way

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    This is a repost from the Lighting section, but i have some questions and am wanting to get some pictures of different off road or driving lights. I only reposted it to get more opinions and pictures. Thanks yall!

    Ive been doing some research for the past few hours, work is a bit slow now and ive narrowed it down to PIAA 520, PIAA 540, Hella 500, and KC Slim lights.

    Besides the color of the bulb is there any real difference between the PIAA 520's and 540's?

    Also the KC slim lights have a driving and Off Road beam pattern, any one have any insite on the differences?

    Anyone have any of these lights and care to post a pic so i can see what they would look like on a tacoma.

    Thanks
     
  2. Dec 17, 2009 at 4:35 PM
    #2
    GeoTaco

    GeoTaco [OP] the town is back that way

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    anyone??
     
  3. Dec 18, 2009 at 3:24 PM
    #3
    DeeKay21

    DeeKay21 Lieutenant Dan.

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    I have PIAA 520's behind my Satoshi grill. The difference between the driving lights and off roads lights is the pattern on the beam. Driving lights have a more straight and solid beam, the off road lights have more of a fog pattern to them. I have driving lights on mine.;)

     
  4. Dec 18, 2009 at 3:40 PM
    #4
    wareagle5693

    wareagle5693 Well-Known Member

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    3" Spacer Lift, with Bilstein 5100s front and rear, BHLM, Satoshi grill, Blacked out tail lights, Midland CB radio, 4' Radio Shack antenna mounted in the bed, Volant CAI, Gibson Exhaust, Magellan GPS, debadged, aries bull bar, pro comp 7089 wheels, Pioneer DEH-P6200BT head unit, eagle eyes halo projector, 8000K DDM tuning HID bulb
    Thought you just had a grillcraft... the Satoshi is the deep dish :confused:
     
  5. Dec 18, 2009 at 3:42 PM
    #5
    DeeKay21

    DeeKay21 Lieutenant Dan.

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    Yeah I have the Satoshi "deep-dish" upper grill. Grillcraft I have for the lower part.;)
     
  6. Dec 18, 2009 at 3:44 PM
    #6
    wareagle5693

    wareagle5693 Well-Known Member

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    3" Spacer Lift, with Bilstein 5100s front and rear, BHLM, Satoshi grill, Blacked out tail lights, Midland CB radio, 4' Radio Shack antenna mounted in the bed, Volant CAI, Gibson Exhaust, Magellan GPS, debadged, aries bull bar, pro comp 7089 wheels, Pioneer DEH-P6200BT head unit, eagle eyes halo projector, 8000K DDM tuning HID bulb
    Ohh ok!! I see now! :D i feel like a retard, it looked like you had the grillcraft on the top too, it didn't seem all so deep. But I see it is now! haha
     
  7. Dec 18, 2009 at 3:46 PM
    #7
    DeeKay21

    DeeKay21 Lieutenant Dan.

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    No worries. Yeah the Satoshi's are kinda hard to see when you look at them straight on. You have to be at an angle to get the true deep dish effect.;)
     
  8. Dec 18, 2009 at 6:38 PM
    #8
    wareagle5693

    wareagle5693 Well-Known Member

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    3" Spacer Lift, with Bilstein 5100s front and rear, BHLM, Satoshi grill, Blacked out tail lights, Midland CB radio, 4' Radio Shack antenna mounted in the bed, Volant CAI, Gibson Exhaust, Magellan GPS, debadged, aries bull bar, pro comp 7089 wheels, Pioneer DEH-P6200BT head unit, eagle eyes halo projector, 8000K DDM tuning HID bulb
    Yeah haha ;)


    So how do those lights fit behind it? I'm gonna get some Hella 500s with my Christmas money..
     
  9. Dec 18, 2009 at 7:13 PM
    #9
    westport toyota

    westport toyota Well-Known Member

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    That front bar is the sh$T ! did u make it ? Its not painted yet or its aluminum ?
     
  10. Dec 18, 2009 at 7:15 PM
    #10
    wareagle5693

    wareagle5693 Well-Known Member

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    3" Spacer Lift, with Bilstein 5100s front and rear, BHLM, Satoshi grill, Blacked out tail lights, Midland CB radio, 4' Radio Shack antenna mounted in the bed, Volant CAI, Gibson Exhaust, Magellan GPS, debadged, aries bull bar, pro comp 7089 wheels, Pioneer DEH-P6200BT head unit, eagle eyes halo projector, 8000K DDM tuning HID bulb
    Huh?
     
  11. Dec 19, 2009 at 2:24 AM
    #11
    rustyshakelford

    rustyshakelford Well-Known Member

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    i have 4 of the procomp explorer 8" 130 watt. they are an inexpensive light but so far i have been really happy with them. they are bright as heck but cheap to replace if one gets damaged

    brett
     
  12. Dec 19, 2009 at 7:33 AM
    #12
    GeoTaco

    GeoTaco [OP] the town is back that way

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    Did yall have to add mounting brackets, or are they handing from the upper grille supports? Any pics of how they are mounted are appreciated. I'm leaning towards the slimlights or the 520's, for my newly ordered avid light bar, but was thinking about putting them behind my grille also.
     
  13. Dec 19, 2009 at 8:23 AM
    #13
    David K

    David K Well-Known Member

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    Differential Breather Mod Light Bar: 4 Cree LED lamps Bilstein 5100s Ride Rite Air Bags
    My step-son works at an off road racing shop (owned by Ivan Stewart's son) and he custom made a light bar for my 2005 Tacoma. I originally had a pair of the 7" HID 'cheap' lights from Kragen... They were $120 each and very bright giving the effect of daylight with the HID. Unfortunately, they are made of plastic and one trip to Baja did them in (vibration from washboard road cracked the body).

    I replaced them with 8" Hella 4000 metal racing lamps with 100 watt halogen bulbs. These seem to be industructable and can be converted to HID using kits available online.

    The difference in beam patterns is important... The Kragen HIDs were called 'Euro Beams' and that is commonly known as 'Driving Beams'... basically similar to headlights on high beam with an oval pattern of illumination.

    The Hella 4000s I have are 'Pencil Beams' (also called 'spot beams'), which project more light further down the road with little side area lighting. This is ideal for driving at speed or just to see objects sooner! They are available in driving beams, as well.

    A third common light beam is with Fog Lamps, also called 'Cornering lights', as they project a short, low but very wide light.

    I recently switched my '05 for a 2010 Tacoma (TRD, Off Road, Double cab) and naturally removed the light bar and wiring to re-install on the new truck.

    I have attached photos of the light bar with the Hellas and photos of the fabrication and where it is attached, with the HIDs. If you don't have one made as I did, I saw KC Hilites has one for the newer Tacomas in their catalog.

    Hella 4000 002.jpg
    Hella 4000 003.jpg
    Hella 4000 005.jpg
    light bar 015.jpg
    light bar 034.jpg
    light bar 036.jpg
    light bar 043.jpg
     
  14. Dec 20, 2009 at 5:44 AM
    #14
    DeeKay21

    DeeKay21 Lieutenant Dan.

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    The PIAA's fit great behing the Satoshi grill!! There isnt to much room for play back there but it fits just right.:)
    I'm assuming your talking to me? That front bar is made by Avid Off-Road. You can google them. You will most likely be dealing with a guy named Brandon. Very cool guy!! Great products too!!!!:D It comes unpainted but painted mine black a few days ago.
     
  15. Dec 20, 2009 at 9:16 AM
    #15
    w8n4mud

    w8n4mud I'm back.

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    Any chance you have pictures behind the grill. We started to mount the lights from the bar above (where the horns were) and discovered that the left side is weak. The right side is strong. So now we're thinking of relocating of reinforcing the left side a little with an extra piece of steel.
     
  16. Dec 20, 2009 at 9:29 AM
    #16
    DeeKay21

    DeeKay21 Lieutenant Dan.

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    True, left side is very weak and makes the light bounce up and down which looks awful. I made some brackets that go behind the light and mount to the radiator with some double-sided sticky tape for now. It was a temporary fix for now. I still need to come up with something that will be perminant.:rolleyes:
     
  17. Dec 20, 2009 at 9:51 AM
    #17
    w8n4mud

    w8n4mud I'm back.

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    OK. As long as I'm not the only one with this problem. :eek: Should you Jerryrig something before we do, let me know. Thanks man.
     
  18. Dec 20, 2009 at 10:19 AM
    #18
    DeeKay21

    DeeKay21 Lieutenant Dan.

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    Yeah Ill let you know for sure. No worries!;)
     

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