Need advise about installing a light bar on my 2008 Tacoma

I am thinking about installing a light bar on my 2008 Tacoma. I am wondering if I should install a curved bar or straight, how wide it should be (50" or 52"), which brand I should choose, which mounting brackets I should purchase, and what type of wiring harness would work best. If possible, I would like to install a button on my dash board left of the steering wheel. Any suggestions?

 

30 inch rigid E series fits nicely in the lower grill of 2005-15 tacomas without mod or extra brackets. The harness works well too.

 

"52 curved.
Other than That... Lots of reading. That's the best way to find the answers to your questions...
Choose roof mounted brackets or door jam brackets ( most all brackets are $100)
Door jam you drill holes. Roof you dont.
Next is what do you want the light bar for ..
How much do you plan to spend.? How important is light output?
With prices from $80-$1500.

Best bet is to Google search tacomaworld.com 52" lightbar threads..
then look at all the brackets from @CaliRaisedLed @ragofabrication @CBI Offroad Fab ect..

 

Had mine up for a couple of months gen took it down. Got an amazon $200 light bar that came with all the wiring and cabing button. @Iggy will have a group buys every now and then, those are better in my opinion than the Amazon.com stuff. Iggy also sells a nice switch plate you can place on the center console without having to drill your interior around.
Here are my thoughts on the roof lights:
Pros:
- looks
- some improvement on off roading lights
- easy to install

Cons:
- very noisy
- doesn't improve highway lightning (can't use while on roads)
- light will shine your hood and blind you, unless you point up and then you'll just get a nice view of the trees around you
- did I say these are loud (I even did the mod where you use door trimming to quiet down the constant whistle)

You'll probably be better off doing what #2 post recs

 

Rigid industries 30 E series in the Bumper has NONE of those cons. Haha.

 

Except cannot use any of them on the road.

 

Its only loud because of the brackets. The more over the windshield the quieter it is. They are more money but i have seen and been in trucks with no wind sound.

 

I dont like roof ones me my self. Only if it on a roof rack. Thats why i just did my truck this way. Being here in Las Vegas there is a lot of trails and we go out at night. So u need them here. Did a low bumper one, one behind the grill and, changed the fog to pods and the ditch lights with the extension on it.

 

I like it. And I personally think most of the time the light bars look to "bro" lol

The bumper fits the 30 inch E series (or similar) behind the plastic grill with no mods at all, and it is a little more discreet for a 1k light bar. I would hate for it to get stolen.

 

That was on my 13. I am having trouble uploading where I am, so those are from my gallery.

Its on my 15 now.

 

You mean other than when he said:
- doesn't improve highway lightning (can't use while on roads)

 

Lol post number 6 covers that.

But yes, I have used it many times on back roads when its zero lume and dark as hell with no traffic.

It far outranges my headlights.

 

Every $1500 turd in the high school parking lot has a giant light bar mounted on the roof along with every bro'd out diesel dildo.

It kinda ruins it for people who actually have a use for them because they just look cheap and played out now. I'm not knocking the guys who have them and actually use/need them fyi. The highway howl is another reason I wouldn't get one.

 

Hence why i dislike them usually now. I like the function but the look is burned out on me.