Single Most Useful Lighting

So I had to show up to camp this weekend late at night and pitch black darkness. The OEM high beams worked okay but the entire time I was wishing I had more lights particularly around corners. That being said, for those who have additional lights, which do you find yourself using most often?

I was thinking I could get the baja designs fogs that go into the OEM housings and just use it for additional offroad lighting, but that kind of kills any potential street use as they would just blind everyone.

Behind the grill light bar?

Ditch lights?

Just trying to figure out what to get first.

 

Throw some HID into the high beams

 

Was also thinking about this. I replaced all lights with LED's and should probably do the same for the high beams.

 

I have the Cali Raised ditch lights with the cornering lights, (4x3 I think) and I use them all the time. They work great and I’m sure they’re not as bright as BD but they’re pretty bright. Easy install, cheap, and work great.

 

Ditch lights. Fuck HIDs, too unreliable.

 

For me it's never enough. It can always be better. Light bar, tuned HID's ditch lights, KC fogs, still not bright enough while off road. I'm weird though

 

Get one of the Diode Dynamics fog light kits and any combinations of pod lights with brackets and light bar on a roof rack or grill and you should be all set. Just was in the same experience at the cabin and it was a glorious getting there in the dark when prepared.

 

Did you just wire them through the firewall and use some of their toggle switches? I was thinking about getting the trigger switch system so I wouldn't have to fish wire through the firewall, but that does add some significant cost up front to any lights

 

The pod that is on the side of my Roof rack is what I used the most when I am camped. I have to where it swivels and can be pointed anywhere. I also have lights in the rear of the roof rack for a 360 lighting.

If I am driving, I use my ditch lights, fogs, headlights, as well as sidelight above pointing forward. I go up mountains where some areas has one side is a wall and the other side is a cliff and only wide enough for me to go through as well as bridges without sidings/guard rails so I like having ton of lights.

 

baja designs makes DOT approved fog lights. I have the squadron SAE (dot approved) in amber. I think they’re way more useful than ditch lights. I have the rigid ditch lights with the corner lights and they make it harder to see due to light reflecting off the hood and just the fact that you can see the lights affects your night vision.

I’d say start with good fog lights and then if you still need more light, then think about adding something else. Also amber is great because it doesn’t reflect off dust/snow/rain/fog/etc

 

Well there's your first problem.

 

Just looked up the DOT approved lights and they're somehow more expensive than the sports with less output?! I guess its nice peace of mind if someone complains they're too bright.

 

I have the BD sae squadrons fogs in amber love them work great plenty of extra light on the sides of the road.

 

I mean I get respecting other people's eyes entirely but to me, I'd rather be a little more annoying at night with HIDs and Baja fogs than crash into someone... Personally I'd more annoyed by a totaled truck than someone's bright lights but that's just me. Also, DOT approved stuff is more expensive because you are paying for all the testing they do to get them approved on top of some new lights.

 

Sometimes it’s more than annoying for the other vehicle, it’s dangerous. You ever been blinded by lights and had to close your eyes or look away? That’s how you get a total truck too. Just saying...

 

totally agree, it's very situational. I try to only run them when necessary and turn them off if I see oncoming traffic (fogs that is I just don't go dark lol). I just think it's better to have the option if needed than be stuck with the piss poor OEM lights.

 

also at least here in WA all the police explorers run super bright LED projectors and blind me constantly so I just base my output off of theirs. Also the majority most current production cars run projectors that are 10x brighter than my HIDs.

 

So far reading through everyone's thoughts, I'm thinking BD fogs in amber, and LED's in the high beams may be a "good enough" area for a little while.

 

I love my amber BD fogs and can't see myself taking them off the truck ever with all the snow in WA. You have way more snow in Colorado so I'd highly suggest them. I also have ditches and a center 20in cali raised bar so all those combined are more than enough for me. You won't regret the fogs and my cheap Amazon HID kit has had no problems with plenty of wheeling trips and over a year on the truck. Ideally I'd get retrofits but the way my bank account is set up it won't allow for that...

 

Scene lights are great if you have them on a roof or bed rack.