The SAE J581 Aux High Beam Thread

So I just picked up an extra set of stock headlights for cheap to aid in a RX350 retrofit. I was originally planning on a set of SS3 Pros in 4000k behind the grill to compliment the high beams, but now that I don't necessarily need the halogen high beam, what would be the reason to not mount the SS3 pods inside the headlight assembly? Another member did it with BD Squadrons, and outside of not having an SAE pattern I think it looked clean. The biggest potential issue I can think of is heat, I know crash clocked these at ~200 F, but the stock halogens also put out a fair bit of heat. I am counting on mounting being tricky, but the extra set of lights mean that I don't have to hurry on these.

Any other things that I should be aware of?

Poor photoshop for kicks-

 

I would contact @Diode Dynamics to see what they would say. My only concern is thermal management since it would be in a sealed housing with no air flow. I believe it would handle it just fine but would dim to protect itself from overheating.

Either way, I think it would be awesome! I've thought about something similar with the SSC2's and the amber backlight for a turn signal/running light.

 

Sorry to hijack your thread but where can I get that grill?

 

100% USA custom made of my own design from stainless for $500, with all stainless blacked out hardware. I sold the truck before I completed the install and have it available to sell for cheap if interested. Just been collecting dust on the work bench. Awesome looking piece. Shoot me a PM if interested.

 

Awesome! How do you PM/DM on this forum? Is it the “start a conversation” icon?

 

Yes, that is one way to do it.

 

Anyone have a opinion on Diode dynamics pro drive lights vs Baja designs squadron pro drive lights? Besides the 100 difference

 

One is an actual driving pattern and the other is an off-road pattern with lots of foreground light that isn’t a driving pattern.

 

I’m looking for a light to be used on and off the road to keep a eye out for deer near the road at a safe distance to stop. Will only be used on the road when other drivers aren’t around and mounted on ditch light brackets.

 

If you intend to use them on road and there is a chance of oncoming traffic or citation by police, there's only one legal choice (Diode SS3 sport/pro). If legality is not a concern, the Baja (combo optic) would offer you a more gradient light pattern you might be looking for.

@memario1214 do you have any more comparison videos coming up? Would like to see some stuff on the SS3 combo, max, etc.

 

Legality doesn’t really matter since he’s mounting them on ditch brackets so I personally wouldn’t worry about sae compliance.

Having said that I bought SS3 pros in 4k sae driving pattern for my wife’s suburban. I feel that’s the best all around light for her vehicle since they’ll be the only auxiliary lights on it.

 

Thanks guys. I don’t care to much about the legality of stuff as the cops are pretty cool around here and I don’t plan on blinding people with them. A comparison video would be awesome

 

Ah good point. I do really enjoy the 4000K driving lights as well. I keep thinking that I'll try out a set of combo optics but I already have too many damn lights.

 

Is your intent to face the lights forward, or hard over to the ditches?

Baja's spread optic will give you a wider spread of light, but I wouldn't mount an open bucket reflector light like Baja on the A-pillar/ditch light location unless you have them turned hard to the sides, as they will cause lots of hood glare in a forward orientation, which will be harmful to your distance vision. The superior focus of the SS3 in a driving pattern will greatly reduce the hood glare and give you better distance projection, but won't illuminate as wide of an area. You need to decide on your orientation and optic type as you are comparing apples to oranges here, since the Baja light isn't a driving pattern at all, whereas the Diode Dynamics is a true SAE driving pattern. Diode Dynamics also has a combo optic (much more appropriately named) that is similar in pattern style to Bajas "driving" (aka combo) optic.

 

Mostly forward facing but with a hint to the sides as well. Maybe 15 degrees either way. Sounds like DD will be the one to go with. Thank you for all the useful information everyone.

 

Looking at the new Tundra front end- it looks like they've decided to incorporate light bars as part of the auxiliary lighting package on the TRD Pro. The lower pair may be fog lights (as I don't see anything else low in the bumper), while the higher bar in the center of the grill could be an SAE auxiliary driving light? I don't see a split in the center of the bar, as Rigid has done for their street-legal bars.

Also of note are the amber marker lights in the grill and corners, signifying that this truck is wider than 80".

 

It's so Domestic looking.

 

I’d be curious if the high beam light bar is part of the production design and not some extra styling element for marketing photos. The split in the center of Rigid's bar is only required if output intensity exceeds the J581 candela maximum, essentially making the one bar two lights each subject to the max spec independently vs one light subject to the max spec as a whole. Clever workaround on the regulation. As to the marker lights, let’s hope it isn’t 80”+ wide. Last thing new trucks need is to be even larger. The Tacoma is supposed to share the same frame with the Tundra in this upcoming generation.