Mounting pods in the lower valance?

Has anybody mounted pods on the front of their stock Tacoma?
I don't like the look of ditch lights, and I don't want a 30" light bar...I want pods (Baja Designs Squadron Sport or S2 Sport) where the light bar typically goes.

The mounds I have found only work for 30" light bars (I think)...until today.
N Fab makes a mount that can accept bars or pods, all hidden behind the lower valance.

https://n-fab.com/lbm-bumper-light-multi-mounts/2017/toyota/tacoma

1- does anybody have experience with this?
2- are there other options?

 

Well first off squadrons will not fit behind that lower grille.



Second N fab is not the best quality, my bar was all kinds of crooked and took a lot of work to line up.

 

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/cube-leds-in-the-bumper.587487/#post-19643446

Here's a thread I commented in recently about this.

Edit: just realized you're a 3rd gen

 

Good to know. First hand experience is the best...thanks.
Any chance you have a side shot to see how far the lights/bar stick out?
I would prefer the Squadrons over the S2 as they push out WAY more light.
I was actually thinking of Squadron sports angled out and a Squadron pro right in the middle.

 

Yup...dirty 3rd.

 

I will take a picture after work, they are about as tight to the grille as you can possibly get them. A squadron is basically two S2s stacked atop each other so definitely double the light!

I’m really particular about losing light projection from being behind a grille which is why I went with this setup.

 

Thanks!
I too added a Pro grill to my white truck, so we match!
I feel a bit selfish, but it is cool to see what you have done since it appears we have similar taste and desired outcomes.
Every time I see lights behind a grill I wonder how much light is simply blocked.

I like your N Fab bar with pods...I am now thinking about doing 4 Squadron Sport pods in a similar fashion. The Squadron Sport seems to be the best bang for the buck that I have found.

Also, I can't find the same N Fab bar you have on their website. Do you know which one it is (part number)?

 

I’m on my way home and I will see if I can look it up. In the meantime here goes:



I had to “reverse” the squadrons mounts for the extra space and it clears easily now.

The XLs clear the grille. I swear!

 

N-FAB T1630LD-TX ... it says that it is for a light bar but there will be slots and holes for a whole array of whatever you wanna throw on there. Just don't expect them to be perfectly squared out of the box.

If you're gonna go this route I also have a few pointers.
Throw the self-tappers they tell you to use in the garbage immediately. Then go to belmetric.com and buy the following:
4 x BH8X110YLW - Hex Bolt Yellow Zinc 10.9 (110mm)
4 x NNH8YLW - Nylock Nut Class 10 Yellow Zinc
8 x WF8YLW - Flat Washer Yellow Zinc

Instead of just screwing shitty self tappers into the crash bar's top for the supports, go all the way thru the crash bar from top to bottom and thread the bolts through, then nylock them in place.

This will make the thing absolutely, positively rock solid. It held a ~160lb dude standing on it despite being told not to. 8mm bolts are thick enough to be sturdy but also thin enough that you need not worry about it altering the crash bar's function.

 

Needless to say, my lights do not jiggle.

 

Of course N Fab discontinued that light bar mount. wtf.