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View Full Version : Questions for the off roaders



DFBrews
01-22-2013, 18:49
Looking at installing some driving lights on a Thule roof rack.
Planning on 3 round 5 inch lights. Recommendations on good ones budget is about 120 out the door.

second what are colorados laws regarding them I looked at the crs and it is Greek to me. I understand I can't run around town with them on. But are there height restrictions on lights? Does it have to have an even number of lights?

kwando
01-22-2013, 19:35
Don't know the laws but hella makes one of the most affordable lights out there. You can buy two sets and mount one aiming back as a reverse. I have a set of 5" on my truck rack and they are bright!

As off road lights I don't think you need to following road laws. I've seen rigs with overkills of lights

EKJ
01-22-2013, 19:44
What kind of a vehicle ? I took some old kc lights and converted them to HID's I have also done some HID head light conversions . DDM tunning makes a good kit for a very fare price!

DFBrews
01-22-2013, 19:50
What kind of a vehicle ? I took some old kc lights and converted them to HID's I have also done some HID head light conversions . DDM tunning makes a good kit for a very fare price!


As you giggle when you read this.... 03 outback. I car camp quite a bit in this and have taken it where no one said I could go. All about finesse and approach angles and junk. Planning on pulling the head liner and running the wires into the factory roof racks


some places they would have come in handy Indian creek Moab and the back roads of the San Juan mountains

crashdown
01-22-2013, 20:07
I have a Yakima rack with factory light mounts.
The lights are Hella. Moral of the picture Is don't forget the back.
Backing up is way harder in the dark, plus its handy for car camping.
The front has a custom bumper with way too many lights in it.

mcantar18c
01-22-2013, 20:08
Hella, KC, Lightforce are all good. PIAA are my preference for standard (non-LED) lighting.
If you want to spend an extra couple pennies to get the lighting you want without making your Subie look all kinds of rediculous, check out LED bars... Rigid Industries E-Series are great, check out their website and look at their gallery for what they look like and how holy-mother-of-God bright they are. I've heard good things about Baja Designs' offerings but I don't have any experience with them.

JMBD2112
01-22-2013, 21:04
Man if you had posted this two days ago I would have given you some Hella's, had a truck in the shop that got traded in and went to auction, I could have snagged them for you. I'll keep my eye out.

MarkCO
01-22-2013, 21:15
Legally, you can not run more than 4 lights on any Fed, State, County or city maintained road unless they are the DOT approved lights and in compliance with the height restrictions.

Go here: http://www.liftlaws.com/colorado_lift_laws.htm and look in about the middle of the page.

It is kind of dicey as headlights are also under Federal regulation and there are some conflicts. Some law enforcement say you have to have non-legal lights covered, other don't.

RCCrawler
01-22-2013, 21:46
Go with LED for sure you can now get LED just as bright as the rest, they use WAY less power, and they are smaller and out of the airstream, saving you fuel. If your interested I can get you some links to very affordable LED lights.

soldier-of-the-apocalypse
01-22-2013, 21:54
I'm interested in the LEDs those led light bars are sick

argonstrom
01-22-2013, 21:56
Offroad lights go under the vehicle in CO...

sniper7
01-22-2013, 22:05
Go with LED for sure you can now get LED just as bright as the rest, they use WAY less power, and they are smaller and out of the airstream, saving you fuel. If your interested I can get you some links to very affordable LED lights.

I'm interested, post em up!

I have been thinking about putting a couple on the tahoe, maybe 4. 2 up front, 2 in the back!

mtnrider
01-22-2013, 22:16
Make sure you research what it is you really want. I have found that most aftermarket "driving" lights (55w) don't really offer you much more light. Your brights will wash out just about anything the driving lights put out unless you have them pointed slightly off to the side and illuminate an area you normal headlights don't hit. For offroading I went with a pair of KC 121 long range 130 watt lights. I have stock fog lights and with the long range KC's and my high beams it gives me great all around light coverage.

Ah Pook
01-22-2013, 23:04
As you giggle when you read this.... 03 outback. I car camp quite a bit in this and have taken it where no one said I could go. All about finesse and approach angles and junk. Planning on pulling the head liner and running the wires into the factory roof racks


some places they would have come in handy Indian creek Moab and the back roads of the San Juan mountains
Putting the lights on the roof rack will light the hood up real nice.

I have Hella 500s mounted in the driving light holes of a '99 Outback. Use them 4-5 nights a week. More than enough useable light. They are pointed straight ahead and out enough to see the trees on the side of the road. The light wash fills in the center pretty well.

My understanding is that as long as the lights are covered, there is no problem on the road.

RCCrawler
01-22-2013, 23:14
These are great:

http://www.trailworthyfab.com/Trail-Series/

As are these:

http://www.kmdgarage.com/quantum-led-lighting-1/

Those are both cheaper alternatives that are really holding up good for people.