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A Light Bar? Hello?

4K views 53 replies 32 participants last post by  Lucky j 
#1 ·
Help an old fogart out here, gang.

A few weeks ago, I took Miss Mehitabel in to the dealership for the clockspring recall. While I waited, I took a turn through the display room to look at the '17 JKs. They had a JKU in shiny black with knobby tires, spidery wheels, an automatic transmission (of all things), and, above the windshield, a light bar that stretched all the way across. I asked the salesman if this was some new cop car tricked out to light up a crime scene at night. He said no; the extra lights were for going off-road at night.

Off-road at night. Seems to me, if you wanted to do something macho like sneaking around at night, you would fit your Jeep with a couple of those military black-out headlights, like my Jeep had back in 1970. Those just cast a little gloom out in front of you. Starlight was brighter. You couldn't see anything by looking straight at it; you had to use your peripheral vision to see the trail. But lighting up the woods like a church at High Mass with a godzillion candlepower light bar? What is the point?
 
#2 ·
Same reason we put different rims, tops, bumpers, seat covers, colors, radios, handles, lifts, engines, front grills, front grill screens, etc, etc.
cause in our humble eyes it looks good or serves a purpose to us.
 
#4 ·


Lights mounted above the windshield have been popular on Jeeps since the 1960's as I remember. Back about 10 years ago the LEDs started coming down in cost and eventual surpassed the performance of the old fashion bulbs.

My 12 year old Xterra has four 150 W KC HiLiTES and they're very bright ... except when compared to the Rigid Industries LED light bar on the JKU.

If the Huns ever invade I'll rig up some of those slit lights like they used 80 years ago ... or just wear the PVS-14.
 
#16 ·
LED bars are great for lighting dark back roads. Illegal to use, but better than hitting a deer.
But lighting up the woods like a church at High Mass with a godzillion candlepower light bar?
You answered your own question and see above. I drove Deuces, 5 tons, HumVees, 1008 and 1009s and I like to see

I would bet 99% of people get light bars because they think it looks cool.
I'm 1%'er, too many deer, antelope, foxes, badgers, rabbits and weasels on the home stretch in the country.

haha! nothing wrong with that, I don't like when jeeps have tons of light bars, but I sure would like to have a single SR-Series 50" :happyyes:
I have a 50" and 2 pods V'd out to light up the ditches. Plus I can run them without blinding cars about a 1/4 ahead of me without using brights and the 50.
 
#7 ·
Quick question, when you drive at night on the road, would you prefer to have those military black out light and use perepheral vision or just regular headlight.

I would asume regular driving light. I'm not a fan of the 50" light bar. I'm not a fan of the 10 lights bars either, but if you want to drive at hight speed in the back road at night, it is better to have better light, no matter what they are and even so, you still have the risk of an animal steping out of the bush right in front of you and if you want hard core night driving, more light in a fan out patern will help light out those rocks in front of you. But you will also need some on the side, cause once those obstacle are pass those guezillion lumens light bars, right beside you, it will be pitch black and you will not see that pointed rock.

So on my book, light is good, but where it is pointed is better than lighting up the night sky in front of you. And add to this that as soon as you are not the trail leader, you will simply blind the driver in front of you.

In my book, it should be fonction over look.
 
#34 ·
That's the good thing about LEDs, the draw very little power compared to standard halogen lights and produce more light.

For instance a set of CUBE lights draw less amps than your hazard lights. So you would be better off turning off you headlights and powering a light bar (depending on the size) or CUBE lights while winching.

Help an old fogart out here, gang.

A few weeks ago, I took Miss Mehitabel in to the dealership for the clockspring recall. While I waited, I took a turn through the display room to look at the '17 JKs. They had a JKU in shiny black with knobby tires, spidery wheels, an automatic transmission (of all things), and, above the windshield, a light bar that stretched all the way across. I asked the salesman if this was some new cop car tricked out to light up a crime scene at night. He said no; the extra lights were for going off-road at night.

Off-road at night. Seems to me, if you wanted to do something macho like sneaking around at night, you would fit your Jeep with a couple of those military black-out headlights, like my Jeep had back in 1970. Those just cast a little gloom out in front of you. Starlight was brighter. You couldn't see anything by looking straight at it; you had to use your peripheral vision to see the trail. But lighting up the woods like a church at High Mass with a godzillion candlepower light bar? What is the point?

Well we aren't at war, there is no need to be out sneaking around, unless you are doing something you are not supposed to be doing or something illegal, and we all know that is not something we all support.

With that said, if you were wheeling at night, why not have as much light as you need, while drawing very little power. You would not want to depend on your peripheral to save your Jeep from falling off a rock, or in a deep mud hole or what not.
 
#9 ·
LED lightbars are just the 21st century version of KC halogen lights. Some people actually use them but most install them because they look cool and are in style.
 
#13 ·
Hey! I resemble that remark :D

Actually, I've never had anything but stock Jeeps, but I sure like the looks of one that's all tricked out.
 
#22 ·
There is nothing funny at all about an auto transmission. It needs to be driven on smooth, dry pavement, is all. Did you ever "brick" a car when you were a kid? You put a paving brick in front of a wheel and another in back of a wheel. The bricks need to be touching the tires; no fair getting a run at them. A car with an auto transmission is STUCK. The driver has to get out and remove the bricks. A car with a standard transmission will just crawl over the obstacles.

I think a serious off-roader would avoid an auto transmission like the plague.

Braking on icy or snow covered roads, the undriven wheels on an auto transmission car will skid and slide while the driven wheels keep on driving. With a standard transmission, you mash the clutch before coming to a stop; all wheels brake at the same time.

Auto transmissions are for soccer moms delivering kids in fair weather.
 
#27 ·
Actually the ones with a cap on the end do not whistle. I had one installed for a few months and it never whistled one time. The open fined on the end ones they do whistle. This is what you need to look for if you decide to get one



If it's capped at the end it want whistle. The reason I removed mine is because I run a soft top full time and it's no fun driving your jeep with one up there with a soft top. To much soft top flapping.
 
#29 ·
Look at the 70's and 80's. You werent cool unless you had at least 4 KC daylighters on your chrome rollbar.

Now we have LED's that put out more light and pull a fraction of the amperage and they dont burn out (in your lifetime). Those of us that use them for their intended purpose absolutely love them. Not to mention you can output dozens of times the amount the old KC's made.... for like $30.

But yea, I get your comment about having too much light. I usually wheel at night with only 2 tiny LED pods pointed out and down at a 45 degree angle.


I used to have some KC's on my jeep before LED prices hit rock bottom. My mom asked me what KC means, as a kid she always thought it had something to do with KC and the Sunshine Band. Jesus christ Mom you are old!
 
#35 ·
If you get a light bar, get a 20-25" bumper mount one. Again great for lighting up the road/path when you are trying to avoid deer/ stupid dog walkers.

As for the auto vs manual. I have driven both. It used to be that the manuals where better because you had more gears/ easier on the brakes/ easier to fix. Now the automatics are better due to manual mode and 5 - 8 + gears to choose from, less likely to break (no clutch/fly wheel to replace after 100K), and the autos on the jeep are sealed. If you live in the city or have a trailer, get the auto (WA580 NAG1 are pretty bullet proof!)
 
#41 ·
....(no clutch/fly wheel to replace after 100K), and the autos on the jeep are sealed. If you live in the city or have a trailer, get the auto (WA580 NAG1 are pretty bullet proof!)

Oups, I guess I've goof up on my YJ, I only change the cluth after 150 000 miles and did not had to touch the flywheel. Had to change the clutch cause the bearing went through the pressure plate. The clutch by it self was still good.

Had to change the clutch on my 93 toy pick up at the same millage, again, did not had to change the flywheel. Oil was dripping on the clucth from stupip half moon plug behing the valve cover and made it way to the clutch plate and was sliping. But the band were still good.

I just love manual. Oh by the way, my manual Nissan x-trail still has the same clutch and flywheel at 200 000 miles and going going going!
 
#37 ·
I don't wheel at night (haven't yet at least) so I was a little skeptical when I installed a 20" on my bumper. What's the point I thought. Well to me the point was that it was $30 on amazon and I mod I wanted to do and have fun doing, even if I never turned the damn thing on.
Now on the back roads at night time it's always on unless there is traffic around. Tons of deer by me and I can spot them about 1000 yards down the road. Not only that but the brightness of the light actually makes them scatter off into the woods. So I thought it was a pointless mod but ended up being quite useful and have definitely gotten my money's worth. I've hit 3 deer in my lifetime with past vehicles...it's a bummer for sure.
 
#40 ·
The light bar ranks right up there with the high lift jack and winch...most don't need and will never use them, Essentially they want the "Look" so they mount up a light bar. Then about 2 days later they start a thread: "Does anyone else's light bar have an annoying whistle?"
Nobody wants to be behind your 50" light bar on the trail and no one wants to spot you with that thing in their eye either. It's a good thing most malls have adequate lighting they don't even need to turn it on. ;).
 

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#43 ·
What about trails, city trafic, snow plowing in the charlevoix 6 meter snow average per winter, 10 years of hard off road with the jeep, deep snow driving, up hill start in the city of quebec in trafic and in the charlevoix little hills.

It is mostly how you use it that make a big difference.

Oh yea, going down the Charlevoix hills is much easier with a manual than au automatic. Petite-Riviere st-francois hill that is.
 
#44 ·
Two things I don't understand about light bars -- why people think they are just for show (I've used mine several times and it gave me confidence to continue onwards in the dark), and why people think they all whistle (my 50" Rigid Industries never whistles). Maybe people are buying crap lights, or perhaps installing them totally incorrect?

I love mine, and I use mine. To me that's all that matters :)
 
#46 ·
....(I've used mine several times and it gave me confidence to continue onwards in the dark)....
I tought that's what head light were for.

Are you telling me all those year I have been driving with regular headlight I should have been affraid of the dark and stop on the spot and wait untill the sun would rise in the morning?

How can I drive from now on at night knowing this. I will have to call my boss at work telling him that no way I will be driving at night anymore until he install a 50" light bar on the Ambulance. ;)

Oh yeah, I live and work in moose and bear country far from major city lights.
 
#48 ·
Most of my night runs are on the deer lease at 5 am and the last thing I want at that time is the bush lit up like high noon nor do I want a loud throaty muffler.

Id rather set around the fire at night, drink Jack and coke and discuss the trails we will run the next morning when the sun lights em up.
 
#49 ·
This thread is very entertaining, and funny- but good. I can see both sides of the transmissions and lights. Just ordered the wrangler with manual- hope it was the right choice! I've always preferred the manual transmissions even it city traffic for various reasons, but some of the new automatics are pretty nice.. For me the 6 spd 4.10 manual was a better option than a 5 spd auto, but the new 8 spd coming out, I'm thinking I'd go auto.

Definitely see both sides on the light issue. I've run KC's, Hellas, etc and now am planning on buying a rigid light bar. Originally I didn't like the bars because of the mall crawler crowd and the way they looked. I hate being blinded by someone else at night, but I do enjoy having the option, especially when I'm backwoods finding a backpacking trail for the night which can be hard to spot. Then I enjoy the night sky after I get there, no artificial lights.. Never hit a deer either way but it does help a lot, especially in deer country..

Just one opinion..
 
#51 ·
Well, since i have a 20" on the bumper and a 50" above the windshield I need to trade my manual in on an automatic. (Actually, not a bad idea)
From Oct - Jan, I'm in a National forest bow hunting every weekend and as many weekdays as possible. The lights are extremely useful in tracking game, spotting game for a morning setup, seeing those drop offs or old tree stumps before i hit them, etc...
Wouldn't want to run with them on in a group, but I'm a pretty solitary guy anyway. It is fun to watch the jeep convoys come by, check out their mods and laugh that they mostly sound like a bunch of old ladies at the market.
My 50" doesn't whistle, but depending on the turbulence, it may come off for the spring/summer when i switch to the softtop.
 
#53 ·
Anyone who doubts the utility of really bright flood lights has never had to work somewhere outside of civilization, with no electricity in the pitch black of night in the woods.

Period.

I also find that meme of lights before lockers hysterical too.

My light bar was 60.00 from Amazon, and the mount was like 35 from eBay. That's 95.00 as opposed to a few grand for lockers. Not even the same ball park.
 
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