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Straight vs curved LED light bar?

71K views 25 replies 16 participants last post by  1994kyyj 
#1 ·
I really, really want to get a light bar for my YJ. I've found a couple of good deals, but I'm unsure whether to get a curved light bar or a straight light bar. Is there a benefit to one over the other? Does anyone have pictures of both on a YJ?

:Thanx:
 
#2 ·
What do you mean by a curved light bar? I personally have never seen any that I know of, unless you are just calling it that, but it is know as something different.
 
#4 ·
I have a 50" straight on my JKU. I personally think that the curved bars look better on trucks. I like the straight on Jeeps because it matches the shape of it more. The curved looks a bit odd on the straight lined Jeeps compared to the more curved lined trucks. Thats just my opinion though.
 
#9 ·
Is curved vs straight an aesthetic issue or does it change the pattern of the light? I would think a curved lightbar would throw light further to the sides than a straight lightbar, but maybe the optics of the reflectors of the individual LEDs compensate? Just a curious TJ driver.....
 
#10 ·
I have a straight 50" light bar with 34,000 lumins, it has a mixture of spot and flood so the side light is more than adequate, they are insanely bright, throwing out way more light than needed for driving speed off road at night.
 
#11 ·
How did you mount that 50" on your YJ.

I got a 48" I would like to mount to the hardtop. Any higher and I won't get under the garage door so I was wondering how to keep the light bar from fracturing the fiberglass hardtop.
 
#12 ·
I bought the Rough Country light bar bracket, it was well built and inexpensive, mounts the light no higher than the roof. My light bar is 52" and the RC is built for a 50" light, I used a grinder to cut two grooves on the two upper arms and bent them out to fit my light (you could bend them in) I then just rewelded the arms and painted it. I think the bar was $99 and I paid a guy $30 to weld it, the Poisen Spyder bracket is $199 and I'd still have to mod it. They attach using the windshield bracket bolts and sit right up against the frame, this way the light stays on with the roof on or off.
 
#14 ·
I ran my wire under the snap for the soft top, I then ran the wire under the plastic door molding from top to bottom and behind the dash, very clean install, there is no wire visible, just the short length from the snap to the light housing and that's a jacketed cable with the two wires inside.
 
#17 ·
#16 ·
I really, really want to get a light bar for my YJ. I've found a couple of good deals, but I'm unsure whether to get a curved light bar or a straight light bar. Is there a benefit to one over the other? Does anyone have pictures of both on a YJ? :Thanx:

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This is a local guy I follow on Instagram he switched to a straight bar and likes it way better ... I would also prefer a straight bar since the windshield on yjs are straight
 
#19 ·
52" Curved Light Bar Mount for 2015 Jeep JKU

I am new to this site. I hope you can help. I'm trying to install a 52" curved LED light bar on my 2015 Jeep JKU. I want to mount it using the a-pillar style upper mount (similar to pic). The pics were borrowed from site as examples. The issue I have is finding a mount with an angled flange to match the angle of the light's mount. Thanks in advance!
 

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#20 ·
Your biggest issue is getting a bracket for the 52", everyone I've seen is for a 50". I don't think the angle would be an issue if the brackets were 52" tab to tab. I had to use an angle grinder and make grooves that allowed me to bend the tabs out by the windshield frame and in at the tip where the light attaches, I then ran a weld down the grooves and repainted.
 
#22 ·
Yes, that's what I'm running. To me the curved looks good on trucks because they have curved hoods, I like the flat on our flat jeeps, but to each his own.
 
#25 ·
I already have a 50 inch curved bar from my Silverado that I sold. So I would like to maybe install it first and see what it is like before I go and buy a straight bar. I was wondering if you did not have any whistling with your curved bar compared to a straight bar since there is more of a gap between your bar and the windshield?
 
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