lighting experts

[kmcoop7]

Calling all the overpriced lighting experts:

I am looking to upgrade my stock fogs on my 2016 RAM 3500 with a set of Rigid Dually lights which will eventually get moved into an AEV bumper.

My primary desires are:
1. increased range driving at 80mph+ on back roads in CO/WY/MT/UT with lots of large ungulates that can become hazardous. Moose, elk, deer, pronghorn, bears, horses, cows, they are all out there. I want something that gives much greater effective range than my stock weak high beams. I don't want to swap out headlights. I want something so bright that it could never be considered legal for use as my regular headlights.

2. a set of amber leds for driving in whiteout snowstorm conditions.

Right now I am looking at a set of these for condition #1: (dually spot)
http://www.rigidindustries.com/led-lighting/20221

and a set of these for condition #2
http://www.rigidindustries.com/led-lighting/21212 (dually flood in amber)


I am also considering these (rigid d2) as an option for #1, but not sure if they are worth nearly double the price?
http://www.rigidindustries.com/led-lighting/50231

Can anyone provide some input as to how well any of these options will satisfy my needs?

Thanks!
kc

 

[brushogger]

Calling Hilldweller! Calling Hilldweller! Bill, are you out there? .

Bill has probably done more light testing than anyone on Expo. If he doesn't show, send him a PM.

 

[4x4junkie]

If you're looking for any sort of distance, forget about LED. LEDs are best left for close-up lighting, or simply just to dazzle all your friends with their massively-intense (read: glaring) bluish light output. Both halogen and HID (<4500°K) lights trump LED by huge margins for distance range.

I've always liked Hella. Their Rallye 4000 & 4000c lights are probably among the best lights your money can buy. The euro driving beam pattern is probably the one you'd want to best be able to see large animals in the road. Certainly the 4000s are a tad bigger than those little LED cubes you were looking at, however good performance does not come in tiny packages.

https://www.amazon.com/HELLA-H12560021-Rallye-4000-Halogen/dp/B0002M9T30
https://www.amazon.com/HELLA-009094181-Compact-Halogen-Driving/dp/B000H0RBY6

I don't have reason to suspect amber LED lights couldn't satisfy your #2 requirement, though you do need something that has a good (sharp) horizontal cutoff above center to be effective (a.k.a.: "Fog" beam pattern, which is low to the road and spreads wide). The page for those Rigid lights just says "20° flood", which is no bueno in fog/whiteout conditions.

 

[Buliwyf]

LED's are for rockcralin' not 80mph.

But once, cry once:

The base model Fyrlts have Lightforce throw, with a ton more flood. Loving them. Only annoyance is covering or removing them when I'm parked in weird areas with weird people. But they aren't as blingy or as famous as Hella, so if you got enough dirt on them, maybe they won't draw attention. I used HD plugs on mine. They're currently on the shelf of my barn, NOT outside on the truck.

But, the Lightforce lights, we also run, work as well, and the fact that the flood less, and aren't quite as bright, may actually be an advantage.

 

[CYi5]

Another vote for Hella 4000's. Robust metal construction; had mine on my truck since 2007. Easy to convert to HID if you choose, i've had 5000k in the past and now 4300k.

 

[IdaSHO]

Another vote for NOT led for distance.

Simply doesnt have the reach.

 

[Ducky's Dad]

The factory fogs on your Ram are probably made by Hella, and are pretty good lights. You can improve them substantially with a pair of HIR 9012 or 9011 bulbs. Anything else would be spending money unnecessarily. Call Susquehanna Motor Sports in for the bulbs.

Fogs are not for high speed driving and will never be as bright as you seem to want. If they were that bright, they would be useless in fog. I have Philips HIR 9011 bulbs in my Ram factory fogs, and I have Ridgid D2 Duallys on my Tundra. The factory Ram Hella/HIR911 is far superior to the D2s for what you describe.

 

[bat]

80mph+

large ungulates that can become hazardous. Moose, elk, deer, pronghorn, bears, horses, cows, they are all out there.

 

[DanCooper]

Another vote for NOT led for distance.

Simply doesn't have the reach.

So true, but they do help see those large ungulates in the ditches and verge. . .

 

[ak_cowboy]

Check out the hyperspot duallys by Rigid if you want distance.

 

[IdaSHO]

So true, but they do help see those large ungulates in the ditches and verge. . .

Who cares if you can see them....

At 80-MPH by the time you do see them, it really makes no difference :Wow1:

 

[kojackJKU]

Another vote for hella. I have the lowly cheap 500s...but with a little surprise inside...I converted mine to 55w HID. 1000m of light. I love them for spotting moose on our highways. This setup is cheaper than base 1000s and much brighter. I think they work awesome...no cold spot, no hot spots...Long distance, great spread as well. Not all lights take HID conversions well...but these do. Also, they are theft deterants as they are "only hella 500s"........and totally not "blingy" like someone else said above.

 

[DanCooper]

Who cares if you can see them....

At 80-MPH by the time you do see them, it really makes no difference :Wow1:

I suppose at 80 mph you are right. But I can't afford the gas to drive at 80 mph, so I'm good.

 

[IdaSHO]

I agree with you 100%, but the OP stated in his first post that 80-MPH was part of the equation.

I too never travel that fast.

Big camper, old truck, turbo diesel... I stick to 60-MPH for the same MPG reasons. :sombrero:

 

[kojackJKU]

Same here. Actually in the night I drive 55mph ish on the highways here. I had one moose in my lap (New vehicle and never had the lights on it yet), and Will never again want to experience that. Slow down with lots of light. When I tell people that my lights light 1000m down the road, I keep reading, "you don't need to see that far".....maybe...but I WANT TO SEE THAT FAR! SIMPLE.