Lighting Suggestions for Disco Overlander

[benedmonson]

My new OFF-ROAD CHALLENGE VOYAGER RACK from Northwestparts.com will be here any day and am needing lighting suggestions. I also just installed a custom made winch bumper made by a gentleman in Las Vegas that holds 2 lights. So in all I need 4 on the front of the rack (will be secondary lights) 2 on the front bumper (Primary lighting and most likely Hella 4000 100 watters) and the 1 or 2 on the rear of the rack just for working in the rear. Any help is much appreciated.

Cheers,

Ben

 

[SuperSoniC_110]

Tried all hella's/cibie in the past.

using the Lightforce since 4yrs now.
- they are superlightweight so no strain on pistes
- they light night into day
- they are almost unbreakable, so flying stones will not wreck the lenses

they excist in 14cm 17cm & 24cm

http://www.lightforce.net.au/

 

[LC/LR4Life]

My new OFF-ROAD CHALLENGE VOYAGER RACK from Northwestparts.com will be here any day and am needing lighting suggestions. I also just installed a custom made winch bumper made by a gentleman in Las Vegas that holds 2 lights. So in all I need 4 on the front of the rack (will be secondary lights) 2 on the front bumper (Primary lighting and most likely Hella 4000 100 watters) and the 1 or 2 on the rear of the rack just for working in the rear. Any help is much appreciated.

Cheers,

Ben

I'd go with the Hellas.... Go check them all out at Expeditions Exchange. They have the whole gammut of Hella lighting.

 

[Jonathan Hanson]

Ben, welcome.

I've used about every light brand imaginable. The best quality I've experienced came from Cibie and IPF. I have two IPFs on the FJ40 now. They are brilliant. Hellas are also very good.

Personally I am not at all a fan of big lights on roof racks. They glare on the hood unless placed well back, they add weight, they catch branches, and they require heavy-gauge wiring to maintain proper current over such a long run. I think two or four really good lights on the bumper provide all the light you need for normal off-road driving.

 

[mountainpete]

I would strongly recommend looking at a set of Vision-X HID's from Baja Overland.

Yes, they are pricey, but you really can't beat the light output. Balancing those on the front bumper with a few Hella's or IPF's on the roof, you'll light up the woods like a roman candle in a refinery.

Pete

 

[mountainpete]

Personally I am not at all a fan of big lights on roof racks. They glare on the hood unless placed well back, they add weight, they catch branches, and they require heavy-gauge wiring to maintain proper current over such a long run. I think two or four really good lights on the bumper provide all the light you need for normal off-road driving.

I agree with you Jonathan - the glare issue is even worse if the lights are right above a sunroof. However, I do like smaller lights that are properly guarded within the rack. Although I don't have any roof light on my Tacoma, I have been in vehicles which have used them as floods that are angled to the sides which really light up heavily forested trails.

Pete

 

[UnfrozenCaveman]

The most useful lights that I had on the roof rack ... now gone as it's just too darned noisy to have up there unless it's really needed ... were the $15 rectangular floodlamps from the local tractor supply place.

They're not long distance lamps, but do a great job of lighting a broad area for 50' or so all around the vehicle.

Oh, and complete agreement w/the glare on the bonnet thing there. The only time I've had a really good reason to use the roof lamps is for camp setup or if the headlamps / bumper lamps were or were going to be underwater.

 

[benedmonson]

Jonathan,
Thanks for the info., I love the Overland Journal. I'm new to the 4X4 Overland scene, but because of my job as a ourdoor lifestyle photograhper have lived with my wife and 2 dogs for 3 years in an 84 Volkswagen Westfalia with 280000 miles on it! On the front of my Westy I have always had a pair of Hella 4000 Eurobeams and they always paid off driving at night deep in Mexico or in Montana..... Now that I'm fixing up my 98 Land Rover D1 for some serious overlanding I come back to the same questions, how to turn day into night??? As much as we hate to drive after dark in scary places it always seems to happen trying to make it to that next great camp spot that someone else told us about or just being a typical man and wanting to know what is around the next corner.....
Back on topic I am having delivered this week from www.northwestparts.com a roof rack that holds 4 lights on the front protected by light cage and 2 on the rear. On a side note had the rack custom built to hold 4 scepter cans on the front part of the rack along with a honda 2000 watt generator and a technitop tent on the rear with a hi-lift jack. I'm really not a big fan of roof lights eithor, but have to fill the spots so it doesn't look vacant. So I'm thinking 2 Lightforce 240 Blitz or similar lights on the winch bumper and something alot cheaper and less powerful on the rack. As for the glare had www.viggsdesigns.com make me a black anti-glare hood decal.
Sorry for the huge post, but trying to get something ordered in the next day or so.

Cheers,

Ben Edmonson
Telluride, CO

Ben, welcome.

I've used about every light brand imaginable. The best quality I've experienced came from Cibie and IPF. I have two IPFs on the FJ40 now. They are brilliant. Hellas are also very good.

Personally I am not at all a fan of big lights on roof racks. They glare on the hood unless placed well back, they add weight, they catch branches, and they require heavy-gauge wiring to maintain proper current over such a long run. I think two or four really good lights on the bumper provide all the light you need for normal off-road driving.

 

[Scott Brady]

Having used many lights through the years, I would highly recommend starting with HIDs:

Option 1: Better for road and high speed- One spot beam mounted on the drivers side and one driving beam, mounted on the passenger side.

Option 2: Better of dirt and slower speeds on roads- Two driving beams.

HIDs are a significant improvement in clarity and coverage, all while reducing power consumption and heat. Just watch the kelvin rating to ensure they are not too blue, which can affect the ability of your eyes to decern some details (less contrast).

another good thread Here

and a big one here:

 

[benedmonson]

Scott,
Thanks for turning me onto the HID lights! I'm seriously looking at them although I've already ordered a winch and synthetic line from www.winchline.com today!!! Maybe I can put 2 HID's on the winch bumper and some small lights on the roof rack and stay within my budget. Although I'm not on a show string budget, I am on a budget.... I really look forward to the next Overland Journal.

Ben

Having used many lights through the years, I would highly recommend starting with HIDs:

Option 1: Better for road and high speed- One spot beam mounted on the drivers side and one driving beam, mounted on the passenger side.

Option 2: Better of dirt and slower speeds on roads- Two driving beams.

HIDs are a significant improvement in clarity and coverage, all while reducing power consumption and heat. Just watch the kelvin rating to ensure they are not too blue, which can affect the ability of your eyes to decern some details (less contrast).

another good thread Here

and a big one here:

 

[Scott Brady]

If you do put lights on the rack, I would recommend spot patterns (for forward facing). You could also install a work lamp or two up there for camp lighting. There are some new (and very trick) LED units.

Congrats on the winchline stuff! Yeeha.

 

[Jonathan Hanson]

I'm new to the 4X4 Overland scene, but because of my job as a ourdoor lifestyle photographer have lived with my wife and 2 dogs for 3 years in an 84 Volkswagen Westfalia with 280000 miles on it

Ben, that's very cool! And thanks for the comments.

An anti-glare hood decal should help a lot, but Scott's suggestion is a good one. Spot beams focus more light downrange with less scatter. A higher position is good for spots since you want that light aimed way down the road, at the far edge of your driving beam pattern. On the other hand, driving beams mounted not far above the bumper show up irregularities in the road better, since they cast shadows.

Another suggestion: Keep as much weight off that roof rack as possible! You add a generator to a roof tent and a jack and a few full jerry cans and you're talking 250-350 pounds up there with the weight of the rack itself. That will significantly affect your CG.

 

[david despain]

If you do put lights on the rack, I would recommend spot patterns (for forward facing). You could also install a work lamp or two up there for camp lighting. There are some new (and very trick) LED units.

Congrats on the winchline stuff! Yeeha.

scott, what kind of led stuff have you come across that is bright enough for general purpose flood\work lighting? all of my led experience would sugest that, although its getting better, led is just not birght enough after a few feet of dispered lighting. the focused spot stuff is getting better though. and its not as purple as it was a few years ago.

 

[benedmonson]

Another suggestion: Keep as much weight off that roof rack as possible! You add a generator to a roof tent and a jack and a few full jerry cans and you're talking 250-350 pounds up there with the weight of the rack itself. That will significantly affect your CG.

Jonathan,
You're right on the CG!!! All 4 cans will remain empty except when preparing to camp extended at a particular spot (there are places in central america that I love to stay and surf for up to 10-14 days without re-supplying). Although the new rack has a hi-lift jack mount, I'm thinking of getting the safari gaurd spare tire mount for it. And living just 2.25 hours from Moab means that when navigating steep grades the generator and H20 tanks go in the rig to lower the CG!


Ben

 

[bigreen505]

What is the group experience of pairing one spot light with one flood light on the front?

One person on the board has a nice setup with two lights on the side on a roof rack, near the rear aimed forward and to the side. These are great for seeing what is near the vehicle and where the edge of a shelf road is. Also, a couple on the rear are great for around camp. Note that those lights are in addition to forward facing lights. The set up is for negotiating shelf roads and mildly technical terrain in the dark either after shooting sunset or on the way to shooting sunrise photos.