Flush in Grill 20in Light Bar

[OC4095]

I haven’t seen anyone mount a light bar flush in the grill so I was dead set on accomplishing it. It was a lot more chopping than expected but turned out great.

https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/traveller-2125-in-120w-light-bar

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[JesseS]

Nice job!, but a lot of work, and you are locked in to a specific light bar, if you want a change you will need a new grill. I went the easy route with a license plate bracket, with a small mod on the bottom to lock it down.

 

[OC4095]

 

[Wes Siler]

https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/traveller-2125-in-120w-light-bar

1 lux @ ~350 yards. Or, about twice the distance as stock high beams.

 

[Blmpkn]

1 lux @ ~350 yards. Or, about twice the distance as stock high beams.

I've seen you stress the importance of that 1 lux figure quite a bit.

I forget the company who uses the 10 lux distance in their marketing... but you seem to vehemently disagree with using that number. Your opinion seems to be the 1 lux distance is king.

I saw their response.. explaining that 10 lux is the amount of illumination you get naturally around dawn or dusk.. and that 1 lux really just isn't enough light to quickly/accurately/safely identify a hazard or whatever else your trying to light up.


If your info about our high beams is correct... 1 lux at 175 yards.... then dude.... that 10 lux distance is honestly the better number to advertise.

I can't tell shit from shinola with my beams on at 175 yards. I can SEE whatever is out there... barely... but no way in hell is it enough light to be considered safe.


That being said, thanks for the info on that tractor supply bar lol. I've been dipping my toes into the aux lighting market trying to figure out what I want to buy to supplement my high-beams.. and I think that bar might just be good enough all things considered. Stupid 1 lux marketing or not it should at least double what I have now for truly usable output.

 

[cetihcra]

I've seen you stress the importance of that 1 lux figure quite a bit.

I forget the company who uses the 10 lux distance in their marketing... but you seem to vehemently disagree with using that number. Your opinion seems to be the 1 lux distance is king.

I saw their response.. explaining that 10 lux is the amount of illumination you get naturally around dawn or dusk.. and that 1 lux really just isn't enough light to quickly/accurately/safely identify a hazard or whatever else your trying to light up.


If your info about our high beams is correct... 1 lux at 175 yards.... then dude.... that 10 lux distance is honestly the better number to advertise.

I can't tell shit from shinola with my beams on at 175 yards. I can SEE whatever is out there... barely... but no way in hell is it enough light to be considered safe.


That being said, thanks for the info on that tractor supply bar lol. I've been dipping my toes into the aux lighting market trying to figure out what I want to buy to supplement my high-beams.. and I think that bar might just be good enough all things considered. Stupid 1 lux marketing or not it should at least double what I have now for truly usable output.

On top of that, at 350yds (1050') a 6' tall human appears to be about 1.75" tall...there is very little value in pushing light further unless you're spotting elephants, or standing completely still so that you can see any detail or movement. There may be *some* value in pushing up to about 500yds if you're traveling at speed, it'll give you a touch more reaction time, but the visual size of common objects/hazards is barely perceptible when moving.

r

 

[Wes Siler]

I've seen you stress the importance of that 1 lux figure quite a bit.

I forget the company who uses the 10 lux distance in their marketing... but you seem to vehemently disagree with using that number. Your opinion seems to be the 1 lux distance is king.

I saw their response.. explaining that 10 lux is the amount of illumination you get naturally around dawn or dusk.. and that 1 lux really just isn't enough light to quickly/accurately/safely identify a hazard or whatever else your trying to light up.


If your info about our high beams is correct... 1 lux at 175 yards.... then dude.... that 10 lux distance is honestly the better number to advertise.

I can't tell shit from shinola with my beams on at 175 yards. I can SEE whatever is out there... barely... but no way in hell is it enough light to be considered safe.


That being said, thanks for the info on that tractor supply bar lol. I've been dipping my toes into the aux lighting market trying to figure out what I want to buy to supplement my high-beams.. and I think that bar might just be good enough all things considered. Stupid 1 lux marketing or not it should at least double what I have now for truly usable output.

It doesn't matter which number you use, the point is simply to create a comparison standard. Most quality brands use 1 lux. Releasing a number for 10 or 15.4 or 7.85432 doesn't indicate better performance, it's just a point closer to the source. A light that does more distance at 1 lux will also do more distance at 10 lux.

Having driven dozens of different lighting setups, I'd consider 1 lux @ 750m (equal to 10 lux at 237m) to be the minimum amount of light it'd be safe to use for forward facing lights. Again, a light with good distance will also do a better job of illuminating closer objects, the distance number is just a number for comparison. That you can achieve that performance for as little as $450 from a quality, handmade brand in the form of the Lightforce Strikers represents exceptionally good value.

 

[Wes Siler]

On top of that, at 350yds (1050') a 6' tall human appears to be about 1.75" tall...there is very little value in pushing light further unless you're spotting elephants, or standing completely still so that you can see any detail or movement. There may be *some* value in pushing up to about 500yds if you're traveling at speed, it'll give you a touch more reaction time, but the visual size of common objects/hazards is barely perceptible when moving.

r

I'd encourage you to try a genuinely effective pair of driving lights before jumping to this conclusion.

 

[D Fresh]

That you can achieve that performance for as little as $450 from a quality, handmade brand in the form of the Lightforce Strikers represents exceptionally good value.

Handmade?

Is that the new marketing twist for "made by Chinese slave labor?"

Were you shown the clean room where they are "hand made" on your drunken tour of the factory?

 

[OC4095]

I've seen you stress the importance of that 1 lux figure quite a bit.

I forget the company who uses the 10 lux distance in their marketing... but you seem to vehemently disagree with using that number. Your opinion seems to be the 1 lux distance is king.

I saw their response.. explaining that 10 lux is the amount of illumination you get naturally around dawn or dusk.. and that 1 lux really just isn't enough light to quickly/accurately/safely identify a hazard or whatever else your trying to light up.


If your info about our high beams is correct... 1 lux at 175 yards.... then dude.... that 10 lux distance is honestly the better number to advertise.

I can't tell shit from shinola with my beams on at 175 yards. I can SEE whatever is out there... barely... but no way in hell is it enough light to be considered safe.


That being said, thanks for the info on that tractor supply bar lol. I've been dipping my toes into the aux lighting market trying to figure out what I want to buy to supplement my high-beams.. and I think that bar might just be good enough all things considered. Stupid 1 lux marketing or not it should at least double what I have now for truly usable output.

Using it on back roads its majorly bright, flipping back to just headlights seems like darkness. Obviously too bright for any oncoming traffic. I dont have any experience with the really good brands, but i would guess for high speed dessert running this one wouldn't be enough. I was mostly driven by the exact width being just right so i took a chance.

 

[PltFX4]

I haven’t seen anyone mount a light bar flush in the grill so I was dead set on accomplishing it. It was a lot more chopping than expected but turned out great.

https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/traveller-2125-in-120w-light-bar

LOL... I am doing exactly this... bought the wrong light bar in error on my part. The auto drive assist (whatever it's called) is in the way for where the light bar was to go so had to come up with Plan B.
Have the replacement grill and cut out the appropriate section below the blue oval. Just waiting till spring to install.

Nice job... got me more excited to get this done now...

 

[Rhino]

its not bad maybe a better looking light bar would give it a better look?
but the function is their and it works as intended for the ops needs just not my style... for me id hide it behind the grill but again thats me

good work op the cuts are very clean for the bar

 

[Wes Siler]

Using it on back roads its majorly bright, flipping back to just headlights seems like darkness. Obviously too bright for any oncoming traffic. I dont have any experience with the really good brands, but i would guess for high speed dessert running this one wouldn't be enough. I was mostly driven by the exact width being just right so i took a chance.

It's not about driving fast. All of us do 45-65mph on dirt roads. Which is actually higher than average speeds for the fastest trucks in the Baja 1000 and similar.

And picture how nice some effective light is even when you're not moving. Where does that side road lead? Now you know.

This isn't gate keeping or anything like that. A single pair of effective driving lights will honestly be so, so much more empowering than what you're used to. Try them and you'll get it.

Anyone here is welcome to come for a drive with me and see this stuff in action if you can find your way to Montana.

 

[Blmpkn]

Using it on back roads its majorly bright, flipping back to just headlights seems like darkness. Obviously too bright for any oncoming traffic. I dont have any experience with the really good brands, but i would guess for high speed dessert running this one wouldn't be enough. I was mostly driven by the exact width being just right so i took a chance.

Thank you! Any way you could show us (me, lol) a comparison between just your high beams and high beams with the bar on?

 

[RangerPNW]

Using it on back roads its majorly bright, flipping back to just headlights seems like darkness. Obviously too bright for any oncoming traffic. I dont have any experience with the really good brands, but i would guess for high speed dessert running this one wouldn't be enough. I was mostly driven by the exact width being just right so i took a chance.

A lot of the "off-brand" ones (for lack of a better word) will usually throw good light, but the nicer brands usually combine more light output with better optics (aka putting the light were you want it). I have an ebay light bar on another car, and yeah it throws good light but it tends to go in every direction. My diode dynamics SS3 pro's throw tons more light but in a controlled manner so I can use them on the street.

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