Driving Lights - recommendations and advice wanted

chaslib · Senior Member

Driving Lights - recommendations and advice wanted

Grams · Guru

The best ones in reviews are:

Hella
Light Force
Halo

Among others, though they are pricey. LED's are the brightest lights, and Halogen ones are great too. We had Light Force until a kangaroo smashed both the other week. I bought an Auto Pro brand one for the time being, but we found with Light Force you can actually replace the plastic housing, without replacing the whole thing. Heaps cheaper than buying them again.

Olley46 · Guru

chaslib wrote:

Morning all. Currently in the process of getting the final attachments for the car fitted Before heading north through central Queensland for a couple of months. Any suggestions or recommendations re brands, websites, etc. for driving lights? Car and van details in signature line. Car is booked with auto electrician, so would value your thoughts before i proceed. Not planning on much if any night driving, but we all know things dont always go the way we want. will not be going off road either .... To late in life to learn that I feel, besides, the van is not designed for off road so claims would be denied under the insurance.
Many thanks
Charlie

I have a set of Light Force mediam size lights great lights,price when purchased around $300.00 the pair I thought these were the ducks guts,but a mate of mine showed me his HID driving lights ,what a set of lights,I saw them in daylight and they were bright as,you can get an HID adaptor kit for Light Force for $129.00 the pair,that is if you want good ones.

Lance C

Cloak · Guru

I used LightForce on a rally car. One spot and one spread beam. They proved very dependable never had a photon of trouble despite getting very rough treatment..

Cheers

The Phantom · Guru

Hi Charlie, Have you considered saving your hard earned and not getting lights at all. Generally you will be parked up late in the afternoon and probably not driving at night. Seems a bit of a waste if you won't use them.

Peter

chaslib · Senior Member

Thanks Peter ..... very undecided at the moment and initially was not intending to go get them. Just wondering what the right path is at this "fork in the road" Thanks for your comments and everyone else's .... will keep them in mind

Charlie

chris & terry · Senior Member

Never saw the need for driving lights, I can't remember driving in the night in over 4 years. Only time I can remember towing with my lights on is in the rain, then you can't use your driving lights any how.

Terry

Baz421 · Guru

Agree with others,,, why buy them at all????

If you have to travel at night in an emergency you simply drive to the conditions.

Cupie · Guru

I wouldn't bother ...

I have them only because they were on the Patrol when I got it 15 years ago. Never been used.

Turned them on the other day & one didn't come on & the other pointed almost straight down onto the road. Probably been like that since the bull bar was replaced around 12mths ago. Buggar, another job.

If you do get a set then I suppose you would have to set them up for a loaded up truck with &/or without the van attached. Just a little sag with the van on might be multiplied, aiming then up too high.

Peter_n_Margaret · Guru

Some trivia.
Lightforce is a South Australian company. The owner and developer of the lights is a dentist from the Eyre Peninsula. Nice bloke too.
The lights came for a need to have a very light weight high performance spot light (for shooting foxes) that could be mounted directly on the rifle barrel.
They are now exported widely, especially to the USA.

Support a local manufacturer, there aren't many left.

Cheers,
Peter

Santa · Guru

I'm firmly in the don't bother camp.

My preference is to get my driving done and be camped well before dark.

If you are forced to drive at night (as Baz421 said) drive to the conditions.

I've been driving in the outback for over 40 years, my feeling is about the only use driving lights are is to annoy the heck out of oncoming drivers if your a bit slow to dip your lights.

-- Edited by Santa on Sunday 26th of May 2013 03:35:59 PM

03_troopy · Guru

I've had driving lights on my last 2 vehicles over the last 10 yars or so (and the odd one or two before that). I wouldn't be without them for night driving, as they show up so much more than standard headlights. As some say, you should drive to the conditions, but having the lights gives you much more warning of up coming road conditions or hazards. One thing to note, the big reflective signs you find on major highways reflect enough light to blind you at times, so you may have to dip them for these. If you do fit them, get one pencil beam and one spread beam (as has been mentioned), so as to give you the most coverage at shorter distances and good penetration for longer distances. I'd definitely consider the LED bars for a very bright wide spread in closely timbered and windy roads. This will allow you to have better peripheral illumination especially on the bends. ie. a pencil beam will point way off to the left while you're driving around a right hand bend in the road, leaving the RHS of the road in darkness.
Another very important thing to remember: Tavelling behind someone with your driving lights on can be almost as bad as driving towards them. If you can see tail lights up ahead, dip your lights (especially if you're behind me). I tend to get a bit annoyed when they don't, and if they don't take the hint from some rapid brake light signalling, i'll pull over and then see if i can burn the hair off the back of their neck with mine.

Cloak · Guru

Ahhh photon wars.....

richardc · Newbie

I am also an irregular Rally competitor and have seen a lot of driving lights over the years. "Lightforce" - with HID conversions, are definately the best value for money and performance. Also great on a small boat, as they dont rust.

However I haven't fitted driving lights to my new tow car as the OEM lights are fantastic HID's, that automatically adjust their hight when loaded and towing. The industry is finally catching up in the lighting area!

Knowledge speaks, but wisdom listens.

Knowledge speaks, but wisdom listens.