Roof Racks - To Lightbar or Not to Lightbar?

Both my upper grill diode dynamic light bars and Amazon spot lights installed without removing the front end.

 

@MrSmartypants no wind noise at all with mind. It's just about perfect!

@Metalsaber Just a bit of splash off the hood, but when I'm driving I'm looking forward, not at my hood

@Jynarik ummm, roof light bars aren't crap and you don't have to drop $9k to get good ones

 

Tons of practical purpose if you ACTUALLY go off road, which many of use do. I am offroad at night normally every month. Friends ranch in Aspermont, TX. Our cabin in NM. Hunting lease in Turkey, TX, Ouray/Telluride for New Years, San Juan flyfishing New Years week plus I am building my 4R to run Patagonia next year and more than likely Nova Scotia and Newfoundland in 2024.

Back to the OP:

Cali Raised just went 20% off both of their full sized racks. Bought one with the cutout and 42" lightbar and harness. In stock and since I am in Texas, it actually winds up next day. It will be here tomorrow.

CBI just put Prinsu at 15% off.

 

Why do you keep saying this? What is the issue with roof mounted lights?

Just because they might reflect back at you in some situations is no reason to not have them.

I'd bet that a quality bar with a spot beam or driving pattern would be super useful for me. I get good light with my current setup, but I certainly wouldn't hate more light.

Also, why does one need to spend $9K to have a worthwhile light bar? A Rigid E series 40" is like $1500, and would throw more than enough light for most purposes.

 

Because they are. And anyone that has run one in true off road or poor sight conditions will agree.
If you want something to light up your camp spot, go for it

 

So everyone who has posted here with good results is wrong because you speak for everyone? Cool. Makes total sense. #kids

 

So, because they could potentially reflect back into your face in certain conditions, then they are completely useless in all conditions?

Oh, and also just "because they are."

Ok..

It's good to know that you have personal experience with every possible beam combination of roof mounted life bar in all possible conditions. When did you have time to do all of this testing?

 

go run through the desert with one and get back to me.

 

So, you've "run through the desert" with all different types of roof mounted light bars, and concluded that they're all "shit"?

I'm still trying to figure out where you're coming from here. Even though I agree that it could reflect back into your eyes in dusty or wet conditions, I would think the dust would only be an issue if you are in a group and towards the back of the group.

Also, is it at all conceivable that a roof mounted light bar might serve a purpose other than running through the desert? Or, is that the only situation they could possibly be used in?

Just curious, because I tend to run around on a beach I have access to at night. I'm trying to figure out how a roof mounted light bar is going to be "shit" in that scenario.

 

LOL.

I've run a light bar on an ARB rack on a rig while living in Phoenix proper.
I've run a lightbar on 2 different racks while living in West Texas. Haboob much?
I've run a lightbar in central New Mexico.
Sure, the TYPE of lightbar, its relative position to the roof line and hood, spot vs flood, total lumen output, DO make a difference. But your arrogance of one size fits none theory is not just wrong, its arrogant. You don't have to be right all the time. It's just the interwebs on the google machine.

 

“Running” a light bar doesn’t mean you actually had purposeful use for it for off-roading.
But hey, you do you. I don’t give two shits what people put in their vehicle, but this was a discussion asking for advice and it appears I’ve offended you for your lighting choices.

 

Bro, hes absolutely right!!!





No use at all

 

On the whole lightbar issue, Im of the camp that most driving off-road should not be taking place at night.

However...... if someone's kid gets bit by a snake, falls out of a tree and breaks an elbow, etc, a lightbar will do well to light your path out. This is especially important for those of us 40+ who dont have the vision we had when we were younger. Same for ditch lights. For me they are there for emergency use only or for finding a camp site when you over-did it on the trails and did not stop early to camp.

 

No, you were repeatedly an asshat telling anyone with a differing opinion they were flat out wrong.

Sorry I did not use the proper vernacular to make sure you understood my point.

I have used LED light bars in an illuminated capacity from various manufacturers amd mounted in various positions relative to height and distance from the leading edge of the roof line. I ahve never run one as a standalone, always mounted to a rack. I easily have 20-30,000 offroad and overland miles on my various rigs throughout the history of my non asphalt endeavors. My experience with LED lightbars in my capacity as a Luminescent Engineer/Overland Enthusiast has been more than adequate to form a positive opinion.

Don't like them, cool. Act like a typical Austin'ite and it shows.

 

If you get the Prinsu and want a lightbar later, get the cut out. The plain fairing will be a $100 waste of money.

Edit: I bought the KC Hilites 40" C-series bar. Fits well on the prinsu.

https://www.kchilites.com/c-series-led-light-bars-sizes-10-50.html