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Amber Light Bars

Ziggy

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It's obvious front facing lightbars are virtually useless if you're not leading the way, and even then they still wash out many details.
My questions: has anyone tried the film vs buying a new "amber" light?
And, would you go with amber or yellow? I've read reviews saying the amber is quite orange and less amber'ish.
The only visual comparison I have is I've been wearing yellow lense goggles and at first I thought everyone had amber lights. LOL🙂
Opinions please.
Screenshot_20210125-152421_Amazon Shopping.jpg

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There are offerings from iJDM for a 12x48 inch piece for ~$6. Makes it an affordable test
 

LargeOrangeFont

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Get the "yellower" one of the 2. The film will get dust and dirt under it eventually but it will work for a little while. If the light bar is above the windshield it will still be useless. On top of the hood/cowl is better, but not ideal.

This $125 half bumper is my new favorite. It puts the lights in the perfect spot for cutting through the dust. Buy the best light bar or pods you can, and you'll be golden.

If you DO get new lights getting snap on covers for them keeps them nice. You can get clear lights and then snap amber covers on them. If you need work or scene lighting you have white lighting be removing the covers.

I have come to realize spending a little money and putting good lights in the right place makes a huge difference.

madigan-polaris-rzr-xp-1000turbo-front-half-bumper-madigan-motorsports-1807__63591.1607780326.jpg


 
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AZmike

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I run a 10" SR rigid in my grill and you can buy amber snap on plastic light covers for them. check out rigid, I know there pricey but they last.
 

Singleton

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I run a 10" SR rigid in my grill and you can buy amber snap on plastic light covers for them. check out rigid, I know there pricey but they last.

This is what I run on the Jeep.
Works great
 

grumpy88

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If your not racing why not just stay back ? Its just like being in front !
 

LargeOrangeFont

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If your not racing why not just stay back ? Its just like being in front !

A small group of just a few cars can easily get spread out over miles in a wash if there is no wind and you are waiting for the conditions to clear up at night.

Then people get out of radio range and get lost. Then you are out there trying to gather everyone back up in the dust, in the dark.
 

grumpy88

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A small group of just a few cars can easily get spread out over miles in a wash if there is no wind and you are waiting for the conditions to clear up at night.

Then people get out of radio range and get lost. Then you are out there trying to gather everyone back up in the dust, in the dark.
I guess thats when the whips , radios and chase lights help . In a wash with no breeze is tough .
 

02HoWaRd26

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Mine is the physical lens and i seldom turn on the white, works awesome leading and following. However they are the BD lights and they are typically seen as the better more money side, but you get what you pay for.
3D84694C-D88F-4A12-85DB-BF56BD5DC78F.jpeg
 

DarkHorseRacing

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I believe if you want yellow to cut through dust, you need the "Sensitive Yellow" that is the true "fog" light, vs Amber which is not the correct color.
 

LargeOrangeFont

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I guess thats when the whips , radios and chase lights help . In a wash with no breeze is tough .

Yep, the chase light is a must.

We did a night ride to the cabin 2 weeks ago. 4 cars got strung out over at least 3 miles and I was the last car. It was still like driving through fog letting The car before me get a couple minute head start. The bumper light and low beams worked well enough to maintain a good speed though.

Coming back we paired up and basically ran side by side back up the wash. That is the only way we are doing that at night from now on. We were strung out only half as far, and had twice the light from 2 cars as we went up the wash closer together.

And if something went bad, you had someone right there.
 

DLC

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Dust is like fog,
so with that said yellow works good to cut thru the haze, also having 2 lights down low help, it’s similar to a fog light below a bumper
 

LargeOrangeFont

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Mine is the physical lens and i seldom turn on the white, works awesome leading and following. However they are the BD lights and they are typically seen as the better more money side, but you get what you pay for.
View attachment 966568
View attachment 966567
Aftet seeing a few members here with the BD stuff, I’m a believer. Worth the money for sure where needed.

Have a 10 inch BD bar for the front of the next car. Skipping the above wind shield bar, so it is actually a net savings :)
 

LargeOrangeFont

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Dust is like fog,
so with that said yellow works good to cut thru the haze, also having 2 lights down low help, it’s similar to a fog light below a bumper

At night it looks like you are piloting the sun.
 
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DLC

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The shock tower light works great, big improvement!
 

LargeOrangeFont

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The shock tower light works great, big improvement!

My light bar will be a little lower than your shock tower bar. I’m interested to see how that works out, and if extra lights will be needed.
 
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rickym20

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1F6B6A20-55DE-4221-AC00-748439834DFF.jpeg

Just added this 10” bar and A pillar lights after getting rid of the light bar at roof. Was out this past weekend but quickly realized my electrical skills suck and wiring everything to the same terminal won’t cut it. For the few minutes I got to use all lights I loved the combination. After popping the fuse and replacing I used one or the other the rest of the weekend. Need to re-do the wiring to get it right.
Baja Designs makes a nice grille insert to make mounting easy if you didn’t want to add the front bumper.
 
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DLC

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I think 3 lights are the ticket

2 lower
1 up higher oh the hood

and be able to switch on/off and hi /Lo for different situations
 

Bpracing1127

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Our group does a lot of night riding. All of us basically only use the ambers now. Except for me who leads lol. Still I am going to get an amber front bumper light now
 

87_stoker

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Check out all terrain concepts great lights with a more economical price range. All my buddies run rigid and I definitely throw out better light. I run the 12” race series with amber lenses in the hood scoop of my turbo s.
 

Ziggy

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Definitely have found the roof light is basically useless unless you're parked and need to find a piss spot, lol.
It's the same on my Manx, never use it.
I haven't had either car in the dunes but I never had issue with any amount of light there, different animal in the sand vs dirty dust.
I'm inclined to delete the roof bars.
Manx gas a 12" on front bumper
Rzr has a 12-15" or so on cowl.
 

02HoWaRd26

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Aftet seeing a few members here with the BD stuff, I’m a believer. Worth the money for sure where needed.

Have a 10 inch BD bar for the front of the next car. Skipping the above wind shield bar, so it is actually a net savings :)
Don’t use a cover, spend the 30-40$ and do the amber lens. The covers get dust inside and that actually creates a glare, i have the XL80 and outer portions of my Dual Control BD 40 in amber lens and they are one one switch, and as i said that’s all i ever run. Wasted my money buying the XL80’s on the bumper they are basically only used on the road, toggled to low power.
 

Ziggy

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Get the "yellower" one of the 2. The film will get dust and dirt under it eventually but it will work for a little while. If the light bar is above the windshield it will still be useless. On top of the hood/cowl is better, but not ideal.

This $125 half bumper is my new favorite. It puts the lights in the perfect spot for cutting through the dust. Buy the best light bar or pods you can, and you'll be golden.

If you DO get new lights getting snap on covers for them keeps them nice. You can get clear lights and then snap amber covers on them. If you need work or scene lighting you have white lighting be removing the covers.

I have come to realize spending a little money and putting good lights in the right place makes a huge difference.

madigan-polaris-rzr-xp-1000turbo-front-half-bumper-madigan-motorsports-1807__63591.1607780326.jpg


I like the minimalist look but the Madigan one is too minimal. I ordered an Aces Offroad one that isn't overwhelming but offers a tad bit more coverage and a skid plate area.....free shipping too so it costs about the same overall as the Madigan.
Screenshot_20210223-114754_Amazon Shopping.jpg
VZM_1614037032954_xDZiXUOFDlZe29R-attachment_1-orginal_image_1614037033.jpg
 

Ziggy

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View attachment 966574
Just added this 10” bar and A pillar lights after getting rid of the light bar at roof. Was out this past weekend but quickly realized my electrical skills suck and wiring everything to the same terminal won’t cut it. For the few minutes I got to use all lights I loved the combination. After popping the fuse and replacing I used one or the other the rest of the weekend. Need to re-do the wiring to get it right.
Baja Designs makes a nice grille insert to make mounting easy if you didn’t want to add the front bumper.
I'm kinda anal about electrical stuff so I rewired the entire "accessory" system. I added a fuse&relay box, installed a high amperage relay to power up the box when ignition is turned on and ran all-time power to whip so it can be left on for visibility/safety if stopped
20210223_113313.jpg
20210223_113330.jpg
.
 

LargeOrangeFont

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I like the minimalist look but the Madigan one is too minimal. I ordered an Aces Offroad one that isn't overwhelming but offers a tad bit more coverage and a skid plate area.....free shipping too so it costs about the same overall as the Madigan. View attachment 975843 View attachment 975842

That one is nice. Our good friends have that same setup on the car they just picked up, with a 10” bar already on it. Works well.
 

Ziggy

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That one is nice. Our good friends have that same setup on the car they just picked up, with a 10” bar already on it. Works well.
So let me ask you, I'm not sure if spot or combo spot/flood would be better with amber light(s) on the bumper? I'm leaning more towards spots but unsure....seems the flood beam would illuminate more than needed.
 

LargeOrangeFont

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So let me ask you, I'm not sure if spot or combo spot/flood would be better with amber light(s) on the bumper? I'm leaning more towards spots but unsure....seems the flood beam would illuminate more than needed.

I like Driving/Combo personally because even at 50 MPH I’m not out driving the light output of a higher end light like a Baja Designs. If you were gonna do 3 pods, center spot, sides driving/combo or flood.
 

Ziggy

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I like Driving/Combo personally because even at 50 MPH I’m not out driving the light output of a higher end light like a Baja Designs. If you were gonna do 3 pods, center spot, sides driving/combo or flood.
Makes sense I guess. My worry is the flood would light up more of the dust cloud...but I also won't be doing 50😄
A combo 10" bar should have more overall output over 3 pods anyhow, right?
Night rides are not really a frequent thing for us.......yet.
 

JUSTWANNARACE

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LargeOrangeFont

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Makes sense I guess. My worry is the flood would light up more of the dust cloud...but I also won't be doing 50😄
A combo 10" bar should have more overall output over 3 pods anyhow, right?
Night rides are not really a frequent thing for us.......yet.

It depends on what pods you get, but yea I think you will get more bang for the buck out of a 10” bar.

The low light down there will be good. In that position you can almost have as much light as you want. It is too low to shine back up at you. It will cast shadows at night, but you’ll be able to see the terrain, and see if there are any holes or big risk in your path.

I have a small SSI 10” light bar in front that is mounted to the winch plate. It works, it is just not quite enough light when going above 40 or so in the dust, and it is white not amber. I run that light bar and the low beams at night.
 

DLC

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My Frt bumper lights on low work really good in dust, to show rocks and obstackles in Frt of you. They are the BD xl 80’s, I want to try a yellow lens on them
 
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