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Better lighting

Old Oct 25, 2007 | 03:09 PM
  #1  
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Default Better lighting

The one thing I am not happy about my truck is the relatively poor headlights. I figured a truck this new should have good lights, but I have found that the 3rd gen lights are horrible and it's due to a design flaw. So far I have come across 3 remedies with varying results.
1)A few guys (nerds) have completely replaced the guts inthe housing with HID lamps from a Mercedes or similar car to the tune of about $1K. Too much for me, but a very cool solution.
2) Brite Box/Fogzilla from Geno's. Looks good in theory, but your still stuck with the same crappy high beam pattern, and it's about $250.
3) Auxiliary lights on a light bar. Seems like a good solution, but my truck is a 2WD and won't see any off-roading so I don't need a bull bar or big heavy replacement bumper. I have seen pictures of a couple rigs with what (I think) are called the Carli light bar with 2 or 3 aftermarket lights on it, but I can't find anything about it on the Carli website. Who carries these and how much are they? What do they mount to?
 
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Old Oct 25, 2007 | 03:23 PM
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Default RE: Better lighting

I'll tell you what I just saw last weekend that was bad as $hit on the 3rd gens was auxilliary lights mounted BEHIND the grill. Lemme see if I can find some pics

BRB ...
 
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Old Oct 25, 2007 | 03:32 PM
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Default RE: Better lighting

We did that to my friend's Power Wagon. It works really well, you don't even notice them during the day, but at night the whole inside of the grille is lit up and it makes that truck look mean. I wish I had thatmuch of room behind the grill, not only would I mount some lights, but a fan for the A/C condenser.
 
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Old Oct 25, 2007 | 03:42 PM
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Default RE: Better lighting

Here ya go ..

[IMG]local://upfiles/42139/B75B6BAA09E0457BA8FC8CE7D976B5A8.jpg[/IMG]
 
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Old Oct 25, 2007 | 04:03 PM
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Default RE: Better lighting

Do you have fog lights?? I have seen OEM sets on ebay for around $130 or $170.
 
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Old Oct 25, 2007 | 04:12 PM
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Default RE: Better lighting

Yea, it's got 'em They just don't help much with throwing light down the road where it's needed.
Now I'm thinking about just making my own light bar. I have a real tube bender and notcher, all I really need is some pics of how that Carli bar mounts. Fabbing them up would be pretty easy, but then I'd have to have it chromed[:@]
I'd have to figure out how to mount it to the tow hook mounts without losing my tow hooks. Being a 2WD I know the second I take those off, I'd end up in a ditch during a snowstorm[]
 
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Old Oct 25, 2007 | 06:07 PM
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Default RE: Better lighting

My winch receiver mounts behind the tow hooks. If you can useplates like these I could fab you the mount plates and you can add whatever bar you want.

[IMG]local://upfiles/52655/92FD197C4D73424EBB3174BC61FF0633.jpg[/IMG]


This is the mock up and what the plates look like
[IMG]local://upfiles/52655/097225D7449F4BBEB81183D700A7C5A0.jpg[/IMG]

 
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Old Oct 25, 2007 | 11:35 PM
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Default RE: Better lighting

I took a look under my hood. No way in God's name could I fit a light behind my grill. I wish I could though...I've got an addiction to lights.
 
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Old Oct 26, 2007 | 05:54 AM
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Default RE: Better lighting

Addiction to light?
seem funny,here it go my ride


[IMG]local://upfiles/67050/22ACCCF5B20B457190BB8D888AF6F637.jpg[/IMG]
 
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Old Oct 26, 2007 | 06:25 AM
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Default RE: Better lighting

Bert,
Those mounts are exactly what I was thinking. When I get home (couple more months) I'll look at the truck and see if that will work. I'm not sure if there is enough room next to the tow hook to mount some tubing to the bracket without hitting the bumper. My goal is to make it a bolt on bar, that is as simple as possible and yet make a solid mount for some lights.
 
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