Hidden Lightbar Worth It?

Did it look clean and fit close w plastic? If I have to remove front bumper to replace makes for sense to spend money on light set vs $60 grill and pain if removeing Buber risk of screwing it up. I assume you cut the tabs off bottom? You don’t have any more pix do you..thx very much. I’d love to do a c4 bumper but $1200+ out of budget now as ordered racks from up top and a leer X-ray for it...next up billies and wheels w 285’s.

 

Excuse the damn auto correct! Bumper and leer 100xr...2020 DC LB cement TRD OR

 

I thought it was clean since I was working with a broken grill already. Could be cleaner if you start with undamaged one. Let me look for more pics.

 

Best pic I have while removed.

 

I've got the Caliraised 32" version and I love it. It's super bright and comes with the mounting brackets and wiring harness. I purchased the OEM style push button switch for like $12.

 

Depends how much you want spend, my whole setup with bumper are round 350. 30dollar light bar bright as fog light.

 

Another +1 for CaliRaised, easily worth the money. I would trim the wind deflectors instead of deleting them.

 

I’m curious, why? As a deleter..... I’m not in a hot climate to totally worry about cooling like some folks tho....

 

Same reason you have a fan shroud, promotes the best possible air flow through the radiator for the most efficient performance.

 

Caliraised stuff is just rebranded chinese imports. I bought the exact same bar as caliraised for 80 bucks, the only difference was the name. I did however buy their brackets though.

When I had the stock bumper, I just trimmed the deflectors, no need to take them off.

 

Link it. I've had shit luck with the random China bars on my UTV and tractor.

 

$120 Auxbeam 32" LED Light Bar 180W Off Road Driving Lights LED Work Light Spot Flood Fog Lamp 5D Lens with Wiring Harness for Car, Truck, Offroad Vehicle, ATV, UTV, Pickup

https://www.amazon.com/Auxbeam-Driving-Lights-Harness-Vehicle/dp/B00ZEYP6Q0

Looks like the price went up since I bought it last. The only thing I had to do is enlarge the hole in the caliraised mounting brackets I think. But it was a solid bar for the price, considering I rarely used it. Not worth spending 800 bucks on a bar when I have it turned on maybe like 10 minutes a year.

 

I appreciate it. I need to upgrade my tractor lights.

 

Worth it!

 

Since the thread seemed to have not actually died or at least looks like it was necro'd... I might as well put in my 2 cents.

I still run the same Simplive Amazoom special bar in the front for over a year now. Had it submerged more times than i can count in both water & mud, beaten with rocks off the road and highway, and ran for 12 hours accidently blinding a bunch of folks because i forgot to switch it off while doing errands in the day... but let bygones be bygones


It's still holding up by there is a bit of an issue; It still throws light well enough at the 30-50' marks, but anything past that distance, not so much... In general they are no longer as bright as they once were, due how much they've been used, they seem to have faded out.

Cali Brackets have a hair amount flutter, but that could be cause by a lot of things (even the body plastic vibrating around a hair amount since i run an SSO Slimline hybrid bumper). Other than that - never had an issue with them, 100% worth it.

Been using a new Speed Demon 40" bar mounted to the backrack for about 4 months now, it paid for itself the first night i mounted and used it when a cow and a calf (moose) crossed the road in the middle of the night. It easily overpowers the 30" Amazoom bar, but both have their uses.



In general, if you're in moose/ deer country and want a light bar; the Hidden mount system is nice. But investing into a spot or spot/beam bar i something i'll recommend. Floods help a bit, but your high beams will carry more light to the sides than the floods will on a tiny 30" bar could, but you'll get more light thrown upwards and downwards with the bar.
Could always get a set of cheap hood mounted ditch lights if you need light more towards the sides.

the Amazoom special has done its job so far and i'll keep running it until it burns out or is just painfully useless, but otherwise was well worth the investment.

 

FWIW, I've used Auxbeam stuff before and it's been pretty decent, more than the random name Amazon stuff at least.

 

If it’s the supplier for CaliRaised, I’d believe it. Their bars are pretty excellent.

 

How are you all wiring them?

Those switch pro units are nice but crazy $$$.
I’m considering getting one of those blue sea fuse blocks setups from overland equipped. I don’t want to make a mess of the wiring with add-a-fuses and taps.

https://overlandequipped.com/collec...for-3rd-generation-toyota-tacoma-2016-present

 

If you're running just the 1 lightbar, you do not need a blue sea panel or anything like it. Just a simple fuse and relay wiring harness that usually comes with or is an optional item with the bar is more than enough.

If you do plan to add more, you can put together a blue seas system with little issues. Built a "bumb" circuit (its all physical switches and relays, no digital signal), this way it's easy to repair out in the field by just bypassing stuff. If a switch pro system craps out, well you're fucked for the most part untill you get back home.

Checkout this thread; my stuff can be found there as well https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/show-off-your-aux-fuse-panels.308677/page-69

 

Those are good points!
At the moment I just have the one light bar and a Serb of ditch lights sitting in boxes until I figure out which way to go.

What’s your thoughts on this unit, I saw it in an Spod vs Switch pro thread.
It has similar features but inside it has 40amp relays and I would guess fully serviceable compared to the potted mosfet Spro.

Voswitch JL100 8 Gang Programmable Switch Panel Power Control System Compatible with Jeep Wrangler JL JLU 2018 - Current and Gladiator 2020+

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07VVN9T4X