roof rack Light bar

I'm about to purchase a roof rack from uptop. I'm wondering how often everyone actually uses their lightbars? I go camping/overlanding about once or twice a month. And when I do go to my camp ground it's usually late afternoon and I just want to setup camp instead of driving around at night probably also because I don't have extra lights so I don't want to drive down dirt roads. Rest of the time I'm on roads in Southern Cali. It definitely looks cool but wondering how often people actually use it. Let me know your experiences. Thank you!

 

Lots of fellas don’t even wire their aux lights. They are only for show.

A rooftop light that glares off your hood has limited use. If you need more light, bumper lights are way more functional in more situations. Rooftop lights also typically need covers on them to be legal on paved streets, whereas bumper lights can often be left uncovered.

There are likely some specific scenarios where roof mounted lights are great (high speed desert running in dust etc), but it doesn’t sound like that is a common use for you. Most guys are just mounting them for the ‘gram.

 

Thanks been hearing about glare on the hoods as well from watching all the youtube vids. Seen a lot of guys with roof lights but never turned on even on trails when it's getting dark.

 

Back in the day I loved having KC roof lights to set up camp in the dark or play hockey when the rink lights were off or very occasionally on a job site at night when extra light was needed. They are handy when you want a light source that is above your head shinning down but in the 7 years I had them on my old truck I never once used them while driving.
But of course when I got a Tacoma I had to get a light bar on my roof so I can hang out with the cool kids at the mall.

 

As mentioned lights on the roof SUCKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKK for anything but show. Ditch lights are great and for real projection I have a 30” SR light in my grille (see it just above me plate). Yes they’re wired and insanely bright so much so that I don’t use them that often, I find the ditch lights to be more useful in most situations. Also pretty big money I think my single row 30” was around $800. Either way Aux lighting is good but not on a roof. I can link brackets and show you switch locations if you’re interested.

 

I like the DD one that hides in the lower grille much better. I'd be afraid of added noise with it in the roof rack.

 

Please educate me as I'm a idiot and only had my Tacoma (first truck ever) for about 4 months now why ditch lights are pointed at an angle instead of straight. Yeah that grill light looks awesome. I think I'll opt for something like that and hopefully can still be used if I decide to get a bumper later on.

 

Ditch lights are pointed at the.... ditch lol

I have Rigid Dually Side Shooters so they have leds pointed forward and a row on the outside of each light (they’re directional) so I don’t have mine as angled as some people do. I’ve seen others with them way out but again mine point out extra.

Bottom line off road a lot of times you aren’t driving straight and it’s super handy to see what’s in the corner or ditch before you drive in.

 

Ahh ok now it all makes sense haha. Thank you

 

Ditch lights > roof lights

installing my ditch lights next week

here’s my current light configuration




Spyder Headlights
Diode Dynamics SS3 Pro Amber Fog Lights
Auxbeam 32” Lightbar
Raptor Style Grille Lights

installing Diode Dynamics SS3 Sport Amber Ditch Lights next week

here’s the setup during the day. The lightbar is barely noticeable



it’s insane how bright these fog lights are (very thick fog over a lake)

 

The dumber part of me was hoping that blinding first pic would be the only evidence you'd have of your setup. But nay, the rest of your post was pretty informative.

 

I wouldn't mind a roof light bar if it had a good spot effect but the only place you can use it would be in the middle of nowhere.

 

That’s actually a thing?!?!

 

I prefer my off-road lights on top and sides aiming down to see and make sure I'm not stepping on a snake. I hate snakes lol!
I don't like them anywhere on my front grill where they may impede the airflow to the radiator, transmission or oil cooler during daytime travel.

 

I’m not saying you’re incorrect, but it hasn’t been noticeable in temperatures to me. I have a 1000lb camper in my truck so it works pretty hard. I’ve also spent a fair amount of time in the southwest and again no problems. The lights don’t really block any airflow to speak of.

 

If the lights are installed where there were hole openings previously, the air flow is being blocked. They’d have to be installed in a solid body like the bumper not too, and that would look horrible.

That being said, there have been a number of OP complaints about inadequate A/C performance in hot weather, high transmission temperatures and high engine temperature.
IDK if those folk they had lights blocking air flow because we often can’t see the vehicles and those details are not stated.

Not saying this will automatically cause issues for everyone, as air flow is pretty resiliently designed. However, it is something to keep in mind if an issue should present itself, as those air flow openings maybe there for a reason other than looks, just saying.