i think i need auxilary lights on my truck. what do we know?

[boom]

i run a 2006 tacoma. the lights..without even bringing up how badly they (the lenses) are fogged up and scratched..need help.

i am shopping the classifieds constantly for used clear headlamps. coming out of the AZ desert in the pitch dark, i realized i should get some lights out front to assist. i know i dont have a lot of mounting options with my plastic front bumper. so i am almost sure i am getting an Avid light bar.

what about lights? the new LED light bars are cool!! but we are looking at "KUIU money" (<--this is a joke)..$400 to $900 for lights, aint gonna happen.

i want two lights up front. do i want probing spots..or a wider beam? HID?

this segment of the car industry left me in the dust..i've been out of the lighting game for a long time. can you bring me up to speed? what is a good light to get a hunter to a dark parking spot in the wilderness?

 

[Ray]

I would go for the LED bar lights despite the upfront costs. Get two short bars rather than one long bar. You can find LED utility lights at farm tool stores or Northern Tool. They are not Baja Racing proven lights, but they are much cheaper and work fine for most uses.

You can also run the lights up top on the cab using a cross bar or direct mount to the roof.

The probing spots are for driving fast and getting lots of site distance. If you just want to see then a bright flood system might be better.

You need to mount them so that they are not easy to take off. My ex's boyfriend has lost two sets of off road lights off his Dodge when parked overnight (no it was not me). He now has some kind of special security bolt keeping his LED light bar on. And they moved to a better part of town with fewer night time wandering teenagers. Still a potential issue when backcountry skiing or biking and parked at a remote trailhead. Can't stop them but anything to slow them down is helpful.

2006 taco questions: have you had any issues with the rear leaf springs? I bought a used 2006 long bed quad cab and had "harsh ride". I replaced my rear leafs with a set from Northwest Offroad. It now sits just above level and is a 3/4 ton load. Nice and smooth ride. It also had no heater, or air flow. It was the reason the original owners sold it for so cheap. Turns out the cabin air prefilter was completely packed with dirt and bugs. That little filter saved me $8K on purchase price.

 

[boom]

2006 taco questions: have you had any issues with the rear leaf springs? I bought a used 2006 long bed quad cab and had "harsh ride". I replaced my rear leafs with a set from Northwest Offroad. It now sits just above level and is a 3/4 ton load. Nice and smooth ride. It also had no heater, or air flow. It was the reason the original owners sold it for so cheap. Turns out the cabin air prefilter was completely packed with dirt and bugs. That little filter saved me $8K on purchase price.

i didnt have a harsh ride. i added a long spring add-a-leaf..just to boost up the rears. i did an old man emu spring/shock change out front and leveled the entire thing. i got a mild 1/5" of lift..

i got my truck used too!! my air cabin filter was gross. i think it had bird feathers in it.

thanks for the lighting insight.

 

[Rizzy]

I have a 2005 taco and my headlight cover is so fogged up i run my fog lights to supplement. There is a polish that supposedly fixes this?
Some aftermarket spotlights that replace the fog light would easy.

 

[rhunter424]

If you really want aux lights, go for it. But if you want to fix the actual problem, use this:

http://www.amazon.com/Sylvania-38771-Headlight-Restoration-Kit/dp/B00429NKWK

I haven't needed it on my taco, but I used it on my wife's '05 vehicle and it worked like a charm. For $20, fix your actual problem then go play.

 

[boom]

yea..but you rub off any UV coatings that is remaining. i've done it..the repair never lasted.

i am searching for good used one. folk take off theirs for HID upgrade. black headlights..etc. i just have to be patient.

 

[rhunter424]

yea..but you rub off any UV coatings that is remaining. i've done it..the repair never lasted.

Been a year and half since I did it and showing no signs of needing to do it again...

 

[Bushwhacker]

I have a 2005 taco and my headlight cover is so fogged up i run my fog lights to supplement. There is a polish that supposedly fixes this?
Some aftermarket spotlights that replace the fog light would easy.

The polish does work. My son used it on his 2004 TOY 4-Skinner. Have those filters checked and changed has needed. Several of the quick lubes dont know they exist. I have a 2010 4 door Taco I bought new. I am going with new LED headlamps only because my truck has been a work in progress. New suspension, 3" lift, coil over spring, ARB leaf springs, ARB front bumper with wern witch, FAB4 rear bumper and dual exhaust. Last summer had the Toyota Dealer Supercharge it. OMG! It's a performer on and off road. And no Aron you can not drive it.

 

[boom]

Been a year and half since I did it and showing no signs of needing to do it again...

hmm..might be worth trying again..thanks.

 

[Rizzy]

I will have to try that polish....for the cabin air filter i just got a heater filter and cut it up. You can get a lot of filters for cheap that way

 

[cwh]

Like a lot of industries, there are brands aimed at the crowd that has to have the best (or sometimes just most expensive) thing out there. But there are others that target the crowd that just want lights.

I would shy away from implement type lights (unless you are using them as floods, combined with a spot pattern). I had a couple flood LEDs, and while they were very bright, they had such a wide beam that the places you could use them was limited. I left them on the 4-runner when I sold it.

I haven't used these, but they were recommended by badger on 24 hour campfire, and I trust his judgement. Its what I'll get when I finally upgrade the lights on my truck. 9000 lumens for $200. http://www.ddmtuning.com/Products/SP-LED-20inch