Mopar Light Bar VS. Roof Rack and KC's

[blue_kjR417]

I've been debating on buying a Mopar Renegade Light Bar for mine like it should've had, but like we all know the cheapest I've found a new one is $425 not including shipping, and I'd also like to have a roof rack. So I thought maybe just get a roof rack and put 4 KC's across the front and it'd be brighter I'd have the rack and the lights for close to the same price. Now the roof rack would cause more drag and lower mpgs but the KC's would definitely be brighter, but they wouldn't look as good as the mopar one so I was wondering what you guys thought.

 

[twack]

i like the mopar lights, but the price is out of this world and there are no knock offs that i know of. I plan on making my own light bar like what you were talking for easily under $100. Ive seen it done and it looks awesome. If you dont like it you can take it off without having a bunch of holes in your roof

 

[Luke]

I have to wait and raise the $$$ for the Mopar version. It just looks like it belongs up there and it is definitely on my list. Mine should have had it in the first place as well.

The benefits of the roof rack are of course obvious and if you would end up using it, then it would most likely be a more practical expense. Personally I like the look of the lights just above the windshield rather than back at the rear doors where a typical roof basket would stop. Although the solution to that is a custom rack extended forward. I have seen a few versions in different stages of development.



I will probably end up paying the ridiculous amount they want for it.

 

[J-Thompson]

IMO those lights on the roof ,any way and any brand, are useless
if you are wheelin at night then all they do is blind the guy in front of you
any other time you could use a flash light and save a bunch of money

if you want to wheel at night ,I dont
the better money and time is spent on "rock lights" lights that will light up the area you need to see ,where you are trying to put your tires
your head lights and maybe some small lights on the bumper will do more than enough to light the trail

the roof baskets will cause some wind drag and thus cost you in gas
this is why I use 4 good size U-bolts to hold the Surco rack to the top of the KJ
easy to get on and off ,we only use it when we go on long trips so maybe 4-6 times a year

again just my .02

 

[Luke]

if you want to wheel at night ,I dont
the better money and time is spent on "rock lights" lights that will light up the area you need to see ,where you are trying to put your tires
your head lights and maybe some small lights on the bumper will do more than enough to light the trail

Good Point, in my case however it is 70% cosmetic 30% lighting up the back 40

 

[LibertyOrDeath]

I would go with roof rack and lights. The lightbar is very nice and I love having mine but if you don't already have it you would save an assload of money and still be able to get rock lights too. More light is always better, keep in mind that if you wheel at night the one with the most lights can go first. That and roof lights serve more purposes than just lighting up a trail. Last year we had a wicked storm that knocked out a high voltage tower that feeds our power company. Guess who had no problem seeing while driving around the city at night.

 

[twack]

bottom line: roof lights are pimp whether you need them or not

 

[LibertyOrDeath]

bottom line: roof lights are pimp whether you need them or not

No shit huh. It falls under the better to have them and not need them category.

 

[dlancer]

I haven't used mine yet but they sure look cool up there!

 

[riptricket]

I absolutely love my lightbar!
I have hella 500's on the front bumper, and honestly they do not compare to just one of my lightbar lights.
I would get the lightbar installed, but I am def. bias!!!!!!!

 

[HoosierJeeper]

I'd definately get the roof rack/ lights. Brighter, more storage what could you ask for????









V8

 

[Ry' N Jen]

I absolutely love my lightbar!
I have hella 500's on the front bumper, and honestly they do not compare to just one of my lightbar lights.
QUOTE]

Really?
I am not going to say the factory light bar doesn't look good or that it does not throw light down the road, and the fact that the factory light bar is also made by Hella.
But if you put one of your Hella 500 lamps next to one of your "light bar lamps" (dis-connect the other 3 lamps in the pod), you will definitely notice a difference between the two lamps output. The Hella 500 (Even if fitted with the same wattage bulb and providing that it is a "Driving lamp" beam pattern and not a "Fog lamp" beam pattern) will far outshine the factory light bar lamp unit.
It is the size of the reflector that plays a key role in that!
The larger the reflector the further the light beam pattern. Weather it be a traditional smooth surface or a free form reflector (Fluted and shaped to precisely focus the light output directly where it is designed for the light to be projected. That is why Free form lamps have mostly clear un-fluted lens')

Just look at any off road racing, Baja or World Ralley Car. The lights on the vehicles are all large.
Halogen, H.I.D. or L.E.D. BIGGER is better and better is best!

 

[LibertyFever]

Here's another point to consider, a set of lights mounted on your roof rack either on a "light bar" or a roof basket may be illegal for highway use depending on your state/province. The MOPAR Renagade style light bar could be considered legal though because it is considered a factory installation.

Myself I chose to mount four Hella500's to a roof basket because I felt they would throw more light on the road/trail ahead of me plus give me more storage. However due to their height I can't legally use them on the highway.

 

[Ry' N Jen]

Here's another point to consider, a set of lights mounted on your roof rack either on a "light bar" or a roof basket may be illegal for highway use depending on your state/province. The MOPAR Renagade style light bar could be considered legal though because it is considered a factory installation.

Myself I chose to mount four Hella500's to a roof basket because I felt they would throw more light on the road/trail ahead of me plus give me more storage. However due to their height I can't legally use them on the highway.

Yes, very true!
The factory light bar is legal to have but...
Well, here in B.C., Motor Vehicle Act Regulations are interesting!
Here is a link for all the B.C. folks anyway!
http://www.bclaws.ca/Recon/document...58 motor vehicle act regulations/26_58_00.htm

Division-4, subsections 4.09, 4.11, 4.18, 4.24, 4.25 I found to be of most interest

 

[Treyz02KJ]

Yes, very true!
The factory light bar is legal to have but...
Well, here in B.C., Motor Vehicle Act Regulations are interesting!
Here is a link for all the B.C. folks anyway!
http://www.bclaws.ca/Recon/document...58 motor vehicle act regulations/26_58_00.htm

Division-4, subsections 4.09, 4.11, 4.18, 4.24, 4.25 I found to be of most interest

(yeahthat)

(1) Lighting devices required by this Division must be maintained in good working order.

(2) Lamps and reflectors required by this Division

(a) must be securely mounted on the vehicle,

(b) must not have any cracked, broken, missing or incorrectly installed lenses, and a lamp must not have bent or broken rims that allow water to enter the lamp, and

(c) must not be shielded, covered or obscured by any part of the vehicle or load or by dirt or other material.

[en. B.C. Reg. 476/98, s. 2.]


Despite section 4.04 (2) (c), a vehicle equipped with off-road lamps when on a highway must have the off-road lamps concealed with opaque covers.

This is also Oklahoma Law. (we dont care, where you put the lights, or how big they are. just have them covered with opaque lenses.)

 

[Ry' N Jen]

(yeahthat)

(1) Lighting devices required by this Division must be maintained in good working order.

(2) Lamps and reflectors required by this Division

(a) must be securely mounted on the vehicle,

(b) must not have any cracked, broken, missing or incorrectly installed lenses, and a lamp must not have bent or broken rims that allow water to enter the lamp, and

(c) must not be shielded, covered or obscured by any part of the vehicle or load or by dirt or other material.

[en. B.C. Reg. 476/98, s. 2.]


Despite section 4.04 (2) (c), a vehicle equipped with off-road lamps when on a highway must have the off-road lamps concealed with opaque covers.

This is also Oklahoma Law. (we dont care, where you put the lights, or how big they are. just have them covered with opaque lenses.)

The funny thing here, are all the Renegades being driven around town don't even have opaque covers fitted.
I have several friends with the R.C.M.P. and they mostly say that as long as you don't use your roof mounted lights within city limits or on the highway, they usually look the other way and couldn't be bothered to stop a vehicle over for that!
They only slap a ticket and fine on somebody when that person is being a dick head!

 

[tjkj2002]

The funny thing here, are all the Renegades being driven around town don't even have opaque covers fitted.
I have several friends with the R.C.M.P. and they mostly say that as long as you don't use your roof mounted lights within city limits or on the highway, they usually look the other way and couldn't be bothered to stop a vehicle over for that!
They only slap a ticket and fine on somebody when that person is being a dick head!

Same goes for my home state,it's a $20 ticket for more then 4 uncovered forward facing white lights,they will wait till you have them on,then it's a $600 fine per light,more money for the city that way.

 

[blue_kjR417]

Well, I ordered the roof rack it will be here tomorrow. I'm waiting to order the lights (4 KC Daylighters 100w each) until I decide how to mount them.

 

[Ry' N Jen]

Same goes for my home state,it's a $20 ticket for more then 4 uncovered forward facing white lights,they will wait till you have them on,then it's a $600 fine per light,more money for the city that way.

I guess Cops are Cops no matter where you live!

 

[tjkj2002]

Well, I ordered the roof rack it will be here tomorrow. I'm waiting to order the lights (4 KC Daylighters 100w each) until I decide how to mount them.

If you want bright might want to look at KC's HID's,sure there expensive but draw about the 1/10th the amps normal lights do and put out 3-10 times the light and and will last much longer.I run two 35watt KC HID's on my ARB,they throw light over 1 miles easy,stops them deer fast,no heat and don't draw alot of amps.KC now has 70watt HID's that turn the night into day,they are super bright.