Aftermarket Lighting

[mangus580]

So based off recommendations over in the 'customization' forum... I bought a set of LED lights for my tractor.

10pcs 4" 18W 1260LM CREE LED Work Light Bar Off Road SUV Boat ATV Jeep Lamp 4WD | eBay

Now I am just trying to decide what to mount where and how many.

I hopefully have 6 flood (60ｰ pattern) and 4 spot (30ｰ pattern) coming.

Considering at least 2 forward, and 2 backward facing lights from the ROPS. Also trying to come up with a way to mount 2 forward facing from someplace on the loader frame, or the splash guards by the loader uprights.

Looking for ideas (and maybe suggestions as to which pattern to use where). Granted, i do not intend to use all 10 lights either!

The primary intended use for the added lighting will be plowing snow in the winter. For the most part I dont do anything with it after dark any other time of the year...

 

[MikeInEburg]

Great! I've had my LED lights for almost two years now and they continue to work like a champ. So, I don't think that you'll regret your decision.

 

[rwork]

Mangus,
When you get it all figured out, let me know how it goes. I've been wanting to do the same thing. Now that it's getting dark earlier, I could use the extra lighting!

 

[vwnotrunning]

Same here - where are the installation / operation pics?

 

[mangus580]

rwork - of course I will share!

vwnotrunning - I think you missed the point.... they havent even arrived yet!!

 

[rwork]

I've thought about some brackets mounted to the outside of the rops, but I haven't figured out how to bend some 1" tube with a fairley tight radius. Wanted to make some type of guard, so they don't get knocked off!

 

[mangus580]

I've thought about some brackets mounted to the outside of the rops, but I haven't figured out how to bend some 1" tube with a fairley tight radius. Wanted to make some type of guard, so they don't get knocked off!

Round tube or square tube?

How tight? Whats your plan?

I figured I would work off the setup I used for my Amber light I put on.

 

[jnicewan]

I've installed a few light bars on Jeeps, 4wheelers and UTV's but not a tractor. You will be amazed at the light output of those little lights. Keep in mind the LED lights have a pretty tight focused beam, even the floods you picked. Im not saying they are a bad choice by no means but you might stick them around on places and test them before permanent mounting. Im just guessing that you might want the floods at a slightly higher spot and facing down a little bit. The spots might work better mounted lower and pointing more outward.

I have a 30" bar mounted at the top of my windshield on my jeep and during rain or snow the bar will light up every rain drop and snow flake in your view, in heavy rain or snow this can be a little distracting. This light bar works great and overpowers the headlamps but I think a better place would have been more forward and lower to the ground like typical headlamp level.

LED lights dont draw a lot of power compared to conventional lighting and even HID's. All 10 of those lights would draw approx 15 amps when all turned on, or about 1.5 amps per lamp. Many automotive type toggle switches could carry all that load in a single switch but I would split them up into at least 2-3 switches (i.e. front, top & rear or maybe flood & spot )

 

[boomer632]

Heres how I did my ROPS LED bar

 

[rwork]

Heres how I did my ROPS LED bar

View attachment 344738View attachment 344739

the lights are nice, but I'm really impressed by that barn!!

 

[ajmuller]

Did you weld those brackets to the ROPs? The ROPs police did not get you?

I did something similar, but welded up my bracket, drilled and tapped the ROPs for bolts.

 

[boomer632]

Yeah I welded them on. I wanted the light bar under the ROP so it would be somewhat protected from low hanging branches and whatever else I will probably hit.

 

[boomer632]

the lights are nice, but I'm really impressed by that barn!!

Built in 2010 with all rough cut hemlock. Posts and rafters are pine of course.

 

[Bob77064]

Heres how I did my ROPS LED bar

View attachment 344738View attachment 344739

Great installation, those lights are really bright.

 

[mangus580]

So I was out playing... I mean working with the tractor today, and thing I have some ideas.


Thinking of making a bracket on either side here, using the unused pin holes, and putting a light on each loader arm - on the inside (so its protected). This will allow a nice beam adjusted to basically shine over the snow plow. Possibly with a quick connect type setup, allowing them to be removed during 'normal' tractor use. Thinking about it, this bracket could even be a U shaped plate that drops down over the loader arm, and gets a pin through the bracket and loader arm. This would possibly be easiest mounting the light on top, but could make a very simple to remove setup for off season 'storage'





I have considered using the threaded holes on either side of the hood, to make brackets for lights - they would be up above hood height, and may suffer similar issues with branches clearing them off. I am not as big of a fan of this location.






For rear facing - I am thinking a bracket that uses the ROPS bolts, and allowing the light to be mounted directly behind the ROPS. This would give some decent protection, and should allow for a good pattern to be spread across the rear field of view.





For additional forward facing lights, I figure I will make more brackets that sandwich the ROPS similar to what I did for the amber light. They will hang down as well, and be essentially protected by being 'inside' the ROPS.