Hilux 4x4 Forum

Good day Folks

Wasn't sure where to post this. Hope this is alright.

I'm looking to add some additional lighting to the front and or sides of my SFA and I'm on a budget. Can I get some suggestions of what you guys use or what you would suggest and also, if possible, maybe someone has something they're not using laying around.

Tricky part is I don't want to use a light bar at all. Ever. So pretty much just spots XD

Thanks in advance

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You should check on the rules of the national traffic ordinances IRO lighting on motor vehicles that are to be operated on a public road ....what's legal and what's not.

For instance, you may not exceed 6 forward facing lamps and these must be equally spaced off the each side of the centre line of the vehicle and may also not exceed a maximum of 1.2 metre height off the ground. The strange thing is that a vehicle that has separate lamps for low and high beam (like the BM's) is classed as already having 4 lamps and together with the low mounted fog lamps completes the permissible six - whereas a vehicle with low and high beams incorporated into one lamp is classed as having only two, so you can have the fog lamps and spots as well (or 4 spots without fog lamps). IIRC the power of each individual lamp may not exceed 55W.

Side lights are not permitted if memory serves correctly unless in the case of emergency vehicles and extra long vehicles in which case small amber lights are used. If memory serves me further, side mounted spots (that can usually be directed) are also only permitted on emergency service vehicles.

You may not mount lights under the vehicle.

There's a whole bunch of rules that you should check on before doing any mods.

Mud Dog wrote:You should check on the rules of the national traffic ordinances IRO lighting on motor vehicles that are to be operated on a public road ....what's legal and what's not.

For instance, you may not exceed 6 forward facing lamps and these must be equally spaced off the each side of the centre line of the vehicle and may also not exceed a maximum of 1.2 metre height off the ground. The strange thing is that a vehicle that has separate lamps for low and high beam (like the BM's) is classed as already having 4 lamps and together with the low mounted fog lamps completes the permissible six - whereas a vehicle with low and high beams incorporated into one lamp is classed as having only two, so you can have the fog lamps and spots as well (or 4 spots without fog lamps). IIRC the power of each individual lamp may not exceed 55W.

Side lights are not permitted if memory serves correctly unless in the case of emergency vehicles and extra long vehicles in which case small amber lights are used. If memory serves me further, side mounted spots (that can usually be directed) are also only permitted on emergency service vehicles.

You may not mount lights under the vehicle.

There's a whole bunch of rules that you should check on before doing any mods.

I really appreciate that. Thank you
I knew there were some rules regarding lighting but I didn't think they were that extensive. I just need two spots on the front to make it easier when driving on unlit roads

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If you're talking about the 1997 Hilux, no problem.

The thing is going to be, what lamps to get. LED or incandescent. The LED units have come a long way over the past few years, but decent ones are going to be a lot more pricey than a set of decent incandescent units. In both cases but more so IRO incandescent, the reflector quality is of huge importance - they all use the same bulbs but some perform better.

Do some homework and look at brands like Hella, Warn, IPF. For LED's you can't go wrong with Cree, or at least if the actual LED elements are Cree. 4x4Direct is a good place to start for LED's - good prices and excellent service.