Figured I'd start a thread separate from my build thread everyone can use to bounce ideas off each other. Feel free to thread jack, or berate me as I brainstorm.
At least for now I've grown attached to the stock non-bison bumper. Real hope is that an effective hidden winch mount will come out.
For the front end, I'd like to add driving lights, preferably with SAE compliant beam patterns, and maybe some other available patterns if I do more than a pair. Out of the 12 KCs on the font half of the Jeep, we get by far the most use out of our bumper mounted Pro6 driving combos, both on and off road. Ditch lights are second most used, but I'll probably skip those on the truck. Our roof/windshield mounted Pro6 bar has been used very rarely.
While they work, I'm very open to different brands since the 2 LED reflector based Pro-6s definitely leave some to be desired on the foot candle/lux side. No specific interest in integrated running lights, if I'm forced in, I'll leave them disconnected. Personal preference I want a pod/assembly style instead of a "light bar".
Light brands: Looking at BD, KC, and potentially Morimoto and Nacho at this point. Scratched Diode Dynamics and all the "also does podlights" brands for now. Tyri doesn't really match the aesthetic.
Location/Mounts: I'm really down to two at this point, bumper mounted in front of the grille is most likely, secondary would be the lower grill between the tow hooks. Don't want any behind the grille setups. Avoiding pillar mounts unless I do ditch lights at some point.
Still early on the switching side and haven't done much reasearch. Will look at upfitter, Spod, Switchpros. I didn't have the upfitter option since I grabbed an order, not sure it can be retrofitted.
At least for now I've grown attached to the stock non-bison bumper. Real hope is that an effective hidden winch mount will come out.
For the front end, I'd like to add driving lights, preferably with SAE compliant beam patterns, and maybe some other available patterns if I do more than a pair. Out of the 12 KCs on the font half of the Jeep, we get by far the most use out of our bumper mounted Pro6 driving combos, both on and off road. Ditch lights are second most used, but I'll probably skip those on the truck. Our roof/windshield mounted Pro6 bar has been used very rarely.
While they work, I'm very open to different brands since the 2 LED reflector based Pro-6s definitely leave some to be desired on the foot candle/lux side. No specific interest in integrated running lights, if I'm forced in, I'll leave them disconnected. Personal preference I want a pod/assembly style instead of a "light bar".
Light brands: Looking at BD, KC, and potentially Morimoto and Nacho at this point. Scratched Diode Dynamics and all the "also does podlights" brands for now. Tyri doesn't really match the aesthetic.
Location/Mounts: I'm really down to two at this point, bumper mounted in front of the grille is most likely, secondary would be the lower grill between the tow hooks. Don't want any behind the grille setups. Avoiding pillar mounts unless I do ditch lights at some point.
- Lower Grille:
- I did find a guy on the FB group that cut the center of the grille out and was able to top mount a 20" BD bar using the included brackets flipped upside down.
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- Potential lights for this would be a 20" Flex Era KC set of Flex Era 1s (I realize this looks basically the same as a bar), or a set of 5 ganged Morimoto 2 bangers (wide, drive, spot, drive, wide)
- Bumper:
- Can't believe the limited bracket support on these. Basically the Wescott is the only one available, and it's expensive and I don't like the projection in front of the bumper. I'm no master fabricator, but I've got a decent tool box for fabbing some up. Right now, I'm wondering if the right way to go isn't to just drill the top of the bumper and drop in some rivnuts. I don't see anything really preventing that looking at ebay shots of the back of the bumper.
- Once I finalize mounting, I'm gathering dimensioned listings for the lights I'm considering. Really would like them to tuck back into the grill a bit if I can get them above the body colored piece that protrudes a bit. Planning single pair.
- Candidates: BD LP6 or 9, KC Titan, Nacho Grande, Morimoto Bigbanger.
Still early on the switching side and haven't done much reasearch. Will look at upfitter, Spod, Switchpros. I didn't have the upfitter option since I grabbed an order, not sure it can be retrofitted.
Seriously though good info.
