Scofco

I picked up a couple tractor lights from Napa today, and was thinking highly of mounting them here:



They could flip up out of view when not needed, wouldn't have to worry about damage, easy to route wire. Any cons?

turboale

The window will have to be down otherwise you'll be shiningthem at yourself...

Other than that... no

Scofco

D'uh!

When I needed them, I just just put the window down a bit, then flip them on.
I think it would be rather slick

tulsa_97SR5

You know, I started thinking about the same thing after seeing robinhood's pictures in this thread

https://www.yotatech.com/forums/f2/4runner-lodging-not-dial-up-friendly-28390/

but after looking at his again i think they are more for interior light. I say go for it, they would throw a ton of light when you need it, and like you said be out of the way when you don't.

jimbo74

haha, you edited out your license plate # in the thread pic, but its in your avatar... doh!

Yoter

I agree, no no no mount em below the rear bumper behind the tires to where you can fold them down when needed. But idfferent strokes for very different folks.

Scofco

You think you're so smart don't you

If my plate in my avatar looks funny, it's because it's photoshopped!
Sucker!

Robinhood150

No, I don't recommend mounting them inside. Even with the window down there is way too much glare from the sides of the lights illuminating the inside.

I don't recommend anywhere near the hitch either, I know if I had done that they'd get smashed the first time out on the trail. I ended up mounting mine on the rear of the roof rack, but mine are small.

Scofco

They will only be used when the window is down, I'm not wiring them to come on when I shift into reverse.
I mounted them up last night at 11 in the dark (couldn't sleep). Looks pretty good, I think it will work well.

MODZILLA

I'm just curious but if you have to flip them down to use them,and you don't wire them up to the reverse lights ....when will you use them?

Scofco

They are installed and working great.

I don't flip them down to use them, I flip the up when they are in the way (sleeping in the back, lots of cargo, etc).

I intend on using them when reversing at night on trails, and while unloading a campsite at night. When I flip them up, they light up my cargo area amazingly well which will come in handy for when I'm unloading in the dark.

Plain and simple, I got tired of using a maglite. These work perfectly for what I wanted.

Sludge

Try mounting the lights in the bumper. Use a jig saw to cut the holes. That what im going to do when ever i get to that project.

Scofco

I finally managed to stay up long enough to see darkness.
Here are some photos of the finished product at night:

Here is pointing down inside of the cargo bay. (The color wasn't edited in photoshop either)


Here is pointing out behind me, with the spare tire blocking a bit of light.


It's been awhile since I took night photos of anything, I think these turned out rather well.

Scofco

If anyone else does this in the future, you can't use your rearview to reverse, you'll have to use the side mirrors to see anything. Alot of the light does get reflected back into the cab.

Still alot better then having them outside though.

tulsa_97SR5

Kudos on trying something different, even if most said not to. Was the light that was reflected back in mostly due to the spare (which most of us don't have there)?. Would extending the housing around the lights to make them more spot light than flood help?

Colemanfu

Good mod - I had 4 of those on my old rig. Only like 9 or 14 buck each. I had 2 on the frame facing the side for alley lights and 2 on my topper facing back. Bolted them t the side and bent them down - they did not hang bleow the frame.

With my new 4runner I have just a single on the drivers side frame facing back. The bolt that come with the light fit a hole with threads that came on the truck. I did have to move the stock wireing set up to towing - I just took off the barcket and moved it to the top of the frame out of the way. Made the back a bit cleaner. I still want to add some side facing lights. If I found some cheep oval shaped lights I would mount them to the side frame and notch the running boards for the lights to face out.

Scofco

You can see in that photo that the light hits the inside pillar and window, which lights up the interior and causes the glare. I was thinking of making a housing for them, but it doesn't bother me enough.