Notices
95.5-2004 Tacomas & 96-2002 4Runners 4th gen pickups and 3rd gen 4Runners

Lightforce Lights Install Time?

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old 01-26-2005, 02:10 PM
  #1  
Contributing Member
Thread Starter
 
Scofco's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Whitehorse, Yukon
Posts: 3,587
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Lightforce Lights Install Time?

I was down at a dealer of Lightforce today at work, so I thought I'd ask what their rate for installing some Lightforces would be out of curiosity.

They quoted me at 5 hours @ $70/hr!

You have got to be kidding me!

Anyone that has had a shop install their lights, what was the bill for the installation? I plan on doing mine myself anyways, especially now.
Old 01-26-2005, 02:22 PM
  #2  
Contributing Member
 
dibble9012's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2004
Posts: 1,748
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
I would definetely do it yourself, that way, you know exactly whats going on under your hood, then if down the road, something gets fried, you know exactly where everything is. Id never trust my truck to some install shop, they get lazy when they do the installs day in and day out, shortcuts here and there can hinder performance. At least that was my experience.
Old 01-26-2005, 02:31 PM
  #3  
Contributing Member
 
calrockx's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Santa Clarita, California
Posts: 4,749
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
skyrat here helped me install mine. he's good with that electrical sorta stuff, and nice enough to help me install mine, the 140s then the 170s. with proper instructions i'm sure you can do it tho, even if it does take longer than a shop would. it shouldn't take 5 hours, no matter what you got.

which ones did you get?

Last edited by calrockx; 01-26-2005 at 02:35 PM.
Old 01-26-2005, 02:32 PM
  #4  
Contributing Member
Thread Starter
 
Scofco's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Whitehorse, Yukon
Posts: 3,587
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Didn't answer my question

I was just wondering if it really took an install shop 5 hours?

I could do it myself in under 5 hours.

Seems odd that the installation price costs more than the lights themselves.
Old 01-26-2005, 02:33 PM
  #5  
Contributing Member
Thread Starter
 
Scofco's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Whitehorse, Yukon
Posts: 3,587
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
I'm going with the 240 Blitzs

My dad was blown away with how bright they are.
Old 01-26-2005, 03:11 PM
  #6  
Contributing Member
 
Good Times's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Posts: 4,690
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
I just picked up the 240 xgt's It's really really bright!! Well I can only comment on only one working as one of the wiring loom for the 240 was missing They're suppose to be reshipping it so I won't know what 2 lights would be like.

All I gotta say 1 light was definitely ALOT.

Installation took 1 hr? Definitely a piece of cake.

Biff (Victor) just installed 240 Blitz's on his 80 as well last weekend. The installation for his wiring was abit confusing as he used Slee's wiring harness but none the less it was pretty easy.
Old 01-26-2005, 03:14 PM
  #7  
Banned
 
jimbo74's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Nor*Cal
Posts: 6,590
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
jsut for time reference, my friend can drop the tranny and reinstal the spare on his racecar by himself in under half an hour in the pits.....
Old 01-26-2005, 03:28 PM
  #8  
Contributing Member
 
GodwinAustin's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: JACKSON
Posts: 1,263
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Scofo - the wiring is a piece of cake...5 hrs is ridiculous - shouldnt take longer than an hour.
Old 01-26-2005, 03:48 PM
  #9  
Registered User
 
midiwall's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: Seattleish, WA
Posts: 9,048
Likes: 0
Received 2 Likes on 2 Posts
Originally Posted by GodwinAustin
Scofo - the wiring is a piece of cake...5 hrs is ridiculous - shouldnt take longer than an hour.
Ditto. I think it took me longer to figure out where to put mine and get the hole drilled than to actually wire them.

Given that you have everything out and ready (switch/place to put it, relay/place to put it, wire, soldering iron (or buttend crimps), heat shrink, fish wire to get through the firewall...) then you're looking at less than 2 hours since you're be going slow. Once you've done it, you could do it again in an hour.
Old 01-26-2005, 03:52 PM
  #10  
Registered User
 
4RunnerKid's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: SLO, CA
Posts: 1,028
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Definitely do it yourself. Installing aux lights is a breeze. Well, usually... Where are you mounting them Scofco?
Old 01-26-2005, 04:05 PM
  #11  
Contributing Member
 
Darx's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Escondido, CA
Posts: 709
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
It took me an hour to do my Hella Black Magics. Good directions and the whole wirining mess is already taken care of for me, all harnessed up. All I had to do was follow directions and plug this here that there and find my bright postive wire for a scotchlock.

You can do it yourself easy. Sounds like lightforces come in a harness as well? I'm no mechanical/electrical guy at all so if I can do it you can.

Last edited by Darx; 01-26-2005 at 04:09 PM.
Old 01-26-2005, 04:06 PM
  #12  
Contributing Member
 
Brendan's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Vancouver, BC
Posts: 2,226
Likes: 0
Received 3 Likes on 3 Posts
5 hours?!?! Are you sure you weren't being quoted for a SAS? If you know exactly where everything is being hooked up to, you should be able to do it in a half hour.

Last edited by Brendan; 01-26-2005 at 04:07 PM.
Old 01-26-2005, 07:13 PM
  #13  
Contributing Member
 
ranma21's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: irving/dallas
Posts: 906
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Reas assure it won take more than an hour. I just installed mine today, it is a piece of cake. Is better for you to DIY so that you know how to deal with it when things go wrong!! Good luck
Old 01-27-2005, 10:33 AM
  #14  
Contributing Member
 
boogyman's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Sacramento, CA
Posts: 662
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Talking

Ditto what everyone else said.. do it yourself, just follow the directions. Basic circuitry: ground->light->power. add a switch/fuse in there, doesn't matter which side, typically power. To add a relay, basically you have 2 circuits linking together like so:

ground->relay->switch->power and ground->light->switch(the relay)->power.

note that the relay in the first circuit is also the switch in the second circuit (the relay activates the second circuit).

hope this helps,
Russell
Old 01-27-2005, 10:42 AM
  #15  
Registered User
 
Ducky's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Marysville
Posts: 669
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Shouldn't be hard, the hardest part for me was wiring my 4 on my roof =) That was fun...
Old 01-27-2005, 10:52 AM
  #16  
Banned
 
bamachem's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2003
Posts: 0
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
1 hour tops.

Don't give them your business when buying the lights either. Someone who quotes $350 to install some lights is nothing but a CROOK, plain and simple.
Old 01-27-2005, 02:19 PM
  #17  
Contributing Member
Thread Starter
 
Scofco's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Whitehorse, Yukon
Posts: 3,587
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
It was the Ford Dealership that quoted me. Go figure.
Old 01-27-2005, 02:29 PM
  #18  
Contributing Member
 
Biff's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Los Angeles
Posts: 853
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
I would never pay $350 to install these, do it yourself, Goodtimes(Lance) helped me install mine. The wiring is pretty straight forward if you use a standard wiring harness. In my case I used the Slee harness which ended up taking me a little longer but in the end it worked out. One thing I did find out is that the 240's suck down alot of juice, my poor little autozone battery was nailed, had to get an Optima yellow top to compensate.
Old 01-27-2005, 06:38 PM
  #19  
Registered User
 
AKTaco's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Alaska
Posts: 14
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
I had a local specialty shop install mine, as I had them put in a Billet grill and mount the lights behind the grill... less rock impact worries, no getting ripped off the front end in a parking lot worries, and much cleaner looking, imho.

It took about three hours total, and I think 2.5 of that was with us all standing around scratching our heads trying to figure out how to cut out the original grill, yet keep as much structural integrity as possible. Also, I had to go exchange the 170's for 140's so they would fit in the gap without having to relocate the radiator. There is just barely a 1/2" gap between the front of the lights and the grill with the little one.

It was a couple of years ago, but I think they charged me $150 for the install, including the grill mod.
Old 01-27-2005, 09:04 PM
  #20  
Contributing Member
 
Brendan's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Vancouver, BC
Posts: 2,226
Likes: 0
Received 3 Likes on 3 Posts
Originally Posted by AKTaco
less rock impact worries
http://www.alphaaccessories.com/imag...hts/atough.mpg

i don't think you have to worry much about rocks doing any damage to these bad boys. cannonballs maybe...


Quick Reply: Lightforce Lights Install Time?



All times are GMT -8. The time now is 12:45 PM.