light bar behind grill

[dudmleh522]

I know i might get scolded for asking this but before i spend hundreds of dollars on a baja design light bar or any other reputable brand i want to try out a budget build.
was thinking about amazon branded.

Amazon.com

do you know which bracket i need or where to buy the bracket that will fit behind the grill?

Also behind the grill vs outside the grill, how much performance difference are there?

 

[smurfslayer]

I sported a pair of Kawell LED bars behind the grille for about a year plus.

First, they’re about half as bright as a comparable B/D or Rigid LED bar of similar stats. Second, they have no comparable warranty. B/D lights are super expensive, but you do actually get what you pay for. Third, the Amazon class lights claim to have weather proofing, but they aren’t. They’ll intake water and eventually fail. You can seal with silicone periodically to stave this off.

My advice, after having done both: buy once, cry once. If you sell the truck, you can always pull the B/D or Rigid lights and repurpose them, or sell on the 2nd hand market. I’d have saved some money and effort by just springing for the expensive lights like others here told me to early on. Did I listen?

No.

Should I have?

Yes.

I’d have saved at least 1 x stock Raptor KO2 tire worth of money and then some, not to mention the labor. Think about this.

 

[amREADY]

If I went to the trouble to add a light behind the grill, I'd do the top name brands only. You might get lucky and an off-brand might stay alive for years. But that Murphy has a way of messing with your best plans.

The light quality on the off-branded stuff just isn't there. If it is for some light just to fill a hole or a sometimes used, never relied upon light, then do your own cost/benefit math. But if you are going to rely upon it, then again, I'd do a quality light.

You only need to avoid one fender bender, avoid hitting one deer - or total vehicle write-off to be very, very happy you spent a few extra $$ on the light.

I've scabbed on some cheap lights as a POC (proof of concept). Just to see if I liked the setup in principle or wanted to approach it in a different way. The build quality on those lights vs. the BD is literally night and day different.

 

[smurfslayer]

My last time out, I managed to get the grille assembly out, and apart in 22 minutes and change. However, that’s just the disassembly !

For the S8 mount, you just have to bolt things up and basically aim the light, reassemble, and put the grille assy. back. But, if you have to fabricate or improvise, you’ll be a little longer. The B/D S8 kit does not hit or interfere with anything, but with other, no name lights, YMMV.

You don’t want to be getting everything buttoned up to find out it has to come back out again.

 

[Teraflx]

I will give a slightly different opinion than most…..

I have Rigid on my Raptor, Baja Designs on my Can Am X3 and no name Amazon brands on my Polaris RZR. The lights on the RZR are now 4 years old and I had 8,000 miles on it (that’s a lot for a UTV) when I sold it recently so they faced a ton off road abuse, washes, etc. Maybe I got lucky or however you want to look at it but they were excellent. Never leaked or got moisture in them, no rust, etc.

Are they as bright as the Rigid and Baja Desings? No. Are they drastically less bright? Not at all. They still put out excellent light and I was happy with them. Side by side with my X3 you could tel the high end ones were brighter but if you weren’t doing a side by side comparison you wouldn’t know. If I were on a budget I wouldn’t hesitate to go with a good rated off brand again. If you can swing the extra money then you will get the far superior warranty and some better light output and support local US based companies. Only you can decide which is best for you but hopefully it gives you a little insight from someone who’s used them all.

All IMO.

 

[Rollofire]

Buy once, cry once has always been my motto

 

[smurfslayer]

no name Amazon brands on my Polaris RZR. The lights on the RZR are now 4 years old and I had 8,000 miles on it (that’s a lot for a UTV) when I sold it recently so they faced a ton off road abuse, washes, etc.

How many times were you in a steady rain for those 8000 miles?
Water intrusion doesn’t mean the lights won’t work but eventually it will contribute to a failure. I had no name lights for 1.5-2 years and I got what I paid for. The small pods took on water within about 8 months of street use and eventually one failed. These were on my rear bumper, where I replaced them with squadron sports in wide corner.

My behind the grille lights were bright, not S8 bright but close and I did get some minor water intrusion on one of two but it continued to work and I eventually sold them, still working.

The S8 has been in place for 2.5 years or so, completely trouble free. Of course, for that kind of money, it better be trouble free

 

[04Ram2500Hemi]

I ran Rough Country Lights in the bumper and behind the grill, and for the price I was happy with them.

 

[KOBRA2848]

Not sure on the Gen 2 but I was able to mount a 30” bar to the grill brackets on my Gen 1 no problem. I got a great deal on some KC LED bars from Tire Rack when I assume they were closing them out since they don’t carry KC now. I also put a 20” in the bumper and the 30” in the grill puts out a little more light but it looks great. I have been impressed with how well the KC’s have held up looking like they did the day I installed them after five years.

Mark

 

[K223]

That’s a very tight fit behind the grill for a large light bar. BD somehow got it done and the S8 just fits with there brackets. It’s an awesome light. It’s pricey yes, but it’s a rather simple but timely install.

Locating brackets outside of fabbing your own up might be impossible for the generic bars. You maybe can get a set from BD or another brand. But slim chance they will work with that generic bar. Again it could be a starting point and you could rework them. Then again save for the S8 or maybe another brand that sells a complete kit.