ultimate driving light combo?

[smurfslayer]

I know some run the b/d wide corner squadrons, blah, blah - I had them for a while and have to admit I really like them on back roads for lighting up critters on the road sides , but the SAE are more legal for this purpose.

ok, so the b/d SAE pattern is out of spec, right? How far out of spec is it really? Because it is VISIBLY easier to look at than the -old- squadron sport at about the same lumens. I can see they don’t have a hard border but they also have a pretty obvious hot spot and the collateral throw is not that bad.

 

[6inaRow]

I honestly don't understand what the big deal is with the SAE business.

Unless I need to go stupid fast for some reason, I've never even considered turning on the auxiliary lights on my raptor while on a public roadway.

On my super duty, I have a BD fog light kit. I run them as yellows for fog. I am using combo lenses.

I purposely aimed them extra low when I installed them. I put them on fairly regularly on the road. I've driven past hundreds of police officers and have logged 10s of thousands ( literally) of miles all over the country with them on.

I've never had lights flashed at me. I've never been pulled over. I've never actually had anyone say or do anything that would imply that they are a problem.


So what's the big deal? BD is obligated to correct the product. They are liable for it not being what they advertised. They've assumed responsibility and have indicated that they are working on it.

they are not obligated to discuss it further. the are not even obligated to give you status updates.

chill the hell out.

The SAE J583 standard is there so that fog lights don't blind the heck out of oncoming traffic, pedestrians and people you are driving behind. They need to have a decent cutoff that meets the standard for light output above the glare threshold. It's also for the fact that having excessive light bleed higher then the fog light mounting position basically renders them useless in foggy conditions.

You purchased the wrong light to use in traffic and even aimed down a lot you are most likely causing unnecessary glare for others. Cops have better things to do than to pull someone over for glaring fog lights and headlights 99% of the time so that rules that one out. A lot of people won't flash their high beams at others anymore because a) they see so many people with lights that glare excessively due to improper bulbs in halogen housings or people with lift kits that decide they don't need to take the 3 seconds to re-aim their headlights down, b) they have flashed a ton of people already and instead of getting it through their thick skull that they might just need to aim their headlights down, they immediately flick their high beams and aux lights back on at them or c) they are just ignorant or just don't care that they are being blinded. Most people are not willing to confront someone over their lights being too bright.

The problem is that a company as large and as reputable in the after market lighting world should not have let their so called "SAE" lights exceed the glare threshold by 15+ TIMES! I'm glad they are making it right, but even watching their own marketing video you can see that they are glaring like mad.

The city I live in has 9 out of 10 vehicles with glaring headlights or running around with their ebay special light bar on all the time and they never get pulled over for it. One of my co workers wondered why his signal light lever on his car was more forward than it used to be. He was on high beams for over a month straight and not a single vehicle flashed him! It ****** me off when soo many people just don't give a crap about anyone else on the road and then when company's start approving lights that have no business being approved in the first place start selling these road legal lights left right and center then everyone loses except that company. SAE J583 is a self test.

if you're that unhappy, take them off of your truck and return them to BD. I just don't understand the point of complaining this much. I also still don't get your point. I'm doing it right if it works.

I never once thought that greenraptor was complaining. He was just stating facts. Just because you think it works doesn't mean that you're doing it right.

I am in no way trying to disrespect you or anyone else in this post and I hope you have a great rest of your thanksgiving weekend! I too love BD lights and them as a company! I am very glad that they are making it right, I just think it should've been caught before it was released.

 

[4x4TruckLEDs.com]

I would not buy into greenraptors comments too much. It's obvious he's anti-Baja, not sure why, they are the best. Here are actual photos of a Squadron WC and a Squadron WC SAE taken in exactly the same position, with the exact same camera settings (not from my phone standing in my driveway on a brisk cool night)

Now I don't know much about lights (grin) but sure looks like those SAE have a nice pattern to me

My photos have the center of the light... well centered. You can see how the SAE have a distinct cut-off at the top whereas the regular non-SAE have no cut-off.

 

[zombiekiller]

I’m not unhappy and I don’t own the lights, so I have nothing to return. I’m also not complaining, just clarifying what BD and vendors on here haven’t, unless brought up by customers and then glossed over, yet they have known about this for months.

I’m glad you think you’re doing it right cause it works for you. Ignorance is bliss.

If you need a phillips screwdriver for a flathead screw, just let me know.

so you have no dog in the fight, other than to just start shit. cool.

I'm good on getting help from anyone else...


I appreciate the offer, but you go ahead and have yourself a fantastic day.

 

[zombiekiller]

I would not buy into greenraptors comments too much. It's obvious he's anti-Baja, not sure why, they are the best. Here are actual photos of a Squadron WC and a Squadron WC SAE taken in exactly the same position, with the exact same camera settings (not from my phone standing in my driveway on a brisk cool night)

Now I don't know much about lights (grin) but sure looks like those SAE have a nice pattern to me

My photos have the center of the light... well centered. You can see how the SAE have a distinct cut-off at the top whereas the regular non-SAE have no cut-off.

View attachment 133468

Thank you.


my main point was and is that BD is addressing the issue as they are legally obligated to do so under many consumer protection laws. The speed in which they correct the issue is based on "best-effort" and how long it takes to actually correct this. Look how long it takes auto manufacturers to address recalls!

Yes, any good company also has to weigh the cost of potential fixes. you also may not like the way they fix it.

They do not have an obligation to communicate progress with internet forums, consumers, or anyone else that isn't part of a regulatory body. in fact, their legal team may have instructed everyone to not say a thing. ( which would be smart).

Every person makes mistakes. Every company makes mistakes. Sometimes it takes time to fix them.

Thinly veiled interweb lynching parties are ridiculous. everyone should chill out and work with BD to come to a mutual agreement on the next steps.

if you don't like it, or don't want to wait, I'm certain that BD will take the lights back and you can go buy some other light that meets the standards of your perfection.

I don't understand all the conjecture.

 

[SD1290]

So the SAE lights are not compliant now? Are they going to need to reduce the output or lumens? What about people who already bought them?

If they reduce power I don’t think I’d want them anymore, they make just enough now as it is

 

[4x4TruckLEDs.com]

So the new CEO had this to say on the Tacoma Forum when asked about it

Our Engineering Manager hired the Optical & Software Systems Integration Engineer from our optical program to validate our J583 optic. After @crashnburn80 mentioned our lights did not comply we immediately shipped an SAE Squadron to Intertek for evaluation. This is when we discovered variances within our optical software program. Prior to @crashnburn80 compliance post, we field tested the prototypes in-house knowing we had more spill light than any other SAE compliant product, but where we made a mistake was not sending the actual prototypes to a third party facility ensuring real world results matched what our optical program was telling us. I can assure moving forward, future SAE and DOT compliant products from Baja Designs will be tested by a third party facility beforehand.

As of now, we have a two options enthusiasts can choose from. A formal announcement will be sent to all of our distributors, dealers and retail customers before production parts arrive.

1. Enthusiasts who are comfortable removing the lens will receive the additional component directly from Baja Designs to install.

2. Enthusiasts who are not comfortable removing the lens will receive a call tag from Baja Designs so we can add the component in-house followed by expedited shipping back to the customer.

As a stocking Baja Designs dealer we'll also offer the same for our customers whom have purchased SAE lights from us and choose to change the lenses out.

 

[01Moch1]

As a stocking Baja Designs dealer we'll also offer the same for our customers whom have purchased SAE lights from us and choose to change the lenses out.

As someone who just ordered a triple fog kit including a set of SAEs on with your black Friday sale/rebate, will I need to reach out to you to get the compliant lenses when they become available or will they be distributed automatically? Also, will it require returning the non-compliant lenses to you and or BD?

 

[4x4TruckLEDs.com]

Did you get a shipping confirmation? If you let me know your order # I can check on it. We have a lot of SAEs in stock from the... well we'll call it "older" release. So we've been sending those. If you got those and you'd like the new lenses, you'll get them free of charge if you decide you want to swap them in. I don't think there will be a noticeable difference to be honest. Just a different some scientific equipment can detect.

But should you have the older SAE style and want the new lenses you can reach out to us (or Baja directly) and we'll swap them for you. You can either send in your housings to us to have us do it OR we can send you the lenses (quicker that way) as it's simple to swap in lenses.

Baja has not made an official statement yet but I don't believe they'll need the old lenses back.

 

[greenraptor]

I would not buy into greenraptors comments too much. It's obvious he's anti-Baja, not sure why, they are the best. Here are actual photos of a Squadron WC and a Squadron WC SAE taken in exactly the same position, with the exact same camera settings (not from my phone standing in my driveway on a brisk cool night)

Now I don't know much about lights (grin) but sure looks like those SAE have a nice pattern to me

My photos have the center of the light... well centered. You can see how the SAE have a distinct cut-off at the top whereas the regular non-SAE have no cut-off.

View attachment 133468

Not anti Baja Designs at all, though your opening sentence is humorous and a bit juvenile. BD can absolutely be the best, depending on what you’re looking for and the situation you plan to use them in. Are they the best if you’re looking for a compliant SAE light? Hopefully they will be once they correct the current issues, but as of right now...the answer is no.

If their SAE lights were what they are advertised to be...actually SAE compliant, then I would’ve gone with them over anyone else. Unfortunately, that wasn’t and still isn’t the case.

I even PM’d you about a week and a half ago, letting you know the set up I wanted to run. This included both of BD SAE white and amber lights and you said nothing how BD has currently stopped selling them, due to them not being in compliance, even though you knew about it.

The customer shouldn’t have to ask if there are any products that are being falsely advertised and sold. You as a vendor should be upfront and honest with your customers. Give them options on what to do before the sale, not just after.

Remember, I have nothing to sell to anyone, but if I did I’d certainly let my customers know of an issue that the manufacture themselves has identified and has stop selling the item (until fixed).

Thank you for your photos.