FINISHED MDB FAB BUMPER

[larryk]

First, MAJOR props to Mike for doing all the design and bending work. His kits are top notch, and if you are having any hesitation on getting one.... don't. They fit well, good steel, proper gauge for the job, and proven off road. If you get the idea I'm happy.....good call

Anyhow, here are pics with my recently painted to match SS grille....

Oh, I added the frenched in Rigid lightbar..... the rest is completely Mike's design.

[BC backroader]

Great looking job, Larry. I really like the lightbar treatment

[larryk]

Great looking job, Larry. I really like the lightbar treatment

Gotta give credit where due.....Mike had a small Light bar in a similar setup in his personal bumper..... along with the round ones on the wings. Gave me inspiration

It's a super tight fit where it's mounted.... there is only about 3 1/2" between the bumper face and the ABS crossmember. To actually French it in a 1/4, I used a Rigid bar (best quality and most shallow I could find) that's 3" deep... leaves a 1/4" clearance. Tight

[bartonmd]

Looks good, Larry!

Mike

[Trail X]

Looks great. Looks especially good with the SS grill. What do you think of the light bar? Those LED bars just don't always give a great beam in my experience.

[bartonmd]

Looks great. Looks especially good with the SS grill. What do you think of the light bar? Those LED bars just don't always give a great beam in my experience.

I've had really good and really bad light bar beams. For instance, the 30" bar on my 3/4 ton is a ton of light, but it's just all "blah'd" out there with no particular beam. It's OK for what I use it for, which is watching for deer and stuff off the sides of the road, at night, but it's not great.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01AC ... UTF8&psc=1




However, the ones I've got on and in my bumper are actually a really good, usable, reasonably long distance beam! I was really surprised!

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B016K ... UTF8&psc=1
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B016K ... UTF8&psc=1

The bars are on a separate enable switch, but the 42W round ones are on with the brights. The 42W round ones are also a "bunch of light in no particular direction" pair of lights. Good for spotting deer and such.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00JW ... UTF8&psc=1

I am considering replacing them with something like this, though:

https://www.amazon.com/Lightronic-5inch ... 8NAPYY6NMW

Mike

[Trail X]

I guess my problem with the LED bars is that they still haven't figured out how to make anything other than a conical beam. You either get a conical pencil beam, or a conical flood beam. I'd love to see a LED bar with a nice wide ground pattern, with minimal vertical spread... Projector-esque, but I haven't really seen that happen yet. I believe the auto makers that are doing LED headlights are attaining this by basically putting an LED behind a projector lens.

[bartonmd]

I guess my problem with the LED bars is that they still haven't figured out how to make anything other than a conical beam. You either get a conical pencil beam, or a conical flood beam. I'd love to see a LED bar with a nice wide ground pattern, with minimal vertical spread... Projector-esque, but I haven't really seen that happen yet. I believe the auto makers that are doing LED headlights are attaining this by basically putting an LED behind a projector lens.

That's the truth, which is why I only use them as high beams. However, Rigid has an SAE-compliant fog light LED setup that is how you describe... IF you want to pay $279 for a pair of them...

http://www.rigidindustries.com/led-lighting/50481

[bartonmd]

I guess my problem with the LED bars is that they still haven't figured out how to make anything other than a conical beam. You either get a conical pencil beam, or a conical flood beam. I'd love to see a LED bar with a nice wide ground pattern, with minimal vertical spread... Projector-esque, but I haven't really seen that happen yet. I believe the auto makers that are doing LED headlights are attaining this by basically putting an LED behind a projector lens.

That's the truth, which is why I only use them as high beams. However, Rigid has an SAE-compliant fog light LED setup that is how you describe... IF you want to pay $279 for a pair of them...

http://www.rigidindustries.com/led-lighting/50481

Or $660 for a pair of their SAE/DOT driving lights:
http://www.rigidindustries.com/led-lighting/106612

[HARDTRAILZ]

Mike...did the 42w round make a big difference over the 27w ones?

[Trail X]

That's the truth, which is why I only use them as high beams. However, Rigid has an SAE-compliant fog light LED setup that is how you describe... IF you want to pay $279 for a pair of them...

http://www.rigidindustries.com/led-lighting/50481

They seem to be staying on top of the industry, that's for sure. Technology AND price wise.

[larryk]

Well, I looked at those Amazon bars, and the long term quality seemed suspect to me. I wanted a bar that wouldn't fog up, yellow, etc. Too many reviews with poor long term life. I went with the Rigid, and while expensive, I believe worth it. While I haven't off roaded with it yet, drove it around last night and beam pattern was very good. I have the combo bar, so outside four on each side are flood, and the middle 14 are spot. The optics are actually engineered and not just led in a reflector. Also, many bar's are single row, and 3.25"deep. This bar is 3", which allowed me to recess it the 1/4" I wanted to. Better protection

[HARDTRAILZ]

Had my Amazon lightbars for several years with no issues. The light output is different than a regular spotlight/driving light in the halogen round or square, but I personally like it far better. I don't run fast when I need the lights and the disbursement allows for more usable light to me.

[bartonmd]

Mike...did the 42w round make a big difference over the 27w ones?

There's a little more light, but it's not appreciable, I don't think. Despite the labeling on the package, I'm not sure these aren't the "wide" beam, as the lights seems more spread than the 27W ones.

Mike

[joemoto311]

I guess my problem with the LED bars is that they still haven't figured out how to make anything other than a conical beam. You either get a conical pencil beam, or a conical flood beam. I'd love to see a LED bar with a nice wide ground pattern, with minimal vertical spread... Projector-esque, but I haven't really seen that happen yet. I believe the auto makers that are doing LED headlights are attaining this by basically putting an LED behind a projector lens.

As kind of mentioned....if you spend a little more, you can get a really good light bar that does both. I have one very similar to the rigid one. Its every bit of 900 watts as it says and puts light where you actually want it.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B06XJ ... UTF8&psc=1

[Miltman]

Sorry to steal your thread. Mike I'm interested in a bumper for an 04.

[bartonmd]

Sorry to steal your thread. Mike I'm interested in a bumper for an 04.

You've found it and replied by now, but I replied to your PM last night.

Mike