Driving Lights Quality

I wouldn't bother with the extra lights for where your going. You say you wont be driving at night and even if you have to you wont be going fast enough to need them, not on the roads in the Kimberleys anyway.

You get what you pay for.
Save your money. You can drive at night with the standard lighting.

You can be prepared. If it were me, I'd upgrade the bulbs to new Philips, but not the blue ones (definitely not HID). And then drive to the conditions.

Let's face it, you can get almost everywhere in Aus on a pushbike.

I wouldn't bother with the lights either...unless you plan on using them after you return ??

I have the exact same lights....had them for 3 yrs now and no probs with them....in fact I wouldn't pay extra for the "brand" ones......sure you MAY get an extra 50M out of them , but these lights are great...and great value at less than $120

Lived up there for many years, I'm with everybody else. Don't fit them, you will not need them and should not drive at night anyway.
I did fit them myself because over the years there were occasions that I needed to drive at night/before dawn but you are on holidays.
If by some remote chance you need to drive at night to meet the Royal Flying Doctor (why else would you be driving ?) just drive slower.
There ARE stock that wander out day and night but at night they blend in and if you hit one you will be kaput.
When up that way, pull up in the arvo to sit back and enjoy the sunset and peace and quiet to recharge yourself, chill out and have a chat.
Save your coin and enjoy your trip.

G'day Lloyd,

I've always had spotties on the front and needed them plenty of times.

If you are sure you wil only be travelling in daylight hours, it stands to reason you won't use them. If by chance you travel at night a set of spotties will be invaluable.

It doesn't matter what bulbs you have in your standard headlights, they will disappear to nothing travelling on outback roads, and you'll be struggling to see clearly more than a couple of hundred metres.

A set of a spotlight and a spreader will light up the road, and to the sides, to make driving so much easier at night.

The other option is standard headlights and sit on 60 kph max.

At the moment I have a set of Narva 225mm halogen. They cost $269 from Repco on special and I got the Auto Electrician to fit them up and it cost me about $50.
I don't have HID headlights, so I didn't get HID driving lights. They each have a different type of light and the two different lights at night can be distracting to the eye.

I hope this helps.

Hoo roo,
Steve

Lloyd
The cheap lights just don't have the "quality" of more expensive ones, ultimately they will fail, mountings, lenses, glass screens etc...
The more corrugations you put them through, the quicker the failing. So I found after using some cheap Chinese HIDs for 2 years. Then I stuck a HIDs into my old Cibie Super Oscars, and been very happy ever since. One of the Super Oscars was 30 years old til a roo took it out.

However, I would not buy any spotlights just for the above trip as you shouldn't be driving at night, you should be set up in camp by approx 2 hours before sunset. It is diabolical trying to set up camp, cook and clean up in the dark.
I use my spotlights on long trips back home at night in western NSW, they are magic. But when we do go camping or doing long tours we rarely if ever drive at night. The same can be said for a Bull/roo bar, a waste of money on a camping trip.

Hi Lloyd,


Those lights you referenced are exactly the same as I fitted to the Troopy 12 months ago except I paid twice the price! They replaced a pair of big Oscars which vibrated madly and blocked air to the radiator. They have been excellent, far superior to the headlights.


As the guys have said, you rarely need to drive off-road at night, however there can be occasions where you may need to. I have found it necessary a couple of times on the blacktop to reach a destination in the early evening. And should it be an emergency, I am unlikely to want to keep the speed down to 60kph. They also serve as a backup to the headlights should a lamp fail. The difference in light colour to the headlights is of no consequence..... they completely override the headlights anyway.


So sure, you don't have to have them but they can be useful. And those you are considering are good value. Just be sure to wire them well with adequate sized cable and a relay controlled from your high-beam circuit so they go off when you go to low-beam.

I have just bought 4 of the exact same lights from another seller for $49.95 each + $34.00 postage. I have had the same lights fitted to some of our trucks for almost 2 years now and could not be more pleased with them, they are all flood lenses.
Enjoy your holiday.

Price is no indication of quality in aftermarket lighting , we have just fitted a 124w LED light bar to the bulbar of our new FJ Cruiser , $209 from Evilbay , exact same bar ,same packaging ,same specifications ,same Cree LEDs ,same factory in China ,Autopro charging $599.......

G'day Lloyd, I have a NT VR-X Pajero with xtreme sports D/lights 9000. One is a spread beam & one a pencil beam. Great lights. When I go on trips like yours I make sure the protective covers are in place or if I am worried about losing them over severe corrugations I take the covers off & turn the lights around (prevents stone strikes). Having said that,I don't drive at night or very early mornings because of wild life. The trip you doing,I would be more concerned about higher priorities than driving lights. Enjoy your trip. Robert

No experience with those lights Lloyd but I agree with the general tenor of comments. Driving lights are one of the most over-rated pieces of 4WD equipment these days. Times have changed - 20 or 30 years ago when poor output sealed beams were standard they were a must. The covers on my (small) Hellas have been removed on probably a handful of occasions in 14 years.

We generally set up camp around 3pm, collect a bit of wood for a fire, few beers, dinner. We found a perfect spot near the flooded Cooper Creek and was very relaxing.

About the time I finished cooking tea we had millions of bugs come from nowhere and it really was intolerable, couldn't eat, couldn't talk, nothing, bugs were in our drinks over our food etc etc you get the drift.

We were forced to pack up very quickly in the dark and get out of there, well all I can say is thank goodness that I had some good spotlights as I have never seen Kangaroos on the Birdsville track, but I did this night as well as an owl etc.

Without the lights there is a likelihood that there may have been some fauna killed that night. It gives you the ability to see a little further than ordinary so that you have plenty of time to take evasive action.

I don't normally drive at night in the outback so they don't get used that often.

Have you looked at Lightforce? I have them and can honestly say that I have found them very good.

Cheers

Love how some who lack ability and confidence to drive at night think everyone else should not drive at night too...... and warn others against it!

We do a lot of night driving so good lights are important to us.

Lloyd,

Don't have any experience with those lights, but they are sold by a number of different outlets, and seem sturdy enough. Good price too.

Driving lights are a form of insurance, always there if you need them. As well as the increased light output, and better vision, they also aid in reducing eye strain for the driver, and any passenger who might be still awake(or too scared to sleep anyway!!!)

I do 25-30 hours/week night driving, and with a combination of LED light bars, and HID driving lights, rarely get eye strain, and with good vision, driving is less stressful.

Doubt if the nay-sayers would cancel their comprehensive insurance, just because they'd never had an accident.

Bob.