Lights, 4x4, Action! The Essential Guide To Setting Up Your Off-Road Driving Lights

When you’re driving on well-lit roads and well-paved routes your headlights might be adequate. But driving through rain and mud in the middle of a forest at night with ‘adequate’ lighting can be more than just overly taxing on the eyes, it can be a serious safety risk. Add safety and peace of mind to your journey by upgrading to LED driving lights. 

In this article, we will go over a couple of things you should definitely keep in mind when choosing to upgrade your setup! 

Light Safety And Regulations For Driving Lights In Australia

While there are different vehicle safety and standard rules in different parts of the world, let’s focus on Australia for a minute. While it is perfectly legal to switch LEDs to better LEDs, it is illegal to switch from halogens to LEDs. This is largely due to the nature of how the light covers disperse the light. But with 4x4 LED driving kits, you can be sure you’re in the clear. These LED emitters ensure that the light is scattered evenly while maintaining brightness to light up the night.

Here are some government-mandated rules of thumb to keep in mind when attaching new off-road driving lights. Securely fit them in a way that would: 

• Avoid harm to pedestrians in the instance of a crash 
• Not obstruct the driver’s view of the road and traffic
• Not cause discomfort to the driver directly in front of you 
• Allow the light to remain off or automatically be switched off when the lights are not in operation.

You can never be too safe when it comes to the road. A hot tip from us at Offroad industries would be to always take a look at your local government's instructions on how to change your 4x4 led driving lights. 

What Kind Of Driving Light Works Best For You?

Halogens. LED. HID. There are plenty of choices available, so let's compare the relative pros and cons of each.

Halogens:

This low-cost bulb is usually pre-installed in your car. While they are easy to use, install and provide adequate coverage, they’re not the longest-lasting light you can have. Though perfect for short drives, it’s not the brightest option, which is why off-roaders tend to replace them. 

HID:

High-Intensity Discharge Lights are exactly what their name refers to. Bright lights that can go for miles. For long drives, especially in dodgy weather conditions, these lights are your friend! The only disadvantage is their high cost and potentially being too bright for oncoming traffic. 

LED:

If we consider the lights as the beds from Goldilocks, this would be the one that was just right. Bright, simple, effective. Easy to install and remove, these 4x4 driving lights are the ones that serve as a consistentlong-lasting replacement to your halogen.

When choosing your ideal driving light to attach to your 4x4, keep in mind what terrain and conditions you’re using the 4x4 driving lights for. 

Setting Up Your 4x4 Driving Light

Obviously, there is a mild investment of time and money in setting your 4x4 up with LED lighting. But as any offroader can tell you, it’s better to be safe than sorry.

When attaching a high-wattage additional driving light to your vehicle, pay attention to the projected distance of the light beam. It can be a safety risk for drivers coming towards you who may be impacted by such lights at a great distance, so don’t forget to dim them!

While we’re on the subject of vehicle lights, it’s worth mentioning that attaching lights on top of your bull bars is illegal. This is due to the possible visual disruption it may give to the driver. 

Safety first and then you’re ready to hit the road! 

We’ve got a great range ofStealth Led Headlight Conversion Kits available at Offroad Industries to cover a wide range of 4x4 vehicles. Shop online today!