Rock light mounting

[Teqsand]

Wife has stock inner fender liners and bought rock lights, where is standard place or strong place to mount them?

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[WanderingJ]

Depends on what you get. Ive been eyeing lux rock lights, they mount with magnets. Also thought about a diy solution to mount other less expensive brands.

 

[FrankFrqnkFrank]

Following…

 

[jac04]

If you do a lot of offroading at night and you want actual functioning rock lights, then you want to mount the lights to areas of the chassis/underbody that will provide full light coverage underneath the vehicle. 2 or 3 along each side, 2 across the rear, and 2 across the front will typically provide good coverage. You will need to experiment a little with actual locations to get the best light coverage possible without shadows while keeping the lights out of harm's way.

I use LUX rock lights on my JKR. The magnet mounting makes them easy to position for best coverage.

Mounting lights up in the fenderwells will just illuminate the tops of the tires and won't provide much use as real rock lights.

 

[22EcoDs]

I used the mounts where the factory steps bolt up , used the arms of my rock hard sliders. High enough to spread and be protected.

 

[Jteakus]

I bought the standard rock lights off eBay. I mounted one in front and behind each tire in the plastic liner. I also put one in center front under radiator and one center rear to the hook looking piece of frame above rear axle. Used two conductor wire and wired them into aux switches.
Video link:

 

[Jteakus]

Wrong link. This one is after the S3 Rock sliders were installed. They have their own lights built in.

 

[Wolf Island Diver]

+1 Lux lights. You need light in front and behind the contact patches of the tires, so you can see yourself roll over and roll off of stuff. The rest of the lights are under the frame and rear end (bumper) so you can check clearances as you roll over stuff and so you can generally see under the vehicle for various reasons. Rock lights are not ditch lights. If you need to project out away from the vehicle, get ditch lights or utility (area lights). I’ve always been happy with bright wide driving lights out in front and a good flashlight if I need to look at something right next to me. I wouldn’t try and accomplish this with rock lights.

For these reasons I don’t like mounting rock lights in the fender where they’re liable to cast weird shadows around the tire. That’s especially weird when the shadow moves as you turn the front wheel. The exception might be really high on an extended metal fender flare where they can point straight down outboard of the tire. Being able to move them if you don’t like the placement is also important. This is why I went with the magnetic Lux lights.

Mine are mounted to underside of the front bumper in front of the tire, right behind the front tire inboard on the frame, in front of the rear tire and behind the rear tire just forward of the rear bumper. There are places you can mount them that protects them. I’ll take some pics when I get a chance.

Most peoples rock light placement is effectively just ground effects IMHO. If you can’t watch your tire roll up to an obstacle and roll off the obstacle and see where on the vehicle it’s going to go, e.g., is it going to hit the LCA or side of the body, then they’re useless other than looking cool.

 

[jac04]

The videos posted above do a good job at showing how ineffective the lights mounted in the fenderwells are as real rock lights. All they do is light up the tires and cast large shadows on the ground. Even the rear mounted light casts a lot of shadows.

 

[pcrawfordpt]

I installed an 8 light system on my TJ. I used double sided trope to secure the light. Didn’t want to drill. Have done many black diamond trails and no issues with the tape. System works great and will be doing the same for my JT. If you want “rock lights“ then you must position them so the lights are actually providing light on your path of travel. What you see in most of the ads are cosmetic lighting. Putting lights up in the fender well, lights your tires, not the trail. Most of mine are tucked up into the frame. The kit I purchased used cast aluminum housings and and app to control the lights. I’d stay away from the plastic cased ones. The kits that have multiple colored lights don’t really provide “white” light, kinda looks rainbow-ish. If you want pure white, then get white only.

 

[Zachanadandy]

I rarely use a spotter during the day, you guys have a team of people watching each tire at night? We did the Rubicon last year and John Bull and Holcomb creek last weekend with 0 spotting. Watch the trail in front of you and pick lines. Remember where the rocks were. For the inexperienced I get it, but if you've been wheeling for years it might be time to take the training wheels off? We literally had a guy in front of us making his wife get out and spot on black bear pass, it's just a dirt road with some tight switchbacks, does she have to spot you on windy asphalt too?

 

[Wolf Island Diver]

Here are my mount locations. Keep in mind Lux lights have a nice diffuse pattern. They’re not spot lights but you don’t want spot lights for this. I find that these nicely light up the whole underside of the truck and around the side to few feet. They serve triple duty as rock lights, illuminating the underside of the truck for inspection/repairs at night, and utility illuminating the ground around the perimeter of the truck.

Front bumper in front of the tire and angled out (AEV stubby bumper)

Behind the front tire on the frame (mostly protected by being higher than the control arm brackets) I’m able to move these a bit to point more outward but they’re a wide angle light already.

Deep above the bottom edge of the frame in front of the rear tire. Again this placement illuminates the ground in front of the rear tire and I can move them as needed.

Receiver hitch cross member. Illuminates behind the rear tire and around the rear end.

 

[jac04]

... Watch the trail in front of you and pick lines. Remember where the rocks were. ...

I actually find that my rock lights often help the people following me the most.

 

[Outback_Joe]

I actually find that my rock lights often help the people following me the most.

I can see where these would really help at night in dusty and snowy conditions as well.

 

[FrankFrqnkFrank]

Here are my mount locations. Keep in mind Lux lights have a nice diffuse pattern. They’re not spot lights but you don’t want spot lights for this. I find that these nicely light up the whole underside of the truck and around the side to few feet. They serve triple duty as rock lights, illuminating the underside of the truck for inspection/repairs at night, and utility illuminating the ground around the perimeter of the truck.

Front bumper in front of the tire and angled out (AEV stubby bumper)

Behind the front tire on the frame (mostly protected by being higher than the control arm brackets) I’m able to move these a bit to point more outward but they’re a wide angle light already.

Deep above the bottom edge of the frame in front of the rear tire. Again this placement illuminates the ground in front of the rear tire and I can move them as needed.

Receiver hitch cross member. Illuminates behind the rear tire and around the rear end.

Do you have any pictures at night that you could share?

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