4x4 LED Spotlight — Getting The Most Out Of 4x4 Lights

It’s a great idea to fit spotlights to your 4x4, whether you spend a lot of time driving off-road or simply want to illuminate the best path forward during challenging nighttime conditions. A range of options are available, including LED, and each option has specific benefits. So, how do you get the most out of your acquisition when buying and fitting those spotlights for your 4x4?

How to choose the best spotlights for a 4x4

Individual lights or light bar

Before you choose the actual lights, you need to figure out whether you will fit individual spotlights or a light bar. The latter option is a collection of lights mounted together and designed to create a wide spread of illumination. It’s an excellent choice if you are driving off-road over unfamiliar terrain. 

The light bar will enable you to create a good spread of light to pick out obstacles inside your line of sight. Some people use a light bar to help them establish a camp at night, so you can set up and cook dinner without issue if you arrive at your destination in the hours of darkness.

Individual spotlights are also a good choice; in this case, you can choose from various light patterns. Also, some LED spotlights are versatile and give you the option to change the beam pattern when conditions dictate.

To help you decide, consider where you will spend most of your time. If you often drive down narrow and unfamiliar tracks, a light bar might be best, while individual spotlights can help you pick out obstacles over longer distances.

Halogen, HID or LED

You may notice halogen and HID options as well as LED. Should you always choose an LED spotlight for your 4x4 or consider these other options?

Halogen

Halogen lights are relatively old-fashioned technology and not dissimilar to incandescent bulbs. However, they are specifically designed for harsh conditions and to be resistant to excess vibration. They offer higher performance than an incandescent bulb, with 100W options providing the best illumination and brightness. 

Remember that higher-powered halogen lights will draw a lot of current, so if you have several of them fitted, you must also pay close attention to your battery charge.

HID

HID (high-intensity discharge) lights have also been around for some time but represent an entirely different type of technology. In fact, they feature an inert gas inside the bulb that creates an arc of light across individual electrodes. They may be more expensive, but they are more powerful than the halogen equivalent. 

They don’t pull as much current but need a separate igniter and ballast to reach the ideal brightness and voltage. Some of these lights have additional elements built into the housing; otherwise, you will need to mount them externally.

LED 

Most people in your situation will choose LED lights, especially when considering affordability and outright performance. These lights are tough, durable and relatively compact and typically perform in even the roughest conditions. In addition, an average LED can last up to 50,000 hours, representing an enormous amount of nighttime driving.

Furthermore, the LED lights will draw significantly less power than halogen or HID, so you won’t need to worry much about your battery and charging. You may also find it less tiring to drive long distances at night, as LED driving lights reduce glare.

Beam patterns

You will notice various beam patterns when choosing the best spotlights for your 4x4. For example, a driving beam gives you good, all-around coverage with enhanced illumination at close-up and long distances. A spot beam is more focused, and some people choose them if they prefer high-speed driving. Flood beams have a particular type of lens to disperse the light into a wider and larger area.

You can also choose a hybrid beam pattern with a different lens configuration. You’ll find spot beam lenses at the centre, while flood beams are at the outer edges. This will give you the best of all worlds in any condition.

Price differences

As you look for the best LED spotlights for your 4x4, you may notice a considerable price difference. As you weigh these options, don’t forget that some low-cost options may not be as durable. You’ll want your LED lights to be water-resistant and able to keep dust out, and you will certainly want them to provide quality illumination in challenging conditions. Be wary of some cheaper options as their circuit boards may 

not be as well-designed and, consequently, unable to put up with vibration.

Mountings and housings

Further, make sure you buy the best LED spotlights for your 4wd with high-quality mountings and housings. This will help you avoid any potential wobbling and 

distractions to your driving.

Buying the best LED lights for your 4x4

So, where do you go to get the best LED spotlights for your 4wd? If you’re like many of your peers, you’ll turn to one of the largest stockists in Australia. 4x4 Mods Australia is a distributor for more than 200 world-recognised brands, and we have more than 250,000 products across our subsidiaries. In addition to LED spotlights, we also stock a variety of headlights, fog lights, work lights and light mounts.

If you have any questions, please call and speak to one of our dedicated sales and support staff. They will provide you with information about LED spotlights for your 4x4.