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Old May 7, 2021 | 10:22 AM
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show your front lightbars

i am needing ideas on a lightbar i can add to the front of my truck that i can connect to the high beam circuit and light up the night with as i was on a back road last night and almost hit a person that was walking in the center of the road luckily i had the high beams on but the factory lights are not that good i did not see him till i was almost on top of him so i am wanting to upgrade to better lights TIA
 
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Old May 7, 2021 | 10:31 AM
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Here's mine. It's an NFab light bar that I painted white to match the truck. I have 4 - Rigid Hyperspots mounted and all can be cycled using the high beam switch. I also have a remote switch that I can turn off so just the regular high beams operate and don't cycle the cubes. I like the hyperspots because they're meant for distance. If you're hooking them up to your high beams, I would not use anything that's a flood or diffused pattern, you want to put the light out, away from the nose of the truck. Your eyes focus where your lights are.


 
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Old May 7, 2021 | 10:42 AM
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From: SW VA





 
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Old May 7, 2021 | 11:14 AM
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Originally Posted by ATC Crazy

that is a simple, clean, effective setup. I will be doing the same.
 
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Old May 7, 2021 | 11:50 AM
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I built a set of these for my crawler and will be building another set to go on my xlt. Theyll fit on either side of the ford emblem.

Been there and done that with the cheaper lightbars. IMO they're severely underpowered, severely overinflated with their ratings, and the optics are horrible. Unless you spend top dollar for the baja design stuff, it's just there for looks. Just one of these lightbars draws as much amperage as a 50" cheapie, and has better optics.

Just one of these pulls about 5 amps. Here's just one lit up.


 
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Old May 7, 2021 | 01:35 PM
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Originally Posted by Pugga
Here's mine. It's an NFab light bar that I painted white to match the truck. I have 4 - Rigid Hyperspots mounted and all can be cycled using the high beam switch. I also have a remote switch that I can turn off so just the regular high beams operate and don't cycle the cubes. I like the hyperspots because they're meant for distance. If you're hooking them up to your high beams, I would not use anything that's a flood or diffused pattern, you want to put the light out, away from the nose of the truck. Your eyes focus where your lights are.

Like what you did there! I had an N-Fab lightbar on my Raptor. I've looked at putting one on my 2021 F350 but I'm concerned about the radar (ACC) unit and having to relocate it.

What N-FAB Part Number did you use? Did you have to relocate your ACC unit?

Here's what I've done so far (shown with stock front Valance since replaced by the 2WD version)...




 
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Old May 7, 2021 | 02:10 PM
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Originally Posted by MagicMtnDan
Like what you did there! I had an N-Fab lightbar on my Raptor. I've looked at putting one on my 2021 F350 but I'm concerned about the radar (ACC) unit and having to relocate it.

What N-FAB Part Number did you use? Did you have to relocate your ACC unit?

Here's what I've done so far (shown with stock front Valance since replaced by the 2WD version)...

Mine was part number F174LB-TX. One of the great things about having a low trim level truck is I don't have to consider messing with the tech stuff. My truck doesn't have ACC so I just bolted it on and wired up the lights. There's an alternate part number for trucks with AC but I have no idea what the difference is (F174LB-AC-TX). Price seems the same and the install instructions don't seem any different either.

I will say this about the NFAB bar, if you live in an area that uses salt on the roads, definitely coat the NFab bar before you put it on. The coatings they use are absolute garbage and it will rust the first winter unless you get ahead of it.
 
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Old May 7, 2021 | 05:02 PM
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I used an N-Fab bar mount as well. AC specific part number. It was about the only bolt-on solution I found that would work with the adaptive cruise. I read about the rusting problem, and despite a multi-year warranty on the finish I wanted to be proactive and filed a few sharp edges and rattle canned over them. Would not recommend doing that. Even though I scuffed the areas I was painting the black Rustoleum paint beaded up on the powdercoat like water on a windshield and did not flow out smooth. Made kind of a mess. I was able to make it tolerable after 4-5 coats to get the beads to grow together. It probably won't rust now, but if I was doing it again I'd run it as delivered until it rusted. Then get out my grinder and Dremel tool and do a proper de-burring job and have one of the local shops strip it and re powder coat it.

The one I chose with the top protection bar is pretty visible in the front camera, but doesn't totally impede it. It does put black bar out in front of the truck in the overhead 360 view.

Some more discussion when I asked about the topic. Some of the same replies and pictures: https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...n-f-450-a.html




 
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Old May 7, 2021 | 05:49 PM
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Originally Posted by Pugga
Mine was part number F174LB-TX. One of the great things about having a low trim level truck is I don't have to consider messing with the tech stuff. My truck doesn't have ACC so I just bolted it on and wired up the lights. There's an alternate part number for trucks with AC but I have no idea what the difference is (F174LB-AC-TX). Price seems the same and the install instructions don't seem any different either.

I will say this about the NFAB bar, if you live in an area that uses salt on the roads, definitely coat the NFab bar before you put it on. The coatings they use are absolute garbage and it will rust the first winter unless you get ahead of it.
what brand of light bar is in this picture and how have you got it mounted? and any install pictures or info thanks
 
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Old May 7, 2021 | 07:50 PM
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Originally Posted by Pugga
Mine was part number F174LB-TX. One of the great things about having a low trim level truck is I don't have to consider messing with the tech stuff. My truck doesn't have ACC so I just bolted it on and wired up the lights. There's an alternate part number for trucks with AC but I have no idea what the difference is (F174LB-AC-TX). Price seems the same and the install instructions don't seem any different either.

I will say this about the NFAB bar, if you live in an area that uses salt on the roads, definitely coat the NFab bar before you put it on. The coatings they use are absolute garbage and it will rust the first winter unless you get ahead of it.
what is acc? as i am not familiar with these truck terms for ford super duties yet but learning daily
thanks
 
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Old May 7, 2021 | 07:55 PM
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Originally Posted by 94yj
what is acc? as i am not familiar with these truck terms for ford super duties yet but learning daily
Adaptive Cruise Control
 
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Old May 7, 2021 | 08:31 PM
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Originally Posted by Y2KW57
Adaptive Cruise Control
thank you i don't think mine has that as it is a base model xl how could i tell if i have it? thanks
 
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Old May 7, 2021 | 08:46 PM
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Originally Posted by Norcalpr
I built a set of these for my crawler and will be building another set to go on my xlt. Theyll fit on either side of the ford emblem.

Been there and done that with the cheaper lightbars. IMO they're severely underpowered, severely overinflated with their ratings, and the optics are horrible. Unless you spend top dollar for the baja design stuff, it's just there for looks. Just one of these lightbars draws as much amperage as a 50" cheapie, and has better optics.
Nice work!

But I like my $60 cheapie. Throws light a mile down the road, ditch-to-ditch, and up to the treetops. Over 2 years now and going strong! $650+ in my pocket to spend on something else vs. a Rigid
 
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Old May 8, 2021 | 12:28 AM
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Originally Posted by 406f150
I used an N-Fab bar mount as well. AC specific part number. It was about the only bolt-on solution I found that would work with the adaptive cruise. I read about the rusting problem, and despite a multi-year warranty on the finish I wanted to be proactive and filed a few sharp edges and rattle canned over them. Would not recommend doing that. Even though I scuffed the areas I was painting the black Rustoleum paint beaded up on the powdercoat like water on a windshield and did not flow out smooth. Made kind of a mess. I was able to make it tolerable after 4-5 coats to get the beads to grow together. It probably won't rust now, but if I was doing it again I'd run it as delivered until it rusted. Then get out my grinder and Dremel tool and do a proper de-burring job and have one of the local shops strip it and re powder coat it.

The one I chose with the top protection bar is pretty visible in the front camera, but doesn't totally impede it. It does put black bar out in front of the truck in the overhead 360 view.

Some more discussion when I asked about the topic. Some of the same replies and pictures: https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...n-f-450-a.html





Looks great. So you had to relocate your ACC unit, right? What year is your truck? I’m concerned about the N-Fab bar working on my 2021 as it’s different than the 2020.
 
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Old May 8, 2021 | 08:56 AM
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Originally Posted by Norcalpr
I built a set of these for my crawler and will be building another set to go on my xlt. Theyll fit on either side of the ford emblem.

Been there and done that with the cheaper lightbars. IMO they're severely underpowered, severely overinflated with their ratings, and the optics are horrible. Unless you spend top dollar for the baja design stuff, it's just there for looks. Just one of these lightbars draws as much amperage as a 50" cheapie, and has better optics.

Just one of these pulls about 5 amps. Here's just one lit up.
All of that and then no manufacturer or model # ?
 
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