light bar? tires?

CTjeeper16 · **Posted:** Sun Nov 12, 2006 2:47 pm

Hey all, got a birthday comming up, and I've decided to get things for the jeep, naturally. So its come down to either the OEM light bar, or some MT tires (possibly the MTR, or the Kumho MT in a 225/75/16--no lift...) First, which would you prefer? and second, how does the light bar perform on a Sport. Does it really strain the electrical components? I thought the renegade had a different alternator, but I may be wrong. Anyway, any of your experiences w/ adding the light bar to a non-renegade model would be greatly appreciated.

scorpio_vette · **Posted:** Sun Nov 12, 2006 2:56 pm

no idea on the light bar, but as for the tires, i'd go with the kumho's Venture MT's over the MT/R's (assuming you are talking about the goodyears). also i would stick with the old style kumho MT's over the new KL7 (i think that's the new number). the old style has more thread and better traction than the new style.

broncsrule · **Posted:** Sun Nov 12, 2006 3:22 pm

go with the tires, you will use them everyday. I have only used my light bar a couple times. Great to have when you neeed it but how often will you need it?

JJsTJ · **Posted:** Sun Nov 12, 2006 4:57 pm

Tires. You need tires every time you drive but rarely need lights.

CTjeeper16 · **Posted:** Sun Nov 12, 2006 5:38 pm

the thing is, neither are absolute necessities. I've got Cooper Discoverer ATs on right now, and they've got plenty of tred right now. I'm really looking for some advice about the light bar though. It would be mainly a cosmetic addition, simmilarly w/ adding the more agressive tires. so how about some OEM light bar chat?

bmg9b · **Posted:** Sun Nov 12, 2006 5:53 pm

I've got one on my KJ that I'm actually thinking about taking off. I NEVER use it, and I think I like the way the new Renegades look without it.

I agree with most everyone here... I'd much rather have $500 worth of tires than $500 worth of lights that I won't use that much. Now, if you do a lot of night wheeling, you might want to consider the light bar.

But, I don't think that tires OR a light bar are your BEST choice. I'd think you should spend your money on skid plates first, you'll get the most out of those. If you spend all of your time and money repairing broken things in your underbelly, you'll never have time or money to get mods like tires and lights.

Hope that helps.

jason thompson · **Posted:** Sun Nov 12, 2006 6:01 pm

CTjeeper16 wrote:

the thing is, neither are absolute necessities. I've got Cooper Discoverer ATs on right now, and they've got plenty of tred right now. I'm really looking for some advice about the light bar though. It would be mainly a cosmetic addition, simmilarly w/ adding the more agressive tires. so how about some OEM light bar chat?

I can tell you this about the light bar I had on my TJ
I used it maby 5 times in3 years and all of those were when we were camping and got in late and we were to lazy to pull out the lantern to set up our tent
it made noise like crazy cost me MPG the only good thing about it was that if you looked at a picture of 20 jeeps in a row you could find mine easy
I took it off and have never looked back
to me those kinds of things are "cometic" and serve very little use I say go with some good MT's and dont waste time or money on something you may never realy need

Think of it like this one day you will get stuck ,if you get the light bar you wont be saying "boy I sure am glad I got that light bar" where as if you get the MT's and you manage to work your self backwards out with the MT's you wont say "man I wish I had a light bar"

unixxx · **Posted:** Sun Nov 12, 2006 6:56 pm

I'd get the tires for sure. I rarely use my lightbar, then again, I've never off roaded at night before either....

CTjeeper16 · **Posted:** Sun Nov 12, 2006 7:10 pm

i do go at night fairly frequently. we usually bomb around an old quarry and have a bonfire. i just want to be sure that if i do get the lightbar, it won't put too much strain on the electrical system.

jason thompson · **Posted:** Sun Nov 12, 2006 9:19 pm

CTjeeper16 wrote:

i do go at night fairly frequently. we usually bomb around an old quarry and have a bonfire. i just want to be sure that if i do get the lightbar, it won't put too much strain on the electrical system.

that all depends on what else is running
My light bar had 4 100 watt KC's that along with the brights and the fog's and 3 55wat "rock" lights + the stero and 240 watt kicker amp along with the other stuff like heat and the current needed to run the jeep = low batt light afetr about 2 min.'s

That about 745 watts in just light or ~62 amps of current
I do not know what size lights are in the OE light bar but you could just do the math and see what all you got to work with

I quit wheelin at night cause that is when stuff breaks you can wheel the same trails at night that you did just earlier that day and stuff likes to go bang and pop
I think that some parts on jeeps are scared of the dark

swyszomirski · **Joined:** Sat Oct 01, 2005 2:59 am **Posts:** 286

I an biased toward the light bar because I live in an area that I can use it a lot, plus I like lights, but tires would be a better investment by far.

FastTRX · **Posted:** Mon Nov 13, 2006 12:06 am

I see the light bar as more of a "looks" thing than actually being functional. Dont get me wrong...I'm sure they work awesome..but like most have said..you wont use them often, so they are more likely on there to make your jeep look cool.

I for one like the looks of the light bar on the liberties.

spoonplugger1 · **Posted:** Mon Nov 13, 2006 1:27 am

I'd get a 245/70 tire if it was me with no lift. Wider, fits, same diameter as the 225/75s.

ed. · **Posted:** Mon Nov 13, 2006 2:20 am

It's a personal choice.
the MT's would probably make it easier to get to places than your AT's.
If you hardly/never go out at night then the light bar would only look good on your KJ.

wendell · **Posted:** Mon Nov 13, 2006 8:09 am

Light bars are cool, I'm just to high on the looks of the factory one, a metal bar would look more manly and rugged than does that plastic one from jeep. As far as tires, it's hard to beat BFG AT KO's, they have good road manners, not to noisey, look and are very aggresive. I've used them for years and love the looks and performance.. Thier the number 1 tire in desert racing and score and after using them I can see why. Pure mud tires look good, put can be very noisey on the road and wear fast for the price. BFG AT KO's rocks the blocks and reaches the beaches hee hee !!!

moose · **Posted:** Mon Nov 13, 2006 8:58 am

wendell wrote:

Light bars are cool, I'm just to high on the looks of the factory one, a metal bar would look more manly and rugged than does that plastic one from jeep. As far as tires, it's hard to beat BFG AT KO's, they have good road manners, not to noisey, look and are very aggresive. I've used them for years and love the looks and performance.. Thier the number 1 tire in desert racing and score and after using them I can see why. Pure mud tires look good, put can be very noisey on the road and wear fast for the price. BFG AT KO's rocks the blocks and reaches the beaches hee hee !!!

you have ZERO pointing options with the factory bar. at least with an aftermarket bar you can adjust the beams to what's good for you. i've only needed to use my bar twice - both for 4th grade football. practice gets dark early in october, and you can really light up a field with those buggers. A slow turn also helps pan the lights to look for left equipment.

Elwenil · **Posted:** Mon Nov 13, 2006 5:03 pm

Ok, lets add some real tech here. Yes, the light bar does put a drain on an already overtaxed or perhaps poorly designed electrical system. It's sort of annoying to have my headlamps dim when I roll the windows up and down, add the four lamps on top and you are just compounding the problem. The light bar is a gimmick to make the Renegade look more "off-road" and serves very little purpose in the real world. Yeah, it looks nice, but it also cuts you mileage and some seem to make wind noise, though mine doesn't appear to. the main issue I have with light bars in general is they illuminate your hood a lot more than anything else. Yes, they do throw a lot of light out in front, but if you are getting too much reflected back at you from the hood, then you aren't seeing everything there is to see. This is true even of your dash lights. For those of you who run you dash lights on the brightest setting, you would be surprised how much better you could see at night with them dimmed down. I know some of you are saying that I'm full of crap right now, but it's a proven fact. If you want to test it, look out your windows of you house on a dark night while you have lights on in the room. Can't see much can you? Now turn the lamps off, and you lose the glare and reflection on the glass and you can see much better, eh? If there is less light shining at your eyes themselves, then your pupils will stay open and take in much more light and therefore you can see better and further at night. So, even with a lightbar, how much are you really seeing? I know with mine, the stupid thing is aimed so high that it's next to useless unless you are looking for owls or something. Yes, it can be aimed, but it's next to useless, so I haven't bothered. One other point is the thing looks retarded with the covers on, so I run mine without, which happens to be illegal in many states including VA, but I haven't gotten anything on it yet. If you really want more light, add a nice set of Hella or PIAAs up front where they will do the most good. About the only excuse I can see for lights up top are for flood lamps that shine to the side, or for pencil beams in something like a Baja racer that travels at high speed. Just my .02

bmg9b · **Posted:** Mon Nov 13, 2006 5:16 pm

Elwenil wrote:

Ok, lets add some real tech here. Yes, the light bar does put a drain on an already overtaxed or perhaps poorly designed electrical system. It's sort of annoying to have my headlamps dim when I roll the windows up and down, add the four lamps on top and you are just compounding the problem. The light bar is a gimmick to make the Renegade look more "off-road" and serves very little purpose in the real world. Yeah, it looks nice, but it also cuts you mileage and some seem to make wind noise, though mine doesn't appear to. the main issue I have with light bars in general is they illuminate your hood a lot more than anything else. Yes, they do throw a lot of light out in front, but if you are getting too much reflected back at you from the hood, then you aren't seeing everything there is to see. This is true even of your dash lights. For those of you who run you dash lights on the brightest setting, you would be surprised how much better you could see at night with them dimmed down. I know some of you are saying that I'm full of crap right now, but it's a proven fact. If you want to test it, look out your windows of you house on a dark night while you have lights on in the room. Can't see much can you? Now turn the lamps off, and you lose the glare and reflection on the glass and you can see much better, eh? If there is less light shining at your eyes themselves, then your pupils will stay open and take in much more light and therefore you can see better and further at night. So, even with a lightbar, how much are you really seeing? I know with mine, the stupid thing is aimed so high that it's next to useless unless you are looking for owls or something. Yes, it can be aimed, but it's next to useless, so I haven't bothered. One other point is the thing looks retarded with the covers on, so I run mine without, which happens to be illegal in many states including VA, but I haven't gotten anything on it yet. If you really want more light, add a nice set of Hella or PIAAs up front where they will do the most good. About the only excuse I can see for lights up top are for flood lamps that shine to the side, or for pencil beams in something like a Baja racer that travels at high speed. Just my .02

My thoughts exactly, even though I don't think it's illegal to have them uncovered... just on... and even that is a new law.

detroit_doc · **Posted:** Mon Nov 13, 2006 5:17 pm

I have an '03 Renegade and my electrical system handles my factory light bar just fine. I think in '03 the renegades got an upgraded alternator (160 amp?). I don't know if that's still true.

Jeep Dawg · **Posted:** Mon Nov 13, 2006 9:17 pm

I installed my light bar over te summer on a sport model, I do not have any electricial strain. Even when I have my bull bar lights on at the same time as the light bar. Its an OEM light bar that I used.
it also makes the KJ look bad stupid

light bar? tires?

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