# Why so much?



## CM's (Dec 8, 2010)

I've been looking at different lighting options for my trucks and machines, and the costs to outfit a fleet with some of the lights you guys are running is huge. I'm wondering why everyone spends so much money on these lights, besides that they look cool. Is it that most of you have 1 or 2 machines so the total isn't that much?

From what I can tell the average total bill for a truck is about $850 to have it decked out. That's about 9 or so hours of work just to pay for the lights on your trucks?? If you have a lot of machines that would be a huge cost. I just don't see it. All I have on my stuff is a single on top of the cab strobe. Am I crazy here?

Set me straight here if I am missing something.

Thanks


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## elecblu (Feb 20, 2010)

I am with you CM. I will agree that they look nice but can not justify the expense either. I just have a simple home made back rack with a strobe on each edge of it instead of a one cab mount.


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## maverjohn (Jul 23, 2008)

Start out small and work your way up one light at a time, I have new & used lights on my truck and took about 3 year and about $350 in cost, 
Try pawn shops and ebay also watch for sales on lights in the spring whan stores want to dump last years models.JMO


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## swtiih (Nov 30, 2008)

the key is you want to be seen. if someone runs into you because they couldn't see you it will probably be your fault


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## RBRONKEMA GHTFD (Dec 17, 2006)

Yes the key is you want to be seen, but a lot of people don't care about you or anyone else on the road. If they are on a mission to go somewhere nothing is going to stop them. No matter how many flashing lights you have on your truck. I think a lot of it also has to do with ego too. Which is fine too. I think they look cool and don't mind spending a few bucks on them if I can get a good deal on them. It pays to shop about. A lot of places will honor a competetors price if you can prove it.


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## Fourbycb (Feb 12, 2009)

I make enought Coin and not being married or kids to support I feel if I want to spurge on alot of light's to be seen or show off. Most of my lights I shopped around on E bay or elsewhere. If I were too of purchased all the lights I have thru a dealer's I figure the cost would of been in excess of $2200.00 and so far I have spent less than $1100.00. I am not into just snow removal and I have different lights for different applications


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## ford6.9 (Aug 17, 2006)

A lot of people forget too many lights can cause issues and increase the rate of having an accident. The one strobe on the roof will work fine, Just make sure its bright enough that it will bounce off the trees around you. I am not sure how many watts they are I want to say about 25w but it does the trick. 

And to the guys that have a lot of lights, to each their own I mean no disrespect just facts are facts, lots of guys make it into a hobby.


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## maverjohn (Jul 23, 2008)

Sound like the start of the Safety or Ego talk all over again!
Buy what you want and enjoy using them, It's your truck!


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## Rc2505 (Feb 5, 2007)

I have about 400 per truck in extra lights. All truck have a set of 25 dollar clear fog lights on the rear bumper wired into a relay for back up lights. All trucks have a 150 dollar set of hide away strobe in the corners. 2 of my trucks have used 275 dollar full size light bars, and the other 2 have dual halogen rotaters. Then to top it all off I have another set of 25 dollar clear fog lights mounted on my spreaders, and rear plow as work lights. I can be seen from far away, in my lots, and once I am on the road driving from one lot to another all extra lights are switched off. I feel that is plenty for me, and about twice as much as any of my competiters.


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## Maleko (Sep 20, 2004)

maverjohn;1150464 said:


> Sound like the start of the Safety or Ego talk all over again!
> Buy what you want and enjoy using them, It's your truck!


EXACTLY.......

its your truck and money, do what ever you want.. remember your allowed to.....

Im another one of "THOSE PEOPLE" with alot of lights... Ya you know the ones that are frowned upon around here lately....:laughing:

Everyone has their own thing they spend money on there personal vehicles. 
either rims, lights, stereo, custom paint, etc..... its what they like and what they enjoy. i see nothing wrong with any of it,,,

Carry on......


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## CM's (Dec 8, 2010)

Fair enough, I read through a little of that other thread last night. I see that most of you that were "pro" lighting up the night as you say run 1-2 truck operations. I agree that it looks cool, it just doesn't make financial sense for a larger company to spend that kind of money on lights for machines.


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## Maleko (Sep 20, 2004)

CM's;1150704 said:


> Fair enough, I read through a little of that other thread last night. I see that most of you that were "pro" lighting up the night as you say run 1-2 truck operations. I agree that it looks cool, it just doesn't make financial sense for a larger company to spend that kind of money on lights for machines.


I agree. if you have multiple trucks, equipment, etc.. I can be very expensive...

Im a one man show ( For now) so its only one truck , one plow and one sander,
With a ton of lights.......:redbounce


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## South Seneca (Oct 22, 2010)

Lots of lights also can get you more flag down jobs, if you're plowing residential.

I'm also backing out into the road, in a rural area, which has a 55 mph speed limit.


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## Too Stroked (Jan 1, 2010)

Our entire fleet uses nothing more than a single Star strobe mini-bar on each vehicle. For about a hundred bucks a pop, they work just fine.


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## maverjohn (Jul 23, 2008)

Thats it exactly, I have one truck to deal with and I like old school with lots of light. If I had to deal with more then that I would rethink how much and far to go. but I don't have to and I enjoy finding old lights to rehab and
make use of, like the set of Kawasaki turn signals I found, rehabed them and installed them with a flasher just to add some amber to the lower half of my truck, looks cool,
So buy them and enjoy them, it's your truck


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## South Seneca (Oct 22, 2010)

I like the old Federal Signal Street Hawk. I have one on my Jeep for Fire Dept use, and one on the GMC 2500 that I plow with. Bought both on ebay.

Both are 48" all light units, with blue outer domes and amber center dome. I also have blue and amber base flashers in both, which are mostly for working car crashes on bright sunny days.

In my opinion, it doesn't take a lot of light to stand out at night but on a bright sunny day, it takes more light to get attention. One of the reasons for that is when it's nasty out, people pay more attention that when it's nice and they drive with their head up their a$$!


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## cameo89 (Dec 8, 2007)

If you can do the install your self the I think the best way to light up a fleet on a buck would be a small $100 roof light bar and a $150 hide-away kit, and Lowes has 55watt tractor lights that work well for back up lamps ($12 each) so put one truck to work for 4-5 hrs top for one afternoon andyou have paid for your complete lighting for many yrs.

Me my self I have probably spent close to $1500 on lighting, but I never run all lights at the same time.

I don't see the use of grill lights, your plow for the most part hides them. I put my effort on the top of my truck and the back, the a$$ end of my truck see's the most time in the road.

I also love my new leds mounted on the side of my tool truck box!
Good luck!


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## bristolturf (Dec 20, 2008)

the lights I spend my money on, are just for visibility. We have lights mounted under the bumper for the back, and the salter, then we also have the rotators on the top, and I also have a back rack with two spot lights aiming forward. Gives a lot more light especially on roads we plow.


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## snoway63 (Dec 29, 2009)

I think to many lights will distract the drivers on the road these days besides some states have laws about who and when you can have these light on your truck, so check local laws, but I do agree you should have at least one


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## Strobesnmore (Jan 31, 2007)

We did a fleet of 25 trucks last year for a company and did a very simple but effective setup that did not break the bank. We did a good quality LED minibar and a pair of good quality LEDs on the rear of the vehicles. The top bar gives 360 degree output and the rear LEDs added extra warning when backing up (when we are told most accidents happen). On the dump body trucks we removed the rear leds from the minibars and used those in the rear saving the customer money. An install like this is very simple and most vehicles we completed in an hour to hour and a half.


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## PerfectEarth (Feb 18, 2010)

I would hate to have to do multiple trucks. I went with about 420.00 in 4 surface LEDs and a strobe this year on my dump truck, 53.00 in wiring/switches, looms, etc, and 200.00 for a buddy to install it all.... so yea, almost 700.00 for one truck and 5 lights (oh, my salter has a small single flash strobe over the engine cover too!)...it does add up. And all my lights are "base model" non-fancy lights. Each LED on the back of the dump body are split (clear and red) and they are very cool.

I'm glad I did it though. The top strobe and two rear LEDs are important IMO- I do a lot of town streets that require backing up, a Sam's Club and tons of larger commercial lots. I have the other two clear LEDs on the sides, for side visibility.

I thought when I got the stuff, it was too little....NOW, I realize I might have a hair too much. hahaha... it does get rather bright at night and I am trying to only turn stuff on when I am doing the roads or in the lots, NOT while just driving. I don't mind running everything in the daytime tho.


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## DieselRam99 (Dec 23, 2010)

I'm not one to spend big $ on lights so I went to the local auto parts store and bought a strobe light kits($30)(AutoZone), cut the strobes off and wired them to 4 leds($8 a piece)payup. It gives you different flash patterns and the leds with last a long time. Mounted them on the toolbox.


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## Brian in MO (Feb 1, 2010)

I use a double rotator on top, a single work light facing down for the spreader, and my 4 way flashers. I have bought a set of work lights to add for backing up but haven't put them on yet. I really think my truck shows up well enough with that. If I had alot of time and alot of money I might consider some strobes but not sure it's a nessecity. I can't see spending a fortune to do a fleet of trucks but don't have a problem with anyone who does. One thing I do have is a set of fog ( or driving) lights on the front which shine on the back of the plow which are useless except when you have a problem with the plow (blown hose, elec., or whatever) then they are pricelesspayup.


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## Yooper75 (Dec 30, 2010)

E-Bay is your friend my most expensive light bar which is my Whelen Edge 12 head mini bar was only $230 shipped to my door. My full size Code 3 MX7000 I have about 175 invested into it and I have just started a 36in Code 3 MX7000 project so I don't have a total on that yet but it is being built from spare parts that I have so it won't cost me much. I also have $200 in my Whelen Hide-Away strobes. The only items I bought new were my Hide-Aways and my switch box everything else is either used or refurbished.


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