light beams/filters

CodyB

Observer
I was talking with a friend of mine yesterday and the subject of off-road driving lights came up. He was telling me that some people prefer to mount one light with a spot beam and one light with a flood beam on their trucks. The reasoning actually sounds understandable to me. What side of the truck would you mount the flood beam? I could visualize benefits on either the driver or passenger sides.

Has anyone tried this and have first hand experience? How about the Lightforce lights with the different filters? There are many interesting combinations such as the flood and spot beam, or one combo filter and one spot filter.
 

ntsqd

Heretic Car Camper
I'm not sure that it would make much difference which side either was on. If you were looking at three lights then the oddball would obviously want to be in the middle.
 

dust devil

Observer
Compromise always results in -- compromise. Better to decide what kind of light you really need, and go with that. Frankly, spot lights have little value off road at night unless you are going really fast down a road. On twisty trails and slow going, they only tend to dazzle. I don't even use spots. The most focused beam I have is a driver, and even they have limited use on the trail.
 

slosurfer

Adventurer
I don't think it would matter which side you mount either one on, as you can still aim them where you want them. Mount them up, then experiment with the aiming.

I went the triple light route, single spot in the center, and then combo filters on the sides. I do a lot of night dune runs, so the spot does come in handy. Right now, they are on one switch, but the spot will be getting its own switch soon. That way, it can be shut off for trail use (right now I just unplug it for trail use).

2550746070068032280S600x600Q85.jpg
 

Rigged

Observer
I know that some people mount a spot style light on the drivers side and a driving light on the passengers side. I have heard that it's called "Australian style" or "aussie style".

There are a couple of reasons that I can think of that they do this. They don't want the driving light in the eyes of oncoming traffic (the spot beam is much more concentrated i.e. less intrusive). They want to light up the passengers side of the road (in there case the left side as they drive opposite sides then us) to be lit up a bit more with the slightly broader beam of the driving light to see animals and obstructions.

Those are my guesses. Hope it helped.
 

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