I've had my Kubota LX2610 tractor for a bit over 2 years (July 2021) but I have never had to use it at night until last Wednesday. We had a snowstorm and normally I would just wait until the morning but the wife now works, and I didn't want to dig her little RAV4 out of the snow so...plow. I couldn't see crap and it became apparent I need better front and rear lightening so... I thought I would ask the Monkeys what they are using and if they have any recommendations. Price isn't a problem, but I do demand good quality - no crap. Recommendations?
I would just get a big ass light bar off ebay that has decent reviews. Also get a cover for it. For my car I put my light bar on magnets, close the wire in the door and plug it into the cigarette lighter plug. I got it in 2017 and it's been outside for less than a month during that time. I got a light bar that draws about 7 amps so it doesn't pop the cigarette lighter fuse. Kubotas usually get weak alternators so just make sure you don't drain the battery.
Yeah, the LEDS don't draw much at all... I think I have a cigarette lighter style outlet on the tractor. I will have to check. Might not be a bad idea to simply put them on for Winter and take off for the rest of the year and the lighter outlet would work well for that. I didn't know that about the Kubota alternators, hope your wrong, but I will certainly keep it in mind. Crap!
On a tractor I would want a more permanent installation both mechanically and electrically, seeing the bouncing around that goes on.
I have had excellent results putting LED lights all over my Cats, no specific brand recommendations, though like pointed out, look at the reviews. Also you want the brightest, and they should be listed in Watts as well as lumina or old-school candle power, you want them as bright as you can get! Whelen, CB, Piaa, Hella, and other "Automotive" brands makes amazing lights, but they are stupid expensive, so unless you really have to have something from them, go generic! I went to the local 4X4 and motorsports dealers to score mine, they had displays setup so you could actually see them in action, and they also had options for beam shape and color, something to think about for nasty weather. I ended up with a pair of Hyper Blue spotlights for both tractors teaching forward only, and a pair of amber facing aft, just for the Snow, the rest are a mix of sizes, beam type and brightness! Given the amount of use, I had to go big! At the minimum, NAPA auto sells "Tractor Work lights" at most stores, they are cheap and have mounts, so you just mount them and wire them in and go, no muss, no fuss, just not very bright! Harbor Freight also has Lights and light bars, might check them out too! I bought one of their 36" light bars to mount on the Cushman Trackster right at the top of the engine cover, that along with the LED headlights which are rated at 160 watts really lights it up, total amp draw is nearly ONE 80 amp car headlight, which is great as the Trackster generator is about half loaded with everything turned on! The Cat 545 Skidder has the most lights, all are LED, and total amp draw is less then 100 amps!!! Haven't finished the Pacific Truck yet, but it's around 80 amps total as of now!
I hope so. I haven't had any problems yet but Kubota's do have quirks. BTW I think your recommendation of 'Also get a cover for it." is a good one. Thinking about it...you're right. Need something permanent, probably on its own switch also so I have separate control of them and the headlights. @Ura-Ki "I have had excellent results putting LED lights all over my Cats, no specific brand recommendations, though like pointed out, look at the reviews. Also you want the brightest..." I'm looking at this one on Amazon, a '20Inch 126W' lightbar (link below). I'd probably have to make up extension power cables to go to the lights mounted on the top of the ROPS but that's no big deal... I am concern if the power switch will fit my blank on the tractor but saw a video where the guy used the same one and it mounted but I couldn't get a good look at it to be sure how it fit. Amazon.com: Nilight - ZH002 20Inch 126W Spot Flood Combo Off Road Led Light Bar 2PCS 18w 4Inch LED Pods With 16AWG Wiring Harness Kit-3 Lead For Tractor, 2 Years Warranty : Automotive
Don't know about tractors, but when I worked on heavy equipment in the mines and had to mount antennas and other equipment outside the cab, we were forbidden from drilling or welding on any ROPS of components of ROPS due to structural weakening. That could possibly cause the ROPS to fail should the equipment roll over some day. Always had to come up with some kind of a clamping scheme or for lighter objects, powerful adhesives.
I have Nilight units that were installed in 2015 still going strong on our news van, and just bought a three piece set for my radio van. They just work. I looked up the set I put on my enclosed trailer on the side and back, they are great with the "side shooters" as it lights the area around you more than creating a light tunnel. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BXKM7Y1X/?tag=survivalmonke-20
I like using light bars or "ditch lights" that are usually for off road vehicles/applications. The last set I got was from tractor supply, they were cheap and work as advertised. -JW
