Fog lts for Ram 2500?

[GordonThree]

One thing I missed out on with my new Ram is fog lights... the bumper doesn't even have cut-outs for them.

A lot of gear heads seem to be putting 200-400 watt led bars in the space between the recovery hooks, but that's not what I'm after.

I don't want a blinding blue-white flood light shining out from the bumper, I don't think it would help much in fog / heavy snow and certainly wouldn't be legal for highway use.

I'd like either a pair 40-50 watt or a single 80-100 watt led bar to put in there, YELLOW or AMBER, not blue-white.

So far I've found two options. M4 Products has a 40" yellow + white bar and SuperbrightLEDs has a 18" yellow bar (would get two).

The 40" requires removal of the "recovery" hooks, the 18" can be installed "under" the hooks. I'm not impressed with those bumper mounted hooks, so they won't be missed if need be.

Any other suggestions out there?

[landyacht318]

I have the same LED lights Mex posted. The spot light versions that have smooth reflectors. The flood light versions have stippled reflectors.

I have them wired to come on with my High beams, and Aimed for that task. And they work well for this task.
They have a very tight narrow beam, but nothing like a dedicated fog beam should have, depending on if you believe those who study automotive lighting and have actual data rather than an impression of more light make feel good warm and fuzzy..

I have to admit that my LED high beam assists were partly installed so I could return the favor when blinded by the huge amounts of nitwits who drop LED and HIDs into halogen housings and blind everybody on the other side of the road.

If your light's glare makes spots before my Eyes, I will return the favor, and we can both be blinded and dangerous.

The LEDs I have, the endcap bolts were not torqued properly and would have leaked. One of the gaskets on the endcap was folded in half too.

The clear lens is polycarbonate, not glass, they will get foggy with a lot of exposure to UV light.

Actual fog lights are supposed to have a wide flat beam with little to no upwards straying light. Yellow does not cut through fog, it is just easier on the human eyebulb.

Any film put in front of lens is going to cut light output.

The halogen bulbs advertised as white, have a blue coating on the bulb, which significantly reduces overall light output, forcing the manufacturers to overdrive the filament to meet the minimum standards of actual light output, and bulb life is decreased for it. Yet they claim brighter and whiter. Sylvania got called on their BS and had to pay 30 million dollars back to consumers for their false claims of more light of their silverstar lineup

But the light does appear whiter, which makes the human behind it think it is brighter.

With lighting, you simply cannot believe what your eyes tell you. there is feel good foreground light and actual lighting which will help one actually see road hazards better.

But screw actual data when subjective impressions can be shouted.

Then there are fashion accessories that get to eat up another 110 watts, and cause excessive glare to other drivers that yield no improvement in the ability of the human eyeball to see.

Marketing warm and fuzzies wins again.

If one wants actual fog lights, get actual fog lights designed for that purpose and Aim them properly to get the benefit of an actual fog light.

[westend]

MEXICOWANDERER wrote:
My fog lamps are above the bumper and they work superb. Celso had a Dodge 6 wheel and the factory fog lights were worthless. When they burned out he pulled them. Then again many folks could care less for function - they want inactive auto jewelery.

Mex, I'm sure you have the engineering and functionality right.

Up here, every other car has small foglights on, maybe a string of small LED "bling" lights, and a blinding, focused HID lamp. I hate the **** things. Every time an oncoming car tops a hill or comes around a corner there is a moment when the focused beam is straight in my eyes.

Next gen is laser and they are in some Euro cars already.

[MEXICOWANDERER]

My fog lamps are above the bumper and they work superb. Celso had a Dodge 6 wheel and the factory fog lights were worthless. When they burned out he pulled them. Then again many folks could care less for function - they want inactive auto jewelery.

[westend]

DarthMuffin wrote:

cmeade wrote:
The tradesman trim level has a solid bumper with no cutouts for fog lites. IMHO it would not look as great with add on bolt on fog lites. My factory fog lites look and work great. When I look at Rams without fog lites it looks kind of plain and stripped.

I think I would start looking at junk yards for a bumper with fog lights in it. If every other trim model came with the cutouts it shouldn't be too hard to find. Could even grab wiring harness and switch while there. I'm not up on my Dodge trucks so I can't say if earlier year bumpers are the same, but possible.

X2
My experience with hanging fog lights under the bumper is that they soon disappear with inadvertent parking situations or road hazard.

BTW, you may be able get the fogs lights still existing in their location if you source the bumper from a wrecking yard. This would make the buying decision vis. money a bit more attractive since you won't be buying aftermarket lights. If Dodge put the same light wiring harness in the Tradesman as other trucks, it may be a plug-and-play refitment.

[MEXICOWANDERER]

How hard can it be? Factory lights are garbage. Yellow aftermarket lights are a joke. These lamps will not glare-back blind, and they are POWERFUL. The window tint goes inside the glass and lasts forever.

I have a pile of yellow lights that belong as prizes in a crackerjack box.

[MEXICOWANDERER]

• 18watt cree lights
• Roll of yellow window tint bought eBay
• Take lens out of CREE lamp using metric hex key
• Smear yellow tint across glass lens
• reassemble.

Then you will not end up with a 69 cent toy that will not fail after the first damp. This cripple is doing 8 emergency lamps this way this coming weekend. If you want garbage toys, that's one thing. f you want lamps that are bright, dependable and last for years that's another. Trash bin online amber lamps sell for six dollars, They are worth 47 cents and you still end up screwed.

[DarthMuffin]

cmeade wrote:
The tradesman trim level has a solid bumper with no cutouts for fog lites. IMHO it would not look as great with add on bolt on fog lites. My factory fog lites look and work great. When I look at Rams without fog lites it looks kind of plain and stripped.

I think I would start looking at junk yards for a bumper with fog lights in it. If every other trim model came with the cutouts it shouldn't be too hard to find. Could even grab wiring harness and switch while there. I'm not up on my Dodge trucks so I can't say if earlier year bumpers are the same, but possible.

[GordonThree]

It's a valid concern, if other folks reading this are considering the same - double check if you have a state inspection program.

Michigan does not, and I don't see that changing anytime soon. As long as I'm not being an arse with the lights, I don't see getting pulled over for it either, even out of state.

[B_O__Plenty]

RoyB wrote:
Just be sure what you mount is DOT APPROVED which also includes how the added lights come on. You sure don't want any surprises when you go in for a DOT Safety Inspection and have to remove such before passing the safety inspection.

Being a OFF-ROAD Truck and Jeep guy over the years I can say I have been there done that already hehe...

Even the lens are to be DOT Approved as well. It will have a DOT# stamped in the lens area.

Roy Ken

I have been driving pickups for over 40 years and have never had a DOT inspection on one yet. Large commercial trucks yes, but pickups no..I'm not going to worry about it.

B.O.

[GordonThree]

filthy beast wrote:


Whatever they are called, I use these lights all the time. I figure the more light emanating from the front of the truck, the better I will be seen in marginal situations, or any conditions for that matter.

Me too - the name's not important.

I'm looking for small YELLOW/AMBER light emitting diode LED lamps to attach to the front of my truck.

It's a stripper model, the tradesman, with a plain front bumper. aftermarket lights go in the gap between the front recovery hooks, or you add bull bars / winch mount and they go on there.

Seem to be a bazllion options for white, but amber is limited.

After emailing with Steve at M4 Products, I think that's the light I'm after. Amber when the fog or snow is thick like pea soup, or white when I'm out in the boonies after dark. The light has dual-chip LEDs, with both white and amber chips in one package. A relay is needed to make sure only one chip receives power at a time or I guess the world ends.

[filthy_beast]

landyacht318 wrote:
You looking for supplemental low beams, supplemental high beams or actual fog lights?

Each one has a separate function and beam design.

Actual fog lights are a very wide beam with a very defined cutoff so very little light strays upward and reflects of the water droplets making it harder to see.

most Fog lights that come on New vehicles are just supplemental low beams with no benefit in actual foggy conditions. fashion accessories really.

https://www.amazon.com/Cibie-68716-Cesar-Square-Lamp/dp/B008DQV8D6

http://www.danielsternlighting.com/tech/lights/fog_lamps/fog_lamps.html

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00K8PE9FY/?tag=2402507-20

Whatever they are called, I use these lights all the time. I figure the more light emanating from the front of the truck, the better I will be seen in marginal situations, or any conditions for that matter.

[MEXICOWANDERER]

I am on the road. Just drove through 45 miles of dense dark fog. I have the following tight beam white lights and I would not trade them for 50 sets of factory or aftermarket lamps. These light up the road with minimum glare back.

eBay search

CREE 18 WATT LED LAMPS.

They are waterproof. Glass lens with stainless hardware. Black aluminum. For lighting in fog they make a joke out of $200 Hellas. 18 watts of BRIGHT BRIGHT BRIGHT white narrow beam. About $15. USA vendor.

400 miles of road ahead today...

[RoyB]

Just be sure what you mount is DOT APPROVED which also includes how the added lights come on. You sure don't want any surprises when you go in for a DOT Safety Inspection and have to remove such before passing the safety inspection.

Being a OFF-ROAD Truck and Jeep guy over the years I can say I have been there done that already hehe...

Even the lens are to be DOT Approved as well. It will have a DOT# stamped in the lens area.

Roy Ken

[landyacht318]

You looking for supplemental low beams, supplemental high beams or actual fog lights?

Each one has a separate function and beam design.

Actual fog lights are a very wide beam with a very defined cutoff so very little light strays upward and reflects of the water droplets making it harder to see.

most Fog lights that come on New vehicles are just supplemental low beams with no benefit in actual foggy conditions. fashion accessories really.

https://www.amazon.com/Cibie-68716-Cesar-Square-Lamp/dp/B008DQV8D6

http://www.danielsternlighting.com/tech/lights/fog_lamps/fog_lamps.html

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00K8PE9FY/?tag=2402507-20