90 Series Mounting Driving Lights

[MR Will]

A question for anyone who has mounted driving lights on or into the stock bumper, how have you done this? If you have pictures of the front of your vehicle as inspiration that would be appreciated! I am intending to mount a pair of light bars inside the upper two slots on the bumper as it one of the places where there is something solid to mount them to. If anyone has put lights here did you have issues with it reducing the flow of air into the radiator?

Thanks

 

[KiwiBogan]

A question for anyone who has mounted driving lights on or into the stock bumper, how have you done this? If you have pictures of the front of your vehicle as inspiration that would be appreciated! I am intending to mount a pair of light bars inside the upper two slots on the bumper as it one of the places where there is something solid to mount them to. If anyone has put lights here did you have issues with it reducing the flow of air into the radiator?

Thanks

I'm on holiday so don't have access to a pic right now but i've edited one I do have of my old Prado to show what I did. Basically chunky light bar on top of the bull bar, keeping free air flow in the center hoop. This light was the same length as the center hoop so aesthetically looked awesome (IMO). Then a second light bar up on the roof cage as circled. I'll try and find a pic showing the BB light. Their might be one buried in my phone. To be honest, this light system was fantastic for lighting up the immediate area but it needed a couple of long throw lights in there for 100km/h night driving on country roads (which I do a lot of) as you couldn't see far enough ahead for kangaroos etc on the sides of the road.

I've still got some experimenting to do with my new car light setup but I think I've changed my tune on whether to place spot lamps in the center hoop blocking air flow to the radiator. While troubleshooting on going over heating issues with the old 1KZ Prado, I wonder if I over reacted with removing the front spot lights from the standard location center hoop of the BB? I never actually tested the theory. Once I got the cooling system renewed, I wonder if the spot lights do make that much of a difference to cooling of they could have stayed? Anyone have any real life data on this? I'd be keen to know for my new car

 

[KiwiBogan]

 

[little_joe]

A question for anyone who has mounted driving lights on or into the stock bumper, how have you done this? If you have pictures of the front of your vehicle as inspiration that would be appreciated! I am intending to mount a pair of light bars inside the upper two slots on the bumper as it one of the places where there is something solid to mount them to. If anyone has put lights here did you have issues with it reducing the flow of air into the radiator?

Thanks

Also been interested in this. I was thinking 6" light bars in those 2 open areas would be ideal. My hesitation has also been keeping the airflow intact, then I see folks with steel bumpers, winches, lights etc basically limiting airflow via the grill and no "known" issues. I think once it cools off a bit here, I'ma gonna do it; I have cooling system overhaul queued up anyway, expect everything to be fine...

 

[NambanVZJ95]

Also been interested in this. I was thinking 6" light bars in those 2 open areas would be ideal. My hesitation has also been keeping the airflow intact, then I see folks with steel bumpers, winches, lights etc basically limiting airflow via the grill and no "known" issues. I think once it cools off a bit here, I'ma gonna do it; I have cooling system overhaul queued up anyway, expect everything to be fine...

I did a cooling system overhaul this weekend and discovered some factory looking (fog/driving?) light wires and connectors! Added a Hayden 698 transmission cooler and bypassed the radiator to avoid the dreaded strawberry milkshake. 3rd gen 4Runner radiator and hoses were perfect for the VZJ95. Found neatly folded and taped wires with connectors on each side behind the bumper. They look like they would reach the lower cutouts on the bumper. Not sure what would be needed since my 95 was not optioned with those lights. Maybe just a switch, or could they be wired to the headlights on the stalk?

 

[KiwiBogan]

With the lights, their is a "ring" switch on the same stalk as the normal headlight switch. On my LC100, that switch activates the driving lights in the bullbar (which I'm guessing is what those plugs are you've found). They only activate when the main head lights are on at least 1 click.

Re the trans cooler, I installed one of them (reputable brand) and it ended up leaking and becoming a pain in my ass. Never had a trans overheat even in hot conditions towing Max weight capacity in summer up big hills and all. See how ya go but if it causes problems, don't be deterred from putting it all back to stock. Theirs nothing wrong with the stock setup and the whole strawberry milkshake thing isn't as much of a threat as people make out IMO. Particularly with a new radiator.