Ditch Light Brackets? (1 Viewer)

[MrTorgue]

What are the pros and cons of the mirror mounted ditch lights?
I like that location and it seems like the best place to mount them actually. Does it avoid flooding the hood with light and any wind noise etc from the hood mount location? I can see the install being a bit more fiddly as you'd be running the wire through the door.

Any downside I'm missing? The small side by side lights look like they'd fit right infront of the mirror and aim to the sides.

Got a link to those? Kinda like that option.

 

[r2m]

What are the pros and cons of the mirror mounted ditch lights?
I like that location and it seems like the best place to mount them actually. Does it avoid flooding the hood with light and any wind noise etc from the hood mount location? I can see the install being a bit more fiddly as you'd be running the wire through the door.

Any downside I'm missing? The small side by side lights look like they'd fit right infront of the mirror and aim to the sides.

Great question!
Is there a redundancy with both hood and mirror lights.
Or one better than the other??

 

[JZGarage]

Got a link to those? Kinda like that option.

They are Ronin's out of SoCal - Lexus GX460 Ditch Light Brackets - https://roninmetal.com/products/gx460-ditch-light-brackets

Interesting to see so many 460 owners running ditch lights. I've never liked the aesthetic (those Ronin's are pretty sleek, though) and could not justify a set, given how rarely I'm on a trail in the dark. Would love some feedback on how much better they are on trail over a set of decent fogs.

For example, I'm currently running a set of selective yellow Diode Dynamics fogs and a pair of Lightforce Striker LED rectangle "spots" stealth mounted behind my grille. What sort of visibility improvement do ditch lights provide? (I understand they angle out more)

 

[tech703]

They are Ronin's out of SoCal - Lexus GX460 Ditch Light Brackets - https://roninmetal.com/products/gx460-ditch-light-brackets

Interesting to see so many 460 owners running ditch lights. I've never liked the aesthetic (those Ronin's are pretty sleek, though) and could not justify a set, given how rarely I'm on a trail in the dark. Would love some feedback on how much better they are on trail over a set of decent fogs.

For example, I'm currently running a set of selective yellow Diode Dynamics fogs and a pair of Lightforce Striker LED rectangle "spots" stealth mounted behind my grille. What sort of visibility improvement do ditch lights provide? (I understand they angle out more)

View attachment 3338548

since you have the pre-facelift bigger fogs i dont think the hood lights would do much more for you, with the 14+ the fog light is too small imo i tried first with an ssc1 but the output wasnt enough for me straight out. i wouldnt go hood lights with the full size fogs you currently have

 

[Rednexus]

Ditch lights are much better on the trail than a set of fogs. Front-mounted headlights/fog lights only project forward. It's very difficult to see what's coming up in the "ditch" area, off to the sides (where a light would blind oncoming motorists). I learned this the hard way when I was night wheeling - on a trail that I knew well at daytime - and slid off into a deep mudhole just to the right of my rig that I couldn't really see - and had to dig my GX out with a foxhole shovel .

They're pretty handy too if you are driving in an area with a lot of deer/wildlife, as they light up the ditch/road area and allow you to see critters that your headlights really wouldn't catch. Also, they are good if you are driving on narrow roads with drop-offs at the side, as forward-mounted lights don't really cover that area either. My setup includes a set of $110 Cali Raised side-projecting pods, on $15 Amazon brackets, with a $22 CH4x4 switch where my Aux jack was, and $5 relay, so <$200 total considering spare wire/connectors/etc. I use mine maybe monthly and they've been a great mod.

 

[Banandalorian]

They are Ronin's out of SoCal - Lexus GX460 Ditch Light Brackets - https://roninmetal.com/products/gx460-ditch-light-brackets

Interesting to see so many 460 owners running ditch lights. I've never liked the aesthetic (those Ronin's are pretty sleek, though) and could not justify a set, given how rarely I'm on a trail in the dark. Would love some feedback on how much better they are on trail over a set of decent fogs.

I think the Ronin mounts are super cool and may switch to those, or add more lights with them because I can. I have the Baja Designs S2 wide/cornering lamps installed on my current hood brackets and they are angled like 45 degrees off to the side. Aside from the fog lights, a 2017 GX doesn't really need help with forward light. I have my ditch lights set up to illuminate the sides basically between the B pillar and the cutoff of the headlights.
Much of this choice was because I wanted some amber ditch lights so that everyone could see how hard I am trying, but being able to see out of the side windows on narrow, dim, and foggy trails has been nice.

 

[MrTorgue]

They're pretty handy too if you are driving in an area with a lot of deer/wildlife, as they light up the ditch/road area and allow you to see critters that your headlights really wouldn't catch.

BINGO!!! That and just a little extra light curtain around the side during nighttime fog. 100% why I'm going to do something about it.

 

[Rednexus]

BINGO!!! That and just a little extra light curtain around the side during nighttime fog. 100% why I'm going to do something about it.

Yup! I've used them driving in crazy-foggy conditions too (daytime on public roads - but it was super foggy!) Great low-cost mod that provides a lot of safety.

 

[TheNomad]

Because its fun to mod,
but yes, its dusty here in socal and in the dark side floods would add to visibility instead of the tunnel effect.
I plan on putting spots behind the front grills as well.
Better to have it and not need it...

 

[HVLA]

They are Ronin's out of SoCal - Lexus GX460 Ditch Light Brackets - https://roninmetal.com/products/gx460-ditch-light-brackets

Interesting to see so many 460 owners running ditch lights. I've never liked the aesthetic (those Ronin's are pretty sleek, though) and could not justify a set, given how rarely I'm on a trail in the dark. Would love some feedback on how much better they are on trail over a set of decent fogs.

For example, I'm currently running a set of selective yellow Diode Dynamics fogs and a pair of Lightforce Striker LED rectangle "spots" stealth mounted behind my grille. What sort of visibility improvement do ditch lights provide? (I understand they angle out more)

View attachment 3338548

We camp probably 10-15 times a year and 90% of the time we are finding a spot in the dark. So that is my excuse. The lights will help find the trail/road I need to turn on.

Oh and I ended up ordering the NashFabCo. Brackets after getting the amazon ones and seeing how poorly made they were. Installing this week sometime.

 

[TheNomad]

Went ahead and mounted up the hood bracket ditch lights I got. Seems ok, still waiting on a switch.
But...
My wife saw them and asked "what are those things that make it look like a transformer" - she hates them since they just poke outward on an otherwise smooth vehicle.
I have to say that's a good analysis.

I may try the hidden mount like JZgarage and see how the light throws through the slats