Work lights on my Max 22

[kootch88]

I ordered some 18w LED lights I plan to mount on the front of my tractor. I found I did not have nearly enough light while blowing snow and I do use them with the loader from time to time. I am going to take some solid stock steel and weld it into an upside down u that extends 6 inches beyond, then bolt them to the outside of my grill guard. Then I will wire them directly into my headlights so I won't have to add a switch to a limited space dash.

Any thoughts or comments? These are flood lights with a 60 degree beam.

 

[djp1218]

sounds like you have thought it out and know what you are doing

 

[DavesTractor]

Here is a photo of normal headlights on the right, and then with a pair of Rigid LEDs we mounted on the left.

The Rigid LEDs make the stock lights seem like candles. We mounted these to brackets that bolt to the base of the ROPS. I was with the tractor when we took these pictures, and it is a fairly accurate depiction. We kept the F-stop and shutter time the same...so no camera tricks.

 

[J F]

Wow, that's amazing Dave.

 

[BleedingOrange]

Can you give us a part number of the exact lights you ordered ? That is an amazing difference.

 

[murphy1244]

Wow that's bright.

 

[DavesTractor]

Can you give us a part number of the exact lights you ordered ? That is an amazing difference.

Rigid Dually flood 20211 for the pair, and on the back we use Dually diffused 60 degree lens, part number 20251 for a pair. They are roughly $200 per pair with a switch and wiring harness, and worth every penny. Here is a picture of the diffused on the rear. The diffused doesn't reach out much, but it really lights up the immediate area. I like the diffused for the rear light(s).

 

[kootch88]

Are the front lights diffused? That is something else. I tried mounting behind the soft cab but there was too much reflection to see through the cab while blowing snow. I just turned that set around so i could see behind me and cars could also see me better as well.

 

[DavesTractor]

The rear is diffused, the front are floods. The spots really reach out, but make too slim of a pattern for a tractor I think. Floods seems perfect. With a cab, it would be best to mount them up high. When we sell a 3616 cab, we will offer the LED's swapped out for the factory bulbs in the factory locations. People cringe at first at the cost if they are not familiar with high-end LEDs, then the first time they use them it becomes one of their favorite tractor talking points.

On the Max 22/25 without a cab, we have a bracket we manufacture that mounts at the base of the ROPS and offers two mount points on each bracket. Really, one light forward and one back is enough, but two is even better!

 

[kootch88]

I can't get the tractor in the garage if I mount them on top of the ROPS ( I have about 1/8th of an inch extra) so i am welding up a bracket that I will mount to the front of the grill guard so there will be no glare on the front plastic to the soft cab. These are flood also in front.

 

[DavesTractor]

I can't get the tractor in the garage if I mount them on top of the ROPS ( I have about 1/8th of an inch extra) so i am welding up a bracket that I will mount to the front of the grill guard so there will be no glare on the front plastic to the soft cab. These are flood also in front.

I like that idea. We probably should make a mount kit for the grill guard. The higher the better for lights I think, but LEDs are so bright that you can get away with less than optimal placement and still throw out a lot of light. The pictures I showed earlier in this thread were from lights mounted at the base of the ROPS, and they are still amazing.

 

[kootch88]

Once I have them painted I will post photos.

 

[DavesTractor]

Here is our ROPS base bracket. Folks should feel free to copy our design. It works well. It would not be good for a soft cab obviously.

 

[kootch88]

<img src="http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=308326"/>

Here is our ROPS base bracket. Folks should feel free to copy our design. It works well. It would not be good for a soft cab obviously.

Wow, those are one big heat sink, they generate that much heat?

 

[DavesTractor]

Wow, those are one big heat sink, they generate that much heat?

Seems the heat sink is oversized, but then again these are Rigid made units and supposed to last about forever. There is a YouTube destruction video about these where they drag them behind a truck, shoot them with guns, saw them in half, etc. Basically, they keep on working. They are over built.

 

[Shift4200]

Hey guys, Long time lurker, first time poster.

I'm a new owner of a Max25. Purchased with FEL, MMM, 60" Woods rake and 60in Rear blade. Rake and blade were used, but other than paint in perfect condition.

Anyway, had my first crack at snow removal last night. I live in RI and we had a small storm in the area of 3-4in. Glad Ma Nature started us off slow so i could get a feel for it. My driveway is about 1100 ft, 800 of that being a decent uphill grade (or downhill... guess it depends where you are standing). No issues with traction or power at all.... i did take up a little gravel at first, but it wasnt so bad once i reversed the blade and used the back side. I do have a set of chains for when winter really sets in... but for now the Industrial tires seem to do just fine.

I have sent DavesTractor a PM about this, but figured it a good time to drop my first post.

I'm drooling over those ROPS light brackets Dave has pictured. I did just fine with the lighting that comes stock on my Max, but i can see where more would be beneficial... especially out the back. I'm not much for fabrication or welding... so making something like this myself just isn't an option right now. Wondered if anyone knows where i can score a pair of these beauties.

Dave, in the pic you posted showing the difference in lighting (stock vs w the rigid lights). Am i correct in thinking you have 2 spots pointing forward, and one flood pointing back... or is it 2x2? Those images show quite a difference.

Lastly, anyone ever try magnetic lighting up on the ROPS? I know they make some with beastly magnets, but wonder how they'd fair with the vibration.

Thanks in advance guys....

-J

 

[kootch88]

On the MAX 22 & 25 there is a white wire behind the seat which is hot that you can hook the wires to. The only problem is it is hot at all times when the ignition is on. I hooked a set of lights facing backwards also, 35 watt halogens. They throw more than enough light so i can see backing up at night while I am blowing snow.

 

[Shift4200]

I like the idea of using the factory wiring. Personally i would consider adding a toggle btwn that hot wire and the lights so I have an option to turn on and off. At the very least I'd put one on the the rear facing light just in case. I really like the looks of the Rigid LED lights that Davestractor talked about. Now it's all about mounting options. Kootch, how did you mount your rear facing lights? I hate drilling and avoid it if at all possible. And the though of drilling into the ROPS is a turn off.

Kootch, I've read alot of your posts, and will say that you played a part in me deciding to go Mahindra vs Kubota. I know that sounds creepy, but like i said before... I lurked this site for months.

 

[kootch88]

I took a 1 1/2 x 4" piece of metal and drilled a hole for the light, attached the wire and used a tec screw to ground it and mounted the light right around the bracket for the turn signal. I'll take a picture of it this evening if you like. It took me all of ten minutes to wire and mount the light since the wire already had a male barbed end on it. I didn't cut any wires, I just tied them up tight with a zip tie.

 

[Shift4200]

I took a 1 1/2 x 4" piece of metal and drilled a hole for the light, attached the wire and used a tec screw to ground it and mounted the light right around the bracket for the turn signal. I'll take a picture of it this evening if you like. It took me all of ten minutes to wire and mount the light since the wire already had a male barbed end on it. I didn't cut any wires, I just tied them up tight with a zip tie.

I would love to see how that bracket works. I have plenty of tools to do a project like that, so this would be in my wheelhouse. I did see your pictures of the front light bracket you made. Looks very well done... and having the lights up front would eliminate my next concern....

Curious to how much light hits the work area on lights mounted on the fenders. Just wondering if they have any adverse effects being mounted behind the operator, under eye level.

I don't know, I may be over-thinking the whole thing... but i tend to do that.