Light bars will help you illuminate large areas to help you see better if you're driving in the dark. While they're popular for road use, many LED light bar for truck applications are also effective for off-roading. Regardless of why you need an LED light bar for your truck, finding the best option is complicated because there are tons of available products.
The good news is that we're here to help you find the best LED light bar for your truck. We'll take you through where you can install them, what to look for in an LED light bar, and show you some of the best options on the market.
Understanding LED Light Bars
Before you jump into the best LED light bars it's important to understand some key features about them. You'll want to understand how brightness, size, and power requirements impact your options.
What is a LED Light Bar?
A LED light bar is a lighting fixture that utilizes Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs) as its light source. These light bars typically consist of multiple LED bulbs arranged in a linear or rectangular configuration, housed within a durable casing. LED light bars are popular in automotive applications, particularly on off-road vehicles, trucks, and SUVs, where they are mounted on the roof, front bumper, or grille to provide enhanced visibility in low-light conditions or off-road environments. LED light bars offer several advantages over traditional lighting technologies, including higher energy efficiency, longer lifespan, and increased durability. They produce bright, focused beams of light with minimal power consumption, making them ideal for illuminating dark trails or work areas. Additionally, LED light bars are available in various sizes, shapes, and beam patterns to suit different lighting needs, from spotlights for long-distance visibility to floodlights for wider coverage. Overall, LED light bars have become a popular lighting solution for automotive enthusiasts, off-road adventurers, and professionals seeking reliable and efficient illumination in challenging conditions.
Housing and Construction
The type of truck light bar housing that you select will determine how well it performs and how long it lasts. You want LED light bars that are made with aluminum or polycarbonate for the best performance. Aluminum is heavier but offers more protection, whereas polycarbonate is a type of plastic that's lighter and more flexible.
Also, make sure the housing is transparent to ensure that the light goes through.
Mount Type
There are two ways to mount a light bar for truck applications. Location aside, you must first choose between hard and magnetic mounts. Hard mounts must be secured to your vehicle with clamps, screws, and other components. This secures the light bar to your vehicle, which helps it resist shock from bumps, thieves, and coming loose.
Magnetic mounts, on the other hand, are typically found in small light bar kits. Magnetic mounts don't need to be secured to your vehicle and can be removed with ease when you're not using them.
Size
The size of a light bar is one of the most important factors to consider. Common sizes for small light bars are 18 to 20 inches, whereas larger light bars can be more than 48 to 50 inches. The size of the light bar determines where you can mount it. For example, 50-inch light bars might not fit properly on your cab.
Brightness
The brightness of an LED light bar is measured as lumens. It's not uncommon to find light bars that have up to 50,000 lumens.
Where You Can Install Your LED Light Bars?
Light bars are mountable in several locations and it's one of the first factors to consider when shopping for one. A good rule of thumb to follow is that light bars under 50 inches are more flexible than light bars that are greater in length than 50 inches. Learn about some of the most common places to mount an LED light bar below.
Tailgate
One of the most popular options for an LED light bar mount is the tailgate of your truck. A tailgate mount for your truck is a great option if you want to have brighter running lights or more lights connected to your brake system. This is a great choice for service vehicles and people who partake in some nighttime off-roading.
When mounting an LED light bar on your tailgate the best place for mounting is above the bumper. Lights on your bumper are prone to damage from dust, debris, or accidents. For this reason, placing the light bar above the bumper will give you some distance between anything that wants to damage it.
Rear Bumper
A rear bumper LED light bar is a great choice for people who need to hitch trailers or need assistance with backing into tight spaces. Many work trucks will have these and they can be mounted anywhere on the rear bumper.
That said, most rear bumper LED light bars for trucks are inserted into the bumper through open spaces but this depends on the vehicle's manufacturer. Also, most rear bumper bars consist of two or three light bars instead of one long unit. This design makes installation easier.
Spotlights
Another popular mounting location includes your mirrors, the back of your truck's cab, or the roof of your truck. You can mount these lights in other places as well because they're small, single light fixtures.
These lights are known as spotlights, and they help you see in bad weather conditions. Spotlights are also useful at night and during bouts of off-roading if you end up out there at night.
Front of the Vehicle
One of the most popular locations to mount your light bar is at the front of the vehicle. On the front of your vehicle, you have a few options. You can mount an LED light bar on your cab's hood, bumper, or top.
The front of your truck also gives you a lot of options. You can install large light bars on the bumper or hood and smaller ones on the top of the cab. It's also easier to find light bars with higher lumens for the front of your vehicle, and they're useful for many driving applications.
Depending on where you mount the light bar, you might need to use screws or make changes to the body of your truck, so keep this in mind.
Top LED Light Bars to Enhance Your Jeep or Truck
Light bars come in a wide range of shapes and sizes. Plenty of options are available, and you can make these work for most builds. Below we list some of the best LED light bars for trucks.
1. JEGS CREE LED Double Row Light Bar with Black Panel
The JEGS CREE LED Double Row Light Bar with Black Panel is one of the best-looking options you'll find and it performs well compared to similar-sized light bars. It's packed with LEDs that shine bright with 25,920 lumens, so darkness will be a non-factor during your next off-roading adventure.
The JEGS CREE Double Row Light Bar also features an aluminum housing that's painted black to match OEM style, is weather resistant (IP67), and is easy to mount. In fact, it comes with all of the mounting gear you'll need (wiring harness aside). To mount it, just bolt it on and hit the road.
JEGS CREE light bars are available as straight light bars, curved variations, and a wide range of sizes.
2. Hella ValueFit Design 6 LED Light Bar
Looking for something small, affordable, and flexible? The Hella ValueFit LED light bar is inexpensive, easy to mount, and bright enough to light up the night. It's packed with six powerful LED lights producing over 3,000 lumens. While it's affordable, none of the parts are cheap. It's made with aluminum diecast housing, so you don't have to worry about rain or water ruining your next adventure.
Hella ValueFit light bars come in a handful of sizes that give you plenty of customization options.
3. Baja Designs OnX6+ Straight LED Light Bar
When you want a universal-fit LED light bar for your truck, the Baja Designs OnX6+ Straight LED Light Bar is one of the best options. It comes loaded with just under 25,000 lumens, more than 60 percent brighter than Baja's previous generation. Some other specs include a waterproof design (IP69K), a 49,000-hour lifespan, and black housing that matches most truck styles.
Baja Designs also includes all of the mounting hardware you need to get started.
4. ORACLE Lighting LED Light Bar with Multi-Function Reflector Facing Technology
ORACLE is also one of the best LED light bar manufacturers and this model is among some of the company's best options. It has just under 15,000 lumens and features CREE Diodes and heavy-duty housings that give this unit about 50,000 hours of service.
Overall, it's one of the best choices if you're looking for an auxiliary light bar that doesn't consume tons of power like some other light bar options. It's available in a few sizes and with amber and white LED lights.
5. Hella Black Magic Series Slim Spot LED Light Bar
https://www.jegs.com/i/Hella/288/358176331/10002/-1
The Hella Black Magic Series Slim Spot LED Light Bar belongs to a series of light bars that come in a wide range of sizes and configurations. There are light bars that you can mount to your mirrors and plenty of large light bars, like this 50-inch option, that can mount to your cab, hood, or bumper.
That said, this light bar features 54 total LEDs that are protected in a housing with an IP68 rating, which makes it waterproof in the majority of off-roading applications. It also comes with some innovative technology like an integrated thermal sensor that prevents the LEDs from overheating based on ambient temperatures.
Everything that comes in the box is also easy to work with. It can accommodate pendant or upright mounting and comes with an extra long, 6.5-foot cable to make connecting it a breeze.
