driving lights / light bars??

[mudgee hunter]

Depends on youf luck!
I did hear light bars on the roof racks are really bad when on in the rain!
Rain drops reflection back into you.
but yeah I have heard more than 6 people I know getting a fine for them on top of the bull bar hey!

 

[7.62marksman]

i have done rego every year and been pulled over by just about every RBT/Veh inspection site in the Shoalhaven
had the Turtle inspected countless times by our persons (political correct) in blue for road worthy and no one has said anything about them
so yes maybe i am just lucky and one day i am sure that will change O O O O O O O

 

[Rockhunter62]

I beleive that they think if the lights are above the bonnet roll that they obscure your vision. Spotlights must also be mounted as pairs. A single lightbar is considered a pair.

Cheers

Doug

 

[7.62marksman]

Lately, we have seen reforms on LED light bar mounting from Queensland, South Australia and more recently Western Australia. NSW Roads and Maritime Services is a little late to the party, but has finally released the new amended laws surrounding the fitment of LED light bars. While previously the law dictated that auxiliary driving lights must be fitted in pairs, NSW residents now can run with just one LED light bar if so desired. But as always, there is a catch!
ADR13 has been amended to remove the requirement to fit lights in pairs, providing the lights:
Do not exceed four in total
Are wired in conjunction with the high beam circuit of the vehicle
Are fitted symmetrically about the longitudinal centreline
Face towards the front of the vehicle
Roads and Maritime now exempt vehicles from the requirement to fit additional lights in pairs, as long as all other requirements are met

Since ADR13 first came into effect in 2007, its been revised a total of four times each time bringing a few tweaks here and there for technical clarifications like the distances between side marker lights and the angle of visibility of a semi-trailers reverse lights. But its rule 7.3.2.1 that is the biggest change for 4X4 owners. Where it used to state pairs of two or four it now simply states up to a maximum of four. Theres also been some confusion over just exactly how many lights an LED light bar actually counts as, and thats recently been clarified as a lamp where multiple light sources operate simultaneously from a single enclosed assembly. One light bar, one light.
Of course theres all the rules youd expect like fog lamps operating independent from the headlights, and driving lights to be connected to high beams and automatically turning off when low beams are selected. Theres also no requirement for having them selectable so they can run straight off the high-beam switch.

On the mounting front they need to be mounted symmetrically along the centre line of the vehicle, so a 10in bar on the drivers side will also need a 10in bar on the passenger side; although one bar in the dead centre will also tick the boxes. They need to be mounted at the front of the vehicle, and be positioned in a way that wont reflect light back at the driver (7.3.4.3).
Theres bad news for some though, as bars fitted above most bullbars will earn you a defect for a number of reasons. They contravene ADRs for bullbars by having solid-mounted accessories sticking outside the normal profile of the vehicle or bar, but theyll also run afoul of ADR13 by blocking the drivers field of view. The simple rules are: Keep them symmetrical and wired to the high beams, and if you can see them from the drivers seat theyre probably illegal.

One bit of wording to pay close attention to is up to a maximum of four. This refers to additional lights so it includes fog lamps in a bullbar if the vehicle wasnt originally fitted with them. Two new fog lights on the bar and a pair of HIDs in the middle will mean a light bar will count as a fifth light and be illegal no matter where its mounted.

BUT CAN THEY BE MOUNTED ON THE ROOF?
While there is no provision in the ADRs that state you cannot have light bars mounted to the roof, each states road authority can make the call themselves over whether its illegal or not. We spoke to them all and discovered two things: The whole system is a dogs breakfast and sorely needs to be standardised across the country, and trying to get an answer out of these departments is akin to getting blood from a stone. But here are the answers we eventually did get.

 

[travelergold]

In south australia the regs state no lights above drivers eyesight line of vision straight ahead. They also state only 2 lights - low beam with traffic coming toward you from certain distance. Those driving lights that people install and lights on newer cars will cop you a fine if you have them on with your normal lights on low beam if oncoming car is within certain distance.
There is also regulations about vision being blocked by any object, ie lights, air filters, luggage racks mounted on front of bullbar ect.
Just know this as have had to deal with it regarding modified vehicles here.
Just another point also, the taxi's that have there radio box's mounted on there dash above the speedo will also fall into a no no category as block drivers position yet there is plenty that are still mounted there. (An argument we used for a blower and carbs 3 3/4 " out the bonnet) never win with gov. here.

 

[user 7268]

All the quotes of rules and regs correct or not really makes no difference. :/ It all boils down to the interpretation of the enforcer at the time. Unless you can prove that your "mod" complies, his ruling will stand until such time as you are deemed to have complied. You also may have complied with all ADR's regards lighting, but then the enforcer can just claim it's creates a danger to pedestrians if struck with your vehicle (Think it comes under Protruding Vehicle Accessories and Equipment ? ) So again the man on the day has the power. ower:
In effect it's not much different to submitting a vehicle to four different roadworthy testers and I can guarantee you will get at least three different lists regarding vehicle defects

 

[Tathradj]

Police only have to have,
"Reasonable Suspicion. "
It is then up to you to argue
your case.

 

[Ridge Runner]

I have always used the Original "Round" IPF Super Off Roaders, I think they were called the IPF900, One is round and the others are Rectangle so I might have the number wrong, But at the moment I am using the Original made in Belgium Cibie Super Oscars/ Rally Lights, I don't know where the new ones are made but I am going t add a couple of pencil beam ones on there too, :Y:

 

[mudgee hunter]

Yeah, the old fishing rod racks on the bar have all but near disappeared now. I do remember my father telling a story many years ago of a woman being struck by a car having the swon hood ornament embedded in her chest!
New bars are now meant to replicate the front profile of the vehicle....
but why the make them 20mm off the vehicle undoes their function!
75mm clearance minimum off the vehicle is common sense!
Even decent heavy steel bars wil, bend that much hitting a skippy doing a dollar!

 

[mudgee hunter]

Just started a new thread of different bull bars, steel vs alloy vs plastic etc, as I was starting to wander of this original topic!

 

[Ded Driver]

in WA we tend to get away with all kinds of lighting WHEN OUT OF TOWN. just don't get caught running bright spotties around town, or fail to dip quickly enough if a cop comes head-on.
Lots of people here run light bars on their roof rack. There are separate rules governing these, re off-road use only.
I run old style deep dish high polish 1 pencil + 1 spread IPF 900 with 55W HID conversion. The range on these suckers is incredible. Reflectors light up like car headlights at 2km!! but,,, I have to dip for large road signs as the reflection blinds me. Interestingly, my brother has the later series IPF 900XS (not as deep dished) which we put the same 55W HID in but they are notably not as good as mine.
I also have 1 pencil + 1 spread Narva with 130W halogen. The HIDs are near useless in fog & heavy rain, as they create a 'white wall' in front. This is where the more yellowish halogen are better & I have them mounted down low.
I also have a 12" LED bar between the HIDs that I use as a highbeam supplement/infill, but it too is an issue in fog & rain.
When way out in inland areas where there is very little to no traffic at night I turn everything on. DAYLIGHT ARRIVES!

NB. I still have a pair of 150W halogen light aircraft landing lights in my shed, but I don't use them anymore as the HID are as good for 1/3 the power. The aircraft lights are rated as 15V but run ok on 13.5V when driving (ya don't run them just on battery 12V with engine off), & you need really heavy cable to minimise any voltage drop. You could warm your hands at 6ft from those *******s!

 

[steelPHASE]

I have a cpl of 9" HIDS and a 20" LED bar and a cpl of 7" LED bars. They are all separately switchable (or all on at once) via switches in a roof console. The 7" LED's are angled to give a very wide spread.

I never use them on the road and are purely for in the bush as I have changed all my normal lights for LED bulbs and they give out plenty of light for normal driving.

 

[PATRACE7073]

I have a 9 inch plus a 22inch light bar on my patrol. 9 Inch from supacenter and bar from BAP offroad and they are very good and good warranty. Being an elect I cant justify the price of some of the big retailers, but getting the wiring right is very important. I have done 5 trips from Perth to FNQ and can say they are very good with no issues with them.

 

[vstrom]

Just got mine fitted legally in vic and must be in line with headlights and not be past bumper or bar must be connect to high beam on a separate switch and must point forward.

 

[crustydog]

The 4x4 supacentre spotties lenses do yellow with age. I had the Stedi brand lights previous to the supercenter ones. Hit a roo at 100 and absolutely flattened the mounting brackets, but the lights held up perfectly. Ill be contacting Stedi about buying some replacement brackets.
Ive run a light bar above the top rail for years with no issues from police, have just fitted one to the new hilux. Im just going to wear the fine if and when it comes, in my opinion the small amount of vision it obscures is well and truly offset by the increased safety of the extra night time visibility.

 

[Dog Ranger]

Only way to go ? The height gives better illumination and even more important doesn't reduce air flow across the radiator core, new vehicles run hot enough already.without having rad effectiveness reduced. Pic above probably a good example as covers almost a third of rad surface. Hot day with air con on so rad is already getting even hotter air thru condenser it could struggle big time
Stedi lights :Y: