4 link, ORI's, narrowed D60w/only 2.5" lift, 5"+WB stretch, 2" floor lower, P/S....,

[EricLar80]

Nope, the grote LED has the same lense contour as stock sealed beam.

https://www.instagram.com/p/B42p0CWBnSG/?igshid=1cqw0vsgcw1jk

Good to know, thanks. May have to switch over if you guys are also happy with the beam pattern.

 

[68ford]

Good to know, thanks. May have to switch over if you guys are also happy with the beam pattern.

Beam pattern is awesome. It's so nice being able to see off to the side on trails and for me in dunes.

 

[EricLar80]

Beam pattern is awesome. It's so nice being able to see off to the side on trails and for me in dunes.

Ok, I'm sold and just bought a pair.

(20% off coupon at Advance Auto is great! - thanks for the tip.)

 

[nvrstuk]

You'll love em. Got another local who just bought a set.

I can get a pic from the side to show the profile

 

[ssray]

Ok, I'm sold and just bought a pair.

(20% off coupon at Advance Auto is great! - thanks for the tip.)

Let us know how they compare with the trucklites. I’ve been running those in “another vehicle” for 5 or 6 years and haven’t had any problems. The pattern is a bit squirrelly out in front of the vehicle a ways but they really light the road. Also have a blackout kind of look in daylight which I like.

Thanks! Scott....from 4-link to lights. LOL

 

[EricLar80]

It’s going to be a while before I can really test them. My Bronco is currently in a million pieces... but the deal was good and I can toss them on the shelf until I’m ready. Can’t imagine them being worse than stock, and I don’t really need them to be better than the truck lites.

 

[nvrstuk]

I seriously looked at the Truck lights... read, watched several comparisons and light pattern videos and I decided I would go without LED's before I used them mainly because of the money for them. I tried my Hella H4's with 130/90's and I was impressed... bit bright for town tho.

 

[nvrstuk]

I did some pretty good comparison tests between the Grote's, stock 2018 F150 hdlts, stock CRV 2018 hdlts, and two other pairs of aftermarket LED's.

Grotes won the comparison. I took distance pics on my 800' straight section of my driveway. flat, same spacing, fence to the right 20' off, and open field on the left.

Then comparison pics on my bridge showing distance to a farmhouse across my field and the County road. 1200+ ft.

Less scattered light with the Grotes up high to the right and left appr. 8' plus up on trees meaning the Grotes have a more accurate reflector and less glare with snow/rain.

 

[marjama]

Interesting...I am going to have to check these lights out. I've been running Cibie E-Codes in literally every vintage vehicle I have and they are usually pretty good (though, as I was reminded the hard way on my '69 F100...they will overheat the switch if you don't modify the stock wiring with relays!). The comparison pics with the Hella's are sure telling though!

Any issues getting flashed by oncoming drivers with the Grote lights?

I did some pretty good comparison tests between the Grote's, stock 2018 F150 hdlts, stock CRV 2018 hdlts, and two other pairs of aftermarket LED's.

Grotes won the comparison. I took distance pics on my 800' straight section of my driveway. flat, same spacing, fence to the right 20' off, and open field on the left.

Then comparison pics on my bridge showing distance to a farmhouse across my field and the County road. 1200+ ft.

Less scattered light with the Grotes up high to the right and left appr. 8' plus up on trees meaning the Grotes have a more accurate reflector and less glare with snow/rain.

 

[marjama]

...I'll be curious to see how the Grote's work when you are out snowbashing. Not sure if other mfg's do it, but Rigid has a more expensive set that had heated lenses to melt snow and ice since the LED's don't make the heat that a standard bulb does.

 

[nvrstuk]

Heated lenses would be nice but for a couple hundred more and the distance I drive now on highways when its snowing is 100% different from the days where our Bronco was our only vehicle and drove hrs at a time thru snowstorms....

When I'm snow bashing we stop so often to pull others out that it will be easy to see if they are getting covered & and brush off if needed!

Haven't been flashed once and I check to see if my lights are shining thru windshields and lighting up faces or if people are turning rear view mirrors or not... so far, no "symptoms" so I feel they've passed the test.

 

[ssray]

Grote has 4 x6” lights in the hi/low versions that are heated, can’t remember if there was a 7” round heated but I couldn’t find anyone that had them to find a price. Maybe they just came out? They also make a 4 x 6” hi/low all in one . Gave me some ideas of adding some extra light for off road that’s built in. Put two together or add a high beam unit. Check out my garage for a sketch of my idea for a Bronco. Forgive the crudeness. Trying to use an app on the iPad without an IPencil...not easy to do when you’re tracing.

BTW, Brian, many many thanks for putting up this thread. I’ve been through it all mainly to study 4-links and have found so much else as well. I found the power steering mods intriguing and may ask some questions in a separate post.

Scott

 

[nvrstuk]

We do this to help each other out and as a reference...

thanks for persevering and for plodding thru all the pages and still saying it actually helped a little!! LOL

Oh, Summit has Grotes for almost $200 each (cough-cough) but Summit WILL price match so that might be worth a try!!

Thanks Scott!

 

[68ford]

As of recent, Grote does not offer the 7in round with a heating element. I'll ask our Grote rep if there are plans for heated options on the future

 

[ssray]

We do this to help each other out and as a reference...

thanks for persevering and for plodding thru all the pages and still saying it actually helped a little!! LOL

Oh, Summit has Grotes for almost $200 each (cough-cough) but Summit WILL price match so that might be worth a try!!

Thanks Scott!

Yup, when I got the Trucklites way back they were at the $200 mark through NAPA. I think maybe just two companies made them back then. They went on a 04 Rubicon. Some of the Grotes are not far off $100.

On Steering

1. Unless I missed some you stayed with your 4x4x2x4 box 10” rearward, pitman forward?

2. Any problems with the angle up to the column or special mods to make that work?

The reason I ask is when I take on mods to the frt suspension I could do this. I’d been considering the 4x4x2 box. I got a crazy thought and wondered if you could buy the two boxes as parts store rebuilds and swap the parts. Soon realized with the different ones out there that probably would be a shot in the dark. While digging I stumbled on a brand new box for the 78, 79 years. This happened to be a Cardone unit and some digging indicated it comes from China. It is not built like the Ford unit either. Some reviews on their new stuff were not positive. Further searches turned up a couple more at OReilly”s who also has Motorcraft rebuilds. One of them from New Advantage does seem to be more of a copy of the Ford box. I’ve not looked in depth yet for them other than finding another rebuilder under the Adventure name. I have to see if I can find out more.

The beauty of your mod is being able to grab a rebuild to get you by almost anywhere should something happen to the box. No need to find that special box. I obviously will have to change my track bar mount as its where the box would mount.

Thanks for any thoughts from anyone!

Scott
Edit: New Advantage not adventure.

 

[nvrstuk]

A friend ordered his Grotes last week and they were canceled by Advanced-twice. So they gave him a $20 discount and made 2 separate orders so he's getting both Frotes for $179. + tax. Score!

Scott- yes I'm back to the original '78 Bronco strg box. Somehow I want to make my track bar longer but my strg box sits right there. Works good but I want better. I have 16" of travel at the diff and I would lile to set it up so I get the least amount of side to side movement of my frt diff as possible thru 16" of travel. I did pretty good but...

 

[ssray]

As of recent, Grote does not offer the 7in round with a heating element. I'll ask our Grote rep if there are plans for heated options on the future

So far I’ve not had problems but I haven’t really been caught in a longer distance wet snowstorm. I would imagine they would catch it as I’ve had old style incandescent’s with build up in nasty storms.

Have you seen any of the 4x6” Grote’s in use? Just guessing they would be a similar improvement. Amp draw seems to be close.

Was just checking out your rig as well. You’ve got a lot of hours in that. That frt end is really something and I couldn’t help but notice that beast of a pitman arm. How do like that Schreiner? I’ve been looking at their floater kit but the whole 9” rear has me muddled. I’m looking at the new Eaton E-locker4 and would probably rebuild my 9” but they don’t have the Eaton available for the 9”. Not sure if they will be coming out with one or there’s a reason they can’t build one for it. I though about contacting Eaton, not sure if you can get through to anyone that would know.

 

[ssray]

A friend ordered his Grotes last week and they were canceled by Advanced-twice. So they gave him a $20 discount and made 2 separate orders so he's getting both Frotes for $179. + tax. Score!

Scott- yes I'm back to the original '78 Bronco strg box. Somehow I want to make my track bar longer but my strg box sits right there. Works good but I want better. I have 16" of travel at the diff and I would lile to set it up so I get the least amount of side to side movement of my frt diff as possible thru 16" of travel. I did pretty good but...

Wow, $90 a light. Maybe I could order some now and get lucky. Lol

I was looking at mine yesterday and trying to picture if some kind of combo mount would work. Looks like the track bar on mine would be right under the pivot point. I suspect I’ll find that clearing the pitman would be tricky.
On the track bar topic, I remember you commenting on the problems of running hose for the assist cylinder as well as brake line on the inner 4-link. Wouldn’t it be cool if you could get two steel lines inside your track bar and run hose from the ends to your cylinder and steering box. I’m just not aware of any fittings that could get from the tube through the dom. Maybe someone out there could have a solution. Probably have to fill the tube with flex seal for vibration as well. Lol

 

[nvrstuk]

Wasn't sure if the $ 90/ light comment was sarcasm or not...

It was a stretch but with KC's and others selling for $500/set... I thought it was the only way I'd ever go led

 

[ssray]

Wasn't sure if the $ 90/ light comment was sarcasm or not...

It was a stretch but with KC's and others selling for $500/set... I thought it was the only way I'd ever go led

No sarcasm...I figured if I ordered a couple 4 x 6” lights I wouldn’t get that lucky. The lower $100 range really isn’t too bad when you look at what other LED’s run, like those KC’s. I did have a set of KC day lighters on the Bronco way, way back (incredible output) but they pulled close to 24 amps which was probably half of what the alternator put out. LOL I was looking for some LED’s for a Freightliner Century and found some assembly’s that I liked but they were @ that $500 mark so scratch them. I think I could find a way to get the Grote combo Hi/Low beam 4 x 6” in there with some modification.

As to the Bronco I know some wouldn’t like a modified look on there. I had sketched a mock-up years ago of stacked 4 x 6”s. Had an 84 GMC PU with them and though they complimented the boxy look and wondered how it would look on the Bronco. I’m not sure why Grote is making a Hi/Low in a single 4 x 6”. I only remember seeing them used in pairs. I just figured it would be a clean way to get some extra light up front without adding lights on the bumper somewhere.

Scott