Perhaps more than any other off road vehicle accessory, spotlights will present you with a massive range of products, with wildly varying looks, capability and functionality. So before you hit the stores and the websites looking for spotlights, there are a few important things you need to know.
There are any number of primary reasons you may need a spotlight for your off road vehicle... more light for your campsite, changing tyres when it's dark, illuminating tough tracks driving at night, the list goes on. So here are some handy tips to help you decide what spotlights are right for you.
Most spotlights have a thinner angle, which means you can extend how far you can see when it's dark - so spotlights are the best choice if you'll mostly be driving at night on defined tracks needing longer visibility. Conversely spreadlights give you a wider angle of vision over a shorter distance, so they are better for lighting up spaces, obstacles and terrain closer to the vehicle.
To start with, if you're a serious off roader, lots of camping in the bush and driving into the night on tough tracks, you should fit both spotlights and spreadlights - because both have very different uses. When you fit them, ensure they are at the same height as the factory headlights, that way you know they are at the optimum distance from the ground to provide the best possible light. You also need to think about where things like bull bars and nudge bars are fitted, in fact you can use them to support your new lights (just bear in mind the weight of the spotlight compared to the support frame you're using, spotlights can be heavy). Above all else, just think about what you need spotlights for and put them in the right place for you.
