Are you keen to add an extra beam of light to your off-road vehicle? Then it may well be time to start thinking about choosing some driving lights. Learning how to install off-road lights actually isn’t that complex! The best part is off-road lights are perfectly simple to set up on your own. You don’t have to ask for help from an engineer or mechanic unless you really want to.

If you’re taking a look at high powered driving lights and want to know how to wire offroad lights of your own, we’ve set up a guide here to help you on your way. Make sure to read up on how to install off-road lights before you buy any new fittings for your vehicle!

Off-Road Light Installation: The Basics

What you’re really going to need to do before you start wiring off-road lights is to actually consider where you’re going to put them. Should they go low down, or up high? Typically, your decision should be based on the state you drive in, as you’re going to need to play ball with the road authority. As it stands, off-road lights count as vehicle modifications that you might actually need permission for. It’s always a good idea to check.

In most cases, you’ll find that leading off-road lighting kits come with all the components you need. This might not always be the case, so keep your eyes out for light mount bars and wiring harnesses, which are two of the basics you might need to get your driving lights put in place safely and securely. It might also be a good idea to take a look at the wiring map of your vehicle.

A wiring diagram of your vehicle might be available from your manufacturer directly, or, if you are very organized, you might already have such a guide or plan to hand with your other driving documents. In any case, if you really are worrying about getting these lights set up properly, it makes sense to have some form of roadmap.

How to Install Driving Lights

Learning how to install offroad lights can vary from vehicle to vehicle and from kit to kit. However, there are a few general points on how to install off-road lights that you can carry across various brands, kits and 4×4 vehicles.

• You should firstly make a point to take a look at your dash. Find somewhere that’s going to be easy for you to access the light switch itself, as you’re going to need to install this as a priority.
• Take a look at your wiring map if you have one. You should look for any sign of an AUX switch installation point. It might actually be obvious when you investigate the dashboard, but if not, don’t worry too much. You might need to get drilling, in which case, ensure you are covered to do so under warranty.
• You will then need to mount your relay for the lights. This is going to need to go in the engine and battery region. However, you must keep it away from any key engine points. Getting it near to the battery is a big plus.
• You should then make sure to wire up the relay and chassis. This is where you should find some form of point for grounding, and this point is going to need to be clean and clear.
• Then, head back to the dash. This is where you’ll need to connect wiring from the switch you drilled in earlier, through to the headlamp. You’ll need to go through the firewall, and you’ll need to work out which wire on the lamp is the high beam.
• Connect your switch wire to the high beam.
• Then, going back to the relay, you’ll need to feed a relevant wire through the firewall back to the dash, and then towards the lights. Don’t forget, you’re going to need to have grounded your lights to the chassis or body, which will serve as the negative/ground connection.
• Then, connect wiring via a fuse between relay and battery. You’re then ready to safely test your new off-road lights. If you want to adjust the power, you can, and you can then tighten up and close up.

Which Off-Road Light is Best?

The best off-road lights for you will all depend on your driving needs, as well as on what you’re looking for from a leading manufacturer.

Before learning how to wire offroad lights, take a look at the main styles and types available to buy. A few of the most popular options are LED light bars, LED light pods, and LED fog lights. Each have different power outputs, different experiences, and serve different purposes. LED light bars tend to be the most expensive but are some of the most widely used for off roading.

You should ideally be looking into the wattage, power ratings, and lumen output of off-road lights you are considering. These specifications will tell you how intense of a beam you can expect, as well as the total power draw from your vehicle’s power supply.

There are no one or two best off-road light options out there. As you can see, we supply a wide variety of different brands and manufacturers, meaning that you really do have a lot of choice in store. Take a look at our profiles on our off-road lighting partners to learn more.

Conclusion

Learning how to install off-road lights and off road light wiring doesn’t have to be a hassle. This is a job that doesn’t necessarily need an engineer’s support, which means to really save yourself some money, time and hassle, you might want to think about tooling up and taking a closer look for yourself!

Take a look at our wide array of off-road lights and wiring kits. If any of the above sounds confusing, don’t worry – once you get into it, things really start to get a lot easier. Who knows – in time, you might find yourself becoming a bit of a pro at setting up your own 4×4 upgrades and enhancements!