# LED Tractor Lights



## SidecarFlip (Mar 25, 2021)

Interesting for an old post. I run 100% LED lights on both my tractors and everywhere else I can as well.


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## pogobill (Jan 31, 2012)

It's an old article that somehow ended up in the forum section!?!


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## SidecarFlip (Mar 25, 2021)

Actually a good article. Transiting from conventional light bulbs to LED has saved up quite a bit of money over the years.


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## BinVa (Sep 21, 2020)

Personally I keep my sealed beam headlights and burn them day or night for all road travel. i have LED light bars on the 4 cab corners for nighttime field work which I do like. I find the led’s too distracting to on coming traffic on the road and excessively bright when loading trucks, but great in the middle of a field when trying to beat the rain during hay season. JMHO. B.


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## SidecarFlip (Mar 25, 2021)

Kubota has piss poor headlights, always has. Both my M's are horrible. I could see better with a Bic lighter. Even the new ones are poor.


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## bmaverick (Feb 20, 2014)

My livestock don't like the LED lights day or night. They are spooked really bad by them. Using the normal Xeons, they don't even flinch away from the fence. 

If there are any 3000-Kelvin LEDs for off road use, those would be the ones I would try out with the livestock. Their eyes see the color spectrum a bit different than we do.


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## SidecarFlip (Mar 25, 2021)

BinVa said:


> Personally I keep my sealed beam headlights and burn them day or night for all road travel. i have LED light bars on the 4 cab corners for nighttime field work which I do like. I find the led’s too distracting to on coming traffic on the road and excessively bright when loading trucks, but great in the middle of a field when trying to beat the rain during hay season. JMHO. B.


I find xenon and LED headlights on new vehicles irritating so I try to limit my night time driving as much as possible.


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## bmaverick (Feb 20, 2014)

SidecarFlip said:


> I find xenon and LED headlights on new vehicles irritating so I try to limit my night time driving as much as possible.


I got one of those night time anti-glare polarized flip down visors (TacVisor). It helps for most of the vehicles, but still annoying as the pickup trucks and Jeeps are the worse. The vision improves with the yellow flip down because on the country roads with no traffic, the deer stand out so much better from your vehicles headlamps. You can see the deer so much clearly. 



















Many of the LED vehicles have them on during the day, so I have the yellow polarized one down all the time. 

After a month, the hinge begins to sag down the sun glared smoke visor. It's a typical problem with the 3 brands regardless. I found a clever way to remedy that, I use a paper clamp, one on each side.


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## SidecarFlip (Mar 25, 2021)

May I inquire as to where you got them at? That would be a great help for me when driving after dark. Seems to be a whole load of badly aimed headlights a well or someone with their 'illegal for on road use' light bars on and aimed way too high. I'll buy a couple, one for each vehicle.

I've hit deer in the past as well and most times the damage to my vehicles is substantial. I hade one that was totalled and the deer almost was in the front seat with me.


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## bmaverick (Feb 20, 2014)

SidecarFlip said:


> May I inquire as to where you got them at? That would be a great help for me when driving after dark. Seems to be a whole load of badly aimed headlights a well or someone with their 'illegal for on road use' light bars on and aimed way too high. I'll buy a couple, one for each vehicle.


Got them for $7 at Walmart on clearance. They normally went for $24 or $19 depending on the sale. You could do better on Amazon or elsewhere with free shipping.  

Ensure the brand is truly polarized for the visor. That is the main key feature to kill the LED glare coming at your eyes. 

I went with the visor because it's less chance to get lost or scratched vs. the driving glasses.


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## SidecarFlip (Mar 25, 2021)

Visor would work better than glasses. I wear polarized amber shooting glasses but that are a PITA. Off to Amazon now...


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## BinVa (Sep 21, 2020)

Unfortunately I’m one of those that people cus… my 2021 Chevy Tahoe has the LED headlights. I’ve been very disappointed with them to the point I had considered returning the vehicle. I did however write a letter to Chevrolet voicing my dissatisfaction with the quality of the illumination and safety concerns with oncoming traffic. I could rant on about my experience with them … but this is not the place. B.


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## bmaverick (Feb 20, 2014)

BinVa said:


> Unfortunately I’m one of those that people cus… my 2021 Chevy Tahoe has the LED headlights. I’ve been very disappointed with them to the point I had considered returning the vehicle. I did however write a letter to Chevrolet voicing my dissatisfaction with the quality of the illumination and safety concerns with oncoming traffic. I could rant on about my experience with them … but this is not the place. B.


Some of the Jeep owners are able to revert back as the LED assemblies are basically the same drop in halogen assemblies.

The LED white glow trim is a tad too bright, the Cadillacs are insanely bright for them. I do like the glow trim accents. Some SUVs have them in orange that are nice for the eyes because of the light spectrum warm colors.

In my vehicles, they have the Hella Optilux XB 9007 Xenons. These are the brightest before going to LEDs or projectors.

I wonder if the yellow polarized were placed over the flat type LED headlamps, would that still shine nicely and not blind people. 

Some vehicles have aftermarket smoked lenses as add-ons. Yet, would that diminish the light performance.


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## BinVa (Sep 21, 2020)

My biggest complaint is the cutoff height. It's like driving with the visor down...there's little to no illumination at close distance above the 25' alignment requirement. On hilly back roads(where I live) you cannot see the road surface on the hill ahead. And careful weight distribution is important, just a full tank of gas and some groceries in the back throws the beams into oncoming traffic. It's a royal PITA for those of us that try to be responsible... Now the offroad lights are a whole different story...(look at me..look at me!!) B.


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## SidecarFlip (Mar 25, 2021)

If I was a cop, I'd be writing a lot of citations is all I can say.


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## bmaverick (Feb 20, 2014)

BinVa said:


> My biggest complaint is the cutoff height. It's like driving with the visor down...there's little to no illumination at close distance above the 25' alignment requirement. On hilly back roads(where I live) you cannot see the road surface on the hill ahead. And careful weight distribution is important, just a full tank of gas and some groceries in the back throws the beams into oncoming traffic. It's a royal PITA for those of us that try to be responsible... Now the offroad lights are a whole different story...(look at me..look at me!!) B.


With the newer vehicles with LEDs, towing then has issues because the rear of the vehicle in pushed down and the front lifts a little. Now the LED blinding beams are worse yet. 

My neighbor a mile away has a carpentry business. He leaves putting his loaded 12FT enclosed trailer in the morning. I try to avoid leaving during his road time because it's so blinding from his GMC.


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## bmaverick (Feb 20, 2014)

SidecarFlip said:


> If I was a cop, I'd be writing a lot of citations is all I can say.


Road patrols do nothing anymore, even if you left your high beams on all day. In some areas, the youngsters are putting in even more lights and higher wattages. Common LEDs at 80W low and 100W high is their new norm. That's 4X the power rating over the OE blinding LEDs.


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## SidecarFlip (Mar 25, 2021)

Wife and I went out to eat last night and I too noticed how bright and irritating some of the 'LED halo's around late model vehicles are, let alone the LED headlamps nd then we have the poorly aimed aftermarket accessory lights and the illegal offroad light bars aimed up... People have no consideration for others today. Why I don't usually venture out after dark anymore. It's terrible. Got my polarized sub visor shields on order... cannot wait. Hopefully they will cut down on it a bit.

Fingers crossed.


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## BinVa (Sep 21, 2020)

I thought the LED's were just what I wanted...til I bought a vehicle with them!! Great for illuminating a flat desolate road. But to me...impractical for my driving area. With the issue I find with the SUV...I wouldn't buy a pickup with them for sure..If the lights were adjusted to a worst case loaded situation..they'd be absolutely unusable when empty. Live and learn. A great idea..but poor execution by the Mfg. B.


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## SidecarFlip (Mar 25, 2021)

I believe the thing that manufacturers of new vehicles don't understand (or didn't do their homework) is, the LED bulb MUST exactly copy the filament placement of a conventional Halogen capsule or the light produced will be diffused by the reflector incorrectly and I bet they buy the least expensive LED bulbs they can which is in keeping with their 'for maximum profit at the least expense criteria.

Could be wrong but I have a feeling that is the issue.


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## TX MX5200 (May 12, 2020)

I have LEDs on tractor (front and rear) and on the buggy (front and rear) and they’re great. Wouldn’t want on my truck though as they are blinding and don’t want someone driving at me being blinded….head on collisions hurt.

tractor headlights are useless with a loader….of course I rarely use tractor at night. But I had extra light bars in my shop and installing was fun little project.


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## SidecarFlip (Mar 25, 2021)

The issue with using LED 's as headlights comes from the fact that the SMD arrays aren't properly aligned with the reflectors. The array's have to emulate the exact position of the filaments on a normal bulb or they scatter the light and cause issues for oncoming vehicles and most if not all of cheaper ones are not properly aligned. Far as the loader blocking the headlights try taking off the bucket. On mine that is a 30 second procedure when I'm not in a hurry. Once the bucket is removed, you can position the loader cross tube so it don't block the light. When I running hay, I always have the bucket's off as they get in the way all the time.

Sometimes, I will remove the loaders entirely. All depends on what I'm doing.


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## TX MX5200 (May 12, 2020)

Yeah, but I will not be removing the loader to shred. The bucket yes, but as I said I will likely never shred at night anyway. I do on occasion have to put out hay or use FEL with bucket at night….for that the headlights are useless and more like keychain lights anyway. 

not looking for pinpoint lights on a tractor though….I want to see in front and all around. We have built fence at night also and the LEDs provide great light for me and those manning the posts and wire. Plus, I had light bars to spare as I went with multiple cube lights on my buggy. Still looking for a use for the 40” LED bar.


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## SidecarFlip (Mar 25, 2021)

Just don't put it on your road vehicle, it's illegal for on road use. Having said that there are a boatload of idiots out there who cannot only not read but haven't a clue how to aim the illegal light bars in the first place and all they do is blind oncoming drivers. Idiots think it's cool, I think it's extremely rude myself. But it happens alot because no one cares about anyone else, all they care about is themselves. We live in a whatever makes you feel good society with no regard for anyone else. One of the prime drivers that is causing this country to fall apart.

Far as loaders go, I can mount and dismount either of mine in less than 5 minutes. Not a big deal at all and when I run the batwing or the 9 foot wide landpride chopper I always want at least the bucket removed or the entire loader as it's easier to maneuver without them. If and when you jam the bucket into a building or rip out some fence posts you didn't see because the bucket was blocking your line of sight, you'll remove it. Been there and did that and it's a pisser. With me, as a rule, either the bucket is removed or the entire loader frame and bucket when I'm running hay. Only time the loaders are on is when I'm marshalling rounds or loading semi trailers or moving skids of fertilizer or seed around. Less weight on the front end and they last a whole lot longer.

In the spring and summer I usually find myself tractoring along coming back to the farm after sundown , so I need the headlights and cab roof lights and all the other warning lights an I have my warning beacon on as well. I want to be as conspicuous as possible and legal too. Don't need any idiot 4 wheeler running into me and injuring themselves.


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## TX MX5200 (May 12, 2020)

When doing fence work i usually have forks on the FEL and it totally blocks the light…I have a pole driver setup on the fork attachment. When setting out round bales, they block tractor lights also.

I wasn’t referring to road vehicles…here, we do not drive UTVs on the road. I have no led lights on my truck.


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## SidecarFlip (Mar 25, 2021)

Here you can so long as the UTV has certain accessories. You have to have turn signals, a working horn, brake lights and headlights plus DOT approved tires and you have to run on the berm not in a travel lane and finally must be 16 years old or older and of course seatbelts must be installed. My wife's Kubota GS 850 meets all those requirements and I run it on the berm quite often. It has LED headlights from the factory. It's not the usual slow Kubota diesel UTE either. Top speed is 50 mph. twin cylinder water cooled 4 stroke Subaru engine. Has tremendous acceleration too. Will put you back in the seat if you punch it and spins the tires in 2wd. I use it to pick up supplies in town all the time (in the summer) In the winter it's a might cold. You can get them with doors and heater and even ac if you want it. The Kubota diesels max out about 22 mph. Too slow for us actually.


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