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So, I already know that for a lot of you guys this will be a vomit inducing venture BUT I happen to not only DD my Benz but also drive to work around 4am through 20mi of the most desolate/deer infested back country roads in the continental United States so the more light I have in front of me the better, period. (hell, what i should have done was put on an expedition style roof rack with a 52" LED light bar and called it a day!!!)
...but anyway.....
I test and review lots of LED and HID products for numerous manufacturers so I have a pretty good knowledge base about what is good and what is not. With that being said I recently tested a new light bar setup with the new 5D fisheye lenses and was VERY impressed with the output and quality so I decided I'd throw it in the Merc...
22" LED Light Bar was a PERFECT fit for the lower center grill. Yes, there is a cooler behind it that needs airflow BUT there is plenty of room around the Light Bar with it installed as there is a deflector/diverter at the bottom of the grill that directs incoming air up and through the lower cooler(I drive pretty hard a lot of the times and even with the still 95* days i have seen ZERO increase in temp)
the only thing that i needed that was not included with this particular kit were some small L brackets so that i could mount them to the front aluminum support and then hang the light bar vertically down from them, easy as pie. For the record there is PLENTY of room behind the lower grill even though it doesnt look like it. The center of the light bar is roughly 4" behind the center of the grill and the sides are roughly 2" from the outsides of the grill.
...also, i did not use the switch that came with the AWESOME relay harness for the light bar, instead I cut off the switch itself and tapped the relay harness trigger feed into the headlight hi-beam feed. That way i can NOT turn on the light bar individually(by accident or on purpose) but the light bar comes on with the hi-beams
Sure it does not look great there, but it really isn't "that" noticeable. Anyways, from someone who also drives on dark roads early in the morning (alligator alley here in FL), I can COMPLETELY understand why you did this. Hopefully you have no voltage issues. Nice work.
Sure it does not look great there, but it really isn't "that" noticeable. Anyways, from someone who also drives on dark roads early in the morning (alligator alley here in FL), I can COMPLETELY understand why you did this. Hopefully you have no voltage issues. Nice work.
i know the "Alley" well....I am used to seeing blue eyes light up on the side of the road, but when you see orange you know youre in trouble!!!
...no voltage issues as I run OPT7 LED hi-beams already so the combined draw of the OPT7s and the light bar is still less than the factory halogen high beams were.
2012 P31 C63 Coupe Trackrat, 2019 GLE63S Coupe Beast
Wait.... you put a light covering up your transmission cooler and radiator?
You may not see an increase now, but that's a very bad idea with how these cars handle heat. I'd reconsider the placement or get rid of it altogether. The scoop top at the bottom of the center opening is not going to do much as it actually forms part of the scoop for the main oil cooler. I know you need more light, and it certainly looks like you got a lot more, but I'd think you need a thermally-healthy cooling system more - that light is directly in front of the trans cooler. There has to be a less-obtrusive way to achieve what you're looking for.
Have you looked into upgrading the fogs, or turning them into auxiliary high beams? I'd think you could put massively bright lights in those openings, retaining the factory look and cooling system effectiveness.
Wait.... you put a light covering up your transmission cooler and radiator?
You may not see an increase now, but that's a very bad idea with how these cars handle heat. I'd reconsider the placement or get rid of it altogether. The scoop top at the bottom of the center opening is not going to do much as it actually forms part of the scoop for the main oil cooler. I know you need more light, and it certainly looks like you got a lot more, but I'd think you need a thermally-healthy cooling system more - that light is directly in front of the trans cooler. There has to be a less-obtrusive way to achieve what you're looking for.
Have you looked into upgrading the fogs, or turning them into auxiliary high beams? I'd think you could put massively bright lights in those openings, retaining the factory look and cooling system effectiveness.
you cannot upgrade the factory lighting any more than I have...(retroed fx-r projectors with CBI, the OPT7 hi-beams and morimoto fogs)....and I TOTALLY get where you are coming from with this but with as much room as there is around it and the fact that i dont track the car im pretty sure that I'll be ok...was more worried about trans temp more than anything else but it has stayed the same. i may place a thermal probe in the fins of the cooler just to be 100% sure....also dont forget i have one of our quite beneficial diverter plates mounted up top as well to keep all that air moving though the cores and not up and over the core support....i know you track the **** out of your car and i WISH that I could do the same, but since i cant i honestly believe that ive got a little bit of a cushion where we both know that you dont have any room to spare with cooling capability
12 C63BS Magno Alanite Grey, 22 X3M Brooklyn Grey, 08 BMW E93, 22 Ducati Desert Sled, John Deere 3R
I would be worried about the amount of airflow you just removed - like 40% of the area is now covered - probably ok in the cooler months, but would be a bit worried in the summer for sure in stop and go traffic or during spirited driving.
been thinking a little bit more and id be willing to bet that an intercooler would actually interfere more with the trans cooler than the light does....couple the slowing down of the air while it travels through the fins PLUS the added heat coming off of the intercooler and it would HAVE to be more....but either way, im good with it
^^ Side note, have you considered finding a place somewhere to install deer whistles? They're relatively small and very effective.
This is absolutely NOT a flame, but are you being serious or goofing??? Not only do they not work at all in repelling deer but have actually been shown to ATTRACT deer....I haven't even seen them in years
Man. Tough crowd. I think for what you are using the car for, it's a good mod. Seems like you rarely encounter traffic and have long open runs where you have good air flow. And the added safety will help keep the car running rather than in the shop for a deer impact. And you don't track the car. Although I do wonder if there is a way to mount a light bar inside the top of the windshield instead, kind of like police lights (I know those are thinner and usually only one row of LEDs).
There's something call a truck if you want light bars
....oh, that was a dig- I get it, let me try
I see that you have a CLK350, there's something called an AMG if you want to put oversized tires on your Mercedes.... dude, come on-being an *** does no one any good
Man. Tough crowd. I think for what you are using the car for, it's a good mod. Seems like you rarely encounter traffic and have long open runs where you have good air flow. And the added safety will help keep the car running rather than in the shop for a deer impact. And you don't track the car. Although I do wonder if there is a way to mount a light bar inside the top of the windshield instead, kind of like police lights (I know those are thinner and usually only one row of LEDs).
Seems like glare would be an issue inside the cabin....I know they have the "seal" that fits up to the glass but still
I see that you have a CLK350, there's something called an AMG if you want to put oversized tires on your Mercedes.... dude, come on-being an *** does no one any good
Feel bad for you, it says CLS not K, cant even read a letter. Sorry did I mention that I need over sized tires?? Or that came out of your ***?
Cls350 came stock with F 245 and R 275.
Feel bad for you, it says CLS not K, cant even read a letter. Sorry did I mention that I need over sized tires?? Or that came out of your ***?
Cls350 came stock with F 245 and R 275.
But on a serious note why are you posting in this forum? Your w211 knowledge is useless here. Here you go, back to your area.
This is absolutely NOT a flame, but are you being serious or goofing??? Not only do they not work at all in repelling deer but have actually been shown to ATTRACT deer....I haven't even seen them in years
Hmm. My mother (from whom I apparently inherited my lead foot) has the whistles on her SUV, in Indiana deer country, they've been very effective for her, and I've seen it first hand. They absolutely do not attract deer. But I'm certainly no expert on deer whistles, lol, and I guess it depends on what whistle is used.
Feel bad for you, it says CLS not K, cant even read a letter. Sorry did I mention that I need over sized tires?? Or that came out of your ***?
Cls350 came stock with F 245 and R 275.
lol calm down warrior. Lets be honest, your first comment didnt contribute to the thread. It was unecessary, so don't get all defensive when someone barks back.
Location: Oneonta, New York, United States of America, North America, Planet Earth, Solar System, Orion Spiral Arm, Milky Way Galaxy, Local Group, Virgo Supercluster, Universe
i know the "Alley" well....I am used to seeing blue eyes light up on the side of the road, but when you see orange you know youre in trouble!!!
...no voltage issues as I run OPT7 LED hi-beams already so the combined draw of the OPT7s and the light bar is still less than the factory halogen high beams were.
Are these the OPT7s you use? If so I just have a couple of quick questions, as I'm interested in converting to those from my current HIDs.
Yes, those are my hi-beams and I LOVE them....if you're referring to your HID bixenon projector bulbs then no, you don't want them...they produce light from only 2 points opposed at 90° whereas the projector needs a 360° exposure to produce good light....
10-11-2016, 09:00 AM
