How to Choose the Best Truck LED Lights

In the world of automotive lighting, LED lights have become increasingly popular for their energy efficiency, brightness, and longevity. Whether you're looking to upgrade your headlights, taillights, underglow or interior lighting, or even looking to add off-road lighting, choosing the best truck LED lights can significantly enhance both the style and performance of your vehicle. In this guide, we'll walk you through everything you need to know to make an informed decision.

1. Different types of LED lights for trucks.

When selecting LED lights for your truck, you have a variety of options. It's important to determine whether you're enhancing your truck's lighting performance or aiming to make it more distinctive in the parking lot. For improving performance, consider LED headlights, tail lights, truck tailgate light bars, bed lights, or even off road cube lights and light bars for enhanced forward visibility. Alternatively, for adding style, explore options like rock light kits, interior lighting, or accent lights that can make your vehicle stand out on the road.

2. How to choose LED headlights and fog lights for your truck.

LED headlights and fog lights are major upgrades from your stock halogen bulbs, but there are so many options. How do you know which ones to choose? Here are a few things to look for when choosing LED headlights for your car:

• Check Compatibility- There are many different size types when it comes to truck headlights. Ensure the LED headlights are compatible with your vehicle.

• Lumens- This is the measurement of how much light the bulb is producing. The higher the number of lumens the brighter the light bulb is, although this number can be heightened by manufacturers. For instance, a bulb may emit 3,000 lumens at start up, but after 30 minutes of driving, its output could decrease to 1,500 lumens. Therefore, evaluating cooling mechanisms and beam patterns of LED headlight bulbs is crucial when making a decision.

• Color Temperature- The color temperature of truck led headlight bulbs typically range between 5000k to 6500k. 5000k light bulbs produce a “warmer” more yellow light vs. the 6500k produces a “cooler” more blue light.

• Beam Pattern- This is the “spread” of the light output. The beam pattern correlates closely with the "brightness" of the LED headlight bulb and uses a reflector to create the pattern. It is important to get bulbs that share the same or similar low and high beam pattern as OEM bulbs.

3. Different types of off-road lights.

When choosing off-road lighting, there's a wide array of options available, such as cube lights, round lights, and light bars. While they vary in appearance, they all serve the same purpose. So, how do you determine the best choice for your needs? The key is understanding the different beam patterns available, which dictate how the light performs. Here's a breakdown of the four main beam types:

1. Flood: This beam spreads light over a wide area at a close distance, making it ideal for illuminating large nearby areas.
2. Spot: Featuring a concentrated beam that reaches far distances, this pattern has a laser beam style light output.
3. Driving: With a beam pattern resembling a large rectangle with a faded cutoff, driving lights provide substantial illumination for the road ahead.
4. Fog: Designed with a sharp cutoff line similar to driving lights, fog lights are typically SAE approved and are perfect for upgrading OEM fog lights.

These beam patterns are available across various styles of off-road lights, allowing you to base your decision on aesthetics and fitment. For instance, cube lights are compact and versatile for mounting in different locations compared to larger lights like a 50" light bar. Additionally, consider the need for specific brackets, as some lights may require them, potentially adding to costs and even vehicle modifications such as drilling. By understanding these factors, you can make a well-informed decision on the best off-road lighting setup for your vehicle.

4. Commercial lighting for trucks.

If you rely on your truck for work, enhancing its safety and functionality can make a significant difference. When working near roads, it's crucial to have more than just hazard lights. Consider installing LED strobe light kits, available in pod or tube styles, which come in various colors and include a controller with built-in emergency strobe and traffic directional patterns. These lights greatly increase visibility and safety on the roadside. Additionally, commercial running board light kits can be installed on your truck’s running boards to provide extra illumination. These kits offer running lights, turn signals, and emergency strobe patterns for added safety. For nighttime work in the field, truck headlights pointing at your job site may not be sufficient. LED area lights can provide substantial additional illumination on a job site and some models can be mounted on your vehicle to light up the surrounding area. LED truck bed lights are also a valuable upgrade, making it easier to locate tools and equipment in the bed of your truck. Another handy option is a portable LED work light that can be kept in your truck's cab. Some of these portable lights even feature built-in strobe patterns, offering extra visibility and safety if you find yourself stopped on the roadside. Whether you use your truck for work or leisure, there are numerous LED lighting options available to enhance both safety and functionality.

5. Different ways to control LED truck lights.

When choosing LED truck lights, it's crucial to consider how they are operated. This might seem straightforward, but there are several options available. In the past, installing lights meant purchasing rocker switches and finding places to mount them in the truck, then wiring everything to the battery. However, now there are switch panels, also known as switch packs, which simplify the process. These switch packs include a controller that mounts on the dashboard and a hub that mounts under the hood. The advantage of switch packs is that the controller typically features between 6 to 12 buttons, allowing you to wire in multiple accessories that connect to the hub under the hood, which in turn connects to the battery. This setup offers clean and easy wiring. Some controllers even offer bluetooth connectivity, enabling you to control the lights using your smartphone.

For those interested in color-changing lights, a dash-mounted controller allows for adjusting colors and patterns by cycling through buttons. Alternatively, smartphone-controlled lights offer extensive customization for underglow and accent lighting. There are also addressable LED light kits that can be controlled via smartphone or a key fob controller, putting a ton of customization options at your fingertips. Some smartphone-controlled LED light kits even feature sensor wires that can convert underglow lights on the truck into additional turn signals or brake lights.

6. Installation.

If you're considering installing LED lights on your truck yourself, it's important to carefully consider the installation requirements when choosing which lights to purchase. Understanding these requirements not only helps you select a kit that's easy to install but also ensures durability and optimal light performance. Some color changing LED light kits utilize a "daisy-chain" wiring method, where lights connect in series from the controller. Alternatively, there are kits that feature custom electrical connectors for enhanced waterproofing and reliability. These kits typically offer straightforward installation and greater longevity. On the other hand, certain kits may only provide lights and wires, requiring special tools, connectors, or soldering for installation, which can be time-consuming and introduce potential weak points in the lighting system. For a hassle-free installation and a dependable LED light setup for your truck, prioritize kits with "daisy-chained" lights and specific electrical connections on both lights and wiring.

7. Want to stand out from the crowd?

Now, let’s say you are building your dream truck and you want it to be seen from space… here is what you need! Rock lights  will shine light completely under the truck, giving it the UFO look. Wheel ring lights are mounted behind your wheels and will shine through your wheels and light up everything inside of them. For the interior of the truck, interior light kits will come with flexible strips to light up all of the footwells and under the seats of your car. There are even LED bulbs that will fit directly into your dome lights and will connect to your phone to change colors. If you want to give the interior a premium look, check out fiber optic kits. If you do more driving off the road, be sure to check out cube lights, round lights, and light bars to help light up the trails!

When selecting the best LED lights for your truck, whether it's interior lighting, underglow, the best LED headlights, or tail lights, the key is finding a balance between style, functionality, and legal compliance. Each type serves a unique purpose in enhancing both aesthetics and safety. Whether you go for vibrant underglow to turn heads on the road, bright headlights for clear visibility, LED tail lights for added safety, or ambient interior lighting for a comfortable driving experience, your choices should reflect your personal preferences while keeping practicality in mind. Take your time to research and select the right LED lights based on your needs, preferences, and vehicle specifications.