Whether you are doing night hunting in the mountains, exploring the trails after dark, or keeping your ranch running smoothly during the short days of winter, there is an ideal LED light. Some lights are designed specifically for around worksites and others that work better out on the road.
LED light bars come in all sizes and levels of brightness. There are also remote controlled options available for the lights that move.
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Why LED instead of xenon and halogen
LED light bars are both more efficient and longer-lasting when compared to Xenon light bars. The Xenon lights are more intense versions of standard light bulbs employing filaments and gas to illuminate. LEDs, on the other hand, are composed of diodes and electrons. They are smaller, have longer lifespans, and use much less energy, making them more costly on the outset but money savers in the long run. LEDs are approximately 80% more effective than traditional light bulbs, with 95% of the energy going towards the light, and only 5% wasted as heat.
Lumen determining brightness
You will notice while shopping for light bars that they will list how many lumens they have and if you have never bought LEDs before, this might be confusing. Lumens are the measurement of the light’s output strength or brightness. For example, a typical car headlight is 1350 lumens while a cell phone flashlight is only 50 lumens.
Kelvins determining color
Another descriptor you will find related to LEDs are Kelvins. The Kelvin is the color of the light ranging from blue to orange. A white light is approximately 2,700 Kelvin, while blue light is over 5,000 Kelvin. The higher the number, the less orange the hue and the closer to natural sunlight.
Types of light bar roof mounts
There are a couple of ways to mount a light bar to the roof of your UTV, and below are the two most used mounts. Which one you choose will determine the angle of the light. You want to ensure that you have optimal sight when driving at night since there can be unforeseen obstacles. Being able to see them well ahead of time will keep you safe.
Pillar bar mount
These are useful because you can mount smaller lights directly onto the front cage bars. They are straightforward to install and can be angled to increase the width of your view while driving.
Roof-Mount
Most LED light bars will be mounted directly to the roof using brackets. You can get some UTV packages that include this, or you can buy it as an add-on and fit it yourself. Many third-party UTV shops can install any aftermarket light features that you buy.
You can also purchase brackets and drill holes to install your lights in areas that do not already have pre-drilled holes. This may weaken your UTV frame or create the risk of unintentional damage, so it is best to let a professional install if you intend to put lights on an area that it was not explicitly designed for by the manufacturers.
Light harness requirements
Due to the fact that LED light bars run on electricity, you will need to make sure that you have the right lighting harness to give your bar power. You can find out which is the best fit for the light bar you want using this guide.
You will want to make certain that you have the right lighting harness and wiring kit to get your LED light bar up and running. Some lights like the Can-Am Baja designs require both matching Baja wiring and light mounts, so check the fine print before purchasing so you know if there is anything else you will need to plan to buy before they can be installed.
Types of light bars
Below are the most popular types of UTV lights, including bars and beacons. Not all of these are bars, but they are all beneficial for utility UTVs, and the beacons can be paired with bars for increased visibility. Quite a few LED lights can be programmed to cover several categories. For example, Can-Am has some light bars which can function as strobe lights, spotlights, and floodlights all in one.
Spot light
These are great for work and recreational driving at night. They focus a high level of light on a relatively small area.
Flood light
These can come in many forms, from simple cubes to long light bars. They provide superior area coverage and brightness.
Roof tail lights
Having a row of ultra-bright LEDs on your roof that are linked to your tail lights allows for greater visibility at night and increased safety when traveling back roads or off-roading with other UTVs.
Remote operation swivel light
These are useful on ranches when you still have work to do after dark. They allow you to light up whichever direction you need without moving the vehicle or getting outside to adjust the light manually. These are more commonly seen with traditional light bulbs, but there are LED options for some brands.
Beacon lights
Another excellent work tool is the beacon light, which can be fixed using a pillar bar mount. They provide 360 degrees of powerful illumination, allowing you to keep working during shorter days of the year. They are also excellent for camping and when you need to make emergency night repairs on your UTV.
LED lights and light bars by brand
Below are a few examples of LED light bars sold by the most popular UTV manufacturers. Information was taken directly from their product pages to ensure accuracy. Not all brands listed the lumens/Kelvin measurements for their lights. Those that did are included. There is an almost unlimited number of LED light variations, so these are just some of the most common.
Pro Armor lights
Pro Armor 40″ UTV Light Bar
Single Row LED Spot Flood
Price: Buy on Amazon
Size: 40″
Lumens: 7,560
Dimensions: 15 x 7 x 6 inches
Additional features:
- Combination of spot and flood light
Polaris lights
Polaris Work Beacon LED Light
https://ranger.polaris.com/en-us/shop/accessories/lights/2883265/
Price: $239.99
Size: 50 ft of light, 360 degrees around the vehicle
Additional Features:
- There is a hinge which will allow you to move the light out of the way when not in use
Polaris LED Flood Light Cube
https://ranger.polaris.com/en-us/shop/accessories/lights/2882312/
Price: $84.99
Size: 2 x 2 inches
Additional Features:
- Protective aluminum casing
Polaris Dual Row LED Spot Light
https://ranger.polaris.com/en-us/shop/accessories/lights/2882075/
Price: $209.99
Size: 10 inches
Additional Features:
- Protective aluminum casing
- Combination optics
Polaris Single Row LED Light Bar
https://ranger.polaris.com/en-us/shop/accessories/lights/2882763/
Price: $499.99
Size: 40 inches
Lumens: 7,000 lumens
Additional Features:
- Waterproof and dustproof
- Includes both flood and spotlight features
Polaris Combo LED Light Bar
https://ranger.polaris.com/en-us/shop/accessories/lights/2882077/
Price: $399.99
Size: 33 inches
Additional Features:
- Protected against water and dust
- Ability to create variable beam output
Polaris Rigid SR-Series Spot LED Light
https://ranger.polaris.com/en-us/shop/accessories/ranger-accessory-collections/ranch-collection/2883121/
Price: $269.99
Size: 10 inches
Lumens: 7,920 lumens
Illumination: 2355 feet (718 meters)
Additional Features:
- Corrosion-resistant
- Protects against water and dust
- Protective aluminum casing
Can-Am lights
Can-Am Roof Tail Light
https://can-am.brp.com/off-road/us/en/shop/accessories-ssv/all-side-by-side-accessories/lights_accessories/lights/roof-tail-light.html
Price: $194.99
Can-Am Baja Designs OnX6 Arc LED Light Bar
https://can-am.brp.com/off-road/us/en/shop/accessories-ssv/all-side-by-side-accessories/lights_accessories/lights/40_-_102-cm_-baja-designs-onx6-arc-led-light-bar.html
Price: $1,754.99
Size: 40 inches (102 cm)
Lumens: 25,800 lumens
Additional Features:
- 24 Cree XM-L2 LEDs
- High and low settings
- Strobe mode
Can-Am Baja Designs OnX6 LED Light Bar
https://can-am.brp.com/off-road/us/en/shop/accessories-ssv/all-side-by-side-accessories/lights_accessories/lights/10_-_25-cm_-baja-designs-onx6-led-light-bar.html
Price: $469.99
Size: 10 inches (25 cm)
Lumens: 7,350 lumens
Additional Features:
- Combo light pattern
- High and low settings
- Strobe Mode
- 6 Cree XM-L2 LEDs
Off-road lighting laws
Each state has its own laws, and some counties also have their own local regulations involving off-road driving and lighting. Having high powered LED lights shining into oncoming traffic can cause an accident, so you need to make sure that you have the ability to extinguish the extra lighting as quickly as possible. When installing the lights, make sure the switch for turning it off is easy to reach and accessible at all times during night driving.
You can find off-road lighting laws for your state here.
Installation costs
You will need to keep in mind that the purchase price of lights does not cover additional costs, such as wiring or installing a light harness for your UTV. These can go for several hundred dollars and depending on who you pay to install the lights. It can easily cost $600-$800 to install a light bar onto your side-by-side.
You can cut some of the cost if you choose to install them yourself. There are plenty of detailed guides online showing how to do this. Still, since it involves the electronic wiring of devices, you want to make sure that it is done accurately and that you stay safe. Hiring a professional is probably the best bet if you have no electrical experience of your own.
A lighting and wiring harness can run up to $200 depending on where you buy it from, but the average price is between $60-$120 for most brands.
If you choose to purchase the mounts, lights, and wiring individually and then pay a professional to install everything, it might be slightly more cost-effective since you can search for the most affordable matching options.
However, most third-party UTV shops will happily supply all the necessary devices for you for a slightly higher cost, with an average of between $500-$1,000 for the installation. The total cost will depend on a lot of things, including how much time the process takes and how far the individual parts need to be shipped.