hids, light bar or both

[DSPIES]

Hey folks,
as the title states, i'm looking at improving my night vision and rather than pay twice, i figure best ask the forum before choosing my path.
I'm looking for both, better freeway vision (distance) and flood to help with the slower stuff:

so my options at this time
a) upgrading my spots to Hids; or
b) buying, a light bar; or
c) both

So the details... i've got the fairly standard 2004 GU setup. the old ipf 900 spots up front which dont offer much. i use them for high beams when touring so lots of on/off on freeways.
a)
this was the HID upgrade i was looking at:
http://www.offroadindustries.com.au/...pf-900-hid-kit
thoughts? recommendations? alternatives?
i realise they wont offer much flood but they certainly seem the starting budget option.
b)
Option 2, is to not waste time putting dollars into the Spots/Hids and just buy a light bar. Too many options to choose from but i'd be looking at somehting that's single row and 30'. Any recommendations? there are so many... aurora (expensive) / ironman (cheaper) / alternatives??... can these be used as a high/ low beam when freeway driving or do they take too long to warm up and provide decent light?
c)
both - because option B is a sh*t compromise and option A doesnt achieve intended goal for low range driving. if i went with both i'd need to find a budget bar so i wasnt spending crazy $'s ontop of the HIDs.

folks, thanks in advance... i went to the the Explore Oz show today but its hard to get an honest opinion out of a sales rep.
what's worked for you?

thanks in advance.
cheers!

[MudRunnerTD]

The kit you linked is over priced for what you get.

The only reason you would want the HID is for distance touring on the highway. They will give decent centre penetration if they are both Spot rather than a spot and a spread which is standard?

The LED light bar is generations ahead of the HId for flood. Crazy good for bush and hwy work and great for showing you the kangaroos on the side of he road.1,000% better than any HID

Speak with Paul from LED Light co in the vendors section here mate. Honest and reliable. Well priced. Without he massive mark ups

[BigRAWesty]

Mate I wish I had my aroura 20" bar on for the high country trio we did Anzac weekend..
Omg. Never worrying about spotties again..

[DSPIES]

Mate, are u happy with 20?
Any before/after pics?

I could probably fk around with the mountings and get 30' on my front bar? Too many bloody options

[BigRAWesty]

Shoit yea.. I went a combo as the gq has poor side light and I now have good side of road light.
Straight line I have 400-500m of solid light but another 2-300m reflective..
I'll still be putting a couple either side ifthe roof rack coz those hair pins were a pita..

Check out led light co thread here my pics are there.. And a few others

[macca]

Good question D
I have a set of 8 year old IPF 900's and fitted a HID kit about 4 years ago, they have a dark spot in the middle the light is like an inverted V, so I have overlapped the beams to get rid of that. Do light up a long way in front but nothing to the side. They are starting to play up and after seeing a mates Narva light bar I am sold. Going to head that way, I really don't need to see into tomorrow, but to light up the sides of the road a bit closer to see Skippy etc. would be good. I don't want both as air flow to the radiator and intercooler scoop is important too.

[DSPIES]

thanks for the replies folks.

biggq, i think between your comments and MRTD, the light bar is the way to go. (i can awlays HId later if it fails. Airflow wont be disrupted with a single row light bar sitting flush with the front hoop)

The Auroroa seems like a good option, but there are about 100, no... 5 or 6 other options to cross off first. crees, bajas, snake racing's, ... all fairly expensive options...some more than aurora but i figure pay once and be satisfied.

i was thinking 30' but in an effort to avoid mounting issues (nobody likes mounting issues ) i may stick with 20'.

Definatley a spot/flood combo and single row. i dont want it over the front bar, so its got to sit flush with the main hoop.

Deci$ion$ Deci$ion$.
thanks for the help gents!

[MudRunnerTD]

thanks for the replies folks.

biggq, i think between your comments and MRTD, the light bar is the way to go. (i can awlays HId later if it fails. Airflow wont be disrupted with a single row light bar sitting flush with the front hoop)

The Auroroa seems like a good option, but there are about 100, no... 5 or 6 other options to cross off first. crees, bajas, snake racing's, ... all fairly expensive options...some more than aurora but i figure pay once and be satisfied.

i was thinking 30' but in an effort to avoid mounting issues (nobody likes mounting issues ) i may stick with 20'.

Definatley a spot/flood combo and single row. i dont want it over the front bar, so its got to sit flush with the main hoop.

Deci$ion$ Deci$ion$.
thanks for the help gents!

Have a chat with Paul from LED Light co mate, I know him very well and he will be honest and straight up with you. He has a good range of Cree and Araura light bars and his own brand all of which have different price points. Give hima bell of send him an email and he will get straight back to you mate. He is a Top Bloke mate.

[megatexture]

LEDs are Awesome but I do love my hid's, I have lightforce 240s (1 spot 1 spread) I put a 100w hid kit into them and they light up a hell of a lot and actually have a wider spread and further than my light bars (3x dual 22" spot spread combos).
At the end of the day it depends what driving you do but if your budget will allow a led bar and hid combo complement each other nicely.

Good question D
I have a set of 8 year old IPF 900's and fitted a HID kit about 4 years ago, they have a dark spot in the middle the light is like an inverted V, so I have overlapped the beams to get rid of that. Do light up a long way in front but nothing to the side. They are starting to play up and after seeing a mates Narva light bar I am sold. Going to head that way, I really don't need to see into tomorrow, but to light up the sides of the road a bit closer to see Skippy etc. would be good. I don't want both as air flow to the radiator and intercooler scoop is important too.

My mate had the same issue with his ipf spotties because the hid globes are longer, he managed to fit a spacer on the reflector to make it sit proud and that solved it, its hard to describe but it basically changed the focal point of the light.

[Wetty]

I've got X-ray vison 55 watt converted IPF 900's which were a disapointment after firing them up (should have saved my money) and a 30" Wurton lightbar, which doen't throw far, but it turns night into day and has a very wide spread. . . . was damn expensive though