Posts Categorized: Accessories

Reviews Are In: Best Ford Ranger Led Light Bar

Reviews Are In: Best Ford Ranger Led Light Bar

If you’re after a light bar for your Ford Ranger, look no further. To help you choose the perfect one for your specific application, we’ve decided to review the best products currently on the market and report back on their pros and cons. Although there’s several dozen, if not hundreds of products, we’ve gathered the best and are presenting them to you here. Without further to do, here are our favorite light bars for the Ford Ranger.

 

Buying Guide

Before you go out and purchase anything however, there are a couple of things you have to know.

Size: Light bars come in various shapes and sizes. Depending on your specific need or requirement, you can choose between shorter, thinner light bars, or larger ones. Although a larger size doesn’t always yield more brightness, you’ll certainly have a larger light area. If size isn’t an issue, we recommend going for the largest light bar your vehicle can accommodate.

Light Output: The wattage of the light directly corresponds with the amount of brightness said light can produce. Although the light can be manifested in different colors (blue, red, etc.), the wattage almost always determines how bright it will shine. LED lights are the most innovative ones, but they’re also a lot more expensive than regular, halogen units. Your regular household lights run 30 to 80w, so it’s safe to assume that anything over 100w is well into extremely bright territory.

Warranty: For peace of mind, we recommend purchasing products with a warranty of at least one full year. If the seller refuses to give you warranty or guarantee the product’s quality in any other way, it’s time to walk away and find a different product. Light bars will, in most cases, last you a long time, but as with anything, they’re prone to breaking, especially if the vehicle’s tackling the off-road trails on the regular.

 

Ford Ranger led light up bar review

In this section, we will be reviewing the best led light up bar for the money.

 

  1. LED Light Bar Nilight 20-inch 126w Review

Although Nilight is a relatively unknown brand, the Chinese manufacturer has been selling products which are on par with the very best from Europe and the U.S. Their latest Nilight light bar is the most popular light bar currently on the market, and with good reason. The light bar itself is pretty light and compact, but it’s the ease with which one can install it which makes it a really good product.

What we like:

  • Size
  • Price
  • Warranty
  • Options

We already mentioned its compact size, but we felt the need to emphasize it again because it really is a big deal. The design of the Nilight light bar is not particularly exciting, but it’s not boring either. You can purchase a single 126W light or two pieces, effectively with a discount. The 54-inch combo light bar straight is great option if you want a single, really wide light bar, but otherwise we’d stick with the 20-inch options. The guys over at Nilight are kind enough to offer a 2 year full warranty, as a testimony to their quality and customer service. In our experience, they’re the best brand when it comes to customer satisfaction. Any potential issues or problems are sorted out quickly, without too much hassle. If you want a stress-free buying experience, as well the best light bar currently for sale, one cannot recommend the Nilight product enough.

What we don’t like:

  • Nothing

Although we could have found flaws in it had we tried really hard, the reality is that you can always find flaws in everything. It’s just the way the world works, as nothing is perfect. With that in mind, we decided to give the Nilight light bar a full 10/10 rating, crowning it a favorite.

 

  1. Loop EB-20 Econoled 20”” LED-22” Light Bar Review

  2. Loop’s light bar is really similar to the Nilight product we just reviewed, but it does come with several different features. It’s still a great light bar, as it’s just a matter of personal preference which one you go for.

What we like:

  • Price
  • Size
  • Quality

It’s priced almost exactly the same as the Nilight, but is it as good? At first glance, we’re inclined to say yes. The quality of the materials used is exceptional and the fit and finish is just as good. There’s 40 3w high-intensity LEDs, completely illuminating the road ahead of you. Loop claims the light bar will last you the better part of 30,000 hours, an incredible achievement for something you can just pick off the shelf or order right now.

What we don’t like:

  • Power output

The combined 120W output is more than sufficient in most cases, but it’s a shame because there’s a ton of more powerful lighting solutions out there at the same or a much lower price.

  1. MicTuning MIC-BC2180 180W Review

If money isn’t an issue, we highly suggest you take a look at the MicTuning light bar. Launched as an LED lighting brand registered in the US, the MicTuning product is an excellent choice, albeit a pricier one.

What we like:

  • Power
  • Quality
  • Color

The MicTuning’s 180W power output completely dwarfs the Nilight and Loop ‘silly’ 120W figures. If you want the last word in lighting, this is it. The MicTuning turns night into day, quite literally. It’s borderline insanely powerful, but the cool 6000-6200K crystal clear white color makes it pleasant.

What we don’t like:

  • Price

Naturally, the MicTuning is a fair amount more expensive than the other two light bars on our list, but that’s the case with any quality manufacturer in any category really. Apart from that, we couldn’t fault it and we really tried.

 

Conclusion

The Nilight remains the best light bar for Ford Ranger on the market hands down, but the Loop version comes in at a close second. Alternatively, you can go for the MicTuning light bar and get 180W of power, but it does …

Best Tow Mirrors for Ford Ranger

Best Tow Mirrors for Ford Ranger

Being a truck owner gives you many advantages other than being able to help all of your friends move. You can use a truck to haul cargo in the box or tow a trailer. When towing a trailer with your truck you may find your factory mirrors do not work that great. While factory mirrors provide an excellent view for your blind spots they don’t provide the best view when trailering.  This is why aftermarket companies produce towing mirrors for all vehicles such as your Ford Truck.

 

Tow Mirror Buying Guide

While most people might not know what tow mirrors are for anyone who has hitched a trailer to a truck will understand completely. When you are towing a trailer down the road it is very important to be able to see what is behind and beside your trailer. Factory side view mirrors provide great blind spot and rear view but do not allow you to view far enough back to provide safety when trailering. Tow mirrors are generally longer and stick out further from your vehicle, assisting in looking rearward. Higher end two mirrors will also feature a mirror that is split in two. The standard mirror will sit on top and there will be a lower convex mirror. This convex mirror allows the driver with a wide angle view providing the best possible view rearward. Generally, there are two different designs available. Some aftermarket companies produce mirrors that can extend outward when towing and collapse inward when driving around town. These mirrors are the highest quality units but are generally more expensive and can even require a mechanic to properly install. The other version of aftermarket tow mirrors are a slip over design. These designs can be installed and removed only when towing by simply slipping them over your existing factory mirrors. They can be secured with something as simple as a bungee cord to proprietary wedge lock systems.

As you can see there are many different options available when it comes to tow mirrors for your F150, F250, or F350 truck. We have selected a few options of both designs and featured them below.

 

F Series Telescoping Tow Mirror 

These mirrors provide the greatest deal on our list. These tow mirrors feature all of the options that are available on aftermarket tow mirrors. We really like the fact that these mirrors feature a manual telescoping feature as well as a convex mirror. Telescoping these mirrors provide the best possible view rear ward and when combined with the lower convex mirror provide the most enhanced towing view possible. We really like that this mirror comes with different features as well. Depending on how your vehicle came equipped from the factory this tow mirror will not have you sacrificing your factory options like, heated outside rear view mirror glass and mirror mounted turn signals to provide you with a towing mirror. On top of all those features we also really like the smoked signal lens that these mirrors come equipped with. While there is much to be liked about this mirror the only downfall is the fact that you need great DIY skills or a mechanics help to install. You will need to remove the door panel on your truck to remove and install these mirrors. Wiring skills are also needed due to the reason that if the harnesses do not fit you will need to wire this mirror by cutting and soldering connections.  We feel that this slight con does not detract from this amazing tow mirror that has all the features you could ever need and more.

 

DEDC Ford Tow Mirrors

These tow mirrors as the one above contains amazing features in a tow mirror. We really like the fact that these tow mirrors contain a large mirror size as well as the lower convex tow mirror. These convex mirrors are excellent for viewing when towing a trailer. Along with the convex mirror these mirrors are also equipped with a telescoping feature. By installing this mirror you will not be taking away all of those great features you love about your truck. Even though these mirrors are aftermarket they still have mirror glass defrost, outside marker lights, and power adjustment control. About the only thing that isn’t automatic about these mirrors is the manual telescoping. We do not like the factory orange color turn signal on the mirror. Also these mirrors need to be installed by a mechanic or someone skilled in DIY as the door panel will need to removed and wiring completed to install these mirrors. Just like the previous tow mirrors we really like these mirrors and the only thing that detracts from them is the complicated installation procedure.

 

CIPA 11600 Ford Custom Tow Mirror

While the above mirrors could be considered the Cadillac, these mirrors could be called the K-Car. These aftermarket tow mirrors are a slip over design that feature a wedge lock fastening system. We really like the fact that these mirrors can be slipped on and installed without tools when towing a trailer and removed when done. They do not require any special training to properly install and do not obstruct the factory mirrors when installed. We are not the biggest fan of these mirrors as over time they can start to vibrate when driving, we do not like the small mirror size either. Because fit is so important with these mirrors, make sure you check the fit of these mirrors when you receive them to ensure that they are the proper ones for your vehicle. If your looking for something that is inexpensive and can easily slip on when towing this style of tow mirror is right for you.

As you can see tow mirror selection is completely dependent on personal preferences. We really like the bolt on factory style replacements as they provide the highest quality and best looking tow mirror for your vehicle. However, if you tow a trailer infrequently and are on …