550 Roof Lights Installation

[Dane]

I quickly noticed that some lights on the roof would be very helpful when driving through tall brush and grass at night. John Deere offers several lighting options but with the 550's small alternator it soon becomes a very expensive option when you include upgrading to the larger alternator. So, I went with some of the new highly efficient LED lights. These are 1'300 lumens each, about equivalent to a 50 watt traditional headlight so it should be brighter than the stock headlights and at 15 watts has about 1/3 the power consumption as the headlights so an upgraded alternator is not required.

I choose the Rigid Industries Duallys hybrid flood (http://www.rigidindustries.com/Dually-2x2-LED-Lights-Set-of-two-p/twoduallys.htm). I did not buy them from their website since they can be found cheaper elsewhere. They seem to have a minimum advertised pricing contract so you have to look around and even call some vendors to see what they will do to sweeten the deal like discounting the price or offering free shipping.

http://i922.photobucket.com/albums/ad67/pilotdane2/2012/Gator/Lights%20Install/LightInstall7.jpg

http://i922.photobucket.com/albums/ad67/pilotdane2/2012/Gator/Lights%20Install/LightInstall8.jpg

[Dane]

First I opened up the front hood and removed the cargo box and piece that covers the back of the dash board.

To remove the cargo box you need a Torx 25 wrench or screwdriver to remove the four screws. Also remove the fuse box cover. As you lift the cargo box out then you can push the fuse box out and remove the cargo box.

http://i922.photobucket.com/albums/ad67/pilotdane2/2012/Gator/Lights%20Install/LightInstall10.jpg

After the cargo box is out I removed the screws shown around the perimeter of the dashboard piece. My Gator has the optional windshield and even though the two screws for the center bracket don't go into the dash backer piece it helps to remove it. All but two of the screws are Torx 25 with the other two being Torx 40. After all the screws are out you may have to pull & bend a bit to get the tabs at the top to pop out from under the top dash.

http://i922.photobucket.com/albums/ad67/pilotdane2/2012/Gator/Lights%20Install/LightInstall9.jpg

[Dane]

Next I work on mounting the lights. I removed the roof by flipping the four plastic clamps and sat it aside for a while. The front roll cage cross tube is held on by four nuts & bolts, two on each side. You need a 18mm wrench top and bottom to remove them and a pneumatic impact wrench or breaker bar may be necessary to get them loose. Mine felt like they were installed by King Kong.

After removing the front cross tube it's easy to slide the wiring harness provided with the lights through the cross tube. The wire and connector for each light will come out of each end of the cross tube so there are no visible wires in the cabin. There is a hole in the roll cage where the cross bar attaches that makes it easy to shove the wire down the roll bar and into the front dashboard/wheel well area.

http://i922.photobucket.com/albums/ad67/pilotdane2/2012/Gator/Lights%20Install/LightInstall1.jpg

http://i922.photobucket.com/albums/ad67/pilotdane2/2012/Gator/Lights%20Install/LightInstall2.jpg

[Dane]

Next I mounted the lights to the roof. I removed the front roof mounting clamps by removing the Allen screw visible on the top side. You need a 5/32" Allen wrench (it could be metric but the 5/32" fit well). You may need to pry off the rubber washers off the top and bottom as they like to stick to the roof.

The lights are provided with some very nice gasketed connectors so I did not want to cut & splice the wiring so room has to be made to get the connector through the roof. I used a Dremel tool to route out the round hole to a square. Then I made a slot to the rear for the wire to get past the mounting bracket on the bottom side. As you can see the slot needs to go a fair bit beyond the round roof mounting washer.

http://i922.photobucket.com/albums/ad67/pilotdane2/2012/Gator/Lights%20Install/LightInstall3.jpg

Next I mounted the lights using the brackets provided with the lights and the roof attachment screw from the Gator. I added a 1/4" washer under the head of the screw/bolt because of the wide slot in the mounting bracket. I did not install the aluminum spacer tubes that originally were part of the top's assembly so it does not tighten down rock hard. I want to be able to grab the light and position it with some force. Hopefully the rubber washers will provide enough tension to prevent the lights from moving inadvertently.

http://i922.photobucket.com/albums/ad67/pilotdane2/2012/Gator/Lights%20Install/LightInstall4.jpg

Below you can see why the wire slot needs to be longer than expected.

http://i922.photobucket.com/albums/ad67/pilotdane2/2012/Gator/Lights%20Install/LightInstall5.jpg

This installation also provides a connector just under each light so the top is easily removable in the future.

[Dane]

I then put the roof back on the Gator and mated the electrical connector for each light. The connector nicely tucks up behind the roll bar mounting bolts making them almost invisible but still easily accessible.

http://i922.photobucket.com/albums/ad67/pilotdane2/2012/Gator/Lights%20Install/LightInstall11.jpg


What about that slot! Won't it let in rain?

Black silicone sealant to the rescue.

http://i922.photobucket.com/albums/ad67/pilotdane2/2012/Gator/Lights%20Install/LightInstall12.jpg

[Dane]

Now for the all important wiring into the Gator's electrical system... I forgot to take pictures.

I bought a light switch from the dealer for $14 which is crazy but it was immediately available without having to wait and it looks identical to the stock light switch. I sometimes want light when I might not have the key in the ignition so I got positive 12v for the lights from the always hot front accessory 30a circuit which I am not using. I soldered into the wire coming out of the fuse box that is after/protected by the fuse. The lights wiring harness had a fuse so it is inline protecting my lighting wiring. The hot wires go to the switch in the dash and up to my lights.

The ground I tied into a unused connector/wire behind the dash. It had a red and black wire and is switched and seems to be on the headlight circuit. I suppose you could use these two wires to power the additional lights but you would be pushing the 10a headlight fuse close to it's limit. I just tied into the black ground wire for the ground for my new lights.

After putting the things back together I remember to take pictures.

Where the wires come down out of the roll bar tube they are exposed so I enclosed them in some plastic wire conduit from the auto parts store and wire tied everything to keep it neat and out of harms way.

http://i922.photobucket.com/albums/ad67/pilotdane2/2012/Gator/Lights%20Install/LightInstall13.jpg

One reason I choose these lights was because this brand seems to have a reputation for being rock solid and I liked the small size. They are small and much lower than the rear of the roof so I don't have to worry too much about them snagging tree branches. The lights themselves are surprisingly heavy, built like a tank and seem very capable of defending themselves against anything.

http://i922.photobucket.com/albums/ad67/pilotdane2/2012/Gator/Lights%20Install/LightInstall6.jpg

[825joe]

:Thmup: Nice clean install!

[mountaingoat]

Neat, clean, and state of the art units. Nice looking lights, with a clean install! mountaingoat

[Dane]

My Gator's stock light switch was located in the top position. I relocated the front/stock light switch down and put my overhead switch in the top position so the switches are a bit in the same position as their lights.

http://i922.photobucket.com/albums/ad67/pilotdane2/2012/Gator/Lights%20Install/LightInstall17.jpg


http://i922.photobucket.com/albums/ad67/pilotdane2/2012/Gator/Lights%20Install/LightInstall16.jpg

http://i922.photobucket.com/albums/ad67/pilotdane2/2012/Gator/Lights%20Install/LightInstall14.jpg

http://i922.photobucket.com/albums/ad67/pilotdane2/2012/Gator/Lights%20Install/LightInstall15.jpg

[Dane]

Now that it's dark here are the results. In each set first is the stock headlights, then the LED's and lastly both. I purposefully have the LEDs aimed outward since they fill in the center better than the photos show. All photos were taken with a DSLR and I could see better than any of the photos show. So, any areas that seem partially lit I could see pretty well and especially looking over the field the LED's seem like two circle when in real life it was more uniform.

http://i922.photobucket.com/albums/ad67/pilotdane2/2012/Gator/Lights%20Install/Light%20Test/AHL.jpg

http://i922.photobucket.com/albums/ad67/pilotdane2/2012/Gator/Lights%20Install/Light%20Test/ALED.jpg

http://i922.photobucket.com/albums/ad67/pilotdane2/2012/Gator/Lights%20Install/Light%20Test/AHLLED.jpg

[Dane]

http://i922.photobucket.com/albums/ad67/pilotdane2/2012/Gator/Lights%20Install/Light%20Test/BHL.jpg

http://i922.photobucket.com/albums/ad67/pilotdane2/2012/Gator/Lights%20Install/Light%20Test/BLED.jpg

http://i922.photobucket.com/albums/ad67/pilotdane2/2012/Gator/Lights%20Install/Light%20Test/BHLLED.jpg

[Dane]

http://i922.photobucket.com/albums/ad67/pilotdane2/2012/Gator/Lights%20Install/Light%20Test/CHL.jpg

http://i922.photobucket.com/albums/ad67/pilotdane2/2012/Gator/Lights%20Install/Light%20Test/CLED.jpg

http://i922.photobucket.com/albums/ad67/pilotdane2/2012/Gator/Lights%20Install/Light%20Test/CHLLED.jpg

The camera settings may be different for each set of photos so only make comparisons between each group of three. And, in all cases I could see better than the photos show. I had to tone down the exposures because the LED's are so bright.

In conclusion I'd have to say these LED lights are great! I have no experience with other LED driving lights but considering the speed of the 550 the hybrid spot pattern seems perfect. Before this test I had plan B in the back of my mind to add an LED long range light bar in the center for higher speed driving at night but I don't think it's necessary. I still find it hard to believe they do it on so little power. Driving home from these photos I found the stock headlights not needed and ran only with the LED's.

[gatordear]

Dane.... Very nice write-up with pictures. Our gator has the same options (protection package) as yours... but, with no windshield and now no led lights on the roof... The other day, I got caught in a super strong thunderstorm (lottsa rain). Boy, did I need a windshield. And those lights, you really did do a great job! My first big mod was hanging a $14 rear view mirror. Good luck.... gatordear

[Dane]

Thank you for reminding me. I need to look for a rear view mirror.

[Dane]

Here is my latest Gator light addition. Since I did this thread I've added a Rigid SR light bar to the center of the roof with the LED's in a spot/flood mix. The LED's in the center are spots straight ahead for long range then the ones on the outer ends of the bar are floods. Then I have my original Dually LED's floods on each side aimed even further to the side for better peripheral vision when picking through the forest.

http://i922.photobucket.com/albums/ad67/pilotdane2/2014/Gator/GatorLights_zps34c38a67.jpg

[vanderrt]

Very detailed Thank you Dane. Looks great and nice work. Again Thanks. Hows that Honda working for you?

[Dane]

It continues to run well. I do have something going on though when advancing the throttle from idle. It's hard to make a smooth transition off of idle. It jumps to a fast idle and then has perfect throttle control. At first I thought it was a sticking throttle cable but now I think it's something in the throttle/governor linkage and it's adjustment. It's a rather complex system and I'm really not in the mood pull the body panels off to access the area. Maybe if I get a long rainy weekend I'll get bored enough to look into it.