Need help picking light bar for brush truck

achannell

New Member
Dec 23, 2020
3
Stoddard, WI
I'm getting a bit overwhelmed with the options available and difficulty in finding good documentation as well as prices.
It's for a Ram 3500 dual rear wheel. Have 4 high current inbuilt aux switches I can use for light control. This truck goes on fairly few calls (most non emergent, including brush fires unless a structure is in danger).

Requirements:
1. This is for mounting on a headache rack (2x2" square aluminum).
2. NFPA compliant.
3. Light bar width can be from 46"-55"
4. Price is a big concern, volunteer department with limited funds. Was looking at STL lights till read quality is a big issue?

Nice to have but not necessary:
1. White light for scene lighting
2. Traffic control lights
3. Control panel
 

JakeNShake121

Member
Jun 12, 2014
22
NJ
I don't care what you buy to be honest, but do NOT, I repeat DO NOT buy speed tech. I would hate to see you guys buy a garbage speed tech light, having it burn out after a few months, and now you're buying a second lightbar. Just suck it up now and pay for it now as supposed to having issues down the road. What's the max you guys are willing to spend?
 

NPS Ranger

Member
May 21, 2010
1,988
Penn's Woods
Even for a vehicle that size, NFPA 1901 is pretty specific, just mounting a lightbar on a headache rack won't meet the specs. At a minimum, you'll also need "one or more lights to each front corner, between 18-48" above ground." Your lightbar will need to meet the specified optical requirements in all 4 zones, measured in candela-seconds per minute. Also, "The minimum flash rate allowed is 75 flashes per minute for any single optical source and 150 flashes per minute from all of the light sources visible at any data point (i.e., at least two warning lights are required in each zone). Failure of a lighting device should not leave a data point without a signal."

In theory, a lightbar that meets the optical output requirements combined with front fender lights should do it. All of the major manufacturers have NFPA compliant lightbars. Fender lights are no problem.
 
May 21, 2010
1,256
Minnesota
When on a budget have you considered halogen? The MX7000 with intersection sweeps and/or flashing alleys should do the trick.

I have a Red/Blue Federal Signal Arjent I would sell for $100 and give you some warranty with it if needed. I am in MN so we could work out the transportation too.

Depending on your budget if you want LED, I would look into a used Whelen Liberty as they can be found fairly inexpensive, parts are widely available and they are easy to work on.
 
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pdk9

Member
May 26, 2010
3,834
New York & Florida
I'm getting a bit overwhelmed with the options available and difficulty in finding good documentation as well as prices.
It's for a Ram 3500 dual rear wheel. Have 4 high current inbuilt aux switches I can use for light control. This truck goes on fairly few calls (most non emergent, including brush fires unless a structure is in danger).

Requirements:
1. This is for mounting on a headache rack (2x2" square aluminum).
2. NFPA compliant.
3. Light bar width can be from 46"-55"
4. Price is a big concern, volunteer department with limited funds. Was looking at STL lights till read quality is a big issue?

Nice to have but not necessary:
1. White light for scene lighting
2. Traffic control lights
3. Control panel

Feniex Fusion
Sound off nRoads Fleet

You don’t wanna go near STL. The more “economical” options from reputable places will still run you around 1K, but you’ll have the reliability that you won’t get from STL (and similar) bars
 

Mattdecker

Member
Mar 16, 2013
1,172
Barren County, Kentucky
I'd check out the Tomar Scorpion. It's not dual color in a true sense but my front modules are capable of flood mode as well.

You can get the front modules dual color as well as all 4 corners. So when you activate flood mode and takedown and alleys, the whole front and sides of the bar will turn white.

Not gonna lie, I put my Scorpion (5 years old) up against our new Liberty 2 on our medical truck and the Scorpion blew the Liberty out of the water.
 

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Da-Sarge

Member
Feb 27, 2020
393
Canada
I find the freedom bar an excellent bar crazy bright and attention grabbing but the tomar scorpion is also an excellent bar I personally am more fond of whelen mainly because its easier to find the parts especially red heads are stupid easy to find if one dies liberty 1 bars in red and blue or red only can be had for pretty cheap compared to others its a very bright bar and also very reliable we have a liberty on our local fire departments brush truck and is several years old bar has been very reliable has taken some good smacks from branches and the like never broke it lol ide reccamend having something thats very easy to repair and very easy to obtain parts for for your brush truck as the bar will get hit by branches and things in the sticks so a liberty 1 bar is a good choice for an LED bar thats bright and easy to get parts for in the event it gets damaged
 

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