Diode Dynamics SS3 Fog Light Kit Installed

[SpeedyKevin]

Re-aimed my SS3 fog sports today using this guidance (Crashburn approved). Loving the cutoff/results!
Lowbeams were aimed using the crashburn approved 10feet back measurements. So far so good.

Gave up on trying to get the splashguard back on. Oh well lol

Covered the headlights to make it easy to see the fog beam

Before aiming. Not too bad with the downangle I installed them as. Get the cutoff 4 inches below the center line of the fogs but forgot to take a pic after re-aiming.

Close up after re-aiming.

 

[SpeedyKevin]

DD coming out with SS3 Max. Glowing initial impression from Crashburn (tacoma forum lighting engineer)

The LED SAE J583 Fog Pod & Fog Light Review | Page 186 | Tacoma World

 

[RusPro17]

After reading that post I will be staying with the Pros when I get them. For that cost for the max and intensity I don’t think you need that.

 

[JRod0981]

The max version seems to be super aggressive. I can't decide between sport and pro and if it's worth it to go with the extra power for the pro. Seems most people buy the amber as well but do you guys think it's worth the extra money for the pros? Patiently waiting for any black friday deal for a set of these.

 

[mynameistory]

The max version seems to be super aggressive. I can't decide between sport and pro and if it's worth it to go with the extra power for the pro. Seems most people buy the amber as well but do you guys think it's worth the extra money for the pros? Patiently waiting for any black friday deal for a set of these.

I went for the pros because of the increased intensity and coverage. They also run warm enough to melt snow, which is something that not many LED pods can do. I prefer their 3000K selective yellow, as it is an excellent deep warm yellow to cut down on reflected glare from fog/snow and wet/icy ground. Their 6000K white is a touch too blue for me, which is why my driving lights are the yellow lights with clear optics swapped in for a 4000K warm white.

The Max is definitely intriguing. The high performance Osram LED chips it uses are only available in 6000K, so Diode Dynamics is making a darker yellow optic to filter it down to a compliant color. This means that the Max yellow will be slightly less efficient than the sport or pro (though still more powerful). It will probably run hotter as a result though.

 

[rhadam]

So I have the ss3 fogs (yellow, sport) and i'd like to get the ss3 Pro ditch pods. I can't decide what beam pattern. I'm leaning towards flood. All the research i've done comes up with everyone giving a different opinion on flood vs driving/combo pattern. Flood seems, to me, to provide that light where you need it to see obstacles right and left, but also more illumination out front. Help?

 

[mynameistory]

So I have the ss3 fogs (yellow, sport) and i'd like to get the ss3 Pro ditch pods. I can't decide what beam pattern. I'm leaning towards flood. All the research i've done comes up with everyone giving a different opinion on flood vs driving/combo pattern. Flood seems, to me, to provide that light where you need it to see obstacles right and left, but also more illumination out front. Help?

Depends on how you want to point them. If you insist on pointing them straight forward like some people(and not at the ditch), I'd recommend the pure driving pattern to reduce hood glare as much as possible. Lighting up your hood makes it even harder to see, which is why I mounted my driving lights up front in the grill.

If you want to point them out to the sides at the ditch like they're supposed to be, I'd recommend the combo pattern. Right now it's only offered in the SSC2 pods, which are lower profile and a better choice for packaging in my opinion. But, they are getting ready to release the SS3 combo optic soon as well.

 

[JRod0981]

I went for the pros because of the increased intensity and coverage. They also run warm enough to melt snow, which is something that not many LED pods can do. I prefer their 3000K selective yellow, as it is an excellent deep warm yellow to cut down on reflected glare from fog/snow and wet/icy ground. Their 6000K white is a touch too blue for me, which is why my driving lights are the yellow lights with clear optics swapped in for a 4000K warm white.

The Max is definitely intriguing. The high performance Osram LED chips it uses are only available in 6000K, so Diode Dynamics is making a darker yellow optic to filter it down to a compliant color. This means that the Max yellow will be slightly less efficient than the sport or pro (though still more powerful). It will probably run hotter as a result though.

Good points here. Thank you man. I love the look of 6000k white and initially wanted all my lights up front to match in color temp, but I have to deal with snow in the Colorado mountains occasionally so want to be prepared for that with amber fogs and the ambers do look pretty good I think. I thought about buying the white 6000k lights, and just swapping the yellow lens on it for winter. Personally, I'm leaning toward the pro's myself because if I get the sports I will probably regret it. haha.

 

[SpeedyKevin]

Good points here. Thank you man. I love the look of 6000k white and initially wanted all my lights up front to match in color temp, but I have to deal with snow in the Colorado mountains occasionally so want to be prepared for that with amber fogs and the ambers do look pretty good I think. I thought about buying the white 6000k lights, and just swapping the yellow lens on it for winter. Personally, I'm leaning toward the pro's myself because if I get the sports I will probably regret it. haha.

I had no issues driving in whiteout conditions in the Eastern Sierra with the Sports but will say if it got any colder than 20F, then the sports could have a tough time melting the snow lol. Go for Pros if you really want the sunbeams/snow melters.

 

[JRod0981]

I had no issues driving in whiteout conditions in the Eastern Sierra with the Sports but will say if it got any colder than 20F, then the sports could have a tough time melting the snow lol. Go for Pros if you really want the sunbeams/snow melters.

Good advice and something I never considered for the heat output on the lights. It can get very cold on top of the mountain passes I go over in winter. I guess it's go Pro or go home for me.

 

[mynameistory]

Good points here. Thank you man. I love the look of 6000k white and initially wanted all my lights up front to match in color temp, but I have to deal with snow in the Colorado mountains occasionally so want to be prepared for that with amber fogs and the ambers do look pretty good I think. I thought about buying the white 6000k lights, and just swapping the yellow lens on it for winter. Personally, I'm leaning toward the pro's myself because if I get the sports I will probably regret it. haha.

I think you'd want to go the other way. Order the yellow pods and get some clear lenses. Putting yellow lenses on 6000K lights will result in a greenish yellow, which doesn't look very good and is not SAE compliant. As for matching, 4000K is a much closer match to halogen bulbs, which is what you should be using anyway. If you have drop-in LED bulbs, that is a whole other conversation. Long story short, just use halogen bulbs in halogen assemblies. Full reading here:

Why Most LED Headlight Upgrades Don't Really Work: An Expert Explains

And here:
3rd Gen HID vs LED vs Halogen H11 projector headlights | Tacoma World

Here's a shot of the 4000K pro driving lights and pro yellow fogs.

You can see the 6000K is a bit blue, which is why I switched:

 

[mynameistory]

I had no issues driving in whiteout conditions in the Eastern Sierra with the Sports but will say if it got any colder than 20F, then the sports could have a tough time melting the snow lol. Go for Pros if you really want the sunbeams/snow melters.

Sticking snow only really occurs in slushy or near-freezing conditions. If you're driving in really cold conditions (blower powder etc.) then it usually bounces off and you don't really need to worry about snow accumulation.

However, you're probably aware that most of the snow in the Sierra is warmer, high-moisture content stuff. There's a reason they call it Sierra cement :wink2: not too many places you can ski in July though!

 

[mynameistory]

I can't decide what beam pattern.

SS3 combo optic confirmed over at Tacomaworld. Should be up for grabs soon!

The LED SAE J583 Fog Pod & Fog Light Review | Page 190 | Tacoma World

 

[SpeedyKevin]

Sticking snow only really occurs in slushy or near-freezing conditions. If you're driving in really cold conditions (blower powder etc.) then it usually bounces off and you don't really need to worry about snow accumulation.

However, you're probably aware that most of the snow in the Sierra is warmer, high-moisture content stuff. There's a reason they call it Sierra cement :wink2: not too many places you can ski in July though!

Right you are! Makes it annoying when mountaineering in cali as the north / east facing slopes arent the dangerous slopes as they normally would be (higher moisture content causes that lol)

 

[rhadam]

SS3 combo optic confirmed over at Tacomaworld. Should be up for grabs soon!

The LED SAE J583 Fog Pod & Fog Light Review | Page 190 | Tacoma World

My man. Had no idea this was a thing until you said so. Thanks brother.

 

[rayofsi]

don't have oem bumper anymore
but SS3 Fogs are awesome. have a double ss3 frame kit coming with some more ss3s to put onto my 4runner

Never been flashed before running my selective yellow pros on my 4runner.

i have 2 pairs of white pro and a pair of selective yellow pro on my raptor. never flashed either.

Insane output. compliant pattern. Great lights

 

[Danielt28]

Looks nice

 

[mynameistory]

don't have oem bumper anymore
but SS3 Fogs are awesome. have a double ss3 frame kit coming with some more ss3s to put onto my 4runner

Never been flashed before running my selective yellow pros on my 4runner.

i have 2 pairs of white pro and a pair of selective yellow pro on my raptor. never flashed either.

Insane output. compliant pattern. Great lights

Yep when they are aimed correctly there should be no unacceptable glare to oncoming traffic. Unlike other "fog lights" that people stick in there (looking at you, Baja Designs squadrons).

 

[bosco659]

I got the SS3 Pro's in selective yellow on my '15 Limited, and love them! Paired with XD 4300K HID low beams, they compliment each other nicely, the SS3's honestly nearly drown out the HID's up close, but the HID's still provide better distance. The width of the SS3's is amazing, lights up the ditches where the deer lurk just like I'd hoped.

Install on a Limited trim is a bit of a PITA, there's no room to get the allen wrench in to tighten the lights to the brackets on the one side, so I needed to adjust and tighten the one side, then pull them back out to tighten the other side.

Just bought a set for my ‘15 limited too. Read your post about accessibility for the one bolt. Which side was that? Dealer said he though bumper cover may need to be removed. Can you please lmk any details of the install that may help me decide whether to install or return them. Thanks!

 

[bosco659]

Just read subsequent posts. I’ll look under the truck to get a full understanding of what needs to be removed. Any comments would be appreciate before I do this. It’s cold out there! Intended install on a ‘15 Limited. Thanks!