Upgrading MX lights to LED

[troverman]

The MX series has disappointing lighting. The headlights are 35/35 low and high beam wattage, just with the filament in a different spot. The cab model I am getting has front and rear work lights but they are also 35w each.

I often work at night or in the winter and like bright lighting. Does anyone know if the factory headlight and work light bulbs can be replaced with LEDs? I know the work lights don’t really have any room for a longer bulb.

Thanks in advance

 

[85Hokie]

Please specify WHICH MX series you wish to replace the bulbs.

 

[troverman]

Please specify WHICH MX series you wish to replace the bulbs.

MX6000 HSTC but I believe the headlights are identical on the old MX 4800-5200-5800 series as well. Obviously the cab work lights are exclusive to the MX5400-6000 but even those are just carryover from the Grand L 60 series

 

[Borane4]

There are drop-in LED replacements from several companies. The trick (as you probably know) is finding out the code of the replacement. I replaced my M4 lights with LEDs from Amazon and it made a big difference. Good luck

 

[lerxstland]

The MX series has disappointing lighting. The headlights are 35/35 low and high beam wattage, just with the filament in a different spot. The cab model I am getting has front and rear work lights but they are also 35w each.

I often work at night or in the winter and like bright lighting. Does anyone know if the factory headlight and work light bulbs can be replaced with LEDs? I know the work lights don’t really have any room for a longer bulb.

Thanks in advance

If you figure it out please let me know. I have the mx 5400 and agree the lights on the cab are basically useless.

Thanks

 

[troverman]

Will do. I operate at night quite a bit, especially in the fall.

 

[SDT]

The MX series has disappointing lighting. The headlights are 35/35 low and high beam wattage, just with the filament in a different spot. The cab model I am getting has front and rear work lights but they are also 35w each.

I often work at night or in the winter and like bright lighting. Does anyone know if the factory headlight and work light bulbs can be replaced with LEDs? I know the work lights don’t really have any room for a longer bulb.

Thanks in advance

New Kubota cab tractors are being delivered with LED work lights that look physically similar to the older halogen versions.

Not sure, but expect that the old can be replaced with the new.

Yes, this approach will be expensive.

 

[chim]

My experience has been that the factory lights on tractors are poor. If you want good lighting where you need good lighting, add new separate LED's. Aim them where you need the light.

 

[troverman]

Only the M4 and LX cab tractors get LEDs, until you get to the really large machines. The Grand L and MX unfortunately don’t. Perhaps they could be retrofitted but it would only be worth it if they were significantly bright.

 

[troverman]

FYI- M4 and LX cab tractor have the same LED work lights. $233 each. Probably not worth it

 

[SDT]

FYI- M4 and LX cab tractor have the same LED work lights. $233 each. Probably not worth it

Like I said, this will be an expensive alternative.

 

[chim]

Good lighting isn't cheap but doesn't need to be terribly expensive. It is a necessity for many. Each of the eight aftermarket LED lights cost in the neighborhood of $50. I've posted most of this before, so if you aren't new here please scroll by.

To add a bit to my earlier post, the best results for me have been with flood pattern lights. As I mentioned elsewhere, the most useful lighting for me is wide and bright near the tractor. The Kubota isn't an offroad rig barreling along at 60 MPH (96 KMH for our Neighbors). It maxes out just a tad more than 1/4 of that.

Two 2100 lumen Maxxima MWL-42's on the front of the cab plus two on the rear are mounted where the stock lights would be. They work fine for general use and for loader work.

For mowing, the two front cab-mounted lights are switched off and two more that are mounted low on the grille guard are turned on. Mounted low so they rake across the grass gives much better definition to the cut/uncut line.

After using that configuration a little, it became obvious the weak spot was side lighting. Before retirement last Fall, schedules and weather forced me to do a lot of mowing at night. Without good lighting to the sides, turning was sometimes a guessing game. A small cube cube (TWL-20F) tucked into the loader frame on each side remedied that nicely.

The last photo is the L3200 that we ran for several years. It had halogen lights that made the grass look greener than the LED's do. They were adequate but not great. The lower picture with the more white light is the current L4240.

 

[troverman]

Chim, how did you mount the cubes inside the loader tube?

 

[chim]

Chim, how did you mount the cubes inside the loader tube?

The bracket supplied with the cube light wouldn't allow mounting it with the hardware supplied. The U bracket took up more space than was available. Made a small metal L that let me turn the U so the bolt to the rear of the light. The L is bolted through a hole in the loader frame tube, and the light is bolted to the L.

Light picture is from the dealer's website. That U with the bolt is turned back to make the right/left dimension fit into the tube. Snug but it worked and it's out of harm's way in the tube.

 

[troverman]

Thanks

 

[mikester]

Get some LED bar lights

https://www.princessauto.com/en/searchresults?Nr=product.active%3A1&Ntt=led%20bar*&Nty=1&No=0&Nrpp=50&Rdm=105&searchType=simple&type=search

27 inch unit on sale $59 is a very good buy
I have the 14 inch and they are very good flood lights, way better than bulb replacements

 

[troverman]

Get some LED bar lights

https://www.princessauto.com/en/searchresults?Nr=product.active%3A1&Ntt=led%20bar*&Nty=1&No=0&Nrpp=50&Rdm=105&searchType=simple&type=search

27 inch unit on sale $59 is a very good buy
I have the 14 inch and they are very good flood lights, way better than bulb replacements

Its worth noting the amperage draw of add-ons like a light bar. As it is now, the MX owners manual states that if you have the CCV heater and idle your tractor for a significant period of time, the tractor may stop running due to a discharged battery. In other words, the alternator can't keep up with the stock electrical demands of the tractor. The stock alternator for an MX open station is 45A. The cab version is 60A. In my opinion, 60A is not really enough to operate a fuel lift pump, fuel injectors, ECU, headlights, tail lights, wipers, heater or A/C fan, front and rear work lights, cab interior lighting, etc. There is an optional alternator that is a requirement with the rear window defroster option which is over 100A and would solve these problems. But for example, the 27" lightbar you reference draws and additional 60W. If you don't operate the headlights or work lights while running this, you should be fine. But together, they could kill the tractor's electrical system.

 

[jyoutz]

Its worth noting the amperage draw of add-ons like a light bar. As it is now, the MX owners manual states that if you have the CCV heater and idle your tractor for a significant period of time, the tractor may stop running due to a discharged battery. In other words, the alternator can't keep up with the stock electrical demands of the tractor. The stock alternator for an MX open station is 45A. The cab version is 60A. In my opinion, 60A is not really enough to operate a fuel lift pump, fuel injectors, ECU, headlights, tail lights, wipers, heater or A/C fan, front and rear work lights, cab interior lighting, etc. There is an optional alternator that is a requirement with the rear window defroster option which is over 100A and would solve these problems. But for example, the 27" lightbar you reference draws and additional 60W. If you don't operate the headlights or work lights while running this, you should be fine. But together, they could kill the tractor's electrical system.

A 27” lightbar is overkill. I’m very happy with a 14” lightbar on my open station MX6000 and it draws less than 10 amps.

 

[mikester]

A 27” lightbar is overkill. I’m very happy with a 14” lightbar on my open station MX6000 and it draws less than 10 amps.

I know it's overkill but the 27 inch is $30 cheaper than the 14 inch right now. Almost the same brightness and wattage. I don't understand why the 14 inch rates the wattage as 24x3 must be the new math by the sales gurus

These light bars produce way more light for a lot less wattage than the halogens I replaced

 

[jyoutz]

I know it's overkill but the 27 inch is $30 cheaper than the 14 inch right now. Almost the same brightness and wattage. I don't understand why the 14 inch rates the wattage as 24x3 must be the new math by the sales gurus

These light bars produce way more light for a lot less wattage than the halogens I replaced

True, they produce a lot of light. Actually I’m pretty pleased with my Harbor Freight LED light bar. Works well and seems plenty sturdy built.