Notices
Modified JK Tech Tech related bulletin board forum regarding subjects such as suspension, tires & wheels, steering, bumpers, skid plates, drive train, cages, on-board air and other useful modifications that will help improve the performance and protection of your Jeep JK Wrangler (Rubicon, Sahara, Unlimited and X) on the trail.

PLEASE DO NOT START SHOW & TELL TYPE THREADS IN THIS FORUM

KC lightbar and lights effecting MPG??

Thread Tools
 
Old 02-28-2014, 11:10 AM
  #1  
JK Newbie
Thread Starter
 
Incawrangler's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: Kennesaw, Ga
Posts: 40
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
Default KC lightbar and lights effecting MPG??

My Jeep came with a lightbar and 5 large KC lights installed on top of it. I will hardly ever use them, but they sure do look nice . But.... how will they affect MPG? I remember I had a roof rack on my wifes Honda accord and that thing really did set the MPG back quite a bit. Plus, the wind noise from the lights are extremely loud running faster then 45 MPG with the freedom top removed. Has anyone ever experimented with the lights on / off to see how it affected MPG?
Old 02-28-2014, 11:15 AM
  #2  
JK Freak
 
D3ADLY's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Pittsburgh, PA
Posts: 631
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default

As anything that catches wind can reduce your mpg, I'm gonna say it's gonna be minute to nearly nothing in difference.

We'll see what others say though.

Sent from my Galaxy Note 3 while crawling over mini trucks.
Old 02-28-2014, 11:45 AM
  #3  
JK Newbie
Thread Starter
 
Incawrangler's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: Kennesaw, Ga
Posts: 40
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
Default

Ya, well I was thinking since this jeep is like pushing a brick down the road anyways, it's not gonna matter much. But still, with the amount of noise these lights make and the fact they are the highest point of the jeep, they gotta have some kind of impact on the gas mileage. Just wondering if it was worth enough to take em off. I've got 3.73 gearing and 33" tires with maybe a 3" lift and am getting around 14.4 mpg, but I drive like grandpa jones, lol.
Old 02-28-2014, 11:49 AM
  #4  
JK Freak
 
D3ADLY's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Pittsburgh, PA
Posts: 631
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default

If nothing else since you won't use them much sell them and use the money to buy you something you will use or like for your jeep!

Sent from my Galaxy Note 3 while crawling over mini trucks.
Old 02-28-2014, 11:53 AM
  #5  
JK Enthusiast
 
Jeep305's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: Baltimore, md
Posts: 270
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default

Ha, it's a jeep. The last thing a jeep owner should worry about is MPG. I bought all my jeeps knowing MPG sucks....
Old 02-28-2014, 11:59 AM
  #6  
JK Newbie
Thread Starter
 
Incawrangler's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: Kennesaw, Ga
Posts: 40
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
Default

Hahah... ya I knew MPG would suck, but I immediately thought of my Yakima roof rack and how it killed mpg's on the accord and decided to ask on other peoples experiences here. The K.C. lights look freaking awesome though.

But... so far I have had 2 people ask me when Kentucky fried chicken started making off road accessories...
Old 02-28-2014, 01:40 PM
  #7  
JK Enthusiast
 
Sand Scorpion's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2013
Location: Houston
Posts: 162
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default

Originally Posted by Incawrangler
Hahah... ya I knew MPG would suck, but I immediately thought of my Yakima roof rack and how it killed mpg's on the accord and decided to ask on other peoples experiences here. The K.C. lights look freaking awesome though.

But... so far I have had 2 people ask me when Kentucky fried chicken started making off road accessories...
if you drive with those lights on it will actually improve your gas milage something about traveling at the speed of light
Old 02-28-2014, 01:47 PM
  #8  
JK Freak
 
D3ADLY's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Pittsburgh, PA
Posts: 631
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default

Originally Posted by Sand Scorpion
if you drive with those lights on it will actually improve your gas milage something about traveling at the speed of light
I've heard that. ><

Sent from my Galaxy Note 3 while crawling over mini trucks.
Old 02-28-2014, 02:00 PM
  #9  
Super Moderator
 
Ryan0260's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: Hendersonville, Tennessee
Posts: 11,043
Likes: 0
Received 83 Likes on 75 Posts
Default

Originally Posted by Jeep305
Ha, it's a jeep. The last thing a jeep owner should worry about is MPG. I bought all my jeeps knowing MPG sucks....
I agree..I had a light bar like this on my old YJ and never really paid attention to it. I would keep it if you will actually use it.
Old 02-28-2014, 02:16 PM
  #10  
JK Junkie
 
GJeep's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Israel
Posts: 2,145
Likes: 0
Received 4 Likes on 4 Posts
Default

Originally Posted by Incawrangler
My Jeep came with a lightbar and 5 large KC lights installed on top of it. I will hardly ever use them, but they sure do look nice . But.... how will they affect MPG? I remember I had a roof rack on my wifes Honda accord and that thing really did set the MPG back quite a bit. Plus, the wind noise from the lights are extremely loud running faster then 45 MPG with the freedom top removed. Has anyone ever experimented with the lights on / off to see how it affected MPG?
Yes, the Jeep has poor aerodynamics, yes, 5 large KCs make it worse. I wouldn't bet on on a big difference in mpg on a Jeep, on a more aerodynamic vehicle the difference would be more meaningful.
The proof is the "wind noise from the lights are extremely loud" -- the noise is the result of disrupted airflow and turbulence.
whether you keep them for looks, or remove the whole light bar for quiet and mpg, only you can say.

Last edited by GJeep; 03-01-2014 at 03:22 AM.


Quick Reply: KC lightbar and lights effecting MPG??



All times are GMT -8. The time now is 01:54 PM.