UTV Rock Lights Guide: White vs RGB, Pod Count and Mounting

Rock lights are small LED pods mounted low on a side-by-side, in the wheel wells, under the frame or along the rock sliders. They light up the ground right around your tires, which is where a light bar and stock headlights leave a dark gap. That helps when you are picking a line through rocks at night, checking a tire, or loading up at camp. RGB kits add color for group rides and a custom look. This guide covers how to choose between white and RGB, how many pods you need, where to mount them and how to wire them, using the rock light kits we carry.

What rock lights actually do

Headlights and light bars throw light forward and down the trail. Rock lights point down and out from the body, so they fill in the area right beside and under the machine. In practice that means you can:

• See rocks, ruts and roots next to your tires when you are crawling slowly.
• Check tires, suspension and the underside of the machine after dark without a flashlight.
• Light up the ground around the machine when you stop at camp or on a trail break.
• Make the machine easier to spot from the side in a group ride, especially with a colored kit.

They are not a replacement for a forward light. If you still need to see farther down the trail, start with our UTV LED light bar buying guide, then add rock lights to fill in close to the machine.

Step 1: Choose white or RGB

This is the biggest choice, and it comes down to whether you want work light or show light.

White rock lights are about seeing the ground. The Platinum 24 LED White Rock Lights (12 piece) are listed at 6000K pure white, with 24 LEDs per pod, up to 1020 lumens each and a 160 degree beam. They use a die-cast aluminum housing and are rated IP68 waterproof with a listed 50,000 hour lifespan. If you pick white, you get the clearest view of rocks and terrain, with nothing to set up in an app.

RGB rock lights let you change colors and run patterns, so they double as a look and a way to tell machines apart in a group. Most are controlled from your phone. The trade-off is that colored light shows less detail on the ground than pure white, and you have a controller to mount and pair. Most RGB kits can also be set to a white mode, so you are not giving up a usable light completely.

Step 2: Decide how many pods you need

Pod count depends on how much of the machine you want to light and whether you want even coverage on both sides. A common way to think about it:

• 4 pods: one in each wheel well. This covers the area around each tire, which is where most riders want light.
• 8 pods: wheel wells plus the sides or underside of the frame. This gives more even coverage along the length of the machine, which helps on longer 4-seat models.
• 12 pods or more: full underbody and side coverage, or a split between the machine and a trailer or accessories.

Several kits we carry come in more than one size, so you can match the count to your plan:

• The SuperATV RGB Rock Light Kit comes as a 4 light or 8 light kit.
• The KEMIMOTO Universal RGB Rock Light Kit comes in 4 pod and 8 pod versions.
• The Platinum white lights come as a 12 piece set, and the Platinum 24 LED White Rock Light (single) is sold on its own, so you can add a pod or replace a damaged one without buying a whole kit.

Step 3: Compare the kits we carry

Here is how the kits stack up, based on the details listed by each supplier.

A few details are worth calling out:

• Cord length. Each Platinum light has a 15 ft power cord, so you can reach most mounting spots on a side-by-side without adding extension wire.
• Mounts. The SuperATV kit includes both flat mounts, for wheel wells and other level surfaces, and curved mounts for cage tubes. That is handy if you want some pods on the frame and some on the cage.
• Controls. SuperATV uses the LED LAMP app for color and brightness. KEMIMOTO adds an RF remote along with its Bluetooth app, which is useful if you do not want to pull out your phone on the trail.
• Syncing. SuperATV notes that its RGB rock light kit does not sync with SuperATV fang lights or whip lights. If you want matching patterns across your accent lighting, plan on controlling them separately.
• Warranty. Platinum lists a 1 year warranty on the 12 piece set and a lifetime warranty on the single light. Platinum also notes that modifying the plug or hardwiring the unit voids the warranty, so use the connectors as supplied.

Step 4: Plan your mounting spots

Lay the pods out before you drill or zip tie anything. Good spots on most side-by-sides are:

• Inside each wheel well, aimed down at the tire. This is the most common setup and the most useful for crawling.
• Along the frame rails or rock sliders, aimed down and out to light the ground along the sides.
• Under the front and rear, to fill in the area at the bumpers.

Pick flat, solid surfaces that are not part of the suspension travel. Keep pods and cords away from the exhaust, the CV axles, the shocks and anything that moves when the suspension cycles. Rock lights sit low, so they take hits from rocks, mud and brush. Mounting them tucked up behind a frame member or inside the wheel well liner protects them better than hanging them below the frame.

Step 5: Install and wire them cleanly

Every kit comes with its own instructions, so follow those first. A few habits make any rock light install last longer:

1. Test before you mount. Connect everything on the bench or on the machine with the pods loose and make sure each one lights and pairs with the controller.
2. Use the gaskets and hardware. The Platinum 12 piece set includes 12 gaskets, 20 cable ties and screw kits. Use the gasket under each pod to keep water and vibration out.
3. Route cords along the frame. Follow existing wire runs and frame rails, and zip tie often so nothing sags into the suspension or catches on brush.
4. Keep cords off heat and sharp edges. Use loom where cords pass close to the exhaust or across sheet metal edges.
5. Mount the controller up high and dry. For RGB kits, put the controller somewhere protected from mud and water, such as under the dash or behind a body panel.
6. Check after the first ride. Look over the mounts and cords after your first ride and tighten anything that has worked loose.

Rules for colored and auxiliary lights vary by area. If you ride on public roads, turn accent lighting off around traffic and check your local rules.

Which rock lights should you get?

• You crawl rocks or ride technical trails at night: go with white. The Platinum 12 piece set gives you bright 6000K light with long cords, and you can add single pods later.
• You want color and a custom look with solid mounts: the SuperATV RGB kit, with flat and curved mounts in the box, in a 4 or 8 light kit.
• You want color and a remote as well as an app: the KEMIMOTO RGB kit, in a 4 or 8 pod kit.

Rock lights pair well with other accent lighting. If you also want lights that make you easier to see in dunes and dusty group rides, see our whip lights buying guide.

Shop UTV rock lights

You can see every rock light, light bar, mount and accent light we carry in our Lighting & Light Covers collection. Shipping is free in the US and takes 3 to 7 business days. If you are not sure which kit is right for your machine, call us at 601-771-0070 or email hunter@hunterworks.com and we will help you pick one.