now how to get these lights to efficiently go up and down, and now thinking about it i probably wouldn't want to use any motors to raise these lights.
I think a hydrolic/pnuemnatic ram would be the best way to raise them, since you have a small place to work with, a hydro/air system should also be stiffer system than a gear driven motor, so they wouldn't flop around when driving. You could use a platform with a guide on each side that kept the platform from moving around, and a ram under it. I don't think the wieght of the lights would force the fluid/air back out of the lifting ram, you might be able to use some springs to return them to their down position. I also don't think you could get 2 KC's per side to fit in a bumper for a Toyota, you probably should consider only 1 per side. Now if you are thinking of using those 3" driving lights/fog lights those would probably fit. If you are wanting a flood type light, you might consider putting on an over head rack with some lights on it. You can usually swivel them around and they will stay in place even while on the trail.
I also don't want to build them into the bumper because if they burn out or a wiring problem happens, i don't want to have to pull the whole thing off just to fix one little wire.
I addressed this issue on this
bumper I wanted to be able to adjust the driving lights and be able to replace the bulb w/o taking off the bumper. I mounted the light to a 1"x1/2" sqare tube, made two keeper mounts that the tube slides through. To release the lights, I have to back off one bolt pers side from underneath the bumper and push the light mount forward(or fish it out from the front). To adjust or change a bulb takes all of 5 minutes. I will posty a pic of the set-up tommarrow.
The simplest way to have the lights protected when not in se would be to buiold them into the bumper and have a slliding door, or a door that pivots up. You could use an electric solenoid and a spring to open the door. The door would have a spring attatched to a one side with the solenoid on the other. When you released the solenoid the spring would move the door to the side or up depending on the set-up. You would have to close the doors manually, resetting each solenoid. You might also look into the motors used on cars with flip up lights, you might be able to use the with a flip up designed door.
I also would like them to be able to point wherever i want them to.
You could probably use some RC motors to turn the outside light on each side.
